Hunt Bike Wheels Hill Climb challenge

This is for the climbers.

You can win a set of wheels if you can beat the time set by the fastest man up this climb.

I've tweeted to ask Hunt why they aren't offering a challenge that a woman might consider such as trying to beat the fastest ever woman's time on the Catford Hill Climb but they haven't got back to me.

1 Attachment

cc @OllieTheWizard

It's open to everyone isn't it? And that's the record?

fastest ever woman's time on the Catford Hill Climb

What is the fastest time?

The women's record is 2.38.1 so not only would a woman have to beat that record, they'd have to knock nearly a minute off it to win...

2.30.6

Call me a sceptic but if it’s stood for 35 years not likely they’ll have to give any wheels away.
Following this logic I’d assume they think the woman’s record a bit soft...

Also, this happened on Sunday and no one beat the record...

Was the female record broken?

I was waiting for this response.

It is often pondered about how to get more women involved in cycling. Women can enter events like the Ride100, just like men. What's their problem?

The problem is that there is a near constant low-level noise that you have to not only be good but be amazing and better than the best men to participate in cycling. Most women just assume that it's not for them and don't start or go off and do something that they are stereotyped to believe that they can do.

Why not give a woman the chance to beat the 'soft ' time of 2.38.1. Maybe the next batch of women who build their own weight weenie machines will push under 2 mins and even closer to the men's time. You'll never know unless you encourage people to take part by making it seem possible and feasible in the first place.

I received this email on 9 October.

I totally support this btw.
I know nothing about PR but surely, giving a set of wheels away to either record breaker would be best.
If it is soft, even better as more women might consider it possible and enter!

Women's record isn't soft, but the men's is on the shelf

Hunt Bike Wheels got back to me.

"Thank you very much for your email. The competition isn’t designed to be an exclusively male competition, although reading back the email I will accept that it could seem that way.

Just to clarify if the Catford record is beaten then that person will win the prize, if a man beats the men’s record they would win and equally if a woman beats the woman’s record they also win."

Big thumbs up for Hunt. I hope that they clarify publicly.

I wish I was good at hill climbing but, alas, I'm shit at it.

Bad day at the office on Tuesday for Hunt, who have always been great from my dealings with them. So was good to see them realise their mistake and come out with the apology and that Chanel has been very levelled in her response.

The brand has been tainted for me and lots of other women, I'm sure.

The subject line made me roll my eyes but content didn’t seem as problematic.
What were your thoughts?

Yeah, it's the subject line that is the problem. Reducing a person to be someone else's appendage and not even using their name. It wouldn't happen to a bloke.

Hunt have actually done some really interesting pieces on women adventure cyclists. It's just a shame that they don't run their content past some women that are interested in this type of cycling to make sure that they are pitching it right. Although anyone should be able to see that calling people by their actual name is a good start when they are the subject of the article. Plus, if your company is launching any competitions don't pitch the content exclusively at men.

Hmm I think it would happen to a bloke if we lived in a more equal society because I think it’s a fairly lazy approach, piggy backing off someone elses name.

Very true.

I've just googled 'BF' news and been subjected to a torrent of celebrity drivel. We're all doomed!

Firstly: this should be a new thread. But while we're here... Kinda seemed like a quick-fire but thoroughly inexcusable brain-fart to me but either way: let's all agree to call Alex 'Chanel's bae'. I'm sure he'll appreciate the joke.