Sign of the times?

[Blue Hills]

One of my latest emails from Edinburgh Bike Co-Op informed me that they are no longer doing their own range of bikes.

I found this rather sad.

I never bought one of their own bikes (though have bought A bike and multiple stuff and always found them excellent to deal with) but I know that many of them had an excellent reputation.

I believe their Courier was rather well thought of and probably got a fair few folk into/back into cycling.

 

[Drago]

How did they procure their bikes? Did they build them themselves?

 

[Blue Hills]

Pretty sure the frames would have been far eastern. Don't know more than that. They were often very well, as in sensibly, specced. By them I always assumed. Rather than just buying in already made/built bikes that were also sold under other brands.

Their bikes usually seemed to avoid glam fads and needless expense. In fact I sometimes used to look at their web page for ideas on decent no nonsense bikies/components. Have the idea that more lately they are chasing the market for higher margin stuff.

 

[mjr]

Given the lead times in importing frames, I suspect they're taking a break to reduce the risk of getting shafted by changes in currency exchange rates during the current crisis.

They've always had some high end lines, but they're promoting Raleigh in place of Revolution which isn't a huge jump up, although I agree it's a shame it'll lack some of the nice touches of Revolution which made the products seem they'd been sourced by actual cyclists.

I've one of their bikes, plus various parts and tools which get used often.

 

[Blue Hills]

Agree about their bikes and bits often seeming as if they had been sourced/specced by cyclists rather than marketing wonks.

The mail did say that the move was temporary or whatever but in truth I had the idea that it would be permanent - at least for the sort of bikes they used to have a certain reputation for - I am sure they got a lot of folk into not just city cycling/commuting but also touring. Always possible that they may come back with a Revo branded carbon speed machine.