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The Toronto Cyclists Union is choosing a name for their soon-to-launched magazine and they’d like your help. They’re looking for a name that is fun, smart and not cliché (Spacing did a similar contest during the formative stages of the magazine).
Over 250 names were submitted. The list has been narrowed down to eleven. Vote below for your favorite choice!
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108 comments
It doesn’t look like it has a ton of votes anyway but it should be noted that there is already a bike mag called “cog”
http://www.cogmag.com/
I voted for “Spoke & Word” but a coworker here just mentioned that he thought that sounded kinda religious… Just thought I’d pass that on 🙂
this is driving me insane. how can i be the only one voting for “velove”???? so clever.
Don’t vote for “Cog”, us fixxie rides got that first!
I think the name needs a TO tie in to it. And since someone has mentioned Cog is already in use, how about:
HogCog
I love Joyride, but would much innuendo be made of this title? Also, Spoke & Word is super great, but I can see why the previous poster said a co-worker thought it sounded religious. Perhaps an independent focus group would be useful at the very end of this process?
Gotta love “joyride” – it’s positive, evokes nice images of individuals, couples, and families riding, and captures the feeling we all feel on a bike! 🙂
Please, no bike part puns. You know who I am talking about, Spoke. We will be sick of it in a week.
Velove is nice, but the name doesn’t flow well. A surprisingly large number of people don’t know what “velo” means either.
Dandy Horse is a cool name, but also not too obviously a name for a cycling mag.
Joyride is good. Makes me happy.
Velocipede is another good one for bike history buffs, but sounds too much like an ancient giant insect.
Kickstand lacks movement. 🙂
Trackhopper. At first I was going to make a snarky comment about “not EVERYBODY rides trendy fixed gear track bikes around the city, ya know!” but then I realized the name has more to do with hopping over streetcar tracks. I like this one, though I didn’t vote for it.
Freewheeler. Another good one.
Cog. Already a magazine name, and the name of a website that existed for a while in Toronto (cycling cog).
Spoke & Word. I voted for this. Clever play on words and a great name for a cycling mag. Might want to do some googling on it though…looks like it might already be used for a magazine/newsletter, and at least one blog.
VeloCITY. Already the name for the bike tube idea.
Spinster. I like this one too.
All the names suck except for Dandy Horse.
I’ve been in the bicycle industry (and magazine/newspaper publishing biz) for a number of years and have seen several magazines/websites that have come and gone with these exact names or similar monikers. Many-as has been noted-have baggage or could be misinterpreted. DH is the only fresh thing here from a branding perspective anyway.
Cutesy takes on a bike component or wacky double-entendres and portmanteaus make me physically ill. And don’t get me started about “clever” acronyms. Tacky.Tacky.Tacky. (And tacks are no fun for cyclists!)
The Dandy Horse!
The only original sounding name.
I think cyclophile would be a better name.
While giving feedback is good, I suggest readers don’t say “THIS name should have been on the list.” You had the chance to submit names before (most probably never knew this was happening, I understand) but you end up undermining the efforts of those trying to make this contest worthwhile and useful.
Just my two cents.
Full disclosure – I submitted “joyride”, so I’m rooting for it. 🙂
To Claire, you are definitely right – innuendo could definitely come from the title (although I didn’t think of it until you mentioned it), but if portraying cycling as sexy gets more people doing it (haha), then that’s a good thing.
I was thinking of more of a “happiness comes from riding a bike” point of view, but whatever works. 🙂
Any of the “velo” stuff is bad. Velove? Yikes! That looks like is should be pronounced “vee-love”. Anytime you make a word up the brain looks for the word it knows, and in this case “love” is the first thing the eye will see.
Dandy Horse is good but who knows what it means if you don’t have an explanation.
Spoke & Word is almost reatrded. You’ll get confused with those horrible CanCon literary mags.
Spinster!
sucks to forced nomenclature! (or names that sound forced?) are we so insecure that we need to make it sound like it’s from any particular city?
seriously though, that bothers me… most names are weak because of the toronto tie-in. it’s so often a bad move.
i like “velove” cos it’s a tad elusive. i never knew a magazine that really relied on anyone “getting” its name. it sounds cool, doesn’t it? it’ll also age well.
it’s also a “v” away from “we”, which is a nice touch.
though you know, i do adore the suggestion of “hogcog”! very nice. too bad that wasn’t entered into the contest.
I would like to counter Patty and say YES PLEASE submit new ideas too… you never know;?
Although Dandyhorse is my own suggestion, and I am feeling very bolstered and flattered by Colin’s argument in favour for this fun name…. I have received some very negative feedback from the cycling community on this one ;( and have concerns about its reach.
Others I like that are not on the list are: *Coaster* and Banana seat. The latter has the same problem as DH – it doesn’t have wide appeal. We are trying to appeal to all cyclists and potential commuter cyclists, not just those of us already heavily invested in the bikeosphere. 🙂 (but we gots to like it too – of course!)
I do like Spinster…. but if it makes Colin barfy…
Trackhopper would have gotten my vote for its Toronto-specific theme, but I like Spoke & Word too much (and it’s the only one that actually has a print reference).
Freewheeler! Freewheeler! Freedom! Wheels! Come on,
let’s have it sound like something fun. I would advise against letting this poll decide. Round II!
I’m surprised there are no union references. What about bikelocal416?
A lot of great names!
I also submitted JoyRide but now I’m leaning to Dandy Horse, two very sexy choices. My spinster neighbour will wonder what kind of fetish I have, it’ll be fun to stoke her curiousity.
I don’t see having a somewhat abstract name as a problem. Is The Walrus a journal of oceanography or zoology?
Like I said before I am the consummate bike nerd/publishing hack and I had no idea what a Dandy Horse even *was* before I decided it was the only name that stood out.
In the interest of full disclosure I have worked on Vancouver’s Momentum Magazine over the years and plan on helping out with this new magazine for Toronto.
MOMENTUM grew out of the ashes of a smaller journal called The Spoke’n’Word. Spoke died for a number of reasons but when it was reborn the publishers were glad to shed the very dorky “Spoke’n’Word” tag.
MOMENTUM isn’t the best name either and is something we have struggled with. Too vague. Pretentious. Too many syllables. Other mags and weirdo cults with the same name etc.
Velove is too close to the very large, longstanding and popular Vancouver cycling listserv Velolove. Can’t go there. Not even a good name for a mail list!
tt: Spinster!? There so much wrong with that I don’t where to begin…(now where did I leave that Gravol®?)
velove: no idea what this refers to or how to pronounce it.
dandy horse: definitely cute and original, but it evokes an historical image that isn’t as fresh and energetic as some other names. i agree with colin that it stands out the most, but i’m not sure this is the most important feature of a name. lots of weird names will stand out, but strange and obscure names can also convey a touch of pretension. ‘the walrus’ is a good name, because it is a well-known yet interesting word, naming a charismatic animal somehow appropriate for a journal of thoughtful canadian writing.
joyride: short, simple, punchy, and evokes just about the right kind of feeling i think. people have mentioned a sexual connotation, but i’m not familiar with any such use, unless it is just that sex is referred to sometimes as a ‘ride’, and is often joyful. i’m more put off by its association with cars. and see problem with freewheeler, below.
velocipede: too contrived, no clear image or meaning.
kickstand: short, simple, great punch (kick, even), and it is something which supports bikes, just like the mag. unfortunately it does lack motion, as noted above. a minor flaw. and besides, the ‘kick’ is a kind of motion, just a different kind from that of the bike itself.
trackhopper: didn’t like this at first, but it does connote a distinguishing characteristic of toronto cycling. not a clearly positive one, unfortunately (though granted hopping a track is better than getting stuck in one)
freewheeler: nice connotation, like joyride, but even though cycling is often fun, i guess i’d prefer a name that didn’t emphasize this aspect, since there is more to cycling than fun, freedom, and joy. for example, it is healthy, practical, and socially responsible. i think i’d like a name which either conveyed all of these positive aspects (likely impossible) or, yes, none of them. or maybe that’s not it. i just made that up to try to explain why i don’t quite like it.
cog: sounds grim and grimy. pretty ugly name, i’m afraid.
spoke & word: clever, but the pun is only apparent in print — to the ear it sounds like a magazine on poetry (would be my association, rather than religion). contrary to cranky and colin above, i would like ‘spoke’: it captures two meanings, but is simple enough that i think after a while the two meanings would fade into the background and it would mainly just be the name of the magazine (cf. ‘Might’ magazine (gone now, though not because of the name i trust 😉 ). ‘spoke’ would get my vote if it were on offer. did no one submit this?
veloCITY: don’t like the capitalization of ‘city’. hate when these puns are rammed down your throat like that. makes me hear someone saying it with big emphasis on the last two syllables. if it were simply velocity i think it would be quite a good name.
spinster: makes me think of an old woman, which is not an image that i associate with cycling.
Spoke and Word should be the winner. it perfectly embodies what this magazine is about.
I was very surprised that the simple classic title: The Bicyclist didn’t make it to the polls, yet velocipede did?
MLJ
one more note. i see that it says above that spacing got its name from a similar polling process. i’ve always disliked that name. neither the act (eg. spacing out fenceposts) or feature (eg. the posts’ spacing) named by the term is inherently interesting, or connected to issues of public space. it is a name both too close to and too far from the subject matter of the magazine. i guess the idea was to make a verb standing for the pursuit or improvement of public space, but it sounds so forced and awkward.
so based on that precedent, and on the fact that ‘spoke & word’ is currently winning, i would agree with lisa in urging that this poll not be considered decisive.
spoke & word is contrived. when it comes to a name, simplicity is essential.
(but i see there is already a cycling magazine called ‘spoke’, so so much for that idea…)
Just name it something that all cyclists will immediately know is a cycling magazine as opposed to something that gets some laughs from a small group of hipsters and can only be bought at a Resistance book store.
As long as the content is interesting it will be a success and i look forward to the first issue.
Kickstand is the only one that doesn’t make me want to hurl.
Dandy Horse is too pretentious sounding; Spoke & Word features a pun, and we all know PUNS SHOULD NEVER, EVER BE USED FOR ANYTHING; Joyride, Freewheeler and Trackhopper sound like names for an extreme sporting magazine, and all the rest are boring rehashes.
That’s my two cents…
Sorry MJ _ but it was noted that The Bicyclist has too many syllables! and don’t worry – Velocipede isn’t gonna make it…
“spoke UP!” was on the longer list and didn’t make the cut, I thought it was sharper and better than “spoke & word”.
bikelocal416 is interesting.
I’ll go with “JoyRide” even though I use my bike in a utilitarian way.
I tried to suggest a name to the magazine (by accessing the bike.union website), but I was too late. I thought of “TO Wheeler”, since someone here said there should be a “TO” tie to it. Anyway, how about it? “TO Wheeler”, with “TO” representing either “Toronto” or “Two” to represent 2 wheels? Just my “TO” cents worth.
Petlow
Velove is too hard to say… like, is it Vee-love or Veh-love? Spoke & Word is great because it phonetically matches Spacing.
What about something like The Post & Ring — referencing Toronto’s unique bike locks, and at the same time you’ve got “post”, which implies posting letters and writing, as well as “ring”, which hints a bit at ringing bike bells… OK, a bit of a stretch, but still… sounds cool, I think.
Are you kinding that Spacing is a bad name? My lord, its the PERFECT name. I’ve never heard ANYONE say they don’t like it but I certainly hear people saying positive things about it.
This is a poll, people! Not a brainstorming session. Vote on the ones you like, tell us why you like it or dislike it, and leave it at that. Don’t keep trying to prolong this.
I don’t like Spacing as a name either, I wasn’t sure what the magazine was about until I heard about it later.
Giving views on which name to pick doesn’t prolong the decision, I like reading how other people think.
Wow, I love ‘The Post & Ring’. Simultaneously evokes newspapers (‘The Globe and Mail’, ‘The Post and Mail’), cycling, and Toronto. Nice one, Vanessa.
By the way, ‘The Bicyclist’ is better than most, IMO. Even including the innocuous ‘the’, it has just 4 syllables, like ‘velocipede’ and ‘velocity’. 5 only if you put a vowel before the ‘l’, which you really shouldn’t.
Spoking would have been the best suggestion for this new mag as a homage to the absolutely great name of Spacing.
I was leaning toward Kickstand, but ultimately settled for Velove. Ve love cycling and bicycles. Don’t ve?
Dandy Horse, Velocipede, Boneshaker (yeah, I know it wasn’t on the list) and the like have that frisson of historical connection that lasts about a millisecond.
VeloCity’s been done. Spinster is for single biker chicks (hey, just kidding!). And I tend to agree with the comments about Cog, Spoke (regardless of the “& Word”) and the like.
Joyride had some appeal. Once again, the joy of the ride.
Thanks for involving us.
I voted for Dandy Horse, but I agree that Post and Ring is miles and away the best choice.
Not that I claim any authority, but I’m a freelance journalist and edit two magazines on Ryerson campus and (I think) I know a thing or two about magazine titles. All the other ones are too gimmicky, and while Dandy Horse is nice, it’s a difficult title to categorize without the cover being seen in context.
Nothing jumped out at me, but I voted for Spoke and Word ’cause I find the cadence lilting. Still KickStand might be more attractive to the non-geriaric crowd.
Maybe we should extend the nominations another week and see what else appears?
-scunny-
Names are important and deserve careful reflection. Naming is like getting married-easy to do a little more complicated to undo. I would caution against early closure on this debate and urge people to read the forums before they vote! There is no PERFECT name.so forget about that notion for now.
Dandy Horse doesn’t mean anything to most people-it’s like a band name-something silly. But silly is better than a cliché. Not pretentious for me because I don’t know what it’s pretending to be.
I think this is an exercise in branding. Keep in mind that the biggest and most vibrant modern brand names were not predicted in science fiction. They’re fairly unlikely/silly/obscure/fanciful or pretentious even. And they weren’t named by a free vote. Google? Ebay? FaceBook? Who could have predicted that companies with names like these would be greater than General Motors?
Pointless Tangent:
The image of a Walrus doesn’t evoke anything charismatic for me. Rather I think of a rather bloated, stupid, ungainly and violent creature. Or the Eggman. Which would be bang on for it’s aging boomer target demo.
The Walrus is good name for an awful read-proof magazine that appears to have been assembled by a Senate Subcommittee. I say this as a charter subscriber and wishing it were otherwise. I’m looking at a very neat and crisp stack of Walruses right now. No dogears or coffee stains here to mar the proud beast’s majestic pose.
Katherine said:
“Kickstand is the only one that doesn’t make me want to hurl.”
Wait till you see the font!
Kick Stand is the one, people.
It has punch!
It has hutspa!
It takes a stand!
and it won’t give up without a fight.
It also keeps your bike from keeling over – so give it some respect.
None of the others come close.
and stop voting for S&W. leave it for the Cycling Orators Of Toronto (COOT).
good thing no one suggested naming this thing “Colin MacKenzie”
“Cyclopath” but isn’t there already a bike store called that?
The Post & Ring; outstanding! Dang.
Velocity, because we are never going to get that tube-thing anyway! But use that tube-thing as graphic on the covers, because any urban cyclist has to be a bit of a utopian.
The Walrus is a violent animal? They mostly just lay on the beach and think.
“Red Light Runner”
Dingo8mybaby is a way better name than Colin MacKenzie. More original and audacious too!
Here’s some more from my blotter..:
Professor Greave’s Amazing Mechanical Quarterhorse
The Dandy Horse: Journal of Local 416 of the Cyclists Union.
Concrete Cowboy
Modern Bicyclist
The Compleat Cyclist
Mez
I have 149 others but nothing sounds as good as some take on Dandy Horse. Perhaps prefixing with “A” to go to the top level in indexes would help. ‘The’ adds something quaint. An expanded secondary title that might appear only on the masthead would help to clarify ambiguity.
Oooh man The Post and Ring would be the perfect name. Too bad.
PLEASE DONT PICK “SPOKE AND WORD”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It appears to be winning at this point…..bad bad bad.
I would NEVER buy a magazine with a cheesy punish title….I agree with comment above – it sounds like a cheeseball lit mag.
Be smart and creative…BUT NEVER MERELY CLEVER!
>The Walrus is a violent animal? >They mostly just lay on the beach >and think.
>Comment by Shawn Micallef
>January 29, 2008 @ 8:50 pm
Well I really have no idea how Walruses spend their day. The prejudiced image in my mind is of one of these behemoths shredding a seal to bits. Probably just a hateful stereotype. And calling a person a Walrus is not flattery methinks!
I don’t care what you name it, as long as you don’t display it in that atrocious overused font!
TO bike riding!
cheers
I think it should be called To CUM
Toronto Cyclist Union Magazine
I will retract my previous vote and cast a write-in ballot for The Post and Ring.
Bingo!
Yes — I think The Post and Ring is the winner.
100% bike-ish, 100% Toronto.
Spoke and Word
Globe and Mail
Mop and Pail
you’ll need a
Post and Ring
to read
VeloCity
they all suck …. but please not the spoke and word!!!
i like all of colin’s silly ones….especially the idea of having a sub-heading
“Professor Greave’s Amazing Mechanical Quarterhorse
The Dandy Horse: Journal of Local 416 & 905 of the Cyclists Union.
Concrete Cowboy
Modern Bicyclist
The Compleat Cyclist
Mez
I have 149 others but nothing sounds as good as some take on Dandy Horse. Perhaps prefixing with “A†to go to the top level in indexes would help. ‘The’ adds something quaint. An expanded secondary title that might appear only on the masthead would help to clarify ambiguity.”
after giggling my socks off, i say hmm, and pick…
post & ring
only the other way ’round
“The Ring & Post”
“Ring & Post” or “Post & Ring” is too good!
“Spoke & Word” is all right; I think it’s subtle enough of a pun to be clever the first time and then remain unobstrusive afterwards.
My personal vote is still for “Dandy Horse”, but I think it rings a little too obscurely for people to understand what it is right away, which ought to remain important for a brand.
“The Post & Ring” is an amazing name! Good one! It’s perfect for a magazine about biking in Toronto.
This is so undemocratic! Where’s my instant-runoff voting? It doesn’t look like anybody’s getting more than 20% of the vote.
Anyways, I voted for Trackhopper. It sounds the most exciting and I like the ambiguity.
‘spoke and word’ seems ok on the surface but i shudder to think about the precious moments i’d have to spend afterwards anytime i mention it, explaining that i wasn’t in fact saying ‘spoken word’ and that i was in fact talking about a cycling mag and not some religious publication.
spinster suffers too – it’s cute but before you get to the cute play you have to get past the cat lady connotations. cat ladies ain’t cool.
and are you guys kidding!! the post and ring sounds horribly pretentious. i’d much rather hitch my saddle to ‘dandy horse’.
“Spoke n’ Word” was the name of a Victoria Times-Colonist (Canwest newspaper) column by poet, freelance writer and cyclist Yvonne Blomer, though I think it hasn’t run for a while (2003? Here’s one of the few links I found on this — http://www.freefallgear.com/testimonials.html).
(I.e. same idea as “Spoke & Word” …)
Of the current top three in the standings, I like Joyride and Kickstand above Spoke & Word. Don’t much care for Post & Ring myself.
Miro,
Thanks for your suggestion. I’ve been pushing for runoff voting in Toronto (like San Fransisco has) and I agree that this poll should be no different.
If no name reaches 50%, then we will hold a run-off vote with fewer names. (We may add “Post & Ring” to the runn-off list as well, since so many folks seem to love it.)
If no one wins the second ballot, then on to the third, and so on…
You shouldn’t win an election if 80% of the voters didn’t vote for you. That’s how City Council works, and it’s insane.
http://www.whorunsthistown.to/results_votingsystem.htm
I really want to thank everyone for voting (850 so far) and all your comments too.
And a big ‘thank you’ to spacing for hosting this fun exercise!
~ mez
As an outsider of the group, union, or what ever this is, I wanted to add my comments. I was sent the link to vote by a community member and decided to check it out.
I may be part of your target market… a regular cyclist who does not belong to the bike community, but is interested in things “cyclish”. The branding of your mag is important to reach people beyond the immediate circle of interested “velophiles”. So picking a name that appeals to outsiders is probably a good thing.
I liked Spoke and Word at first glance and thought it was clever, but decided that it had probably already been used or might lead people too much to a literary context. I didn’t get the religion reference but thought more of a rap or hiphop mag.
I read through the list and found Velove & VeloCITY ambiguous to pronounce although I liked the bilingual ring. Dandy Horse didn’t make me think about bikes but possibly a gay uppercrust riding club, Spinster and Cog drum up images of unattractive old people and overworked automatons.
Joyride reminded me too much of car thieves – stay away from that one… and freewheeler had a little too much “Easy Rider” feel to it that I didn’t think it would be suitable for the modern cyclist… also a bit too close to free-basing for my taste.
Trackhopper makes me think of Grasshopper – and I didn’t get the streetcar track reference until I read it in the posts. Likewise Velocipede is a little to close to an insect or VelociRaptor.
That leaves Kickstand – for which I did cast my vote. It rolls off the tongue smoothly and is recognizable to the masses… but I liked it best because as the name of a magazine it conjured up images of me parking my bike under a tree and pulling out a copy of Kickstand to read…. The magazine is what you pick up once you put your bike down.
You don’t need to have movement implied in the title (although I agree that a kick does supply movement of sorts). You can’t read a magazine while you’re riding the bike… it’s only when you take a break, and put on the kickstand that you can pick up the Kickstand!!!
I just went back up and looked at the mockups and I have to say that Freewheeler looks good in print on the front of that mag. If you do choose Kickstand… please come up with a more attractive font.
BTW: Although not one of the nominees, Post and Ring has been commented on quite a bit and seems to have a lot of unofficial support. How does it make people think of bikes and Toronto?… I don’t get that. Is it because it is similar to Globe and Mail?? It makes me think of horse betting and boxing matches!!!
Thanks.
At the dawn of the previous century, the bicycle had already become a popular and necessary mobility tool, for many Torontonians. But most folks did not call the vehicle a “bicycle”. Instead the ingenious invention was most often referred to on the street, as a “WHEEL”.
I personally remember my own grandfather referring to my first bike as such.
Local history, descriptive suitability, and simplicity; all would be well served by naming our fledgling magazine “WHEEL”.
When used as a noun, WHEEL instantly evokes an image of arguably the main component of the bicycle, and when used as a verb, it could serve as a common rallying cry for sustainable active transport.
Just a thought, eh?
-scunny-
Great to hear this is going to run-off, Mez, and that The Post & Ring might get its shot. Laurie, your impressions of the candidates are very close to mine, but you don’t get the Toronto connection of Post & Ring. Many people don’t know that the thing the city provides on sidewalks for cyclists to lock to is called a post & ring. I’m think they are unique to Toronto, though a quick google reveals that it is being exported to Philadelphia. Some of the same imagery you cited in favour of kickstand also applies to P&R.
In response to the comments about the font, I want to let you all know that the mock-up covers were made by me, in a rush, just to have a cute visual to accompany the poll.
The actual design of the magazine has barely begun and is being done by Warren Wheeler, a professional designer dude.
I chose that font cause I thought it looked good for “dandy horse”, and then I got lazy and used the same template for the others… lazy, lazy, lazy.
This will not be the font used for the mag, i promise.
It’s great to hear people’s thoughts and reasons for and against certain names.
PRO:
while i do like the selection of names, my number one vote goes with
JOYRIDE
It’s a fun name to read and say, it will look good on a cover, it’s topical and of course it has the word joy in it…the sexual connotation is an important bonus. bikes and sex have a long history together.
This name describes a positive experience and associates that experience with the mag. It makes me think that reading the magazine itself will be a joyride.
I don’t think it is necessary to refer to the fact that this is magazine (ie: needing to have the word WORD in the title).
I also think JOYRIDE can reach the widest spectrum of people.
Final thoughts on JOYRIDE include the notion that progressive politics often come off as being focused upon what “we are against”. This whole magazine seems to celebrate a great option/alternative of cycling and hence it’s wise to go with a name that celebrates the joy of the ride – to celebrate what we are for.
CON:
in terms of names to avoid:
names such as: trackhopper, velove, dandy horse, velocipede
while creative all have an air of inside jokes which can sometime feel nausiating or corny to those who feel on the “outside” and hence these names might close doors.
other names such as: spinster and kickstand & cog have negative connotations to them.
spinster is obvious (though i can see the goal of reclaiming the word…but that’s a bit of an uphill battle maybe better saved for a better venue) and kickstand sounds sort of passive. bikes are best when they are moving not when we are trying to keep them from falling down and reminding us of how cumbersome they are when not in motion. cog? who want’s to be a cog?
good luck with the decision. big ups to all the creative minds who suggested names and who are giving feedback.
how about “Pushed to the Side”?
This is the one entry I absolutely detest. So depressed that it is winning.
Kickstand kicks!
Kickstand takes a stand!
Goooo kickstand!
In the next round, could you make it so multiple votes aren’t allowed?
Those are all terrible names.. C’mon, we can do better than that. hrmm? Tormac? (toronto x tarmc) No, thats bad too. The ChainGang.. There it is!
Come on! – Dandy Horse is retro (all the way back to the 1800s), it’s makes good magazine nick names (The Horse), it’s flashy (words with y’s in them should be celebrated), it’s sweet, light, powerful…
At the risk of being ASCII-whipped for introducing yet another late entry … and maybe one that makes some people hurl… what the heck… here is another one for the kitty:
Vehicle
Now, hang on, you might say – “Vehicle is a dumb-ass name for a cyclist mag – a vehicle is a car”. Well, maybe that is a perception that defines the need for an organization like the TCU. Cyclists can and should own that name, dammit!
A Vehicle transports people – and it is a conduit for ideas, expression and change.
The last time I was in a bookstore, the TRANSPORTATION section was exclusively stocked with books about automobiles except for a couple of picture books dedicated to airplanes and boats. Books on cycling, even books specifically about “cycling safety” and using a bicycle as a means of transportation, were found on the SPORTS shelf – even though most of the books over in the TRANSPORTATION section depict sports cars and auto racing.
This may not seem like a big thing – but it illustrates the entrenched perceptions that the TCU must effectively counter in order to fulfill its mandate to gain “the attention, respect, funding and facilities that we deserve”.
Perceptions about bicycles and about cyclists.
Let’s change them.
Thank you.
Ok – hurl away!
The above diatribe is also to be applied against:
JoyRide
Dandy Horse
Track Hopper
Freewheeler
Spinster
What’s in a name?
“The Post and Ring” (or a variant, e.g. “Ring and Post”) is PERFECT. It shouldn’t be disqualified just because no-one thought of it in the first round.
“Post” sounds appropriately newsy, “ring” is something cyclists do that evokes activism and action, making cyclists heard. And together they are distinctively Toronto.
Some of the other choices are ok (I voted “Freewheeler”) but this is the one that invokes real enthusiasm, I think.
1,000 votes!!! Thanks everyone. ; )
I really like Vélove, but I think it would be a better name for the magazine’s (eventual?) Montréal counterpart. ‘Vélo’ is a bit too obscure for most Torontonians.
For Toronto, I vote for the just suggested “Post and Ring” (or a variant thereof).
Stop the presses!!! I just realized the one name *everyone* will love:
“Ewe Loch”!
I have further decided not to read this magazine unless it is named The Post and Ring.
I just spent 15 minutes reading these comments. Again.
Love that there’s so many, and such debate about it!
Hmm….if this many people care about just naming the damn thing, I think the mag is off to a good start!
p.s. Post and Ring sounds like a pub where I might find my grandfather drinking 15 year old scotch and singing “Turaluralura”. Don’t do it!!!!
Go to run-off voting !
add:
The Bicyclist
Post & Ring
Wheel
Spoken & Word – stuffy, literary; not active enough!
Kickstand. It suggests activism, “we’ll take a stand…”, and yea you read it when NOT riding.
I’m voting for The Post & Ring.
The Bike Post
The second ballot is coming soon!
The headline could read: “Giuliani and Edwards drop out. So do Spinster, Cog, Velove and Velocipede.”
Joy Ride, Trackhopper and Freewheeler are closely tied for 5th place (7-8%), so I’m reluctant to drop them out of the second round. (Although we might drop Trackhopper because hopping over streetcar tracks may not be the image we want to use to promote cycling in Toronto. Sounds risky.)
I might change Freewheeler to Freewheel and see if it does any better. Both names were submitted, and we were torn between the two options.
Post and Ring will be added to the race (I do want Shawn to read our magazine), and perhaps other names that have been suggested. We’ll just have to see. Stay tuned.
Participants, don’t rule out the underdogs! Runoff voting can produce surprising results. At the 96 Liberal Leadership convention Gerard Kennedy won the first ballot and McGuinty came in a distant fourth place. The second ballot produced the same results. Kennedy went on to win the 3rd and 4th ballots as well! But without 50% of the votes he was forced to go head-to-head against McGuinty on a 5th ballot. The voters chose McGuinty over Kennedy.
We will be setting up a separate webpage soon with online betting for this race.
“Kickstand. It suggests activism, “we’ll take a stand…â€Â
You’re friggin tootin. But it could also be an espresso bar, amico. I don’t mind “Post & Ring” – but I do think it sounds like a pub as much as a publication. Maybe it should be both! Ha – I’d still read this mag even if it was called the “Gutter Lane” – hmm – also not a bad name for a cyclist pub. “Vehicle” is flying like a lead balloon. But at least Kickstand is now out in front – yeah!
It’s true it’s not an inspiring list to choose from. Yet all this dissention before the poor mag even gets named. It is rather easy to crumple any name one doesn’t like, I mean, kick stand sounds appropriate for teenagers not cyclists. (Sorry)
We’ll all be sorry if the list remains as is.
Spoke, good. Cyclist, good. Walrus, no that’s taken.
The Bike Post and Post and Ring are great names, but not for a quartarly magazine; these would be really great names for a daily/weekly newspaper. Perhaps we should keep these in our pocket in case there were to ba a cycling related newspaper…
Out of the names listed I like “Kickstand” the best. I like it because of its instant recognition as something reasonably unique to bicycles, and also because of it’s activism assocation with the word “stand”.
And I’d love to see the union doing some kickin’ down at City Hall and Queens Park!
Glad to see Kickstand in the lead… hope my comments helped contribute to that. It was in second when I voted.
Looking forward to the 2nd ballot, sans the obvious losers – goodbye to insects, old women, and machine drudgery…
puis, bienvenue to Post and Ring.
BTW: Thanks for the P&R explanation Alex… I didn’t know that. If it comes from no where to win the whole thing, be sure to include a feature article on the source and uniqueness of this moniker.
I like The Bike Post, too, almost as much as Kickstand (because come on, who reads while riding?) or Joyride (see below).
Laurie wrote:
“Joyride reminded me too much of car thieves – stay away from that one…”
Meh, I agree with Carly, it’s still very accessible. But The Bike Post is my new fave. The “Post” thing recalling a daily is a minor quibble. Just think:
(I take it these don’t exist yet, but …)
http://bikepost.ca (or http://thebikepost.ca)
letters@bikepost.ca (or letters@thebikepost.ca)
etc.
Anyone else?
Jonathan
Director (and samba drum bike trailer wrangler)
Samba Elégua
Respectfully, I don’t like any of the suggested names. Not one has cycle or bike or bicycle in it nor is there any reference to Toronto; CITY could be any city. I will not vote for any of them.
How can “Kickstand” be in the lead – I own many bikes, but zero kickstands. How many of the people voting have one? Plus, it has zero connection with Toronto.
Where’s the Post & Ring voting option?
Hi, I submitted Trackhopper and was flattered to see it among the finalists. It’s about the joy of riding in Toronto, like the bike name Rockhopper is about the joy of trail riding. It’s not extreme or dangerous, it’s what we all do everytime we ride downtown. I’m glad that so many people have voted for it.
Post and Ring is OK too though. Good work.
I’m with Lorinc – The Bike Post is great!!
The other virtue of The Bike Post is that it comes with its own handy-dandy (and brandable — sorry!) icon, and even an emoticon for those so inclined… o-
Post & Ring is the best of them all. It’s Toronto-related, but not in an obvious, shoved-down-your-throat way. And it’s just good, for reasons mentioned by other posters. The logo could incorporate the post-and-ring design.
If it can’t be Post & Ring, then I vote for Kickstand. If nothing else, it’ll turn off the poser/snob types. 🙂
Oh man, kickstand is almost the last one on my list! how is it winning? I don’t even remember the last time I saw a bike standing using a kickstand.
I think it was on a commercial selling either that automatic bike, or selling a pair of family bikes where some idealized family had stopped for ice cream
I took my kickstand off when I was a wee one when I found out that they can come down and destroy you when you turn.
also, the name picked should not represent one type of rider. freewheeler, anything velo
spoke and world reminds me of a magazine that already exists
Joyride reminds me of the snowboard company
also think the word should look good…Cog, wouldn’t fill enough space on a cover I think.
Motorcycles have kickstands, in fact they need them.
I’d guess most bicycles don’t have one.
I think it’s more important to have a pub than a magazine, somewhere we can meet regularly in person.
Dave, I hope this is high on your priorities.
Angus, we are considering your idea of opening a pub.
Please help us choose a name:
Beerlove
dandy drinks
joybar
velociclub
drink stand
barhopper
beerwheeler
keg
spoke and firkin
vodkaCITY
ginster
SPOKESMAN, nah, too gender-specific…
SPOKESPERSON, too exclusive…
“SPOKESPEOPLE”
Well, I’ve just spent at least 1/2 an hour avoiding chores and instead doing a fair amount of giggling. Thanks for that.
Unfortunately, overall I think the entries are pretty weak as they are, especially considering all the creativity evident in these posts.
Generally (but see below), bike-part names are really boring and have (almost?) all been done.
As pointed out already by the inimitable Colin M (full disclosure: Hiya pal!), ‘Spoke ‘n’ Word’ was done and is still recognized by many.
I also agree with Colin that immediate recognition is not of primary importance. Sometimes the discussion raised by less obvious names helps with branding. And if the content is good then the name with less direct associations itself gets stronger and provides a more unique identity.
Freewheeler, Freewheelin’, etc.: been done and uninspired.
Joyride = car theft and danger
Velo whatever: Vancouver list-serve as noted by Colin, generally unoriginal, and a surprising (to me) number of people don’t know that Velo has any bike connection.
Trackhopper: I think this sounds too much like it’s playing to the trackbike/fixie phenomenon. Or trainhopping. But I like the intended meaning.
Dandy Horse: Don’t mind, in fact like, the ambiguity, and think it’s the most original, but don’t think it’s quite the right name for the mag. However, it’s my first pick for the biker-bar name!
Kickstand: Despite my comments on bike parts above, I like this (see all the positive comments on this name above). It’s punchy (think of all the good swear words that have a hard ‘C’/’K’ in them!) and has that suggestion of advocacy/activism in ‘stand’. More utility bikes should have them (especially the center-stand variety – a la motorcycles).
But damn, it’s still just a bike part and stretching the meaning seems like reaching after the fact to give it deeper meaning.
All the others (with respect to those who took the time!): blah
I’m saving my vote for ‘The Post and Ring’: It says Toronto (more than most), has those secondary meanings (of a newspaper and of an attention getter), very few people riding in TO haven’t used one, it’s already an icon of advocacy in action and the shape is a nice basis for a graphic (copyright?).
It’s slightly awkward to say but the intended, limited, audience can handle it and it will probably get shortened to “P’n’R” in conversation.
Of course it’s too late but I can’t resist:
‘My Lane’
Dave in Vancouver has this emblazoned in big letters on the back of one of his jackets.
Finally…
I think this could be the subheader for whatever is picked (suggested by Colin MacKenzie):
‘Journal of Local 416 of the Cyclists Union’
Good luck!
Velolove,
Martin