IMHO, that's an ugly bike that is way too heavy...

It was worse a few years ago here in NorCal prior to the dot.bombs. A friend managed a bike shop and said dot commers with way too much money would walk in and want the top of the line bike with all the bells and whistles and they wouldn't even know how to ride. But TNT would make them triathletes, by god!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Careful... Cathy,

The california TNT syndrome is not universal. I was on the first TNT team to do an Ironman (innaugeral IMUSA in lake placid). It was not my first triathlon, like many Utah participants but it was my first IM. I was fortunate to be coached by a good friend Mark Hodges (noted olympic cycle coach and the largest man to ever finish hawaii). We were very prepared and very ready for the race. 11 team members out of 11 finished.

I watched a ton of tri virgins in Utah. They were not TNT but they were from the west coast. Many people dive into waters they are not prepared for...and I am not condoning it, just be careful of the generalizations.

[reply]Mark Hodges (noted olympic cycle coach and the largest man to ever finish hawaii).[/reply]

Hmmmm...larger than Darrell Haley? That would be one very big dude!

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

be careful or you'll start a restart of the flames (in why do you care?) i got about talking about guys with million dollar bikes and 39 cents worth of fitness or bike handling skills.

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Want: 58cm Cervelo Soloist. PM me if you have one to sell

Vintage Cervelo: A Resource

Yes, larger than Darrell Haley and many years before. He also finished it twice. Mark did not have the same star appeal that Darrell apparently has.

So jeremy, I take it you've recovered from the onslaught. Good to see! ;)

yeah i recovered quickly from that "onslaught"

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Want: 58cm Cervelo Soloist. PM me if you have one to sell

Vintage Cervelo: A Resource

Sorry for my part in that Jeremy. Nice to hear from you. If we're ever at a race together I'll buy you a beer after!

So what if this guy want's what's the best in his eyes and is willing to pay for it. This guy thinks different than you, and that's probably a good thing. Diversity and all that. The companies make those items for SOMEBODY. Why not him?

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Some are born to move the world to live their fantasies...

https://triomultisport.com/
http://www.mjolnircycles.com/

Frank, speaking from your perspective as someone with a vested interest in someone purchasing cycling products I'd think you'd welcome anyone purchasing your product. I'm trying to look at this from a positive perspective, not my bike-envy perspective. First, people who buy the Ferrari bikes likely make enough $$ or influence enough $$ to buy and sell your relatively small business. That's someone I'd like on my side. If he buys your cranks and likes them, its probably good for you. I say exploit people like that, if you are able.

Second, I'd like to see more of the Ferrari crowd (those that own both car and bike) out there doing what we workhorses do. It brings perspective to their lives, AND OURS (reference the other threads mentioned). Fact is, we don't know why they're buying your cranks. Maybe they're frustrated bikers trapped in workaholic 18 hour doctor/lawyer jobs and just need motivation.

Of course the idealist in me hopes that buying products like your cranks makes the person decide to make radical changes, sell their gas guzzling Ferrari, showy bike, and closet full of suits, buy a pair of jeans and flip-flops as well as a realistic bike and come on down to our level...

NOT flamin ya....

I am a mid forties... mid pack age grouper. I have several very nice bikes. I DO know how to ride... I am just not terribly fast. I make no apologies for wanting the best. I very much appreciate great design, quality manufacturing and even a bit of 'cool factor' - as well as the benefits of all of theat - even if I don't maximize the equipments potential.

Jeremy - I think the issue in the previous discussion (flaming) was about style and attitude od the message, not the envy or your observations. There was an arrogance, and judgmental-ness that came across. THAT seemed to me the target of the attacks. My 2 cents.

This was meant to be more of a rhetorical question. I personally have nothing against people trying to spend a little (or a lot) more to purchase the best, it is one of the reasons I now use Macintosh computers.

This guy, seemingly, bought a $10,000 bike sight unseen. I can't imagine that but I support his right to do so (and, if fact, encourage same, wonder if he needs a second pair of "gold plated" PC's?). Spreading the money around keeps us all eating.

Frank

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

"This was meant to be more of a rhetorical question"

Maybe some folks do have too much money, but I don't have enough. I want an endless pool but can't afford one right now.

Me niether - I'm gunning for a solid gold toilet a couple of years down the road.

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"Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee. It springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parents of it, the mind. No glass so mirrors a man's form or likeness so true as his speech." - Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter.

There always seem to be the certain customer who walks in the shop and asks for, " the best" you have. This customer associates "the best" with the most expensive. Those in the know, know that this is not always the case - that "the best" gear is the gear that works best with that athlete/person. It can be a matter of fit or function or any number of other things. That very well may not be the $200 running shoe or the $600 xc-skis or the $6,000 bike. However in the competitive, low margin sporting goods business who's to argue with the guy/gal waving the Platinum AMEX card.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

"This customer associates "the best" with the most expensive."

Know a guy who decided to take up 35mm photography. He walked into the camera shop and demanded "the best" that they had to offer. Walked out with a Leica and three lenses. The camera saw about three months of use. For the last several years it's been sitting unused in his closet. Another guy I know wears a Rolex because he claims that he wanted "the best". Hate to tell him that although he has the most expensive watch, my $39.95 Timex actually keeps more accurate time.

Francois what do you have against Colnago (the maker of the Ferrari bike)?? You dissed them on this forum another time about 3 weeks ago.

I didn't dissed them. I said they were overpriced.
They are really nice bikes though.

I have seen the Ferrari bike and know it is made by
colnago. I don't like the geometry at all, I think, it is
a very heavy bike, and once again, way overpriced.

I have nothing against colnago at all. Most of their bikes
are really nice.but not the ferrari...just my opinion...

I'm with you on this one Francois. I think the ferrari is one ugly bike. Now the Dream Plus on the other hand...

OK, I wondered with your racing background if maybe you thought they were riding on reputation or something. Thanks for your comment.



I test rode once (a c-40) and my giddy anticipation was met with disappointment; I was expecting so much and really as far as carbon goes I liked mu '93 OCLV better.



for sure beautiful to look at but very expensive I agree. I sort like the beefy look of the Ferrari as it reminds me of the Pinarello time trial bike used by Ullrich back in his Telekom days. You don't like that look??

I actually saw both. Rode the TT once. Could not ride the ferrari as it was a 60cm or something (I am 5'7'').

they look really different. both are heavy but the Ferrari is a tank. The lines of the TT are really smooth, curves are nice. The Ferrari one is like two very straight triangles, very beefy glued together.

I indeed prefer (by far) the Trek OCLV.

Although I agree that the best is not always the most expensive,comparing a Rolex to a Timex doesn't work.True, a quartz watch is more accurate but a mechanical watch is not just about telling time.Rolex is a fine timepiece but not even close to the most expensive or the best.Fifty years from now that Rolex will be more accurate than your Timex.That said,I prefer my new Timex GPS over that silly Rolex.

Ssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell Shumi and the boys that their bikes aren't the best thing on two wheels. They're used to nothing but the absolutely best, and they've proved it for several years now.

On that note, methinks Ernesto wasn't really looking to build the best performing bike when he built the CF1/2s. Just the most luxuriant in the pampered, more-money-than-god, look-at-what-I-got sort of way. Rabobank, et al. are riding C-40hps, not CF2s.