Marketing hype?

[Pale Rider]

A thread in commuting about a Colnago Ferrari set me thinking about non-bike companies who have attached their name to a bicycle.

There's a Storck Cosworth ebike:

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...-cosworth-on-new-electric-bike-project-28919/

A Mercedes Benz bike:

http://www.complex.com/rides/2012/11/2012-edition-mercedes-benz-mountain-bike

And a couple of bikes by Porsche:

http://www.porsche-bike.com/us/porsche-bike-s/

Looks like marketing hype to me, but leaving that aside, can anyone add to the list?

My examples are motoring-related, but any non-bike company branded bikes will do.

 

[MossCommuter]

I quite fancy one of these Diesel branded Pinarellos:

http://www.pinarello.com/eng/diesel_only_the_brave_black.php

You'll occasionally find me, nose pressed up to the window, outside the Bike Rooms in Manchester, ogling one.

 

[oldroadman]

As they are probably all from the same Taiwanese producer anyway and sprayed up to specification, you may as well get a Giant. If you have to buy they are likely to be better value, the Porsche/Mercedes/etc branding is just marketing to people who can afford expensive cars and may be inclined to go the "matching" route. Sold by dealers who have little or no clue about bicycles.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Peugeot, apparently... Seriously!

I mean, like, Peugeot? Hello? Bicycles? I don't think so!

Heritage? No.

Decades of involvement in the sport? No!

Ever do anything useful like run a pro team? No!!!

For them, as for so many others, it is just about selling more of their SUV-people-carrier-Gti-fartbox-whizzbang-turbowagons.

So sad, so cynical, so pointless. I rest my case.

 

[Cycleops]

Peugeot, apparently... Seriously!

I mean, like, Peugeot? Hello? Bicycles? I don't think so!

Heritage? No.

Decades of involvement in the sport? No!

Ever do anything useful like run a pro team? No!!!

For them, as for so many others, it is just about selling more of their SUV-people-carrier-Gti-fartbox-whizzbang-turbowagons.

So sad, so cynical, so pointless. I rest my case.

Sorry but you are wrong. Peugeot are in fact the most successful factory Tour de France team of all time winning a record ten times!

 

[Boris Bajic]

Sorry but you are wrong. Peugeot are in fact the most successful factory Tour de France team of all time winning a record ten times!

Damn! And I was so sure of my facts! Wow!

I've been following the TdF for decades and had no idea this car firm had any cycling heritage at all.

Thank you for putting me right on that. You are sure.... aren't you?

Peugeot? Like, the car people Peugeot? Bicycles? It just seems so absurd and unlikely.

 

[Typhon]

There's an Aston Martin bike too, for 25 grand:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...ayle-Pedalling-the-dream-on-a-25000-bike.html

Some people have more money than sense. Or so much money that they don't know what to do with it and don't particularly care if they waste it.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Seen a BMW bike on a roof rack in a showroom.
Probably looks good, goes nicely, but has astoundingly expensive parts and labour bills. For example, bottom bracket wears out, whole frame needs replacing.

Yes I'm bitter!! Grrrr!!

 

[Pale Rider]

Seen a BMW bike on a roof rack in a showroom.
Probably looks good, goes nicely, but has astoundingly expensive parts and labour bills. For example, bottom bracket wears out, whole frame needs replacing.

Yes I'm bitter!! Grrrr!!

I bet the rider never gives a hand signal.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Peugeot, apparently... Seriously!

I mean, like, Peugeot? Hello? Bicycles? I don't think so!

Heritage? No.

Decades of involvement in the sport? No!

Ever do anything useful like run a pro team? No!!!

For them, as for so many others, it is just about selling more of their SUV-people-carrier-Gti-fartbox-whizzbang-turbowagons.

So sad, so cynical, so pointless. I rest my case.

And who says sarcasm is the lowest form of wit?!? Made me laugh.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Damn! And I was so sure of my facts! Wow!

I've been following the TdF for decades and had no idea this car firm had any cycling heritage at all.

Thank you for putting me right on that. You are sure.... aren't you?

Peugeot? Like, the car people Peugeot? Bicycles? It just seems so absurd and unlikely.

 

[MrJamie]

I've noticed F1 drivers who cycle the track outside of practice sessions, quite often seem to have bikes of their own team/engine supplier. I wondered if these were just badged up for more brand presence, but I know theres the S-Works McLaren Venge and a Ferrari Colnago collaboration of sorts, and undoubtedly others. I guess at least it makes sense in that both parties will be into engineering with carbon fibre.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Damn! And I was so sure of my facts! Wow!

I've been following the TdF for decades and had no idea this car firm had any cycling heritage at all.

Thank you for putting me right on that. You are sure.... aren't you?

Peugeot? Like, the car people Peugeot? Bicycles? It just seems so absurd and unlikely.

Like a few of their peers, Peugeot made bikes before they made cars. Unlike most car companies though, they made the cars as well as the bikes not instead of.

 

[G3CWI]

Would you buy a car made by Raleigh?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Would you buy a car made by Raleigh?

Since Raleigh gave up on motor cars in the 1930's and their designs were taken over by Reliant, probably not.