MrMonkey Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 What the hell is up with the sponsorship in Trials? Basically I've been watching many videos recently and seeing riders who are pretty under par that are sponsored. Ok, they're mainly girls. Now shush before you say I'm sexist, and I do realise girls are never gonna be as good as guys, and don't call me sexist for that either, because the female body is not built for as much physical punishment as the male body. I can see why companies are doing it, to try and make trials seem like a more lady friendly sport. But on less you're on some hefty drugs you can see it isn't, it requires alot of explosive power, something that you don't usually see in sports females play, even if you push the boat out to Rugby, it does involve strength but it's more enduranced based. Anyway back to the point, sponsorship should be skill based, sex, or sexual preference, shouldn't matter. This isn't a dig at anyone or anything, and you can't say it isn't because I want to be sponsored. As I don't ride :P Nevertheless, I think this is a pretty major problem, as girls may see another girl riding and think "Wow if she's that good and is sponsored it can't be that hard." Then see guys riding to a much higher standard and they'll be put off the sport because they'll think "Well if she's sponsored and is only that good, to make myself an equal to a guy I'm going to have to be amazingly good." It might bring them into the sport but they aren't going to stay. I mean no offence to anyone, this was not a direct attack. More of an attack towards the people who are sponsoring people because they are a minority. Also to gather views, I know what most of them are going to be. Some bullshit about how it encourages them to ride more, if they need to be sponsored to ride more maybe they shouldn't ride? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biketrialler Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 To put it simply, theres little sponsoring a bloke can do to bring loads of new riders. Sponsoring a few girls can show other girls that they CAN ride too and gives them some people to watch and aim to be, even if they arent as great as anyone else. Theres nothing wrong with that, and it wont cost the company much, so I cant see the issue at the end of the day. Your point about it being a mans sport and guys being better and put them off is so invalid its unreal, loads of girls do all of the other sports, like you said, its accepted that girls arent as good as guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkey Posted July 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 (edited) Your point about it being a mans sport and guys being better and put them off is so invalid its unreal, loads of girls do all of the other sports, like you said, its accepted that girls arent as good as guys. ← So if they ain't as good why does it take a guy to be 100x better to get sponsored, but a girl gets it for being that 100x worse? I do realise that makes no sense. Edited July 19, 2005 by MrMonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biketrialler Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 Er, because girls looking at other girls riding will associate their sponsored riders with the product being good for use by females. Thus more sales. In general theres a great amount of girls likely to be attracted as there are so few in the sport at the moment. Its like a rule of increased returns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 For a start, trials (until you get to about 3 years it) doesn't need that much power / strength, it's 98% down to technique. The reason girls seem to be 'not as good' as guys is i think it's down to the mind, not the body. When boys are younger they like to play football and stuff. And girls like to make perfume out of rose petals. When it comes to riding trials, they have very different minds. Your never going to see a girl doing and 8ft drop. But you see lots of guys doing much bigger, and drops really are just about having the guts to do it. I could do an 8ft drop physically, but i darent. As for sponsorship, any company would like their name against a good female rider, i mean i can tell you who sponsors nadine off the top of my head. So something has worked if you know what i mean....it's hard to explain. :P The best girl rider and the best male rider are seen (ability wise for their gender) as the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The enchanted broomstick Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I reckon its for demos to be honest. Seriously if you think about it who goes to these trials shows the most, GUYS its all guys that go to the trials demos and can sometimes manage to drag their birds or (girl) friends along with them. Girls would find it more interesting to actually turn up to something like NASS with girls riding there rather than just all blokes. And come on lets face it we would all prefer to watch a girls ass bobbing up and down rather than a blokes anyday of the year, (well maybe not some people on here :-" ) i personally think its all about drawing in a bigger crowd to open people's eyes to what is achievable by not just men but females as well, its the way things are going these days none of these sexist laws and equal oppurtunities. I do totally agree that girls wont be as good at trials as the guys will be but if it got to the point where i could meet a bird that was into trials and liked to come out to ride that would be awesome, but there arent that many of them. The sooner the better i say would stop them wasting all their money on thousands of pairs of shoes that they wont ever where because they dont match anything else in their wardrobe! thats my bit said, stu :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetrials Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 For a start, trials (until you get to about 3 years it) doesn't need that much power / strength, it's 98% down to technique. The reason girls seem to be 'not as good' as guys is i think it's down to the mind, not the body. When boys are younger they like to play football and stuff. And girls like to make perfume out of rose petals. When it comes to riding trials, they have very different minds. Your never going to see a girl doing and 8ft drop. But you see lots of guys doing much bigger, and drops really are just about having the guts to do it. I could do an 8ft drop physically, but i darent. As for sponsorship, any company would like their name against a good female rider, i mean i can tell you who sponsors nadine off the top of my head. So something has worked if you know what i mean....it's hard to explain. :P The best girl rider and the best male rider are seen (ability wise for their gender) as the same. ← Yes that was then this is now, it requires like monkey said a hell of a lot explosive power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott-mad Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 (edited) i think girls riding trials is cool but it doesnt seem to take alot to get them sponsered as you say. im not to bothered realy because i just ride to have fun i dont intend to try and get sponsered because to be honest i dont have the ability to do so and just enjoy riding my bike. the thing about women having no power or little power (cant remember whet you said now) i dont agree with it. my friend, a girl, rides motorbike trials and shes ranked 20th in the world at the moment and to get to that place shes had to do amazing stuff on a bike that requires that power. Edited July 19, 2005 by scott-mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz M Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 Yes that was then this is now, it requires like monkey said a hell of a lot explosive power. ← i agree with you fully on that as i was just about to post something along those lines but i think what he ment was its all down to technique until youve been riding for about the three years mark (as the majority who have been riding for three years are half decent) also sponsorship isnt so much about skill level monkey its alot down to attitude and genereally how popular you are, take vincent hermance for example im pretty sure loads of companys would be after him if he ever left koxx (i know it wont happen but this is a example) everyone knows what bike he rides and theyll buy it just because he rides it but if you take someone like kenny belay, hes at the same skill level as vincent (if not better) but he not nearly as popular on a large scale which is why most people would prefer to pic vincent over him (i know vincent is one of the best and so is kenny but its just a example of popularity from the top of my head) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetrials Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I WOULD SAY COMPS REQUIRE TECHNIQUE BUT ITS NOT ALL TRUE(f**kING CAPS) look at the graz comp, shit me theres f**king big stuff , f**k to technique u need sum power to get up and acorss almost every obsticle on the sections, adn females just arnt built like that, nads is the best i know off and shes getting good, but (no offence) its gonan be awhile befor shes twatting up 50" as shes built tiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aust Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 ok then girls arent ever going to be as good as guys ???.. you are sooo wrong... uci femina world champion karin moore from sweeded... is f**king awesome !!!... you need to see this sort of stuff before you go mouthing off..... some companies dont sponsor people because they are good riders... mainly because they want advertising... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 (MrMonkey has posted an interesting topic) Its a valid point though about girls dont have to be that good to get sponsored(i didnt mean it to sound offensive), in which for a guy to get sponsored he would have to be doing nearly 9ft gaps, big hooks, 50'' sidehops, and be good at natural as well as being popular(lots of coverage-vids, sites etc.). Where as a girl would just have to be able to do basic moves, ride comps, and get coverage. I think its mainly down to the expectations of the sponsor. E.g It would be harder to get a sponsor from Koxx than it would be to get sponsored from Base Bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkey Posted July 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 some companies dont sponsor people because they are good riders... mainly because they want advertising... ← You're retarded, as you just got my point, but before that you feel the need to talk some shit about anomolys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai the Socket Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I've thought this for ages, just kept it to myself. Girls are sponsored when they're at a much much worse level than guys nowadays. Cleanbikes is one example. Nadine, being realistic, is probably the worst on the Cleanbikes team by a bit, but she's still sponsored. They want coverage and I think that's stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetrials Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 cb riders have gone down the pan slingers gone, walkers gone i think, aint he on the monty team now cultiv8ed matts gone, bongos gone whos left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 cb riders have gone down the pan slingers gone, walkers gone i think, aint he on the monty team now cultiv8ed matts gone, bongos gone whos left? ← Yer :P They had slinger, craig lee scott, bongo, matt, alister c..and they've just gone. I dunno if Walker still rides for them :- Dunno if Danny Foster rides for them :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyroo Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 There would be the odd one or two "manly" women, but on the whole, women will not be on par with men in the physical strength side, as a whole. I remember watching the female World Skateboard Somethingorother, just after the mens one, (who were pulling tricks that almost require anti gravity machines to pull off), and they were all just doing ollies and little 180's and that was it. In status, they were level with the men, but the skill was way off. The companies want to sponser the best, and they seperate it into the sexes to make it appealing to both sexes, so the best male will be damn good, but the best female will be sub standard, because there is no better. I say give 'em steroids.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 According to the site: Chris Walker Nadine Matt Arkwright Danny Foster Hugh Barker Chris Wright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkey Posted July 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 There would be the odd one or two "manly" women, but on the whole, women will not be on par with men in the physical strength side, as a whole. I remember watching the female World Skateboard Somethingorother, just after the mens one, (who were pulling tricks that almost require anti gravity machines to pull off), and they were all just doing ollies and little 180's and that was it. In status, they were level with the men, but the skill was way off. The companies want to sponser the best, and they seperate it into the sexes to make it appealing to both sexes, so the best male will be damn good, but the best female will be sub standard, because there is no better. I say give 'em steroids.... ← I can think of ONE highly sponsored skateboarder, and I can't think of any in BMX or Inline. So yeah, I think Trials is doing something a little wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burton Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 According to the site: Chris Walker Nadine Matt Arkwright Danny Foster Hugh Barker Chris Wright ← Matt doesnt ride for them, he thinks the company is crap :P He rides Rossi's old rex now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Motivator Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 Shurrup, if theyre fit whos complaining?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backgren Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 Cleanbikes is one example. Nadine, being realistic, is probably the worst on the Cleanbikes team by a bit, but she's still sponsored. They want coverage and I think that's stupid. ← The companies want to sponser the best, and they seperate it into the sexes to make it appealing to both sexes, so the best male will be damn good, but the best female will be sub standard, because there is no better. I think andyroo explained that well. Companies want coverage to earn money, and they want to sell to different sort of people. In this case it's about selling to girls who are into a sport dominated by men. The companies then want a girl to promote their products to the other girls riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz M Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 im pretty sure Chris Walkers still on the cleanbikes team, i doubt he'll be on it for much longer though, i think anytime soon he'll get a bike company sponser from monty or someone, he deserves it lookng at some of his results this year, see how well he does at the worlds, cleanbikes generally sponser riders whom they think to have potential, all those riders you lot named look where they all are now nadine isnt exactly one of the senior riders is she barbara obviousely thinks nadine has potential and i agree, also shes only just started doing the nationals so you cant expect THAT much from her results (Y) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkey Posted July 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I think andyroo explained that well. Companies want coverage to earn money, and they want to sell to different sort of people. In this case it's about selling to girls who are into a sport dominated by men. The companies then want a girl to promote their products to the other girls riding. ← How come, skateboarding, BMXing, FMX, fruit boots and many other sports that are 10 times the size of trials if not more don't need it then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted July 19, 2005 Report Share Posted July 19, 2005 I can think of ONE highly sponsored skateboarder, and I can't think of any in BMX or Inline. So yeah, I think Trials is doing something a little wrong. ← Fox sponsor quite a few girl riders (they even did a 'big' roadtrip with them all), and they too are mostly turd. Same goes for their female MTB riders. Just check out Fox's "36 for 36" video results. The winning women's video was total shite. Really, really piss poor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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