[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-06 Thread Philip Williamson
Well...Where to start? Oh never mind. It's all about hats, now. I've been pimping my bike with new brakes (CR720s) and I sanded and shellacked my pedal platforms again. (http://tinyurl.com/ SkateDeckPedals) Not really riding, except to get places. And, I've been eating food with friends, which is

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-06 Thread Bruce
Rivendell is doing this in front of your tent on Mt. Diablo.. But I really like the simile. From: Philip Williamson philip.william...@gmail.com In summation: Rivendell is making food with friends and eating it on your porch. Rapha is buying food with friends

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-06 Thread William
I personally think the Rapha thing represents something very good for cycling, just like I think Rivendell represents something very good for cycling. The thing they have in common, for me, is encouragement and advocacy of an attitude towards cycling that expands the variety of things that are

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-06 Thread CycloFiend
on 6/6/10 9:21 AM, William at tapebu...@gmail.com wrote: I personally think the Rapha thing represents something very good for cycling, just like I think Rivendell represents something very good for cycling. The thing they have in common, for me, is encouragement and advocacy of an attitude

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-05 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Fri, 2010-06-04 at 17:38 -0700, Bruce wrote: I also have two Rivendell wool caps, both in orange and they are the older design and the current one. These Wooly Stubbies are unlined, but are also well made and the advertiding says so. the embroidery seems to perfectly match the bill color.

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-05 Thread Bruce
Thanks for the link... From: Steve Palincsar palin...@his.com If you like the cap -- I have one and I love mine -- you can get them directly from the maker. http://www.randijofab.com/ Formerly known as Rainy Peak Cyclery, it's now Randi Jo's Fabrications.

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-05 Thread PATRICK MOORE
I'm very curious how y'all can see out from under those long bills. When I pull a cap down snugly enough to keep it on my head (I do have thick and more than shoulder length hair in a pony tail, so my hats have to be firmly in place) the bill blocks my vision unless I am sitting bolt upright.

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-05 Thread Steve Palincsar
On Sat, 2010-06-05 at 05:42 -0600, PATRICK MOORE wrote: I'm very curious how y'all can see out from under those long bills. Randi Jo's caps have very short bills -- but when I wear one under a helmet I have it turned backwards, where it does not obscure my vision and, incidentally, shades the

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-05 Thread cyclotourist
OK, while we're basking in hat love, I have to put a plug in for my local fave, Walz. Great little cottage industry sort of a thing. Run buy a couple down in Fallbrook. http://walzcaps.com/ On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 4:26 AM, Bruce fullylug...@yahoo.com wrote: Thanks for the link...

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread newenglandbike
To many people 'marketing' is a strictly contrived, usually disingenuous effort to sell products. It's hard not to think of it that way, given the amount of advertisement present in the U.S. for stuff we don't need and wouldn't otherwise want. The best marketers are able to convince themselves

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread JoelMatthews
My comments were meant as compliments to both for creating niches that otherwise would not exist. I think this statement goes too far. Riv and Rapha are strong players in their respective niches. Both are doing better than one might have thought looking at the industry 10years ago. However,

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread Patrick in VT
On Jun 4, 8:53 am, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: My comments were meant as compliments to both for creating niches that otherwise would not exist. I think this statement goes too far. I don't. I think Mike is spot on. without riv, there wouldn't be $150 tweed saddle pouches

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread PATRICK MOORE
I said: My take? Riv has no marketing strategy as such; instead they have Grant's (a) love of bicycles and (b) whimsical humor. My sense is that the names, poems, etc. are not at all deliberate, thought out marketing tactics and strategies as commonly understood -- I write many upper level

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread JoelMatthews
I don't. I think Mike is spot on. without riv, there wouldn't be $150 tweed saddle pouches and folks tweeking over what shellac/cloth tape combination will best compliment their bikes. Is that Riv's niche? I always thought it was making lugged steel bikes. In any event, Carradice,

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread Patrick in VT
On Jun 4, 10:13 am, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: Is that Riv's niche? I always thought it was making lugged steel bikes. as I said, Joel - it's about more than products. did you not read that part of my post? to be clear and keep things in the context, there is a niche of riders

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread JoelMatthews
and I agree that they wouldn't exist to the extent that they do without companies like riv and rapha. Perhaps if we limit the niche to one in the United States (which would seem curious, given Rapha is a British company and sells a lot of its product in Europe) you could say tweed bags and

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread rswatson
On Jun 4, 2010, at 8:58 AM, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: GP appears to follow what he likes and hopes enough agree that he and his employees make a living. Rapha uses a well conceived and executed marketing plan to convince people to pay more for merchandise it makes than

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread JoelMatthews
We had a slow night at work and a perused the Rapha site and I don't really see the crazy hyperbole everyone talks about. The product pages seemed mostly descriptive. Of course they were positive, they're selling the stuff. The other articles and features seemed to be mostly about the joys of

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread Patrick in VT
On Jun 4, 10:58 am, JoelMatthews joelmatth...@mac.com wrote: and I agree that they wouldn't exist to the extent that they do without companies like riv and rapha. Perhaps if we limit the niche . .. . and I agree that they wouldn't exist to the extent that they do without companies

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread JoelMatthews
there's no need to limit it. and for the *third* time, it's not solely about product. to be clear, there is a distinct niche of riders that identifies with the Riv brand and rivvish cycling. same with Rapha. both engage in lifestyle branding (that's not to say they go about it the same

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread Esteban
Something appears as marketing or even propaganda if it doesn't match up with one's sensibilities. If a message does match up with one's tastes preferences, then it just appears as common sense. The good thing about Riv, Rapha, and anything else bike-related - is that it has a material

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread S.Cutshall
Sorry, I've been out riding my bike... what did I miss in this ongoing conversation? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group,

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread newenglandbike
Beyond the fact that they are both in the bicycling business, I personally don't see any similarity between the aesthetic or 'philosophy' of Rapha and Rivendell.One sells expensive bike clothing made in China for the 'serious cyclist' (their words)*, and the other seems to encourage riding in

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-04 Thread Bruce
Sent: Fri, June 4, 2010 7:12:09 PM Subject: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell Beyond the fact that they are both in the bicycling business, I personally don't see any similarity between the aesthetic or 'philosophy' of Rapha and Rivendell.One sells expensive bike clothing made in China

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread Aaron Thomas
Yep. I got the same survey today and thought that was pretty cool. But I didn't find it all that surprising. When I went on one of Rapha's Gentleman's Rides a few years ago, many of their Continental team riders commented very favorably on my Romulus and my friend's Bleriot. Moreover, unlike the

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread Mike
Some of the people associated with the Rapha Continnental rides are small frame builders--Ira Ryan and Tony Pereira to name two--so I can see how they would appreciate Rivish bikes. I certainly appreciate their enthusiasm for cycling, not just selling swag, but actually getting on a bike and

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread Michael_S
Kinda goes back to what a few of us said last week. Rapha and Rivendell share much more in philosophy and market demographics than some think. They both share excellent marketing strategies too. I'll have to join that email list as well. Thanks for the info. ~Mike~ On Jun 3, 2:26 pm, Mike

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread XO-1.org Rough Riders
It doesn't appear to me that Rivendell has a marketing strategy, other than running small ads in Bicycle Quarterly and Adventure Cyclist... On Jun 3, 3:18 pm, Michael_S mikeybi...@rocketmail.com wrote: Kinda goes back to what a few of us said last week. Rapha and Rivendell share much more in

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread BPustow
Are you kidding? The whole Homer Hilsen hype with the epic poem and everything? It was brilliant! Unfortunately, whoever came up with that campaign, wasn't there for the Roadeo or later models. In a message dated 6/3/2010 8:30:47 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, adventureco...@gmail.com

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread dpco
i don't have any facts to back this up, but i think that the roadeo is doing quite well. the homer is the star of rivendell, period. country bike, that can be used for many purposes. living in the san joaquin valley and basically, a club rider, the roadeo fits me. and, i still have that rivendell

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread JoelMatthews
Are you kidding? The whole Homer Hilsen hype with the epic poem and everything? It was brilliant! Unfortunately, whoever came up with that campaign, wasn't there for the Roadeo or later models. Really, where did Grant Peterson go? GP wrote the epic poem. There was nothing about the Hilsen

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread XO-1.org Rough Riders
Yes, perhaps brilliant for the extant Riv fans who read it, but marketing implies reaching beyond the current fan/customer base. I don't see that happening, and never really have. On Jun 3, 6:12 pm, bpus...@aol.com wrote: Are you kidding? The whole Homer Hilsen hype with the epic poem and  

Re: [RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread John Speare
On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 8:26 PM, XO-1.org Rough Riders adventureco...@gmail.com wrote: Yes, perhaps brilliant for the extant Riv fans who read it, but marketing implies reaching beyond the current fan/customer base. I don't see that happening, and never really have. I guess it depends on how

[RBW] Re: Rapha has love for Rivendell

2010-06-03 Thread Michael_S
Grant's marketing skills are so good some people don't even think he has any that is the ultimate compliment in my book. we all keep tuned in to his website and this forum waiting for the next bike or gadget... What both Rapha and Rivendell have done is create a niche of dedicated customers