Not Usually a Fan, But...

[bpsmith]

I can't help smiling at today's marketing terms for bikes.

They ride very differently in fairness, so why not market them so?

No different to Touring bike?

I assume that you don’t call yours a Safety Bicycle?

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I can't help smiling at today's marketing terms for bikes.

I know, it's ridiculous isn't it?

"Road bike" now means something that won't physically take decent size tyres, mudguards, or a rack, because some marketing muppet thinks sporting cyclists don't ever ride in the wet or need to carry anything with them..
"Gravel bike" is a drop bar bike that will.
"Tourer" is a drop bar bike that can be ridden in the wet and carry stuff, and whose geometry does not try to ditch the rider off on to the road at the slightest provocation.
"TT bike" is something left on earth by visiting aliens, that bears little resemblance to any other form of bicycle.
"Dutch bike" means a hub gear Roadster, irrespective of it really being Dutch or not.
"Hybrid" means a utility bike with flat bars, tyre clearance and the ability to fit mudguards and racks, but doesn't have hub gears.
"Mountain bike" means a bike with suspension at one or both ends. Bikes with 26" wheel rigid frames are no longer considered to be Mountain bikes, but "26" Tourers".
"Downhill bike" is a mountain bike with full suspension and absurdly wide handlebars.

The whole aim of the industry speak is to convince the cyclist that they have to buy a specific marketing-created genre of machine for each type of road surface and type of riding they undertake. It would never do at all to simply have a lightweight frame, and run it with different tyre choices either with or without mudguards for different rides, would it?. No, the "serious" cyclist must, absolutely must, go out on a regular basis and buy a new machine every time the marketing men manage to dream up a new sub-species of bicycle.

 

[FishFright]

I know, it's ridiculous isn't it?

"Road bike" now means something that won't physically take decent size tyres, mudguards, or a rack, because some marketing muppet thinks sporting cyclists don't ever ride in the wet or need to carry anything with them..
"Gravel bike" is a drop bar bike that will.
"Tourer" is a drop bar bike that can be ridden in the wet and carry stuff, and whose geometry does not try to ditch the rider off on to the road at the slightest provocation.
"TT bike" is something left on earth by visiting aliens, that bears little resemblance to any other form of bicycle.
"Dutch bike" means a hub gear Roadster, irrespective of it really being Dutch or not.
"Hybrid" means a utility bike with flat bars, tyre clearance and the ability to fit mudguards and racks, but doesn't have hub gears.
"Mountain bike" means a bike with suspension at one or both ends. Bikes with 26" wheel rigid frames are no longer considered to be Mountain bikes, but "26" Tourers".
"Downhill bike" is a mountain bike with full suspension and absurdly wide handlebars.

The whole aim of the industry speak is to convince the cyclist that they have to buy a specific marketing-created genre of machine for each type of road surface and type of riding they undertake. It would never do at all to simply have a lightweight frame, and run it with different tyre choices either with or without mudguards for different rides, would it?. No, the "serious" cyclist must, absolutely must, go out on a regular basis and buy a new machine every time the marketing men manage to dream up a new sub-species of bicycle.

You were doing so well until the final paragraph. I've never once met a cyclist has been 'made' to buy anything but I've met several that can't stand anyone having anything nicer than them so go to great lengths to prove they are in the wrong.
Lighten up dude !

 

[StuAff]

Quite. I have a gravel bike. I have a road bike. I have a touring bike. I have an endurance bike. Here's a picture of them all together.....

Advertising and marketing are trying to sell you things. Funnily enough, often they're things people actually want to buy anyway. They're not a sinister conspiracy. And those definitions seem rather more pigeonholed than a lot of the bikes they're applied to....

 

[ChrisEyles]

To be fair cycling marketing is no different than that for any other hobby / sport. Yes there are fads and fashions but all that proliferation of choice of bike styles has to be a good thing for cyclists who know what sort of riding they enjoy most, and want to get a bike that will suit it well.

I could definitely do all my riding on my steel framed touring bike, but it's much more fun having a MTB for the rough stuff and a road bike for longer, faster rides.

At least bikes don't suffer from planned redundancy like tech equipment (cue consipracy theorists now..?)!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've never once met a cyclist has been 'made' to buy anything but I've met several that can't stand anyone having anything nicer than them so go to great lengths to prove they are in the wrong. !

Maybe not in the sense of holding a gun to someone's head and threatening to shoot them if they don't make a purchase, but the subconscious consumerist pressure to keep buying more and newer shiny stuff is all around nonetheless. Why else would people keep replacing perfectly serviceable smartphones with the latest ones, all the time their existing one still works? I've never felt the need (or seen the point) in trying to keep up with the Joneses, and it has nothing to do with affordability. A lot of the people I know with the newest cars and the most shiny gadgets actually haven't got a pot to pee in, and it's all bought on credit!

 

[roadrash]

So not forced to then....Choice is a wonderful thing, some choose to buy things , some choose not to, it really doesn't matter to anyone else but the buyer.….no matter whether you think everyone does it to "keep up with the joneses" some folk have disposable income and spend it without seeking anyones approval,...…. but that's because they don't need it.

 

[bpsmith]

I would love to know how many bikes people have. Especially those that criticise all the choice out there. The irony is, I bet those that say “one bike can do everything” actually have more bikes than I do.

Not that I am saying that one carefully selected bike couldn’t do everything. I agree on that bit.

My opinion is that, if you’re going to have more than one, then at least make them do different tasks. Having multiple bikes that can do everything reasonably, but nothing brilliantly, is not worth the garage/shed space!

 

[fossyant]

The stem and seat post are steps too far for me, but otherwise nice bike.

Snap - I'd keep them polished alloy.

 

[fossyant]

I can't help smiling at today's marketing terms for bikes.

It's a bike ! Aero - yeh yeh, with a big blob of a human on top.

 

[bpsmith]

It's a bike ! Aero - yeh yeh, with a big blob of a human on top.

Blob with a grin that’s travelling faster with less effort actually.

 

[Blue Hills]

I can't help smiling at today's marketing terms for bikes.

just jealous that you don't have a minder to hand you your descending bike as you crest the peak

 

[saoirse50]

Just did a review of Raleigh’s new “gravel” bike for London Cyclist magazine. I liked it, had lots of fun riding it. Although it was very similar to old fashioned tourer in feel. Apart from the disc brakes. And the 1x11 drivetrain Which to me, being an old and definitely old school rider, was definitely a “modern” upgrade worth having.

 

[freiston]

I would love to know how many bikes people have. Especially those that criticise all the choice out there. The irony is, I bet those that say “one bike can do everything” actually have more bikes than I do.

Not that I am saying that one carefully selected bike couldn’t do everything. I agree on that bit.

My opinion is that, if you’re going to have more than one, then at least make them do different tasks. Having multiple bikes that can do everything reasonably, but nothing brilliantly, is not worth the garage/shed space!

I have two bikes - my tourer which is all-purpose (I haven't toured on it [yet]) except for what my second bike is for, which is a folder and is primarily used when I want to take a bike on the train or in the back of a friend's car (I don't have a car).

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I would love to know how many bikes people have. Especially those that criticise all the choice out there. The irony is, I bet those that say “one bike can do everything” actually have more bikes than I do. !

I've actually got several 26" rigid MTB's and 2 x 700c hybrids. Whilst none of them cost (or are worth) much, there's only two (skip MTB's) I don't really care about getting stolen or smashed up, so they are regarded as beaters. The others are all either good quality machines and/or have very little wear & tear for their age. They are each best at different things. Because I get my bikes secondhand, I can have half a dozen all slightly different, all ready to ride - for less than the average punter pays for just ONE new budget market bike. It works for me, and a puncture or mechanical isn't going to leave me bike-less - I can grab a different bike and fix any problems at my leisure with no time pressure.