First of all...I've been reading this thread with some level of amusement this week. It is
interesting that this bike has created such a stir. It really doesn't seem to have much to do with
current recumbent owners. The only thing I can conclude is that the whole BikeE debacle left bitter
feelings with many in the 'bent community. I wasn't around for all of thta, though I do remember
seeing a few BikeEs on the road and thinking they were really homely.
With regard to aesthetics... I'm sorry, the BigHa is a bike that only a mother could love the looks
of. Appearances are obviously highly subjective, but I don't see the attraction. As much as I
embracing switching to a recumbent for extended touring, it is not an aesthetic decision. I find
both diamond and cantilever frames to be much more aesthetically pleasing than any recumbent.
I also wonder if the Big HA release date is April 1. I can't believe that there will be much of a
serious market for this bike at $3K. I'm just waiting for the "April Fools" moment. If it is an
April Fools joke, it is a very elaborate one, and we have all been played the fool. If it is not,
then the real Big Ha is the one the investors will experience.
Rob "B. Sanders" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > > I must say, I am extremely confused about this whole Bigha thing, from
> the
> > > name to everything else it really does seem like a big joke, only I
> don't
> > > get it.
>
> "jim h" replied:
> > My take on it is that it's just what it appears to be. Some former BikeE people are behind it,
> > they found there wasn't enough money in low-end recumbents, so this time they're going all the
> > way to the other end of
the
> > spectrum. There may be a market there, but it probably doesn't include a
> lot
> > of current 'bent nuts like us who read Usenet postings. Other posters
> used
> > the "Sharper Image" metaphor and that may be appropriate. While the
> machine
> > might not seem cost-effective to us, its uniqueness and the flashy electronics may appeal to
> > well-heeled buyers who like the high-tech
image.
> >
> > BikeE lost the goodwill of the dealers so they're going to direct sales.
> Who
> > knows, it may work and the people who buy the machines may end up liking them.
>
> There is some sense in this approach. For years, I've wondered about the possibility of building
> slick, high-end bikes designed to appeal to the wealthy.
>
> There is a magical thing that happens when you create something visually appealing: People want
> it. They don't ask the price. They ask "when can you deliver one to me?" At some point, industrial
> design crosses over
into
> the space occupied by art. Think Aeron chair. Think Spacelander
fiberglass
> bikes. People respond very powerfully to beautiful design.
>
> For example: Personal computers are cheap - under $400 these days. Yet
that
> doesn't stop Apple from selling truckloads of $2,000+ and even $3,000+ desktop computers. PC fans
> laugh at the slow CPU clock speeds on the
Apple
> computers. Apple fans don't care; because CPU speed wasn't their primary reason for buying. They
> bought a Macintosh as a digital lifestyle
appliance,
> visual centerpiece and fulfillment of a personal aesthetic. Commodity
PC's
> simply cannot compete in that space.
>
> Can I just say it? Most US-built recumbents are ugly. Really ugly. European 'bents, on the other
> hand, are quite beautiful. Outside the US, where people actually ride bikes for transportation,
> there are numerous boutique mfr's of beautiful high-end bikes (DF and 'bent) aimed at the
> wealthier classes. It's not surprising that Americans might find this
odd:
> Americans think that bikes are toys. They buy them at WalMart and Toys R Us. That needs to change,
> and Bigha is definitely aiming to change it.
It's
> about time.
>
> Another way of looking at it is that bikes are cheap compared to cars.
Even
> a $3,000 bike is dirt cheap compared to *any* new car. For people living
in
> gated retirement communities in the sunbelt, a beautiful, comfortable, health-promoting, fun,
> unique Bigha recumbent makes sense. Hey, what else are you going to do with all that money? Buying
> cool toys is a pretty sure bet.
>
> There is definitely a market for Bigha. I agree about the name, though: It's just wrong, and so is
> the marketing message. I don't like the
website,
> either (and I design websites for a living). They need to work on that. Flash can be pretty
> annoying; but that's not the problem in this case. I would have gone with something sleek and
> conservatively austere like the Mercedes Benz website, which is one of the best I've ever seen.
> www.mercedes.com
>
> I also think that having the fan club blog on the website is a bad idea, unless they plan to
> remove negative comments. That might tend to
backfire.
> Better to stay perched upon the mountaintop and periodically sprinkle a
few
> new products to the swooning fans the way that Steve Jobs does at Apple Computer. Mr. Jobs is all
> but inaccessible until MacWorld, and then he's there to work his marketing magic. Bigha probably
> knows all about the
Apple
> phenomenon, and might even emulate it to some degree. They need a figurehead - a colorful
> spokesperson who can get a lot of press coverage, and create a mystique around this guy.
>
> We should wish Bigha the best of luck. They are elevating the standards
for
> recumbent aesthetic in the US, and attempting to create an entirely new market. This is a very
> good thing
>
> -Barry
