Yesterday, our reporting on Salsa Cycles’ public stance against the actions of federal immigration enforcement agents prompted a significant response from readers on social media.
Some readers applauded the brand’s decision to speak out, while others took issue not only with Salsa’s message, but with the fact that Cycling Weekly reported on it at all.
‘This is our home’
Salsa Cycles and its parent company Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) are headquartered in Minnesota, and the proximity of recent events weighed heavily on the decision to make a public statement.
“We are proud to call Minnesota home and feel called to take action when our family, friends, and neighbours are being unlawfully detained, harassed, and murdered at the hands of federal immigration enforcement agents in our backyard,” Adam Koepfer, QBP’s Director of Marketing & ESG Strategy, told Cycling Weekly.
The fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse and cyclist Alex Pretti brought increased attention to the situation and sparked widespread protests and debate. Pretti was shot and killed by federal immigration agents during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 24. It was the second fatal shooting by federal agents in the city this January.
Salsa emphasised that its response was not limited to one individual, nor to the cycling community alone.
“We have been grappling with the events in Minnesota, and across the country, for some time now,” Koepfer said. “As the violence continues to get closer to home, we felt it was our time to speak up. Our statement was about all our neighbors that are living in fear due to the actions of federal immigration enforcement agents.”
In its statement, Salsa expressed outrage at the ongoing events and encouraged riders and community members to contact elected officials and advocate for change — a bold political step that the brand acknowledged would not resonate with all consumers.
“Absolutely”, there were concerns about speaking up, Koepfer acknowledged, adding that there had been “many internal conversations about this for some time now.”
But Salsa, and its parent company, the line between cycling and politics is not as clean as some commenters would like it to be.
As part of Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), Salsa is a certified B Corp. “This means we meet high standards of social and environmental impact, and sometimes that includes speaking out on behalf of marginalised communities and using our platform to advocate for change,” said Koepfer.
When asked about the broader role of consumer brands in social and political issues, Salsa framed the decision to speak out as an extension of its internal culture rather than a marketing calculation.
“As a values-driven organisation, our company culture and actions we take daily are influenced by them,” said Koepfer. “Employees come to work for Q and Salsa because of our values, and some consumers choose to buy from us because of them.”
Remaining silent, particularly when they see harm affecting people close to them, would go against these values.
“When we see first-hand actions or words from political, social, or any other entity that flies in the face of what is important to us and puts our customers, employees, friends, and neighbours in danger, we feel compelled to speak up, given our relative position of power,” Koepfer stated.
“Core tenets of Salsa’s values are inclusivity and community. We believe that bringing in more diverse riders to our sport will strengthen our community and inspire adventure for all. When violence takes place in direct opposition to what we stand for, we feel compelled to speak.”
QBP is not alone in this sentiment.
Component manufacturer Wolftooth Components and bike brand Otso also released statements this week in response to the events in Minnesota.
“We’re proud to be based in Minnesota, a state made better by its people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. It is impossible to discuss our home without acknowledging the tragedy that is happening here,” the statement reads.
“Our community is being unjustly and cruelly targeted by the federal government. Peace, justice, and humanity must be restored. We’re not saying this as a brand. We’re saying this as neighbours, friends, and family members. We’re saying this as Minnesotans, and as Americans.”
For readers calling for politics to be kept out of cycling, these positions are unlikely to be satisfying. But for these brands, the issue is not about injecting politics into cycling; it is about acknowledging that cycling does not exist in isolation but as part of a wider political, social and civic reality.
Read the full article here
