It’s our end of week news roundup of all the little interesting things that have been happening in the World of Mountain Biking…
Power Balance bands officially nonsense
It turns out that a hologram embedded inside a rubber wristband doesn’t actually improve your sporting performance, at least according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Comission, who forced the company to post this statement:
“In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility. We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974. If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologise and offer a full refund.”
We’re quite disappointed here as we were looking forward to launching the Singletrack Strength Stretcher, which we were certain would help with wealth, health and sexual success – ours at least. That boat has sailed. Oh well.
Hovis and Victoria Pendleton make snacking brown bread
The Olympic cyclist has unveiled her secret to keeping off the sugary treats over the festive season and it’s Hovis Wholemeal bread. They’ve developed a unique Stop Snacking Facebook app (available at www.facebook.com/hovisbakery) after independent research revealed that 86% of women found eating Hovis Wholemeal for breakfast prevented them from snacking in-between breakfast and lunch.
Raceface release super light single rings
The Vancouver based company have created a range of lightweight 7075 alloy, 4mm thick single chainrings in their BC factory that come in four different colours, are reversible for mild or wild graphics. The 32T ring weighs just 29g and RaceFace say that it’s lighter and 20% stiffer than the e13 guide ring, making it the lightest DH ready ring out there.
KCNC release tapered headsets
Superlight component manufacturers KCNC have created two new headsets for the latest tapered standard(s). The PT1860 integrated headset will cost £31.99 and the F13 semi-integrated will be £37.99. They use sealed bearings and all the colours of the ano-rainbow are available.
TSG to support the Freeride World Tour
The protective equipment maker has signed a three year deal to support the worldwide freeride series, which will kick off 2011 with the Vienna Air King on the 2nd and 3rd April. The Tour aims to be the overarching freeride series in the style of the TTR World Snowboard Tour, providing athletes and event organizers with a tangible world ranking system and guidelines for course design, judging and safety.
There’s two simple explanations of any of the reported positive benefits these bands produce.
1) The trick/demonstration by the salesperson – It’s an old trick that’s been similarly used to demonstrate the properties of other quack products like crystals.
2) The careful pricing of the product. £30 on a product that is clearly just a rubber band implants on your subconscious the belief in the product on the grounds of ‘it’s expensive so there simply must be something in this thing that works’. We as humans would rather believe that than, ‘It’s clearly a rubber band so the fact it’s £30 must be a con’.
The power of price on the selling of a product should not be underestimated. If this thing cost $1* then most people simply would not believe that something so cheap could have any great benefits. Cheap simply does not equate to effective when it comes to products – in a subconscious sense of course. I’m not saying cheap products can’t work, just that our minds tend to over emphasise the benefits of a product that hurts the wallet.
The same effect has been measured in research done on painkillers. In tests, branded painkillers are reported by the users as more effective than cheaper supermarket own brand versions of the exact same drug – even though chemically they are identical. Significantly, even when the users are told that the drugs are exactly the same they still report that the branded and more expensive product gives better results. The placebo effect is really quite amazing and very very powerful.
Ben Goldacre’s book, Bad Science is a much better investment than one of these bands. Anyone who has £30 to spare on one of these bands should surely have enough spare cash to blow £6 on this book first. He explains the amazing effects of placebo much better than I can.
The fact the placebo effect is so amazing and some people report benefits from using these bands does not, in my opinion, justify the sale of these things by companies who’s only aim is to extract as much money as possible by using dodgy sales techniques and an understanding of the psychology of human behaviour. It’s still exploitation of the highest order. proper Emperors New Clothes.
Any distributors and retailers still selling these things should seriously question their own ethics when it comes to what they are prepared to do to extract money from the public.
* This is the price that has been offered for these bands if ordered directly from the far east factory in minimum quantities of 1000.
Nevermind all that rubbish Mark – where can I get this magical dog shit that Mafiafish has got?
I love my XTR levers but any benefit must be placebo effect…
How big are her feet?
I CANNOT believe you lot.
can you all just hush the power balance noise, and appreciate Vicki in all her lovelyness.
Her more devilish persona wins my vote 😀
I can’t believe TJ isn’t here bemoaning the lack of moral decency of the STW staff and their sexist taste in news articles.
As for Power Bands, if you’re stupid enough to buy one, you didn’t deserve to have the £30 in the first place…
Is there any relationship between wearing a power band and opportunities of a frisky nature with the lovely Miss P?
It’s a shame the Australian advertising ruling didn’t demand more robust language.
£30 for a wristband and some words. Have a glass of water instead. It might have come into contact with something that increases balance, power and flexibility and might have an unimaginably large effect on your abilities. cf the ‘homeopathic bomb’ (http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2010/04/20/new-age-terrorists-develop-homeopathic-bomb/)
Phew, at least snake oil works…