AI in MTB Marketing

boozed
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6/11/2019
Location
AU
1/3/2026 2:16am
Not MTB, but might as well be.Was scrolling through some shop’s description of an upcoming ski.

Not MTB, but might as well be.

Was scrolling through some shop’s description of an upcoming ski.

IMG 5228.png?VersionId=xR.L7Em wDZ

I'm seeing more of this kind of stuff at the end of ebay listings too

dolface
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USA
1/3/2026 8:09am
I actually don't think this is that.  The image may have been AI-generated (I don't actually think it is) but I believe this was done intentionally...

I actually don't think this is that.  The image may have been AI-generated (I don't actually think it is) but I believe this was done intentionally to play off "flipping the script" of making the deeper-section wheel on the front instead of traditionally being on the back... so the joke image is that they put a rear wheel on the front and a front wheel on the rear.

sspomer wrote:
sheesh, that could be true. odd to put the cassette on the wrong side up front (unless to make it obvious it's a rear wheel up...

sheesh, that could be true. odd to put the cassette on the wrong side up front (unless to make it obvious it's a rear wheel up there), but there is a major problem with rotor being inside the spokes, nowhere near the caliper and the caliper being behind a spoke, lol.

Screen Shot 2025-12-01 at 11.30.17 AM

 

Late to this but Escape Collective wrote a whole article about it: https://escapecollective.com/this-isnt-what-it-looks-like/

tl;dr
"“This image is actually a GIF that isn’t loading correctly on the website (WIP to fix) that was created to show how we are changing the conventional thought of having a deeper rim profile in the back than in the front towards having a deeper rim profile in the front,” a Specialized spokesperson told me."

and

"As for AI use, Specialized confirmed that there is “no AI use on our website at all, actually – everything is created by our internal creative team and digital teams.” "

2
owl-x
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Shell Beach, CA, USA
1/3/2026 12:24pm

Oh. 

…the headline shows it to be a deliberate maneuver. Forget everything you thought you knew about wheels. We’re putting the deeper rims up front. Wheels aren’t what you thought. 

My apologies, Specializeds. I relied on these guys who were relying on an IG post from a guy called bicyclepubes, who neglected to include the weird pic’s accompanying headline. 

So now what? 

LePigPen
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Harbor City, CA, USA
Fantasy
1/3/2026 2:50pm

I am hoping it's understood that bicyclepubes is a meme account along with squamishsasquatch and livelaughloam and micycles bichael and others. So... Just be wary of that thin line of irony of what is a joke and untrue, and what is a joke that reveals the truth. Never know lol

2
owl-x
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Shell Beach, CA, USA
1/7/2026 7:01am

Ads are fun and Specialized has a long history of great ones. I am out of the game, got caught flat-footed and I’m embarrassed for just accepting that it was lazy. In fact it is smart and relevant, good shit! I’m a dumbshit Californian now, walking around talking about how warm and pretty it is today. Fuck. They got me with the double agent fake Ai!

Okay.

The forensic Dakvestigation happening over in that other thread (2026 teams?) has people enhancing J.Schroeder’s blurry B Practice show notes. Fantastic stuff. I referenced my first foray with ChatGPT, where I asked it to count chocolate dough balls for our 3rd grader’s class. I wanted to share it and this is our Ai thread so check this out:

IMG 9573IMG 9574IMG 9575IMG 9576IMG 9577.png?VersionId=wOSvu03O5bzsVKmQz5 KerIMG 9578
4
brash
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AU
1/7/2026 9:34am

JUST COUNT THE DAMN BALLS CLANKER!

3

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