|   Bike brand prestige survey | cheddarhead
Nov 8, 2002 12:18 AM | | Okay of the big bike manufacturers which names have the most prestige and cachet. Like amongst the following names which would you most want to have on your downtube. More importantly, which would you NOT want to be caught riding around on? I'm just talking pure name envy here:
Trek, Specialized, Giant, KHS, Mongoose, Haro, Diamondback, Schwinn, GT, Jamis, Cannondale, Ironhorse, Klein, Gary Fisher, Marin, Kona, Bianchi, Raleigh
I know I've left out some players but I tried to include a good range of mass-produced brands and the ones you'd find in your LBS (w/ the exception of maybe Schwinn and GT) |
| re: Bike brand prestige survey | witchdoctor
Nov 8, 2002 1:12 AM | | from the "big player" list id pick kona. |
| does it matter? | Hammer_FLMB
Nov 8, 2002 2:09 AM | | It doesn't matter to me, I'll ride any of them. Ride it, if you like it, buy it.
I currently have a Fisher Hoo Koo, Mountain Cycle San Andreas, Cannondale CAAD 4 and I'm picking up a Turner XCE very soon. |
| does it matter? Agreed !!! | Cashish
Nov 8, 2002 4:27 AM | | Ride what ya like, like what ya ride....I have a Trek Fuel 90 ('01)which I outright love, and...dare I say it...a '90 Schwinn Sierra MOS (Mountain OverSize - whatever THAT was supposed to mean way back when...oversize ovalized downtube, apparently) with a Flexstem on it...LOL....and I enjoy 'em both (although the Schwinn rarely sees dirt anymore - it's been a great beater bike, reliable, and still fun)
Don't worry 'bout bike snobs... |
| Huffy? Next? Pacific? | Huey
Nov 8, 2002 2:38 AM | | These are the "big players", you doofus! Bicycles for less than $100, which feature such outstandingly refined security characteristics that they never get stolen even if you use a cheap padlock! Beat that with your fancy-pants Kona!
HUFFYS RULE! |
| re: Bike brand prestige survey | Fast Freddy
Nov 8, 2002 4:41 AM | | My main ride is a Giant NRS, but I have a soft spot for my old Schwinn Homegrown Factory (dually) and still love to ride it with it's old fashion, no longer hip unified rear triangle. Something about the bass boat blue paint glimmering down a trail..... I also have a older Cannondale road bike. But I prefer what fits me and rides the best for my use.... name brand doesn't really matter. I'd feel really bad owning a "boutique" brand bike (Ellsworth, Turner, Maverick, etc) because I can easily get my but kicked by most of my riding buddies. I'm not worthy in that sense. |
| Mass.-built Merlin | club
Nov 8, 2002 6:44 AM | | the original, pre-hillbilly model. my decals have long ago worn off. got replacement decals, stuck them on my auto undercoat-sprayed ugly black singlespeed. do you know, a few dumb folks have actually asked me where I got a flat black Merlin, that they didn't know Merlin ever made one with horizontal dropouts? |
| Mass.-built Merlin with horz drops | jh_on_the_cape
Nov 8, 2002 2:26 PM | | merlin did all kinds of custom stuff when they were in mass...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1579587452 |
| Ellsworth... | Tommy Salami
Nov 8, 2002 7:10 AM | | ...People give me sh!t because I ride an Ells. They say things like, you oughta' be able to climb a cliff with that bike. Sometime's I'm a victim of reverse-snobbery. I explain that it's no different or higher priced then any other booteek bike.
The "Bently" of bicycles... what's up with that? It's just a bike. |
| One of the joys of biking, for me ... | Philber
Nov 8, 2002 7:26 AM | | ... is to ride with my buddy Greg. He rides a CCM Canadian Tire special, with 15 gears (although I don't think he has been able to get it into granny since '99), and a BB which is welded into the frame. When we go to the local races, he blows by people on fancy bikes. It is priceless to watch the look on people's faces, as he passes them on his $199 bike.
I don't think there's any prestige in what kind of bike you have. The prestige is in what you do with it. I'm impressed by bike riders, not bikes. JMHO. |
| Marin....oozing quality | Jesticle
Nov 8, 2002 8:58 AM | | and great craftsmanship.... Got it where else but the Cove :)
And no I'm not gonna ride a bike around that's called a Hummer or a Hand Job thanks. |
| If you can get your hands on a Hummer frame.... | astogie
Nov 8, 2002 1:52 PM | | My advice would be to forget about being embarassed and get it!! It one of the best riding, most bomb proof ti frames I have ridden.
If you are "sqimish" about the name why not just peel the "Hummer" decals and ride it? |
| names dont really mean very much | BH
Nov 8, 2002 9:46 AM | | Well,
First off, from your list I've owned a Specialized, a Schwinn, and a Fisher.
If I currently had no bikes and were to rank the bikes that I would most like to have from your list (as if I were on a shopping spree) it would be as follows:
Jamis Dragon or Kona Explosif (I think the only mfrs. on the list that build a high end steel hardtails)
Specialized FSR XC or Epic and Giant AC1 and Bianchi (whatever road model they have equipped with Campy Chorus on a steel or Scandium frame), (equal ranking, I want all three)
Fisher 29"er
Klein Palomino
Marin (not sure which one)
Trek
Cannondale Jeckyl with a lefty
Schwinn (I don't know anymore since the buyout)
Iron horse and GT (I have always steered clear of these brands because of the strange treatment of the seat tube / seat stay junction for pure style and no function; I Drive has a horrible reliability record)
KHS, Mongoose, Haro, Diamondback, Raleigh (don't know anything about these manufacturers)
As you can see, names don't really mean very much. You need to look deeper at what the people behind the names produce. A steel hardtail tops my list because mine is what I ride the most over my roadie or my F/S. |
| re: Bike brand prestige survey | Wyrm
Nov 8, 2002 10:27 AM | | What happened to the even bigger names like Moots, Rocky Mountain, Ellsworth? These are the innovators and next level of bikes. |
| gucci | jh_on_the_cape
Nov 8, 2002 2:28 PM | | I really want a gucci bike! then people will laugh at my jokes...
gucci kicks armani ass anyday... |
| check the original definition of prestige and see something... | gonzostrike
Nov 8, 2002 3:43 PM | | ...that gets to the essence of "prestigious names"
if a mtb rider is concerned about prestige and not about the riding itself, then he/she is a massive POSEUR |
| Heh, look at my name | Jesticle
Nov 8, 2002 4:54 PM | | and you can pretty much tell I don't really care what it says on the bike. But ya do gotta wonder about the Cove's choice in names.... |
| re: Bike brand prestige survey | Jayman
Nov 9, 2002 3:17 PM | | Im a victim of reverse snobbery myself, I ride an Ellsworth and I get the jealous looks all the time. I always wanted one when they first came out and couldnt even begin to afford it back then. I started my own bike business, worked hard and now ride whatever I want. Im sure they think Im some rich guy with nothing else to spend his money on. Screw em. |
| re: Bike brand prestige survey | steveit
Nov 9, 2002 8:38 PM | | as far as the "general mtb riding public" (translation-riders that DONT really visit here on a regular basis)I gotta think c-dale or klein would have the most prestige/status symbol factor as far as name, along with maybe fisher. me? i like the trek i have now, tho its anything but prestigious. |
| |
