The latest edition in my ongoing Award called the Fred G. Sanford 'You Big Dummy Award.' Just a reminder concerning the criteria of this Award;
1. Not based on whether I like or dislike it, but based on asking the question "Why would the rider even like that?"
2. Screams "The rider or designer wasn't trying to be creative, but just had nothing better to do."
3. Doesn't elicit a response of "Wow" but rather "Come on man, have some dignity."
I recently went to a blog I read about bicycle design and ran across this photo. Now, before I go any further, I want it to be understood that I am in no way slamming the designer of this bike, the judges who took their time to be a part of the process (some of whom are from notable bicycle brands), nor the blogger for posting it. As I was reading the post and viewing the comments, I marveled at how much thought went into this whole process. Even the people who took their time to comment were challenging the process to produce a better design.
I had to stop reading because it became obvious to me WHY the recreational bicycle offerings today are, well BS! It is so because this same process DOES NOT happen when it comes to the bicycles that the less affluent or non serious riders are willing to pay or can afford. I live in the poorer part of town here in Denver (by choice) and I notice that the service at the bank, Post Office, Gas Stations and the schools is terrible as compared to the same businesses in other, more affluent parts of the city.
This happens because business owners, school administrators and others DO NOT take poorer or less affluent people as seriously as they do people who are more affluent. Why? To answer than would be an exercise in pure speculation, however the only reason I can be absolutely sure of is poor or less affluent people are alot less likely to complain to the people who can make a difference and thus, business owners aren't held accountable for the crappy service they give. Many of you will say "Well they need to change their thought process." You can be a wise guy or gal if you want and pretend that everyone should think the same, talk the same, be educated the same but this is to ignore the very reality of how our beloved country continues it's prosperity.
I said ALL OF THAT to say this, the same mind-set is at work in the bicycle industry also. I posed this question to an industry insider a few years back (Richard Schwinn) and he said "Brian, factories have to have the tooling to totally change the design process and that takes huge investment." If that is so, who is designing the bikes, the company paying for the manufacturing or the the manufacturer? These 2 may be one and the same with the bigger companies but any of us who pay for services of any kind would never continue to use a service provider who didn't give us what we wanted for our money! If you went into a Burger King and said "I want a Whooper minus cheese plus pickle" to which they replied "We can't do that here." You and I both know what the outcome of that conversation would be don't we?
Around 2002 or 2003 Schwinn came out with the new era version of the Sting Ray.(See Above). I do not have sales figures on this design, but I know everywhere I looked, some kid had this design and the kicker is, I heard grown men saying "If that was bigger I would get one." There was an excitement in the air about the above design and, no offense, this design is, at best MARGINAL! What that excitement showed was people are hungry for something new (not that this concept was new at that time) and something that was affordable! Look in Big Box Retailers, where 78% of these folks buy there bicycles, and you see brands like 'Next' and other brands that are just.....TERRIBLE.
I think at a time in the history of our economy, where all it takes is a Youtube Video, flood of visitors to a website and a company can be started online for, literally less than $5.00 per month, Pacific, TREK, Doral and others be warned...You are no longer hungry, you have overlooked the pennies of the many in favor of the dollars of the few. Anytime a company in the history of our economy has done this, they have lost huge market share and some have went out of business...The choice is yours.
STAR TREK 2009! As a kid in the 1980s, I watched reruns of the original STAR TREK. As a young adult, I watched the Star Trek 'The Next Generation', the movies and what not. I tell you what deal readers, this post ain't got JACK BONE (nothing) to do with Bicycle Design, but the new STAR TREK...Oh my! Enjoy the movie.
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German car manufacturer Mercedes Benz must be getting bored as they are looking to break into the emerging high-end bicycle market. The line consists of a folding bike, a new mountain bike and a racing bike. You can fold the folding bike in a matter of seconds and this mechanism is patented. It can be folded into two positions, one of which allows it to be pushed and steered, which is convenient for public transport situations. The folding bike also eight gears, disk brakes and a luggage rack. It’s actually their entry-level model with an enticing price tag of $2,410.
The racing bike is lightweight, weighing less than 7kg. It features a high-end carbon-fiber frame, a Carbotec monocoque carbon-fiber fork, 20 gears, carbon-fiber pedals and DT wheels in white. Only 100 of this model will be made, each priced at $7,085.
Benz is a GREAT brand folks it is just my hope that they put the focus on THE LOOK of their bicycles as they do the cars. Above is the only bicycle they make that is worth noting...in my opinion anyway. I tell you what, they need the 'Fabricator of Funk' hand building their bicycles because I promise you, he can out do their current offerings!
Hey folks! It is your friendly neighborhood bicycle design fanatic...AKA 'Urban Bicycle Design President'. I started this blog a 4 years YEARS years back (had another site) and I was SO EXCITED about what I was doing that I posted 3 sketches on this very blog. (I have since taken them down). Well, the names of 2 of the designs were 'Swagga' and 'T.R.U.' I got an email from someone who could barely speak English and I went to their website and it turns out they are a Chinese Bicycle Manufacturer. The little bit of what they were saying that I could understand was 'we make bike like your'.
They sent me some prices and all of this but a VERY SHORT time later, they sent me a rendering of the design (without my permission). A few months later, I ran across the below design while digging around on the net. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you MY DESIGN...Swagga!
At first, you know a brotha like me was flattered, I mean, hey I am a nobody and this company wanted my designs? Short story even shorter, after another guy jacked my other one called 'T.R.U.' the feelings of flattery were gone! I didn't design it as Electric because at this time, that genre of Bicycle is just 2 DANG Expensive! You can get a fuel efficient American Car for that much money. As was the case then and going forward, both 'Swagga Jackers' who stole my designs screwed them up and made them look like...well this hot mess and I won't even bother showing you what the other cat did to my design.
At least the other guy had the...well...sack... to email me a rendering and ask "What do you think of my design." I didn't think much of it because he screwed it up! Let this be a lesson to all of you, IF you put your stuff out there without protection, this will happen if you have something hot.
But to you others who think like me...KEEP ON PUSHING MAN! Shoot, you can't be scared to show your stuff because what I didn't tell you was those 2 designs were among my worst! I have million dollar businesses 'Eating the scraps off my broke table baby!'
Riding along on my bicycle...HA!HA!HA! This is STRAIGHT KORNY, but I am going to back the Haterism out of my game because some things are just so korny and terrible that you gotta love em!!!
The Master of TERRIBLE and Korny... Mr William Hung Himself from American Idol Fame
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Once again I ran across this design that is, well...JUST DUMB! As has been my practice, this guy get's my Fred G. Sanford "You Big Dummy" Award. Listen to the Song and you will have to agree!
I ran across this ARTWORK and I must confess that it is very interesting to look at...no BIG DUMMY AWARD HERE, just weird and very creative I must say!
Category: transportation
Type: bicycles & motorcycles
Origin: America
Year: 1890 - 1900
Circa 1895 wooden bicycle handlebars, tapered with stem.
CONDITION: available on full record.
PRE-SALE ESTIMATE: available on full record.
PRICE REALIZED AT AUCTION: available on full record.
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