Brand Loyalty

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I am currently undertaking a very long research project before purchasing a new road bike, probably early next year. Ive never owned a road bike and have come across brands I have never heard of. This got me thinking aout brand loyalty (as well as some of the comments on Giants being the Microsoft of the bike world!)

When I was a bairn (a child!) BMX was the thing and as far as I was concerned the pinnacle of BMXing was either the Skayway TA or the Haro Freestyler. This stuck with me and as far as BMX goes, these are easily the coolest bikes of all. So much so I bought a Haro Freestyler as and adult! ( I now regard it as my SS )

As I got a bit older and MTBing became all the rage my favourite brands changed. Where I stayed Cannondale were always regarded as the Rolls Royce of MTBs. I believe they were the first or one of the first to use oversize tubing, and the bikes were always understated and classy. Again this brand stuck with me as I have owned a cannondale for past decade and use it every day.

What are your perceptions of the brands Ive mentioned, what are your favourites and are you loyal to them?

I feel another change coming on as I move to the world of racers...

ChrisLS

...for me, and I make no excuses, it's Trek, I bought my road bike 5 years ago and added a mountain bike last year...I have heard them called the Ford of the bike world...

xio

"I have heard them called the Ford of the bike world"

There's aspiration for you

heavymtb

ChrisLS wrote:

have heard them called the Ford of the bike world...

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily / Found On Road Dead!

I am not saying this to slate any makes of bikes or anyone who drives a FORD or works for FORD, so please don't take offence

Just a bit of banter I used to have to put up with when I had my Fiesta (Before I saw the 2 wheeled light!)

Dunston_checks_in

Ahhh. With road bikes you enter a whole world of premium (over-priced?) Rolls Royce style brands. Makes the MTB market look positively dowdy in comparison.

As far as roadies are concerned, I reckon Cannondales are like BMW's. A bit of a prestige, but not much. The real big boys in this game are your Colnagos, Cervelos, Pinerellos, De Rosas and more rarely Storcks or (whispered reverence) Parlees.

Cynics would say the only extra things you get with these brands is an emptier wallet and a nicer name painted on your bike. They might be right but then again cynics always say things like that. And I HAVE just bought a lovely new Cervelo frameset :P .

As far as brand loyalty goes though - and new Cervelo aside - I've always liked Orbeas.

Surf-Matt

Hate to inform many of you but Fords are actually very well made these days - often better than German rivals. They also handle better than VW or Audis.

And no, I don't own a Ford but I've tested an awful lot of cars and written reviews for mags and newspapers.

I'd much rather have a Mondeo, new Focus or Fiesta than any of their German rivals.
If you want well built these days, you have to look to the Japs.

Anyway, I very much like Specialized - they work, they aren't too pricey, they make good stuff, they win races.

STEFANOS4784

I had a cannondale for about 3 years twas an old beast when i got it, i think 1999 ca2 R500 but anyhoo only things i had to ever change were tyres and inner-tubes, came off cpl o times but only bent back wheel so that needed replacing, imho not knowing a great deal, i doubt you'll find much difference and you'll definately get people bigging up the brand of bike that they happen to own, better off looking at material/ components/geometry etc :shock: Roll on offended people 8)

STEFANOS4784

I had a cannondale for about 3 years twas an old beast when i got it, i think 1999 ca2 R500 but anyhoo only things i had to ever change were tyres and inner-tubes, came off cpl o times but only bent back wheel so that needed replacing, imho not knowing a great deal, i doubt you'll find much difference and you'll definately get people bigging up the brand of bike that they happen to own, better off looking at material/ components/geometry etc :shock: Roll on offended people 8)
P.S as i say i don't know a lot so emphasis on IMHO

cjcp

Dunston_checks_in wrote:

or (whispered reverence) Parlees.

8)

cjcp

Only had three road bikes. One Tifosi (my first, and therefore love it), my unbranded commuter (which I also love) and a Scott (my "race" bike, so love that too). I spread the love around a little, so no brand loyalty. I would however seriously consider a Scott again, but would always look around.

I used to own a Ford too. It was brown. I nicknamed it the Steaming Brown Turd. And, for the avoidance of doubt, I loved that too.

il_principe

Well I've got a softspot for several brands:

Pinarello - own a Prince and it is a stonkingly good bike
Wilier - they make lovely stuff
Focus - unbeatable VFM and very well made bikes
Campagnolo - Italian perfection.
Castelli - their clothing works brilliantly, is v comfy and doesn't make you look like a pillock (*cough ASSOS)
Specialized - Best cycling shoes ever!
Swrve - best commuting/town bike clothing this side of anywhere.

Totally unrelated to cycling but I also want to plug Jeffrey West shoes just because they are fecking beautifully made hand made examples of English craftsmanship.

Dislike:
Trek - completely inability to comeup with a half decent paintjob!
Rapha
Altura

dafruk

I'm clearly very counter establishment as I go out my way to find odd brands that are not commonplace. But most importantly they must still have very good reviews for quality.

Basically I'm trying to get the quality without the brand premium attached.

This isn't something that is specific to bikes, I do it across the board, probably down to me being a stereotypical tight Scotsman and not wanting to waste my pennies.

biondino

My Focus is wonderful and I could see myself becoming brand loyal, but I'm not sure how often I'll be buying a new carbon bike!

Other than that, I'm not sure I have brand loyalty in cycling terms. My kit is a mixture of Topeak, Giant, Specialized, Trek, Briko, DHB, Rapha, Crank Bros and others, and while I'd certainly buy most of them again (DHB are fab value, Crank Bros are innovative, rapha feels so good next to my skin...) I don't think I'm loyal - perhaps the list proves that!

I own a Trek and it's given me 3,000 fun miles, but I doubt I'll buy another Trek. And that's little more than snobbery if I'm completely honest.

DonDaddyD

SPEG Clothing - Yes SPEG, quality far beyond the actual cost of their products.

lost_in_thought

I have no loyalty to any brand whatsoever, I buy whatever's cheapest...

ExeterSimon

As Surf Matt said Specialized are talso he brand for me. Also Fox (both brothers goods!) and CamelBak.

Never had an issue with Specialized stuff...and I find their UK office very friendly and very useful when I have a query. Good customer service is very important to me and the reward is my loyalty

Saying that I do have my eye on a Santa Cruz Charmeleon!

And yeah...Fords are good cars nowadays.

STEFANOS4784

dafruk wrote:

I'm clearly very counter establishment as I go out my way to find odd brands that are not commonplace. But most importantly they must still have very good reviews for quality.

Find me a "bad" bike review :?:

STEFANOS4784

Hmmmm, think most brands have been covered now then, for a change any-one got any brand dis-loyalty, it'll make the topic easier me-thinks, obviously every-one loves rapha gear and the halfords staff but..........c'mon Shimano vs Campag debate, you kno you wanna

UnworthyPapaLazaru

:shock: Noooo!

Or perhaps, the people that arent brand loyal, what brands do you associate with quality?

attica

Evans = patchy
Halfords = far worse
LBS = Pot luck

Has anyone else noticed that two of the brands that seem to create the most obvious loyalty are Bianchi and Specialized, it's not unusual to see people riding those machines whilst decked out in the matching kit from head to foot.

Or maybe it's just the people I've bumped into.

Oh and I can't fault Wiggle

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I had a Specialized Stumpy Disc Pro. A very nice MTB it was too, probably the best I have ever ridden. Anyway, it got stolen. Yes I missed it, it was a quality bike with quality components but I never feel I attached to it (or the brand) like I do with my Cannondale. It was cleary better spec'd, it was lighter, the suspension worked properly and I suppose you could say it was a looker (hence it being stolen!) but I never really loved it.

Even though this was probably the best quality bike I had ridden, I dont think I would buy another Specialized MTB (not ruling out a racer at this early point in my research!).

:roll:

Clever Pun

After getting my initial hybrid trek from Evans.... you gotta start somewhere and all that

I've always bought bikes from Condor; the brompton, Squadra and a pista, good service high quality and there are less of them about thus drawing me there.

On the bike I'll use Campag components, time pedals, specialized seats

Trek et al (most of the bikes evans sells) and that kind of bike do the job but just seem a bit common and dowdy (the ford analogy is a good one, perfectly adequate but never an object of desire)

I find certain brands fit me better and have the right designs that I like so sidi, campag clothing, pearl izumi, assos & rapha are where I now tend to buy my stuff from

UnworthyPapaLazaru

Darfunk - this might interest you (if your rich). I would love one of this guys bikes, they are really something special. Certainley not commonplace.

http://www.dreambike.com/pegoretti.htm

I think my feelings towards specialized are because there are so bloody many of them. I to would like to own a bike that you are unlikely to spot on the road. Even my Cannondale, which is a fairly common name, I have only seen one other bike exactlly the same as mine on the road in the 10 odd years I have owned it, and that was a few weeks ago. I was stunned to see another one!

Another thing I have notice whilst conducting me research :shock: is that road bikes in general have the most tacky and horrible decals/stickers all over them. There is certainly no close examination required to see what brand it is. Even these deep set rims with the writing all round them. Im not fond of the style at all. I would like to think when I take the plunge that I can find something a little more subtle, but I suspect I will struggle.

Littigator

lost_in_thought wrote:

I have no loyalty to any brand whatsoever, I buy whatever's cheapest...

No one could ever accuse this girl of being classy

Littigator

My first road bike 18 months ago was a Specialized and the wife now has one, they're well made and good value.

From doing some shopping around for friends recently, I'd have to echo others calls for Focus for great value, no one else does an ultegra spec'd carbon bike for under a grand.

Clothing wise, I love Rapha stuff (have only had a few free bits) it's the best quality ever, but I'd never buy it, it's WAY too expensive and has a much too poncy brand image now.

On poncy brand image, I'm afraid I'd have to put Condor (well the two are bed fellows) in the same bracket. They used to be cool and a bit underground, now they're overpriced and everywhere, it's a bit like when you were a teen and your favourite indie band hit the top 10 eh

As for NOT likes, hmmm, I'll have a think and get back to you :twisted:

UnworthyPapaLazaru

No doubt at all the Focus does look excellent value for money - but why does it have to have FOCUS so big and bold down the side...!

SBezza

I don't really have much brand loyalty, I have a Trek road bike and a Giant MTB, I have DHB, Trek, Decathalon, Northwave, Altura clothing.

I love my road bike, and for the money there wasn't much else in the LBS, that could match up to it, it does the job, I think it looks nice.

Clever Pun

Littigator wrote:

My first road bike 18 months ago was a Specialized and the wife now has one, they're well made and good value.

From doing some shopping around for friends recently, I'd have to echo others calls for Focus for great value, no one else does an ultegra spec'd carbon bike for under a grand.

Clothing wise, I love Rapha stuff (have only had a few free bits) it's the best quality ever, but I'd never buy it, it's WAY too expensive and has a much too poncy brand image now.

On poncy brand image, I'm afraid I'd have to put Condor (well the two are bed fellows) in the same bracket. They used to be cool and a bit underground, now they're overpriced and everywhere, it's a bit like when you were a teen and your favourite indie band hit the top 10 eh

As for NOT likes, hmmm, I'll have a think and get back to you :twisted:

really? there more of them in london sure, but anywhere else?? I might see 1 other condor a day..might

biondino

LOADS of Condors in central London - probably only outnumbered by Specialized and (ugh) Ridgeback. Very very few top end ones, though.

I have really disliked Campag the few times I've ridden bikes with it. Nasty, uncomfortable hoods, cheap-feeling levers, odd button placement, prehistoric gear-changing, with the indexing completely buggered (not necessarily campag's fault but the sheer scale of the problem was noticeable.

My Dura-Ace shifters and derailleur, on the other hand, are as smooth as a pint of Guinness. Mmm.

clanton

Something I like to look for in addition to the qulity of the brand is after sales service. Very keen to hear about other people's experiences with major brands and how helpful and accessible they are when problems arise. In my experience Specialised cannot be faulted for their after sales service and I suspect I will be buying more bikes from them in the future.
I've had rather less good experiences with other brands, either directly or having heard via mates etc. As an example I won't be buying from Scott or Commencal!

Dunston_checks_in

biondino wrote:

I have really disliked Campag the few times I've ridden bikes with it. Nasty, uncomfortable hoods, cheap-feeling levers, odd button placement, prehistoric gear-changing, with the indexing completely buggered (not necessarily campag's fault but the sheer scale of the problem was noticeable.

My Dura-Ace shifters and derailleur, on the other hand, are as smooth as a pint of Guinness. Mmm.

You do realise what you've just done don't you?! I just thank God you didn't post this on the Road Gear forum...