So I finally decided on a 1up rack and now find that there are two different websites showing the product. One site has the original version, the other site has an improved version available in Dec, and both claim the other site is not legit.
I like the product but am about to get a Yakima or Kuat at this point.
Any details on what is going on?
Thanks, drn92
Get a Thule T2 Pro and thank me later.
Links?
I just called them both. Other than to acknowledge that the “other” company exists, neither had much to say about the situation. But, there appears to be a legal battle between the two entities: www.1upusa.com and www.1up-usa.com.
www.1upusa.com is apparently the home of Cal Phillips the founder of 1 Up USA, LLC.
I didn’t get a clear answer to who owns www.1up-usa.com or how there came to be two entities selling some of the same products.
It seems like there is an IP ownership dispute.
Looks to me like a couple friends split and are now in a battle. Their address are only 5 miles apart… Seems kinda fishy.
So this site http://www.1upusa.com/ has email contact listed as: email1upusa@gmail.com
While this site http://www.1up-usa.com/ has one listed as such: email@1up-usa.com.
Seems like the former might be the ones that spun off but for what reason don’t know. If anybody is in the know and can speak up some more info would be great. I’m curious as well.
I ordered my rack two weeks ago from https://www.1up-usa.com/ and was shipped the next day. I wasn’t aware of the other website or the supposed dispute between the owners at the time.
Seems like the former might be the ones that spun off but for what reason don’t know. If anybody is in the know and can speak up some more info would be great. I’m curious as well.
Reading between the lines of the two conversations I had today, I think you are correct.
Backstory: I own a 1Up trainer from 2002. Last year, I started having issues with the resistance going wonky. I traced the cause to the felt pad getting gummed up. I called 1UP USA for advice on a fix. At that time there was only one entity. They told me that the company had been bought, and in the ownership transfer the information regarding my felt-pad specs had been lost—so they couldn’t tell me what to replace it with. I ended up solving the problem myself…but, the point being the fact that the company had changed ownership somehow.
Given my story above and my telephone conversations today (and the “about us” description on www.1upusa.com), I think your conclusion is probably about right. The original founder is now the owner of the spinoff. The legal battle IS on-going, so I doubt anyone who knows anything can confirm or deny any parts of the story.
I ordered my rack two weeks ago from https://www.1up-usa.com/ and was shipped the next day. I wasn’t aware of the other website or the supposed dispute between the owners at the time.
It doesn’t look like 1upusa without the dash is even taking orders yet. If you look at the FAQ for the “non-dash” version, it is all about how much improved the product is over the “original”.
I’ve been looking at buying a 1up, I may just monitor the situation for a little while.
Ok, good to know. For a moment while reading this thread, I thought I may have ordered from a bootleg website and received a bootleg rack.
So I finally decided on a 1up rack and now find that there are two different websites showing the product. One site has the original version, the other site has an improved version available in Dec, and both claim the other site is not legit.
I like the product but am about to get a Yakima or Kuat at this point.
Any details on what is going on?
Thanks, drn92
If my memory is correct, 1up-usa.com is the original site. It’s what’s in my browser history and the other site is not.
So I finally decided on a 1up rack and now find that there are two different websites showing the product. One site has the original version, the other site has an improved version available in Dec, and both claim the other site is not legit.
I like the product but am about to get a Yakima or Kuat at this point.
Any details on what is going on?
Thanks, drn92
Get the Kuat NV 2.0 (not necessarily a 2 bike rack)…the 2.0 means the new & improved version.
Thank me later.
1upusa.com is the original. That was originally registered in 2000. And, if you google old images of racks, that is the URL you will find on stickers on old pictures.
1up-usa.com was registered in 2016.
I did a little research and found a thread on Reddit that supports the same thought … split between the previous and current owners and a bit of a cluster for any potential customers.
drn92
So I finally decided on a 1up rack and now find that there are two different websites showing the product. One site has the original version, the other site has an improved version available in Dec, and both claim the other site is not legit.
I like the product but am about to get a Yakima or Kuat at this point.
Any details on what is going on?
Thanks, drn92
Get the Kuat NV 2.0 (not necessarily a 2 bike rack)…the 2.0 means the new & improved version.
Thank me later.
Need to carry between 1 and 4 bikes. The 1up appeared to be the most versatile. Kuat gets good reviews also, but not sure how easy it is to go from 2 to 4 bikes.
Drn92
How easy is it to switch between 2 and 4 bikes on the Thule?
drn92
Interestingly earlier this summer I needed to order some stuff for my rack and called their number (that I had from the non-hyphen site or from my original rack order). They told me that the new site was the one with the hyphen. Very strange. At any rate, I placed the order with the hyphen site and everything came and matches my original racks exactly.
Last week a friend of mine ordered a rack, it shipped within hours of her purchased and arrived a couple of days later. No fuss.
We only do 2 bikes. My understanding is the 4 bike option is the only reason to go to 1up.
We only do 2 bikes. My understanding is the 4 bike option is the only reason to go to 1up.
You understand incorrectly.