Is RBW considered an Upscale brand? Do a certain number of people buy a RBW bicycle because it is widely perceived as expensive/exotic/ exclusive? Would a low-cost TIG'ed RBW frameset/bicycle sell well enough in a competitive marketplace to justify alienation of the past/ present/future customers who want to buy into a brand with an upscale reputation? Is offering a TIG'ed frame really an easy-to-sell, high- profit slam-dunk, or is it highly risky and expensive?
We also have to be realistic (and perhaps more informed) about Surly, which is a brand that seems to engender some sour grapes and undue harsh criticism from some in the RBW set. Contrary to some of the undercurrent of this discussion, Surly frames and bicycles are EXCELLENT. They are smartly designed, sturdy, real steel, cleanly welded and finished, and have unbeatable QA/QC and customer service. Most of the people who work at Surly are personal friends, acquaintances, and former coworkers of mine, and I can attest that they are good people and as devoted to real-world cycling as cyclists get. The parent corporation QBP is a nationwide/industry leader in environmental/sustainability efforts, sponsors a number of worthy charitable endeavors, and is, in general, a wonderful local and global corporate citizen (in many ways, like RBW, but much bigger). In short, Surly does what they do very well, and they are fine people who deserve whatever success they have. In TIG'ed bicycles, Surly is hard to beat, and it's hard to paint them as bad guys. Of course, there are ways to make a Surly look more genteel, if that's the goal. http://hiawathacyclery.blogspot.com/2009/10/another-way-to-do-long-haul-trucker.html On Dec 11, 9:32 am, Steve Palincsar <[email protected]> wrote: > On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 07:14 -0800, eflayer wrote: > > I am both impressed and dismayed with the degree of commitment to a > > single point of view. Whatever works works. Thinking there was a > > time when Grant thought he'd never leave Japan for Taiwan...and that > > time came. Granted, he is still making gorgeous lugged frames, now > > with cheaper labor. If Riv does make most of the profits on parts, > > then why not sell another Riv branded entry price gorgeous tigged > > frameset so more customers buy more parts? I see mostly upside for > > everyone and no downside. Except if it divides attention and leads to > > a loss of direction. But I'm betting a sharp marketeer such as is > > Grant Peterson could find a way to sell this kool aid to all of the > > naysayer in this group. > > It's Grant, not us, who have defined Rivendell's core value as lugged > steel. He's said before, it's what defines Rivendell. > > If that's true, what you're asking is for him to give up his core value, > lose his central focus, dilute his brand identity -- and all so you > could have a cheaper offering? Race to the bottom was never a Rivendell > value of any kind, why should it be one now? > > I think you're overlooking the obvious answer. Get a Surly LHT, get it > powdercoated in Atlantis green, put on a set of Resurrectio decals and > be happy. It's exactly the bike you want, and a price that Rivendell > could never match because of economies of scale. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
