Ride On
Posts:537
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| 07/01/2014 10:21 PM |
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In your average shop does the average buyer still go wow when they pick up a really light bike and just kind of nod when they hear how aero a bike is ? Maybe Trek has got it right. Make a stupid light bike cause that is what impresses the average buyer. Areo is hard to sell, weight is easy to sell even to people who should know better. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/01/2014 10:40 PM |
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Hey, the light bike has it all over the aero bike in that spin around the bike shop parking lot.
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/01/2014 11:14 PM |
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Wight still remains the one measurement which can be felt (and measured) by everyone.....and time has shown people are willing to pay for it.
But this is as much as a marketing tool as anything else. NBC Sports has already shot their B roll for their feature on this bike, which will undoubtedly air on the first climbing day. And look for a Trek rider (probably Andy) to make a day long excursion on this bike (with weights added, of course). |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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jookey
Posts:197
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| 07/02/2014 07:29 AM |
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| Whenever I ride my bike(s) to work, people come into my office and lift them and are shocked how light they weigh (in comparision to their Wal-mart Fuji). I think areo bikes are really sweet looking though. I get "wows" when I ride in my Venge with deep dish wheels. It still weighs way less than the Fujiis and looks FAST. I get asked how fast it goes a lot. Not quite as fast as my old 15 year old Merlin, but that bike had a faster engine. |
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thinline
Posts:323
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| 07/02/2014 10:02 AM |
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| Jookey, you reminded me of a question that I occassionally get asked when wearing a bike jersey that says Alaska and has a graphic of a mountain and a wolf howling at the moon. And, it's always some wisea** trying to be superior and dump on a cyclist "So, did you ride from Alaska?" I always answer, "Not today, no." It's always a funny result as Mr. Smarta** just can't quite figure out how to respond and his now thoroughly unimpressed date or friend just laughs at him. |
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jookey
Posts:197
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| 07/02/2014 10:25 AM |
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| Once while riding by the playground a bunch of teens were playing hoops. One looks at me riding by and yelled "It's Lance Armstrong!!!". He was kinda chubby and I responded immediately "It's Charles Barkley!!!" He wasn't happy, but his friends thought it was pretty funny. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/02/2014 12:11 PM |
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By average buyer, do we mean someone who also goes wow over a greater than $500 sticker price?
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/02/2014 12:26 PM |
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My criteria for a bike and parts are in this order:
-reliable
-looks good
-light
-aero
The result was 18.2lbs. Then I put 3lbs of tools and tubes in a pouch under the seat. And 2 water bottles at another 3lbs or so.
That new Trek does actually "look" light and I wouldn't mind taking it for a spin up a mtn pass. Not sure I want to ride it all day in the mountains though. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/02/2014 03:10 PM |
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For me:
-fit (where applicable)
-function (including reliability)
-snazz (steel fors with nice crowns)
Weight? My good bike started at 22+. 24 with toolbag, pump and and cages now. My ti fixie at 19 plus nearly the same. Mooney - 26+ when the tires were small. Winter fixie, 28+.
Now my retrogrouch gripe: weights without pedals? Like sizing feet for shoes and ignoring the toes. Why not simply add a standard 225 grams (1/2 pound) to the weight without so all published weights represent what a real bike could weigh? I actually CAN drive my car and get published gas mileages. Why doesn't the bike world adhere to the same standard?
Ben |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 07/11/2014 05:47 AM |
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it's a factor, until the custy hears the price, and it's mostly the ladies these days when it comes to road bikes, but I even hear it when they are looking at town bikes or cruisers. On the MTB side, it's mostly the guys, but a few ladies also, and it's the same, they like the price of say an alloy Santa Cruz dual squish bike, but not the weight. I say, well the carbon is two pounds lighter, but are you willing to pony up the extra 2K plus for that weight savings?
We built a custom fillet brazed Casati for a client, it was huge, a 63cm, and it came in at just under 17lbs, not as light as a high end carbon bike, but who would not want a 17lb steel bike that rides as smooth as butter? |
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Master50
Posts:340
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| 07/12/2014 11:05 AM |
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Weight matters. My wife keeps up on her sub 17 pound bike and gets dropped on the 24 pound bike.
My favourite weighs about 19 pounds with 2 bottles a tube and co2, mini pump and computer so it is pretty light.
Except for wheels there is not much I can do to make it much lighter. I have very light clinchers and only super exotic clinchers like Lightweights would help. They are too much $ for the weight loss. |
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SideBySide
Posts:444
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| 07/14/2014 01:15 PM |
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It helps. When we were looking at bikes for my wife, I was trying not to push her into something that would make me happy, but something she would want to ride. Her comment after looking at a few: "Can we get a lighter one?"  |
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