cycle show day 1

Have you ever gotten so excited about something that you could almost pee in your pants?

How many times have you been disappointed with the result?

It was my first cycle show today. Actually it was my first of any show today.

I pictured freebies, interesting conversations, loads and loads of cycling kit and new styles and inventions. I thought I would be able to make contacts and maybe find out about a career in cycling. I thought I would have peed my pants at least once.

Well *sigh* not what I had expected.

The first meeting I had thought I had arranged was a no show, not even a call or text to say they wernt going to be able to see me. My second meeting at least had the decency to call me and arrange for tomorrow morning.

So safe to say my knickers were in a bit of a knot, and wearing skinny jeans I was finding it a bit difficult to untie them.

But hey, Im in a huge room full of bikes and kit. I guess I can sort this out myself.

My first lovely meeting was with Danny and it was lovely to chat. A young man working for Singer Cycles with a passion for bikes and huge hopes of making it pro someday. The Singer stand was very popular with vintage style bikes, restored and resold to loving owners who were stood around reminiscing on their bikes of the past. It was a pleasure to see and listen to the men and woman discussing their first bikes and what has happened to them over the years.

I also met a team from Shutt Velo Rapide. Beautifully styled jerseys created with attention to detail and passion. Real people, not a sales guy hired to talk shit and sell you something that has no use in your life. They listened to my thoughts and they paid attention to me, they seemed rather interested in what I had to say.



And then there was the lad from Endura. Seriously a huge ass! I asked a simple question and gave a simple opinion. Why are there no waterproof tights or shorts in the woman's range? Look at the size of the options available for woman, in all honesty its rather pants.



Ok so the word pants probably wasn't that professional but seriously, 1 rack of shit woman's range with every item having some form of pink on it or bright yellow jackets. But it was his reply that left me speechless. Apparently there is no market for woman cycling kit because not enough woman are interested in cycling. If Endura were to increase their woman's range they could go under by the winter. He also said that they have found that woman stop cycling when it gets cold and dark and the weather gets worse??? I didn't quite know what to say, to I just said thanks for all your help and walked away.



Normally I would have told him where he could shove his womans range but I had to consider that I was in a professional environment and I needed to contain myself. What it does also mean is that I can compose a loving and tender letter to Endura describing my disappointment in their sales staff and their lack of respect for woman in cycling. I will also probably never buy Endura kit again. Tosser!



So although I felt rather let down by certain people today, but I felt rather uplifted by those who I could have real conversations with.



Although I dont feel any closer to a career in cycling I feel that a few more ideas have been created in my head that I may be able to work with.



Oh and to those who disappointed me, I am blowing raspberries your way!!!