I've heard good things about Abici..my wife loves her Orbea...

Even though they don't make tri bikes (or even good road bikes, anymore) I doubt many of us would be doing what we're doing, if it weren't for our first Schwinn.

I know that's not what you're looking for ...

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Interesting.

How important is the degree of brand identification in your selection of a bike?

Would you characterize having a lesser known, "niche" brand as a more appealing alternative to an established name brand?

What are the reasons and factors that would attract you to a less recognized brand?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

How about Waterford Precision Cycles or Landshark Bicycles. If carbon is your game how about Calfee. Their main gig may not be triathlon, but they will build triathlon specific.

Calfee. If you don't like their stock tri geometry, they'll do custom. Successes include Joanna Lawn at IMNZ in '03 on a Tetra Tri.

Calfee owners generally rave about the customer service.

Abici, that's interesting. I know next to nothing about these guys. Any idea what is unique about them?

With the examples I listed there are certain things that instantly come to mind when I think of the brand. Right or wrong. But if I had to describe what sets them apart:

Cervelo: Focus on engineering, gnat's ass innovation (working within UCI regs)

Felt: Great Value, exclusive Easton tubsets

Yaqui: Great one on one service, custom bikes, deep expertise, Scandium/AL tubset believers

Elite: Great one on one service, high quality AL bikes

QR/Litespeed: Geometry, product breadth, pioneers, Ti

Guru: Interesting offerings, lots of different materials (I'm not too familiar with them)

Aegis: I'm not sure how I'd categorize them. Those I know with their bikes love them. (Though the T2 seems rushed to market.)

Griffen: I'm not sure how I'd categorize them. Materials?? Those funky dropouts??

Cannondale: Huge bicycle company, solid tri line, M-Dot branded.

Softride: Beam bike state of the art. Aerodynamics.

Titanflex: Beam bike underdog, value, simplicity

I would also add Javelin to the mix.

These are certianly not unknown, but what about Colnago, Pinarello, BMC, Look? They are all pricey but sweet.

Oh, don't forget Cervelo... just kidding Pooks, I ride a Griffen.

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"Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word" - John Steinbeck

what about argon?

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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year

"How important is the degree of brand identification in your selection of a bike?"

It's not. I'm just wondering if there are offerings out there that I'm unaware of or are largely overlooked on this forum. E.G. is Fort making any innovations in tri?



"Would you characterize having a lesser known, "niche" brand as a more appealing alternative to an established name brand?"

Not necessarily. Sure, uniqueness is appealing to some. I just like really good products from companies that provide superlative service.



"What are the reasons and factors that would attract you to a less recognized brand?"

The offerings (geometry, aerodynamics....), quality, service, and price.

Kuota? Maybe some of the most handsome bikes around. Worked for Stadler.

So what is it that, say, BMC is offering me as a triathlete that is specific to BMC?

"what about argon?"

I dunno, what about them? I don't know much about them. Why should I buy one?

Along the lines of Calfee, Seven Cycles. My LBS has been moving quite a few of their tri geometry (stock and custom) Titanium rigs. I love mine. High-quality, custom Ti at a reasonable price.

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Shawn
TORRE Consulting Services, LLC
http://www.TORREcs.com

I recently purchased an Isaac Joule. I have not had the chance to take it out yet but I'm impressed by the workmanship. They will have a full line for 2005.

Dave from VA

Jamis. The entire family owns one of their bikes. Great performance at a great price.

How important is the degree of brand identification in your selection of a bike?

Reasonably important, not for the stickers, but for the fact I have a measure of trust that if I buy X brand bike, I'm getting a quality product. If I was a better judge of frame quality, it wouldn't be as important to me. This is, for example, why I would be hesitant to buy a Fort frame. They might be perfectly acceptable- comparable, even, to better known brands- but I have no ability myself to make that determination.

Would you characterize having a lesser known, "niche" brand as a more appealing alternative to an established name brand?
What are the reasons and factors that would attract you to a less recognized brand?

Generally, I'd consider a "niche" brand as more appealing than a bigger brand. Remember that this is a niche sport. I think smaller brands that concentrate on tri generally do a better job than huge companies that are just trying to increase market share.

Of course, I don't think there are many real unknown tri specific bike makers out there- lots of custom builders who specialize in road bikes, not so many who specialize in tri bikes.

Nobody's mentioned Tiermeyer, though- those are interesting bikes.

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Good point, I guess BMC's offering is more atuned to Time Trial at best than to Triathlon. Max seat angle is only 74 degs. Interesting frame design though. Sorry for circumventing your posted rule, Pooks.

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"Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word" - John Steinbeck

Two custom companies that I am impressed with:

http://www.strongframes.com/ in Bozeman, Mt.

and

Co-Motion in Oregon.

Jay

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Jay

Tom,
Brand was not important in my selection process. At the time, Aug. 2004, I bought the Dual there was nothing meeting my fit, compenent, and as you've noted as far as importance, availability requirements. I was prepared to spend $2,500.00 but the Dual filled all my selection criteria.
Jay

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Jay

Felt isnt really an "unknown" company but its pretty "silent", I am actually going to by one of their mtbs to do xterras on this year. They are great frames specd with good components for less $ than the big companies.

How about:

Nineteen: www.hwynineteen.com

Aquila: www.aquilacycles.com

(Note: I haven't ridden either of these just know of them).

Dan

Did you mention Cervelo?

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Yamaguchi (http://www.yamaguchibike.com/.../timetrial-vtech.htm)

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