Fancy bike for Nienie

[clibbyjo]

I vaguely read nienie,just check in every couple months . Anyway, today I see she has some bike ride coming up and she mentions the bike several times and it looks like more than 1 person in her family has the bike. I looked it up, the bike is $1500. http://www.madsencycles.com/bikes/

Why would anyone spend that kind of money for a bike that I doubt is their main source of transportation? And for a kid's bike? I can see if you are a real biker(my family have Trek bikes, but my son built his in a bike class for $60 and the others were also used.)and you ride 100 miles several times a week like mine do. Its a cute bike and I would take one for free,but I cannot imagine being able to afford 1 or let alone more than one for my family. Did the company give them to her for free if she pimps it put every so often?

This irked me more than her usual"look at all the pretty things we have" posts.

[Rosa]

I see the Madsens around here quite a bit. They enable moms with more than one small child to ride without having to go circus-train style (child seat, trailabike, trailer - that's common too, since each part is not very expensive) - there are similar cargo-on-front bikes that are also popular, and equally expensive. I have a cargo bike - an Xtracycle Radish. It was more than $1500, all kitted out. A lot of people also have small motorcycles or scooters that are in that price range.

Truthfully, I know a LOT of people who don't live in the city who have ATVs, RVs, snowmobiles, or motorcycles, and ride them just for fun - it seems like an expensive and environmentally destructive hobby. My parents have gotten into ATVing and they don't understand why we don't want to. So I *could* defend my bike by pointing out it's what we have instead of a second car - but really I don't think it needs defense. A bike is sturdy, long-lasting, has very small operational costs, and doesn't harm anyone or thing around you.

[punkiepie]

Yes, it is annoying. But she didn't buy all of those bicycles. Almost a year after the accident, she wrote a post about how much she loved those bicycles- and this was during a period of time when she hadn't started shilling for free products constantly- and thought it might be a good incentive to get back into being more physical and active. Since it's a local company, I'm sure they heard about the post right away and read it immediately, because within a few days of the original post, she blogged about how they had gifted her family with one and how grateful she was.

So I'm not sure how many they have or if all of them were free, but I know their first one was a gift. My guess is that they have kept giving her bikes in exchange for all the publicity she gives them. Obviously, no middle class family could afford multiple $1,000+ bicycles. But, Utah seems to operate under a different financial system that encourages lots and lots of debt as long as it helps you look like a success story in the public eye.

I guess my point in all of this is that it didn't start off in an annoying manner- she seemed to genuinely admire the bicycle and was very appreciative when she got one. But that's was before she became a walking product placement and it turned into the annoying thing you read about.

[CrazySister]

Yes, it is annoying. But she didn't buy those bicycles. Almost a year after the accident, she wrote a post about how much she loved those bicycles- and this was during a period if time when she hadn't started shilling for free products constantly- and thought it might be a good incentive to get back into being more physical and active. Since it's a local company, I'm sure they heard about the post right away and read it immediately, because within a few days of the original post, she blogged about how they had gifted get family with one and how grateful she was.

So I'm not sure how many they have or if all of them were free, but I know their first one was a gift. My guess is that they have kept giving her bikes in exchange for all the publicity she gives them. Obviously, no middle class family could afford multiple $1,000+ bicycles. But, Utah seems to operate under a different financial system that encourages lots and lots of debt as long as it helps you look like a success story in the public eye.

I guess my point in all of this is that it didn't start off in an annoying manner- she seemed to genuinely admire the bicycle and was very appreciative when she got one. But that's was before she became a walking product placement and it turned into the annoying thing you read about.

It's not just a Utah thing. I've moved around a ton and I've seen it in different communities I've lived around the country. Just more prevalent some places than others, but that exists in many places outside Utah.

eta riffle

[over-thinker]

I've seen those bikes a lot in the last few years. They are hardcore.

Those Mormons have to stick together. A Mormon owned company donating a bike to a Mormon in a plane crash putting Mormon Mitt Romney stickers on her bucket bike. Love it!

[Lemonbalm]

Am I the only one who thinks it is dangerous that she has an infant seat just chilling on that tiny seat in the cargo bin??

From the makers website: blog.madsencycles.com/

[mirele]

I don't know why she's wearing a skirt and riding a bicycle. Just because the sister missionaries do it is no reason to do it when you've got a family.

[NurseNell]

Am I the only one who thinks it is dangerous that she has an infant seat just chilling on that tiny seat in the cargo bin??

From the makers website: blog.madsencycles.com/

Let's see: the mother's helmet is crooked, she's wearing a skirt, and wearing inappropriate shoes for biking. The baby isn't wearing a helmet, and I doubt that baby seat is hard mounted into the bin. The other too kids just bounce around in the bin. Way too dangerous for the nurse Mom.

My thought is this would be a great bike for someone who picks up cans but if you can afford this bike you don't need to pick up cans.

[Kaylee]

I can't say too much about the expensive bike. My family is lower middle class at best and I have a $2000+ triathlon bike (I lucked out and got it brand new for $300 off ebay because it had a flaw in the paint and was a couple years from being the newest model). In the long run, more expensive bikes do tend to last longer because you can get replacement parts and work on them. IFshe got it for free, then I can kind of see showing it off because the company probably expected it.

What I don't get about that particular bike is the bin. If they're marketing it mostly to women with children, why not make it more like a cart with little seats or benches. I'm pretty sure I've seen Dutch and/or German bikes made that way and I think some even had seat belts. For the price, it would be safer and look much better than a the big plastic thing that reminds me of a commercial-sized trash bin.

[lilwriter85]

Based on the blog entry, I get the vibe the Niester is doing promotional work for the company and got the bike for free. If she didn't get the bikes for free, I wouldn't be surprised if a relative bought others for her. I believe most of Christian and Nie's relatives are wealthy and a lot of them tend spoil Christian and Nie. On a couple of related notes, I guess the Nielson's above ground pool thing from Anderson Cooper hasn't been delivered. Nie whined on instagram or on the blog about not having a pool. The GOMI posters have been checking legal records and they have mentioned that Nie has settled with one of the defendants in the lawsuit or one of the defendants has been dismissed. If they do a get a settlement, I wouldn't be surprised if they are blog postings about new expensive stuff.

The GOMI thread on Nie and C.Jane has been entertaining the past couple of days. One poster seems to be defending NieNie and ignoring some of the douchey things she has said on the blog. The other posters were discussing incidents in which NieNie made a douchey comment about non-Anglo Saxon politicians when they lived in New Jersey and the incident where she made fun of a handicapped man. The Nie defender called them stalkers. There are a few posters who are saying that they like Christian and they feel bad for him after reading the book and because the Clarks were upset with him post crash. I think Nie and Christian are somewhat pleasant people. But it is annoying that they never admit that the crash was partially Christian's fault. I've always gotten a bit of jerk vibe from Christian and he likes milking the crash as much as he can.

[over-thinker]

Based on the blog entry, I get the vibe the Niester is doing promotional work for the company and got the bike for free. If she didn't get the bike for free, I wouldn't be surprised if a relative bought one for her. I believe most of Christian and Nie's relatives are wealthy and a lot of them tend spoil Christian and Nie. On a couple of related notes, I guess the Nielson's above ground pool thing from Anderson Cooper hasn't been delivered. Nie whined on instagram or on the blog about not having a pool. The GOMI posters have been checking legal records and they have mentioned that Nie has settled with one of the defendants in the lawsuit or one of the defendants has been dismissed. If they do a get a settlement, I wouldn't be surprised if they are blog postings about new expensive stuff.

The GOMI thread on Nie and C.Jane has been entertaining the past couple of days. One poster seems to be defending NieNie and ignoring some of the douchey things she has said on the blog. The other posters were discussing incidents in which NieNie made a douchey comment about non-Anglo Saxon politicians when they lived in New Jersey and the incident where she made fun of a handicapped man. The Nie defender called them stalkers. There are a few posters who are saying that they like Christian and they feel bad for him after reading the book and because the Clarks were upset with him post crash. I think Nie and Christian are somewhat pleasant people. But it is annoying that they never admit that the crash was partially Christian's fault. I've always gotten a bit of jerk vibe from Christian and he likes milking the crash as much as he can.

Do you have any links for the GOMI posters checking on stuff? I am very curious. I got into a huge time suck with Jennifer from MckMama - and cannot believe I listened to all of their bankruptcy hearing. I must look like such a loser. :lol:

[lilwriter85]

Do you have any links for the GOMI posters checking on stuff? I am very curious. I got into a huge time suck with Jennifer from MckMama - and cannot believe I listened to all of their bankruptcy hearing. I must look like such a loser. :lol:

I found the link to some of the court minutes. In one of the recent minute entries, it is stated that the case against the city of St. John's is advised to settle.

http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/JO ... te+Entries

ETA: I will try finding some additional info on the lawsuit. I think part of the reason the Nielsons will get a good settlement because their attorney is the former attorney general of Arizona. The Nielsons don't give shit about the residents of the city that they sued.

[over-thinker]

I found the link to some of the court minutes. In one of the recent minute entries, it is stated that the case against the St. John's is advised to settle.

http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/JO ... te+Entries

Thank you. Should be very interesting!

[Jessica]

I've always gotten a bit of jerk vibe from Christian and he likes milking the crash as much as he can.

Yes he does. "Donate to us! Help us pay our medical bills! Meanwhile, look at all this beautiful, outrageously expensive stuff we have from Anthropologie!" Didn't he/they try to sue the town where the plane crashed?

[lilwriter85]

Yes he does. "Donate to us! Help us pay our medical bills! Meanwhile, look at all this beautiful, outrageously expensive stuff we have from Anthropologie!" Didn't he/they try to sue the town where the plane crashed?

Yup, they sued the town and it seems from court records, they have settled. I was hoping for them to not get a penny from that town.

[lilwriter85]

The extra perks for Christian and NieNie will end at some point. The bicycle company will eventually stop dealing with NieNie. I think a lot of people learned not send items to Nie after the Christian review scam thing.

[Wolfie]

What I don't get about that particular bike is the bin. If they're marketing it mostly to women with children, why not make it more like a cart with little seats or benches. I'm pretty sure I've seen Dutch and/or German bikes made that way and I think some even had seat belts. For the price, it would be safer and look much better than a the big plastic thing that reminds me of a commercial-sized trash bin.

This.

A friend who lives in Germany with her one year old has a bike that has a little compartment on the front for the child. It looks just like those trailers for kids, wind cover and everything, but it's on the front of the bike. She has even used it when it's very cold outside, and the baby was fine. This madsen bike just doesn't seem safe to me.

[mirele]

Yup, they sued the town and it seems from court records, they have settled. I was hoping for them to not get a penny from that town.

Me too. I'm fairly sure we'll eventually find out what kind of money St. John's had to pay, because it will either show up in increased insurance payments or some other disbursement. Unlike private litigants, amounts awarded in a case involving a government entity eventually come out.

But let me state this: NieNie and Christian, you're a couple of moocher leechers. This taxpaying resident of Arizona despises you for suing St. John's. (And I've always paid more taxes than you two, because I have NO dependents.)

[Katydid]

I don't know why she's wearing a skirt and riding a bicycle. Just because the sister missionaries do it is no reason to do it when you've got a family.

When I lived in Germany 10 years ago it was really, really common to see women riding bikes in skirts, because they were just the go-to mode of transportation for nearly everybody.

[Rosa]

Yeah, my guess is she's wearing a skirt because she's going somewhere she wants to look nice. That's how it works when bikes are not just expensive toys that you drive to a "scenic" place to use.

The least safe thing about biking is cars. If you live somewhere (like I do, now - 15 years after I started bike commuting, and multiple public safety campaigns later, plus a lot of new infrastructure) cars have FINALLY started sharing the road around here. I wear whatever I'm wearing that day, to bike - and I don't have to worry about assholes throwing beer bottles at me even if there's been a football game. It's kind of amazing.

I don't like the madsens because they belly out going over curbs, but they are a lot easier to steer than the front-cargo bikes.

[lilwriter85]

Me too. I'm fairly sure we'll eventually find out what kind of money St. John's had to pay, because it will either show up in increased insurance payments or some other disbursement. Unlike private litigants, amounts awarded in a case involving a government entity eventually come out.

But let me state this: NieNie and Christian, you're a couple of moocher leechers. This taxpaying resident of Arizona despises you for suing St. John's. (And I've always paid more taxes than you two, because I have NO dependents.)

When the settlement amount is released to the public, GOMIers and FJers will have fun discussing it. One of the GOMIers is predicting that the Nielsons will build a house on that property parcel they have. A lot of people are going to be pissed when it is revealed that they got a settlement. The residents of St. John's and the town government employees will be at the top of list. I don't blame you Jessica for despising them. I can see NieNie defenders popping up on GOMI trying to defend St. Nie once the settlement amount becomes public knowledge. There have been people who said they have softened up on Nie after reading her book. I remember some GOMIer said "after reading NieNIe's book she buy whatever she wants" or something like that. I do have sympathy for Nie and I credit for trying to have a normal life. But her personality hasn't changed much.

Christian and NieNie are moochers leechers, but they probably think the free bike or other items people/companies have given them are gifts from God. I'm glad that the Maricopa foundation helped them with overflow on their medical bills. I disagreed with the foundation paying Christian's student loans while he was in the hospital. This might sound cruel of me, but I think some of non medical expenses like that should have been covered by Christian's family. Christian and NieNie have tried downplay the some of wealth on NieNie's side. I have heard that Christian's side is wealthy, but I haven't found anything to confirm that. A GOMIer said something that NieNie said in the book that a lot of the donated money was used for her family members' airline tickets during the time she was at the hospital in Arizona. That was debated back in April or May on GOMI. I think some of NieNie's siblings may not be wealthy and I can understand them needing financial assistance when it came to going down to Arizona to see their sister. I get the feeling that some of that donated money went to buying expensive clothes and other items for the Nielsons. It is interesting that C.Jane recently revealed something about the Clark kids having trust funds and she has revealed other things about her upbringing which give a bigger picture into their wealth.

Either way, Christian and NieNie will have people defending them and some of their defenders will say stuff "they will likely use the money for NieNie's surgeries. " I hope do they at least use that money for some of her future medical expenses, but I also see them using some of it for expensive clothing, pools, or stuff they desire. I'm curious if NieNie will trying to get pregnant again to reach the goal of ten kids and use some of the settlement money to buy expensive diaper bags. Somebody on GOMI questioned a few months back if the Nielsons would ever adopt. I don't think the Nielsons would pass a home study because NieNie is disabled due to the crash. Her hands seem to have limited mobility and it is obvious that her two oldest daughters are helping a lot with Lottie.