Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More - View Single Post

12-31-2006, 12:07 AM

In article <5iElh.55647$qO4.20116@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net> ,
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <MikeJ@ChainReaction.com> wrote:

> >> It's actually fairly popular with the
> >> less-sophisticated commute crowd, who want something that has a smooth
> >> ride
> >> and don't care about what it weighs or ever take it off road.
> >
> > I don't suppose the good bike shop owners of the
> > world will do much to relieve these customers of their
> > ridiculous notions as long as those customers keep
> > wavin that dinero.
>
> Not much "dinero" involved in the bike in question. We'd much rather someone
> a more-appropriate bike for a similar amount of money (for example, a Trek
> 7.3FX hybrid).
>
> Aside from that, there's a certain amount of arrogance in saying that the
> type of bike you or I prefer is what everyone should ride. I try to educate
> my customers, and I lose quite a few sales because I don't have a row of (to
> you & me) silly, heavy, non-functional but cheap dual-suspension bikes. In
> three years, I've sold exactly three Y26s. Special orders. But just because
> it's not a $2000 road bike with someone drooling over wheel options doesn't
> mean that style is irrelevant.

You and I know what sentiment is at work: people want a comfortable
bike, and assume that full suspension equates to comfort. What they
don't understand is that they're sacrificing an enormous amount of
pedaling efficiency to get that comfort, not to mention the weight.

The obvious answer is to make every Y26-seeker test-ride it, immediately
followed by a trip around the block on a 7.3FX.

I think they'll end up like my supervisor at work, who once I directed
him towards fast hybrid bikes, ended up with a flat-bar road machine (a
reasonably nice Giant), and is continually impressed by its turn of
speed.

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

12-31-2006, 12:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
Ryan Cousineau Posts: n/a	Re: bikes in the movies In article <5iElh.55647$qO4.20116@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net> , "Mike Jacoubowsky" <MikeJ@ChainReaction.com> wrote: > >> It's actually fairly popular with the > >> less-sophisticated commute crowd, who want something that has a smooth > >> ride > >> and don't care about what it weighs or ever take it off road. > > > > I don't suppose the good bike shop owners of the > > world will do much to relieve these customers of their > > ridiculous notions as long as those customers keep > > wavin that dinero. > > Not much "dinero" involved in the bike in question. We'd much rather someone > a more-appropriate bike for a similar amount of money (for example, a Trek > 7.3FX hybrid). > > Aside from that, there's a certain amount of arrogance in saying that the > type of bike you or I prefer is what everyone should ride. I try to educate > my customers, and I lose quite a few sales because I don't have a row of (to > you & me) silly, heavy, non-functional but cheap dual-suspension bikes. In > three years, I've sold exactly three Y26s. Special orders. But just because > it's not a $2000 road bike with someone drooling over wheel options doesn't > mean that style is irrelevant. You and I know what sentiment is at work: people want a comfortable bike, and assume that full suspension equates to comfort. What they don't understand is that they're sacrificing an enormous amount of pedaling efficiency to get that comfort, not to mention the weight. The obvious answer is to make every Y26-seeker test-ride it, immediately followed by a trip around the block on a 7.3FX. I think they'll end up like my supervisor at work, who once I directed him towards fast hybrid bikes, ended up with a flat-bar road machine (a reasonably nice Giant), and is continually impressed by its turn of speed. -- Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/ "I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos