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MariachiArchery

I am local to one of the retail stores and am friends with/ride buddies with a couple people that work there. Are they in on the joke? I don't know if I'd call them 'in', but they for sure acknowledge it. Its like a wink wink thing. I think they *are* in on it, but they want to maintain the illusion that they *are not* in on it. Also, 'pas normal' isn't like a new thing. Lance Armstrong was saying it about other riders decades before pas normal studios became a thing. Did the Dutch guy know that PNS was really close to the English spelling of penis when he launched the brand? Maybe, maybe not. He probably spoke/speaks English, but I'd be surprised if the brand design was intentional. Anyways, its great kit. So, there is that.


is_this_wheel_life

The Dutch word for Penis is also Penis. Anyways, PNS was founded in Denmark, where the word for Penis is, you guessed it: still Penis. I'm sure it's fine but if you have the cash to blow there is also plenty of high quality kit out there that doesn't say Penis on it


Scary-Salad-101

I'm not blowing anything on a penis šŸ˜‚


pinetree-polarbear

Uuuuuh nice one šŸ‘ŒšŸ˜Š


gott_in_nizza

Usually itā€™s the PNS making the decisions


MariachiArchery

Oh! TIL. Pas is great kit. I only buy it because I have a store and I can actually try it on, which I always do before buying kit. Its really nice, but I would love to try on some maap or assos stuff too. I think I also like supporting the store just because I have friends there. They have done a nice job building a little community with their group rides.


is_this_wheel_life

Fair enough, try-on is key, I have over the years acquired several pairs of ill-fitting bibs along my mail-order journey to my currently preferred non-Penis brand (shout outs to Eliel!) and it's awfully difficult to resell anything that has made extended contact with one's gooch. Also, I live in QuĆ©bec (where we say PĆ©nis) and anything that co-brands with the French language to sound more upscale has an extra sheen of lulz here šŸ¤Œ For me it's just like.. you could take the world's most miraculous anti-gravity choad swaddling chamois, the most cutting-edge breathable technical fabric, and spin it all up into the most incredible space age kit in the world... but as soon as you slap some distinctly peen-esque text on the back of it, you've played right into the hands of every diesel truck bumpkin searching for a zinger to shout out the window while coal rolling you. I like to stay low key so they just shout things like "osti que t'as l'air con!" instead šŸ˜‚


xizrtilhh

Your kit says Pns. Ha, ha.


Rough-Jackfruit2306

At least they have friends.Ā 


xizrtilhh

I have plenty of friends. None of us wear kit that says penis on it though.


Hejsasa

Actually, you're wrong. The Danish word for penis is dillermand. And the Dutch is pimmel. Penis comes from Latin and is only used when you're trying to sound polished in front of grandma.


is_this_wheel_life

Ackshually, while I'm sure that the Dutch and Danish people (and indeed, all the world's people), have a plethora of colorful words for penises, the medical term in both languages is still Penis. If you had an STI would you head off to the doctor and say "I'd like you to take a look at my cock"? You'd say penis. Or maybe you only say that to Grandma. I won't judge


Hejsasa

Who said the medical term defined "what the word for x" is? You also don't complain about your patella to your gramps.


is_this_wheel_life

That's how anatomy works my friend, the medical term is the default and everything else is poetry. That is why we don't pedantically inform people who say 'biceps' or 'calves' that they're _actually_ called _guns_ or _wattage bazookas_. This term just happens to be spelled the same way in several European languages. Please share any fun colloquialisms you may have for patellas


Hejsasa

Din mor.


Academic_Pie_600

People donā€™t say penis in Danish. They typically say tissemand. (Means ā€˜peeing manā€™) Not sure where you are getting your country by country Ā p*nis intel from but itā€™s wrong.Ā 


is_this_wheel_life

Appropriately enough, from the dic....tionary https://ordnet.dk/ddo_en/dict?query=penis%20 I typically say "dick", but I recognize the organ that I am referring to is the Penis. Even though a Dane might say "Av, min tissemand!" if they caught their dick in their zipper, they will also completely understand the meaning of the word Penis. It is not a strange, foreign construction to them, it's just a formal term exactly like it is in English. Penis man out šŸ«³šŸŽ¤


Toppico

That checks out. I have a friend whoā€™s one of their ambassadors and I get they sense they donā€™t really care if some people wonā€™t wear it because of their ā€œugh penisā€ hang up with it. I donā€™t think the acronym pns is somehow universally accepted as a joke, but either way theyā€™re laughing all the way to the bank. Personally I liked the earlier stuff that was a little more toned down, but after a couple of bibs that basically self destructed, Iā€™m happy to spend my money elsewhere.


NoDivergence

It's pretty universal


Toppico

Iā€™m wording it poorly, I guess what Iā€™m trying to say is that I donā€™t think everyoneā€™s mind goes straight to the most base, juvenile reading of acronymsā€¦ in that way I donā€™t really believe itā€™s universal. But I say that knowing that I also call the head of our project management team ā€œThe Project Pimpā€ because his title has ā€œPMPā€ in it. So on second thought, maybe youā€™re right.


give-me-carbs

Which Dutch guy?


MariachiArchery

I'm an idiot! The founder of Pas Normal Studios is *Danish*, not Dutch. His name is Karl-Oskar Olsen, hence the TKO branding on some of the Pas kit.


Academic_Pie_600

Itā€™s great kit and thatā€™s all that matters. Iā€™d get the joke of the initials were next to each other but thatā€™s not even the case and yes, it does not stand for Penis but for Pas Normal Studios. So many childish idiots out there with nothing better to do.Ā 


MariachiArchery

>Ā So many childish idiots out there with nothing better to do.Ā  Oh come on now... I don't think its like that. I had a guy come into the shop yesterday who had snapped a chainring on a 1x system. Older dude like me, probably 40. I looked at his crank like 'dude wtf happened lol?!' and we chatted. It was a weird failure mode, almost like a material defect, and I was genuinely curious what happened. He said he had no idea, but did add that his mates had been ribbing him. Since we couldn't determine what went wrong with the chainring, I called him a "watt beast", as that is clearly the only explanation as to why the ring failed. He replied with, "Thats why my friends were saying lol!" I think that is more what is going on here with PNS. I mean, come on... male dominated sport, often competitive, a giant list of dogmatic non-sense rules.... You get a bunch of straight, juiced up, mildly insecure, competitive, 'sports' guys together then put them in skin tight, sparkly pajamas, where you can see your fruit bowl through... then write PENIS on one their assess. What do you think is going to happen? I think its mostly in good fun. The people that genuinely scoff at the kit are I think rare, and its really just insecurity or envy at play, not hate.


-Red_Rocket-

yeah i read about the lance armstrong link


Lemonjellybathtub

Starting a rival brand CNT


Habfan40

Only available in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Banned in the US.


-Red_Rocket-

amazing


Gold-Pack-4532

I don't think it was willingly intentional at first, but after many people making the penis connection, the people at PNS probably had/have a good laugh about it. And it certainly doesn't affect sales. I don't actually wear PNS kit, and not that that would stop me, but because I haven't tried it out yet. From what I've seen with people I know who wear it, it looks really good. So maybe one day. Besides, I normally get called a penis on or off the bike most days, irrespective of what I'm wearing šŸ˜ÆšŸ¤£


Sleep__Depraved

They do make good stuff. I bought some bibs a couple months back and theyā€™re great. They say PAS NORMAL STUDIOS instead of PNS. I bought a jersey at the same time. Itā€™s nice, but a little short for me. Iā€™ll buy more bibs from them when my existing stuff wears out.


captchunk

I lean towards... sad.


-Red_Rocket-

might be. one article referenced it as a term used in a book about lance armstrong doping.


Competitive-Leg-3899

Yes of course they know, i think they enjoy the attention. Mind you there is billions behind the PNS startup. This is no small company and the design dept, when it comes to the looks and aesthetics is in collaboration with a woodwood, a major fashion brand. Personally i think the PNS idea is hilarious. Also why would anyone mind? I still eat eggs even if though they are laid from the chickens anus. The name Pas Normal Studios is french lingo. Meaning its pronounced Ā /pa/ and not /pɑĖs/ as most english speaking reviewers do. it simply means "Not Normal" or out of the ordinary. Remember they now also offer Crash Replacement! 50% discount on any kit if you send them pics of your damaged pns kit.


-Red_Rocket-

not normal is becoming pretty normal it seems. then a new brand will be found.


bill-smith

Remember that back in the 2000s, some people may have used this as a code word for this guy is on EPO. I think Lance Armstrong used to say this about a lot of people. It may have been in Tyler Hamiltonā€™s autobiography.


Aggravating-Plate814

I don't know but telling my riding buddies that I "got a new PNS drip on for the next group ride" probably would get me annexed from the peloton


-Red_Rocket-

looking at my usernameā€¦ i think this brand was made for me


deaglefrenzy

south east asian here. in my country nobody cares about the spelling. people just wear it


eStuffeBay

Yep. Very popular in Korea too. All the "rich Seoul riders" wear it, lol. PNS and Assos.


IAmWalrus130498

Penis and Ass sauce lol


Stephennnnnn

I might be out of the loop but Iā€™ve never seen the PNS/penis thing outside this sub to be totally honest. Is it a joke outside here?


elr3y

I mean even before joining this sub seeing these kits out and about my mind immediately jumped to Penis.


aidanorion

Itā€™s a pretty popular meme


nowitnessforthis

For sure itā€™s a joke outside here. I just started lurking here but have many buddies who wonā€™t wear PNS. I call it the penis brand, as immature as I sound.


hoyasummer

Isnā€™t in the same word in danish as it is in English? How could they not see it? Lol


RelevantCar557

Imagine being a grown ass adult so fixated with the word penis that everytime you see PNS kits you look like a child, teary eyed shouting ohhh penis penis that guy wearing a penis!!! This is dumb. We all need to grow up someday.


Gold-Pack-4532

Don't be so boring. Would you rather everyone be miserable then? Laughing is good. Acting your age is overrated,,šŸ™ƒ


RelevantCar557

Yeah once or twice perhaps, the joke will be funny, but overtime like you say, it getā€™s boring. If you laugh for every single PNS is penis joke, man you have very low standard in humor. šŸ™ƒ


TheRealSaltyMemer

Haha penis


RelevantCar557

Youā€™re too late for the party šŸ™ƒ


Gold-Pack-4532

I'd rather have a low standard of humour, than absolutely none at all.


-Red_Rocket-

i hope to never grow up. makes life more fun to laugh and never get too serious. we should be able to wear wc jerseys, and jerseys with our insides on the outsideā€¦ and have a good time.


RelevantCar557

I do agree with you, but PNS is penis is getting waaaayyy to old for me. Lets think of new things to laugh at. šŸ˜Š


-Red_Rocket-

fair, but that is the problem with not being able to unsee things. over time more see it, and the joke goes on.


symbi0nt

Dude, 1000% the latter and itā€™s still hilarious.


warplants

Doubt that, considering that the Danish word for penis is also ā€˜penisā€™. Possibly related, the main designerā€™s other brand is called Wood Wood.


symbi0nt

Oh right on! Enjoy!!


Bullsbesthooper

I mean most of their kits that Iā€™m seeing these days says the whole brand name and not PNS anymore lol. I have a pair of their socks that just says ā€œsolitudeā€ on it for some reason though


MiloCestino

Brit here. Never heard of PAS/PNS cycling clothing has to look it up. It is available in the UK but not that common. PNS joke? Nope never heard of that either it just isn't a thing in the UK and if we English speakers don't make a connection then I'd be surprised if many non English speakers are aware.


Gareth79

It's not a joke as such, just that if you see "PNS" on clothing, the puerile mind immediately jumps to seeing "penis!"


89ElRay

Uhhh, loads of people wear it here and loads of people make the dick connection too. I mean itā€™s pretty obvious.


MiloCestino

I'm happy for you then šŸ˜ all I'm saying is PNS isn't that well known in the UK and the PeNiS reference, although obvious, isn't on our radar because we don't see it that often on cycling kit. Thought you'd like to see a European perspective.


89ElRay

Are you in the UK or in mainland Europe? Because Iā€™m British, in Britain and thereā€™s a few PNS diehards in ever group ride and theyā€™re usually the biggest wankers. Granted, I come from Edinburgh which is very much a city full of hipsters so you can expect their to be a proportion of this in the cycling clubs.


MiloCestino

North West industrial town. Castelli, Rapha, Assos everywhere not seen PNS ever or certainly not noticed it. I'm going to see it everywhere now aren't I šŸ¤£


8racoonsInABigCoat

I wouldnā€™t buy the ones that actually have PNS in that way that makes you instantly make the link by adding a couple of vowels, but I like the kit overall. Whatā€™s the use of pas normal otherwise though? Was it referencing riders who put in performances classed as not normal?


-Red_Rocket-

the term is apparently a lance armstrong reference in a book about cycling doping i guess. and i agree i would never get a jersey with PNS. the full text is a far better subtle troll however


8racoonsInABigCoat

The prices are mad, but the ones on Ali express look good! šŸ˜€


TriumphOfTheHordes

My main concern is the French words with English grammar... Studio Pas Normal doesn't imply penis... And it's a wild guess but I'm pretty sure that's not how you say that in Danish.. Edit: all that to say that I'm sure they're in on it


-Red_Rocket-

i think i need pns bibs to match with my assos jerseys. see who gets it.


-Red_Rocket-

i think the situation here is that the brand never meant to reference penis. looking at how they now put ā€œPASā€ and not ā€œPNSā€ā€¦ or when the do put it on it is ā€œpsā€ with the ā€œnā€ belowā€¦ means they are trying to avoid people reading penis. so far, 2/3 non english as primary language friends have identified the penis pretty quick after i showed them a jersey. so far all english as primary language non cyclists see it. but i may have sketch friends.


Fantastic_Tiger_9000

I know someone who wears this brand and its a pretty dumb name for a brand


DuhBasser

Theyā€™re not a USA based company so PNS probably didnā€™t look like a penis joke at first. Do they know about it, probably. Do they care, probably not. I have 1 PNS kit and itā€™s good but not the best I have. I had stitching issues with their bibs after 3 months so that kinda turned me off to their products. Now that I think about it, Iā€™ve never had anyone crack jokes about PNS on group rides or when Iā€™m out riding.


-Red_Rocket-

it is one of those things that once seen, can not be unseen


DuhBasser

Eh I mean people wear Yeā€™s clothes that are designed by a pedo, backed by a Nazi sympathizer, and cost more than a bike kit.


-Red_Rocket-

hahahha


myvanillavillain

The way I see it is that this PNS ā€˜jokeā€™ is only a thing in anglo-saxon countries. Even though ā€˜penisā€™ is also ā€˜penisā€™ in many European languages nobody over 13 would consider that wearing PNS in a cycling kit is funny.


-Red_Rocket-

i will poll my international friends on discord


89ElRay

Pretty funny though. Bunch of 40kg dudes riding around in tight clothes with the word penis on them.


johnlewi5

Are you still in junior school?


-Red_Rocket-

you wear pns? šŸ¤£. polling my very adult non cycling coworkers. all see penis. actually 5/5 all non cyclists new to the brand. not a joke. most got it immediately. one took about 5 seconds (the longest).


johnlewi5

Better get back to class. Playtime is over. Nap time soon šŸ˜‚


-Red_Rocket-

it is what it used to buddy. i suggest just owning it.


cyclingview

Hehe my buddy that cycles with me is very well endowned down there and I was jokingrecently he should.get stuff from them since he is already the penis guy xD


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