[ROAD&DIRT]

For those of you that have collected (banked) multiable spins in the TREK DREAM BIGGER GIVEAWAY noticed when you spin the wheel. The marker stops in the same spot everytime... It doesn't matter how long or short you hold down the spin button. The wheel turns at the same speed, the same number of revolutions and stops in the same spot everytime!

I banked 12 spins and noticed this didn't look right after the 2nd and 3rd spin. So I marked on my monitor the width of the yellow band and where the band stopped on my 3rd spin, then spun the wheel time after time after time. Well guess what... the wheel stopped
with-in the maked spot everytime.

Now think about this... If you where to take a real bike and spin the cranks hard or soft, the wheel would never stop in the same place twice. So if this was to be a simulated or modeled after a real bike crank spin would the results be the same, stopping in different location?

To all us bone heads, I think this was just a stupid marking ploy to get us to login on to TREKS web-site and fill our heads with grand illusions of winning something that designed never to be won. All while enticing us to drool over thier new bikes and accessories and possibly leading us into a "I want/desire" spending mood.

Just something to think about :thumbsup:

 

[krisdrum]

It seems to me, basically 1 spin per day lands on the golden slice that wins you a bike. Right? 10 bikes in 10 days. So there are two outcomes, win or lose, most of us losing. Why bother randomizing the spot where the losing spin lands each time?

 

[ROAD&DIRT]

Because I find it interesting that the program is writen for every body to lose. After 12 consecutive spins the wheel stops in the same spot everytime.

At least the programmers who wrote the program could have designed the wheel to stop in different places so that it looks like we at least have a chance at something most of my never be able to afford.

I agree with you, thier are only two options here; either win or lose... It would interestiing for those who have actully won a bike to post so and a picture of the bike you designed

 

[Dinosaur]

My spins end in a different place. Let's face it, the chance of winning a new bike is about the same as getting stuck by a bolt of lightning. It's rigged.

 

[CougarTrek]

You aren't spinning a real wheel, and please don't tell me you actually thought you were playing a game where skill might just get you somewhere.

It's a cute animation, that's it.

The game is essentially Trek drawing numbers out of a hat. Pure luck. But it's more interactive if you "spin" a "virtual" wheel (and yes, means you have to go back to their website every day).

Yea, the coder could have put a little more effort into it and programed in multiple "loose" spots so it wouldn't stop in the same place every time, but truth of the matter is it wouldn't have changed a darn thing from a gameplay standpoint.

You have the same chance of winning as you always did regardless of how the coders made the animation (which is almost zero, sorry if you for some strange reason thought otherwise). They could have had it load a webpage that said "loose" or "win" just as easily. There is no reason to believe Trek is not being honest with this.

 

[genius1265]

yeah my work computer doesnt have flash so i cant even spin the wheel it has a click here button if you can not see the game. So i click it and it takes you to the sorry you did not win screen anyways. But i forgot to enter yesterday i need to go register my whole family again.

 

[ROAD&DIRT]

I had no expectations of winning anything and no I don't expect TREK to be honest about it. Again what I found interesting was that all my spins landed/ended in the same spot every time.

See, it's been very slow here at work and I really mean slow... so I have nothing better to do and find my self here reading RBR and surfing the net all day, playing stupid games like this one and over analyzing what I'm looking at

 

[krisdrum]

no I don't expect TREK to be honest about it.

That would be pretty poor business practices then. You can't expect to run a contest in this country and not have a winner. They'd get the pants sued off them and we'd all have custom Madones.

 

[jsedlak]

The game isn't random - it is the first person to spin after they "release the prize." Not sure when the game checks, but it knows before it ends the spin.

This means you should bank spins and then spend them at various times throughout the day.

 

[ZoSoSwiM]

I banked every day but 1 day.. used them over the past week. I notice the wheel stopping in the same place as well but I knew it was just a pretty graphic for an instant decision.

 

[Mootsie]

Has anyone on this board ever won at any of the TDF games over the years?

 

[Hooben]

I just watch the tour, the only freebies I ever see are in my LBS. Trek is full of it.

 

[qatarbhoy]

At least you get to try, outside the US you can't play. Several people have posted elsewhere about winning smaller prizes.

 

[FeydR]

I won a water bottle... but i have to go to a "trek dealer" to pick it up. No thanks... it's far away and it is just designed to bring in foot traffic.

I had banked 10 spins. Notta.

 

[ZoSoSwiM]

I won 2 water bottles last year. Never got them though since there aren't any Trek dealers nearby.

 

[been200mph]

Does Trek make good website contests?

 

[ROAD&DIRT]

I too won a water bottle after my first spin, the nearest participating Trek dealer is about an hour away - no thanks, to far to drive for a silly Radio Shack water bottle

 

[krappa1]

Instant wins rely on timing

It sounds as though most of the posters here know plenty about biking but very little about "sweeping" the term sweepstakes enthusiasts use to describe their hobby.

When a sponsor runs an "Instant Win" game, predetermined times are selected to award prizes. The person who plays the game at the moment the selected time hits or if no on plays at the specific time, the first person to play after that time has passed is the winner.

In a situation where extra spins were bankable, a seasoned sweepstakes player would be inclined to use those spins through out the span of the contest. Using them all at once makes little sense. The more random times you can play over the course of the contest increase your odds of winning.

Now with this being a short running sweep with 10 grand prizes, the odds of winning are actually much better than many contests out there. And the fact that the prize is for a $10,000 bicycle has actually discouraged many sweepers from participating as they are not interested in paying taxes on a 1099 for $10k.

My advice to all of you is to play daily and spread your entries out a bit. Those prizes will be awarded, maybe to one of you.

 

[UKMatt]

In a situation where extra spins were bankable, a seasoned sweepstakes player would be inclined to use those spins through out the span of the contest. Using them all at once makes little sense. The more random times you can play over the course of the contest increase your odds of winning.

I'd love to see the math for that statement. I have x chances to win a prize over y amount of time. Without any knowledge of the specific 'winning times' (of course) how does spreading out my plays increase my odds at all?

UKMatt

 

[jsedlak]

^ (krappa1) glad someone understands how it works. Trek even tells you.