To address what seems to be becoming a point of confusion, the avatar is entirely non-pornographic, contrary to OP's assertion that it is somehow "sexualised". If you find yourself spending a little too much time thinking about the saddle's proximity to my naked sweaty hind parts, that's on you. (Well, unless you were thinking about that one time I suffered an anatomically implausible cycling accident, but that was fillippone's fault, not mine. 
)
The actual pornography associated with the Merit Cycling Club is typified by the celebratory anniversary threads I post every year, most recently this one (NSFW). Admittedly it's just my fursona posing suggestively, but I think this particular suggestion is sufficient to meet the criteria for pornography (certainly I agree that mere nudity doesn't).
)The actual pornography associated with the Merit Cycling Club is typified by the celebratory anniversary threads I post every year, most recently this one (NSFW). Admittedly it's just my fursona posing suggestively, but I think this particular suggestion is sufficient to meet the criteria for pornography (certainly I agree that mere nudity doesn't).
Why do spend time clarifying your fetishes and confusion about what is and isn't sexual about your online persona and instead respond to what actually means something to this community? Did you not see this post, or did you intentionally ignore it?
I believe that at least one high ranking individual is being paid to wear that avatar, but apparently others are wearing it to promote whatever this represents.
Actually, you've got it backwards. Nearly everyone wearing that avatar is being paid to do so, and only a few have ever worn simply to promote whatever it represents. Even though all it represents is a practical joke that got way out of hand. It's just a friendly jab at those who accuse high-ranking forum members of merit cycling, that's all.I'm confused. You say "accuse" as if it's not true that high-ranking forum members cycle merits between each other when:
1) You said that is what is done. It doesn't seem like a joke in this post:
YOU (A MERIT SOURCE) gives Merits to Other Sources... And Vice Versa??? A looping of Merits within the sources?
Yes, although it isn't strictly necessary for either of the parties involved to be sources; it's just easier for sources since they have more merits to cycle.2) bpip strongly validates what you said here
Though let me be clueless for a moment and just ask some clueless questions, as if I just got here and believe that the merit cycling club is nothing more than a joke, and that you care about the integrity of the mechanisms that rank people in this community:
1. Do you think that merit abuse is a real thing and that (high ranking) members are farming alt accounts for profit through things such as signature campaigns?
2. Do you think that merit abuse is a real problem that has enabled bad people to become influential/profit excessively from the forum?
3. If you think either of the above are true, who do you think are the culprits?
Since you are someone who has been on the forum for so long (and clearly has an influence over many of the high-ranking members) it would be good to have some genuine and serious insight from you.