On 27 Mar 2006 05:47:03 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
<
[email protected]> wrote:
>> The people who buy into the custom bike myth is usually the same people
>> who strive for perfection.
>
>Disagree. Some like the idea of a bicycle frame and then bike made for
>them, period. Unique, one of a kind, type thing.
>
Peter,
If the bike is custom designed to be a unique one of a kind type
thing, then it's really not a a bike but rather a piece of art readily
to be admired don't you think? We are talking about a custom frame
that is built to be ridden not mounted on the wall.
If the custom frame is designed with a triangular shaped front end,
that is not custom. The triangle front end had been around for
hundreds of years, proven to be a reliable design. The only thing
custom are minor alterations on the basic frame design to address
customer's unique requests.
But how many customers have unique requests? Probably a lot of
probably a few.
Would I call that unique? Not really, because in the end, it's just a
normal bike with minor custom alterations and a unique paint job and a
name engraved on the tube somewhere.
Will it be a perfect bike for the job the customer wanted it for to
do? Sure it will, because that's what he or she wanted.
Will it be saleable in the future after that task is completed?
Probably very hard, because what one puts great value on these custom
alterations, others won't.
>Bike fit is the most important thing in a bicycle purchase. Just cuz
>most bike shops can't do bike fits does not minimize it's importance.
>MORE important than anything else by a wide margin. No myth. We do
>current bike fits all day long on people that get 'stock' bikes that
>are not close to fitting them. They come in cuz it hurts to ride and
>they are about to take up tennis or golf.
>
>
It's good that you offer this in your store. We have 2 stores here
that do the same free of charge on other stock bikes not sold by them
if they are not busy. So, I don't see a reason why people would
really need to go custom, unless for some specific tasks and body
dimensions.
Unfortunately, as you may have indicated, that people buy stock bikes
that don't fit them -- they should. Which means, there are shops out
there that don't offer these services. The smart ones would obviously
come to your store after a painful hiatus with their bikes. But do
all of them come to seek your expertise?
>Yep, a red bicycle today probably was not in fashion in the 80s...huh?
>We are talking about bicycle paint, not bell bottoms.
>
I need of a customer who was sold on a custom red Dion tri bike. This
is a custom bike. We saw the whole fit was totally wrong. It was
made to ride with a rearward seating position -- tribikes usually are
forward seating based! She could have been well-fitted with a Felt
S32 with some minor alterations and be well with it. Will cost half
too. But you know, she saw the video how custom bikes are unique and
how nice they ride. In the end, it all comes to the builder. How can
a builder be good at building a perfect tri bike, race bike, mountain
bike and a touring bike. You need to be good to understand the finer
points of what specific people need if you have been doing all of
these things correct?
>Stock frame = Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale.....mostly. The bike
>shops here in the republic that sell these have no idea how to do bike
>fit. It's the 'stand over, ride around the parking lot, how do ya want
>to pay for that' type fit...even on bicycles pushing $6000+.
>
>The 'stock' bicycle market is and has been in trouble for years. Even
>the "Lance effect' hasn't changed that.
>
We are lucky to have 2 stores that sell these stock frames and offer
proper frame fitting. One is a road store and another a tri specific
store. And as I said earlier, some towns and cities don't have good
stores to offer good fitting, so what are you going to do?
David.