[DirtMcGirk]

[rant]
I really wanted to support local businesses in the bike world, its how you keep those businesses alive.

However, when a personal ethic or an individuals sense of propriety comes into play when it comes to custom goods I want to order for my friends prevents that business from providing the goods and services that I wish to purchase, I have to draw a line.

I had been in contact with Mark Roberts, the owner of Riderz Ready bike jerseys, about making four to five jerseys for my friends and I to commemorate our upcoming trip to Moab, Utah, to ride bikes. We're all part of a riding/racing group known as Team Fat Kids, and we're well known for our over the top, somewhat obscene, in your face style. Keeping in that tradition, I wanted to get jerseys made for us that had our team logo on the front, along with "MOAB" in big letters down the back, with "Daddy loves you, ****tard" written on the bottom of the jersey. Its an inside joke among the team, and it was only intended to amuse us. Yet, Mark just didn't seem to get that. Instead, he chose to jump to conclusions...

I had been in contact with Mark for two weeks, and no where during any of that contact did he mention his overly moralistic view of colorful language in products we'd be purchasing.

After waiting for a week for him to get back to me about designs, I get this email:
"I am far from a prude in my personal life but as far as business goes we are
very careful not to offend anyone especially since we are in a family sport
of BMX. The little revenue gained from this is not worth even a remote
chance that this jersey be associated back to Riderz Ready.

Again no offense taken from me personally but I do have a responsibility to
protect the image of this company. We will pass on this project. I would
suggest contacting someone like Animal paintball as jerseys in that sport
have a bit more of an edge to them then BMX.

Best of luck.

Mark Roberts
Riderz Ready"

Mind you, we don't race BMX. And these weren't race jerseys. These were for personal use among a group of friends.
And yet, Mark decided this was his time and place to interject his personal moral views, and to censor something that was just going to be for a group of friends.

I've always been taught in the niche world of custom goods like expensive, custom made jerseys, that "the customer is always right." While it might not be Mark's cup of tea to be as out front as we are with our view points of one another, it is also not his place to basically slam us for being who we are. Yes, its his business, and its his right to choose with whom to do commerce. However, its something honestly I think that they need to be up front about on their website and in their information regarding from his company.

Team Fat Kids on average spends over $2k a year on our race jerseys. I was hoping to facilitate a relationship with a local company, to keep the money in the community, to support local business. I cannot do that here in good faith.

So if you're a fan of free expression, especially when you're paying for the right to do so, I truly suggest looking for another vendor. I will be recounting this story in any medium I can find. Let your freak flag fly!
[/rant]

 

[DirtyMike]

King size for ya

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Fire hose? Garden hose? You lost me.

 

[blackohio]

Dude, they have a Z in their name. I would pass on that alone.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Dude, they have a Z in their name. I would pass on that alone.

99 times out of 100 I agree with you. However, I was trying to "keep it local" and support local businesses. I'm finding for some reason that is really a challenge here in Arizona. Love the gun laws here, really dislike the rest of the state's tendencies towards close mindedness, knee jerk reactions, and pretty much the attitude of siding with the "moral majority."

 

[DirtyMike]

Fire hose? Garden hose? You lost me.

Extra big nozzle to wash the sand out!!!


You know its all in good fun, had the same trouble in the past

 

[Banshee Rider]

So, just get your circle jerk shirts printed on a Hanes Tee and call it good? What part of his response wasn't completely professional, respectful, and justified with specific reasons?

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Oh I can tolerate the sandy vag remarks. I get called that every day by my mom.

I'm just annoyed I have to start the search again.

#sandyvagproblems

 

[blackohio]

I say it was a bit of moral superiority. He could simply have said he wasn't able to do the jerseys. But mentioning his moral views, then the reference to money and association with his brand.

It's obviously well within his right to decline any work.

 

[DirtyMike]

sandyvagproblems

HA, I vote DMG gets a new custom title..... This just seems perfect!



For the record, I never liked that bike shop anwyays

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I say it was a bit of moral superiority. He could simply have said he wasn't able to do the jerseys. But mentioning his moral views, then the reference to money and association with his brand.

It's obviously well within his right to decline any work.

I don't disagree with that point. I just wish he had told me this up front. Its like an engraver refusing to do custom flasks for a wedding because your buddy's nick name is "cunt stain." Had that happen too, but two days before the wedding.

 

[Westy]

 

[blackohio]

Im with you on this. Which is why as a joke out little crew here is getting a logo thats a bear holding a shovel with a giant dong that circles him spelling out the crew.

 

[sanjuro]

Seems like a pretty tame jersey design. And a very lame company.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Can't say I blame the dude.


Just print out iron-ons and apply them to some XXL Hanes t-shirts. That way when they get covered in beer and BBQ stains you'll still feel right at home, even on the trails.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Its funny the difference between the emptybeer.com people and the freaks that inhabit this website. Over there I posted the same thing, and I am taking a thrashing by the local moral majority who think that naughty words should be lynching level offenses.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

When I lived in Asheville, I once saw a guy outside a coffee house wearing a t-shirt that read, "I take it up the ass for Jesus". While I am not a Christian myself, I can see how this could be offensive to some of those living in the Bible belt. I kind of hope he got his ass beat, not because of the shirt, but for his sheer stupidity.

Another time, when I was working as a bouncer, a guy came in the bar wearing a shirt that said in big bold letters "Vageterian". No women spoke to him the entire night.

There is a time when we must all grow up.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

AMS, since when has Team Fat Kids, or anything I'd have a hand in, had anything to do with growing up. Hell, we formed this team to avoid that at all costs. Somehow we convinced people to keep on rolling with us five years later. Jesus, or is it six. Either way.

I view these as a flask for someone's bachelor party. I have a few friends with nicknames that would make Red Foxx blush if he had to say them out loud. Its an inside joke, a term of endearment. They're not going to be what we rock for races, they'd be what we wear in Moab and when we go home and ride trails by us.

 

[Westy]

Its funny the difference between the emptybeer.com people and the freaks that inhabit this website. Over there I posted the same thing, and I am taking a thrashing by the local moral majority who think that naughty words should be lynching level offenses.

Sounds like they are the freaks.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I accept we're freaks. I accept most people don't drop f-bombs like we do. But that being said, its just something between us. Eh, someone is always going to crap on having too much fun.

 

[RUFUS]

Boo-****ing-hoo. Get over it and find something else. It was his decision and he didn't want his name associated with them.

 

[buildyourown]

While it doesn't personally "offend" me, I would do the exact same thing in his position. Why risk any bad PR for a 5 jersey order.
And yeah, it is kind of a rude thing to put on a jersey, and not really funny even if nobody else gets the joke. You would still go around looking like an ass in his jersey.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

Here's the thing, his name would not be anywhere on the jersey. Maybe on the tag inside, but who other than the person riding in them is going to see them? Once we purchase and take delivery, they're not "his" jersey. They're ours. It has our logo on it, we paid for it, we're wearing it.

All that as it is, I just wish he would have told me up front his policies.

Let me ask you this, and from the onset I know this is apples and oranges, but it goes to a point.
There's a local wedding photographer here in Phoenix who refuses to take photos of gay civil unions. They, as Mark did, say that it conflicts with their moral views, and as such will not do business with anyone who bats for the home team.

While its the right of that photographer, they also never stated it until a gay couple asked them to do their photos. Bailed out a few weeks before the wedding, and ended up getting sued. Now I am not going to sue Riderz Ready, I still don't think its right to play "hide the ball" with what comes down to a right wing moralistic stance until its almost time to sign the papers and lay down the cash.

If you're an uptight right wing ****tard, say it loud and proud. I don't like you, you don't seem to be too fond of me, so this way we can avoid one another. Is it that hard?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

I don't make religious iconography or incorporate religious symbols in my designs. Same goes for unicorns, moons, dolphins, the Grateful Dead and any other banal eye sore that your sheeple mind can conjure. But I feel no need to advertise the fact. When asked, I respectfully decline in a professional manner.

It always amazes me the number of times people who get pissed off and offended when I politely tell them no. Like the Jersey printer, it's a private bidness and you ain't entitled to sh!t.

 

[Westy]

I don't put make religious iconography or incorporate religious symbols in my designs. Same goes for unicorns, moons, dolphins, the Grateful Dead and any other banal eye sore that your sheeple mind can conjure. But I feel no need to advertise the fact. When asked, I respectfully decline in a professional manner.

It always amazes me the number of times people who get pissed off and offended when I politely tell them no. Like the Jersey printer, it's a private bidness and you ain't entitled to sh!t.

Could you make me a ring embossed with 'Git'r'Done'?

 

[4130biker]

I saw nothing condescending or judgmental in what he wrote.
He has to make the call for the best interest of his company based on perceived values of his core customers. Just like RM has ground rules so we can use it at work which are also based on peoples values related to professionalism at work. Maybe it would have been better for him to tell you sooner, and a rant about that would seem more justifiable in my eyes. I'm guessing this is the first time they've even had to deal with something like this. Maybe now they will have a rule with "no profanity allowed" who knows.
I'm sure you'll find a place that'll be happy to do it for you- good luck!

 

[4130biker]

you're an uptight right wing ****tard

does this mean you love him?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Could you make me a ring embossed with 'Git'r'Done'?

Do you want that in a brass knuckle version with mirrored letters or would a modest sized cock ring suffice ? Please be honest when measuring your "ring" size.

 

[blackohio]

NSFW

I wear this t-shirt all the time. It's a pretty good split between uptight cunts who find it offensive, and dirty slunts who want nothing more than to have to throw away yet another pair of panties in the morning. I like the notion that almost immediately I can push those away that i wouldn't want around me anyhow.

I'd probably have aids if I didn't have a gf.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I find myself needing to quote Apocalypse Now for the 40000th some time in my life.

We train young men to drop fire on people, but their commanders won't allow them to write "****" on their airplanes because it's obscene!

Obscene is just in the eye of the beholder. Guess we lost out this time because we don't have our own jersey printer.

 

[JohnE]

I giggled about BMX being a "family sport"...most of my pothead friends started in BMX. Track was always teh place to find the best weed and get laid. Sack up and buy some t-shirts and Sharpies. After you pen your drunken immature ramblings all over them, write "MARK ROBERTZ OF RIDERZ READY, PHOENIX AZ LOVES THE C@CK" on them...

 

[Polandspring88]

Better order up an extra for AJ Hawk, he gets your joke.

 

[stevew]

maybe he's a chubby chaser disappointed in your weight loss?

 

[SkaredShtles]

This.

 

[jonKranked]

I say it was a bit of moral superiority. He could simply have said he wasn't able to do the jerseys. But mentioning his moral views, then the reference to money and association with his brand.

It's obviously well within his right to decline any work.

While it doesn't personally "offend" me, I would do the exact same thing in his position. Why risk any bad PR for a 5 jersey order.
And yeah, it is kind of a rude thing to put on a jersey, and not really funny even if nobody else gets the joke. You would still go around looking like an ass in his jersey.

I saw nothing condescending or judgmental in what he wrote.
He has to make the call for the best interest of his company based on perceived values of his core customers. Just like RM has ground rules so we can use it at work which are also based on peoples values related to professionalism at work. Maybe it would have been better for him to tell you sooner, and a rant about that would seem more justifiable in my eyes. I'm guessing this is the first time they've even had to deal with something like this. Maybe now they will have a rule with "no profanity allowed" who knows.
I'm sure you'll find a place that'll be happy to do it for you- good luck!

"we reserve the right to refuse service to any customer at any time, at the management's discretion"

 

[I Are Baboon]

maybe he's a chubby chaser disappointed in your weight loss?

Dirt lost weight?

 

[jonKranked]

also, 5 dudes getting matching jerseys to commemorate a road trip? sounds like you may have caught teh ghey. is "road trip to moab" the new secret code for "all male bukakke"?

 

[KavuRider]

To the OP, you seem to hate AZ an awful lot.

Its not a secret that its a pretty conservative state. But you do seem to enjoy pushing buttons, so you're in the right place! I had a friend who was as cynical and jaded as you by this place...after years of complaining, he finally left.

(The jersey wouldn't offend me, but I do agree with this guy Mark, he was within his rights to decline)

 

[binary visions]

If you had sent him the designs up front and he discussed them with you for two weeks before declining, I'd understand. It appears, though, that the first time he saw the designs, he sent you a polite email declining for moral reasons.

I don't really understand what your problem is with this. I think it's ridiculous that he won't print a curse word on a jersey, but it's his right and I don't see why he has to advertise that he doesn't like to print anything obscene - since that's an extremely vague word that could mean a lot of different things. It's not his responsibility to have an all-inclusive list of what he will and will not print.

You talked, you sent your designs, he declined. If I were you, I'd send him a polite email stating that you would have appreciated a more up-front policy on what he considers acceptable to print, and move on with life. Seems like the only person here with the problem is you - putting that much effort into recounting a story in "any medium you can find" simply because a local business declined to associate themselves with what they think is obscene is a little excessive.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Its funny the difference between the emptybeer.com people and the freaks that inhabit this website. Over there I posted the same thing, and I am taking a thrashing by the local moral majority who think that naughty words should be lynching level offenses.

I quit visiting MTBR when people started complaining about how Niner frames come with a "pedal damn it" quote on the top tube. I get enough of that self-righteous indignation here in town without it being forced upon me by some stupid mountain bike website.
That being said, I have to agree with Dirt here. Its not like he surprised the jersey maker last minute with his request, homey should have let him know he wasn't comfortable with the work. Now Dirt's left scrambling to find someone else to do it. If Mr. Roberts had just said no thanks right off he wouldn't be the subject of an internet rant. Like Dirt, I have no problems with you wanting to be some sort of uppity self-righteous prig, but lets get it out of the way right off so that you don't waste my time and yours. I'll actually respect you (just slightly) more.