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You'd be amazed at how much better parts hold up under pros than punters... Pros know how to ride better and have mechanics to keep things running right... Your average hack doesn't have the smoothness of a pro, even on a trail that is a lot easier than a WC course.. Now, give a pro a part and tell them to break it.. Different story..

IS IT HOT OR COLD COFFEE? WE MUST KNOW.

View this post on Instagram Excited to finally be in 2020 and let my ‘new me’ attitude come to live #sendit #girlscanTOO (creative director: @loicbruni29 ) // shout out to @jolandaneff and @kateplusfate , lots of love 💃😍 A post shared by Malene Degn - MTB Rider (@malene_degn) on Jan 1, 2020 at 9:40am PST Bruni on a new program in 2020?!

Tell me about it. The sense of entitlement, so conveniently displayed by some in this thread, is just one factor that makes this industry such a challenging place to work, especially in marketing. Everyone thinks they're owed something. People can't seem to grasp that this is a business just like anything else. Unless you're a top-tier athlete, who will legitimately help sell product via racing on the world-stage or (some might say more importantly) via a big social media following, you can't expect a company willingly take a loss to pay you to ride your bike and give you free...

If you want to not only be supported but especially earn a living as an athlete, then you've got to play along. Bikes are a business just like anything else. In the end, for the people in suits that pull levers and push buttons it's all about dollars. I don't understand feeling bad for them. No one is forcing them to ride bikes for a living. There are thousands of people out there that just ride, race and have regular jobs.

Among others, yeah. Now these female athletes need to be models and riders, it seems? I don't think it's just a cycling problem, of course. I mean, the cheesecake magazine spreads at least didn't put daily pressure on these athletes to organize photo shoots. Just an outsider's perspective, of course. In a sport where eating disorders aren't uncommon (thinking XC, male and female), I'm not sure the social media piece is entirely healthy.

Oh, come on. We're taking about something that's not a function of the core job duties, and pretty far afield at that. Closing the books is what accountants live for and work all year toward. I'm particularly concerned about women who may feel pressure to post particular types of content. That seems unnecessary.