All my technology is old but only beacause im a poor student, but i do actually like it this way, parts of my bikes are real old skool, as this is also a type of fashion.  Clothing wise if you saw me in the street you wouldn't know i was a cyclist at all, i dont follow the fashion there, maybe a royal tee under my coat but thats about it.

There is also fashion within the scene's, especially with dirt jumping, you hear of the scene a lot but ive been doing it for years and cant be bothered to stay with the scene and be fashionable, im happy with riding my trails and trying other ones every now and then!

the image at the bottom of the advert differentiates and personalises the advert for the UK, rather than having some international marketing campaign.

it also uses a "trendy tag" style font on the words, which lets face, is fashionable as hell [urban culture].

also its associated with the rider, robin kitchin, who is uk born....

this makes it easier for the uk to relate to the person/product and thus makes them think they'll be able to do what he does, or be "more like him" etc.

Quite an intresting topic thats going here, in my view mountain biking is a fashion, but it means different things to different people. Some people just have the bike and kit and stand about slagging off peoples riding style. The people who just ride as much as possible couldn't care about the 'rich kids' with little ability, so you could say its become fashionable to not care what bike you have,a kind of being cool is being counter cool if you see my point. Thats all a bit thoughtfull for a friday afternoon.
 

thanks people,

ColDTea: you've mentioned a few things there that i hadn't thought of, and the title will eventually be narrowed down but it doesnt mean that i cant comment in brief on all the elements of fashion in cycling. Some good points. Hardatils, gazzaloddis, bash guards, upside down forks, disc brakes could all be catergorised as fashion items with a function, while a leopard print spray job, or saddle is realy just for the style conscious. TLD helmets have a good mix, looks and function.

the_chosen_llama: i was interested that animal aims products primarily at non-motor sports, and wondered why there was none of these sports encorporated in the graphic. Not everyone knows of robin, nor his links with animal.

Rangerider: Would you have even considered the product without the nathan and sams endorsements? for example i see a new pedal on a website, but im not sure if i should pay the price being as i havent heard any news in the media about the products performance, in choosing this new pedal you could be joining a new trend, or you could be risking your hard earned money. Give steve peat the pedal and it could be an overnight success, an example of lead user involvement.

 

I would dissagree with your initial statement "Mountainbiking is a fashion". This because i think the majority of peploe who are in to mtb's are not riding just because other people ride. but riding because they enjoy it.
 However i think there are fashions with in Mountain biking. like a general progression of people in to "Freeriding". However it could also be argued that it's not a fashion just a natural progression, or a relisation/labeling of what has been going on before.
 Also products which succesful people use/wear, are definatly fashionable to a portion of eth biking comunity. so there is fashion there too.

the rider IS rob kitchen [it says under the photograph]

the name on the side is just a blatent blag that they have a top rider on their team!!
[come on keep them eyes open!]

Maybe so, but theres the information out there, normally i write a post and get like 4 replies, how many people have replies to this, its the varied opinions that make the dissertation a good one to write.

I've already been round a few bike shops asking their opinions and e-mailed animal for some feedback on the advertisement above, compared to my other title "progression of suspension technology" this is proving quite interesting.

 

final year product design dissertation, 20% of my marks or something... need to get some good research done, all these opinions will form the backbone of the paper.. because i have to look at it from an un-biased angle, argue for and against the title.

 

So as mtb'ers what kind of effect do you think these trends are having on 'the scene' ?

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being design function and 10 being design style/image where do you think the mountain bike market lies, closer to the style or the function?