Enigma

benji90
benji90 Posts: 114
edited September 2010 in Road buying advice
Anyone know what has happened to enigma bikes webpage?

Assume I have the address right? www.enigmabikes.com

Please dont tell me they have gone pop, not now I have finally persuaded the Missus to let me have one!! :(
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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Looks like at least the hosting has gone south!
  • father_jack
    father_jack Posts: 3,509
    and Condor wouldn't mind seeing their bikes and the prices

    http://www.condorcycles.com/
    Say... That's a nice bike..
    Trax T700 with Lew Racing Pro VT-1 ;-)
  • racingt
    racingt Posts: 108
    Hi, I spoke to them today and am riding a bike there on Thursday, so I guess they are still in business. Been drooling over the website daily, looks broken to me today, but I think the firm is sound.
  • tigerben
    tigerben Posts: 233
    I spoke to them today also... gave them the balance on my etape frame about lunchtime.... so truly hope nothing has happened to them this afternoon :shock:
  • Bamford
    Bamford Posts: 65
    Website is still offline, even now. They were advertising Halfords Bikes when I just tried the www.enigmabikes.com website.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    I just think it's a mistake of the webmasters not to keep their domain or web space updated personally. They'll probably be back online soon.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    giant mancp wrote:
    I just think it's a mistake of the webmasters not to keep their domain or web space updated personally. They'll probably be back online soon.

    Be an unfortunate oversight, given the context!
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    I am guessing the same thing about the webmaster. A few months ago I was (wistfully) looking at Phil Woods touring hubs, or trying to, and found the same problem with their site. It persisted for a few days and I had really begun to worry they might have been sold or gone under or some such (e-mails to their address bounced) when finally there was a blurb saying 'technical difficulties' and shortly after that the site bounced up again, same as ever.

    I sure hope that's the deal here.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    I just phoned them up. It's a website problem.
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    Thanks. You saved me the bother. I just looked up their number and was about to give them a ring myself.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    calvjones wrote:
    giant mancp wrote:
    I just think it's a mistake of the webmasters not to keep their domain or web space updated personally. They'll probably be back online soon.

    Be an unfortunate oversight, given the context!
    Well maybe, but you would be surprised the number of businesses this happens to.
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    giant mancp wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    giant mancp wrote:
    I just think it's a mistake of the webmasters not to keep their domain or web space updated personally. They'll probably be back online soon.

    Be an unfortunate oversight, given the context!
    Well maybe, but you would be surprised the number of businesses this happens to.

    Indeed - Hamleys (big toy shop in the UK for the uninitiated) website was a famous example: in the run-up to Xmas last year as well, so somewhat unfortunate timing.
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Thanks. You saved me the bother. I just looked up their number and was about to give them a ring myself.

    I have a vested interest shall we say!
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    Me too. It just took me longer to find the phonebook.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • enigmajim
    enigmajim Posts: 32
    Enigma is not only still alive but is very well and healthy so please don't be concerned. We are changing our website host and unfortunately it's gone a little bit wrong. Trying to deal with call centres on the other side of the world has been a nightmare!!

    We hope to be back on line by the end of the day (Wednesday) but it may well be tomorrow.

    My apologies to anyone who has tried to contact us by email. Please feel free to call us on 01323 741807 for any information you may require.

    Jim Walker
    Director
    Enigma Titanium Ltd
  • enigmajim
    enigmajim Posts: 32
    Our website should be back online between 3 and 5pm today.

    A temporary mirror site can be found on www.enigmabikes.net with a temporary email address of jim@enigmabikes.net for anyone who needs to contact us urgently.

    My apologies once again for the inconveniance.

    Jim Walker
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    I was just reading about Enigma on the net and came across this on Wikipedia:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_Titanium

    According to that, all of their frames are made in Taiwan? I was under the impression that all of their frames were hand made in the UK?
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    Their steel frames are all made in the UK as are most of their their custom titanium ones. Not sure about the general production titanium models - some of those at least are made in Taiwan. But the steel ones are all definitely made here in the UK.
    http://www.My-Bicycle-and-I.com
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Hoopdriver wrote:
    Their steel frames are all made in the UK as are most of their their custom titanium ones. Not sure about the general production titanium models - some of those at least are made in Taiwan. But the steel ones are all definitely made here in the UK.
    Yes they definitely are, I've seen Mark Reilly very skillfully construct a steel frame, brilliant workmanship ...
  • Bamford
    Bamford Posts: 65
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    I was under the impression that all of their frames were hand made in the UK?

    I think it is a little ambiguous, but my interpretation is that the "off the shelf" titanium models, such as Eclipse, Etape, Echo et al are all still made in Taiwan.

    Personally, whilst it would be nice if they were all made in the UK, and I believe that to be Enigma's ultimate goal, that wouldn't put me off buying one though as I believe that many of the top brand cycle manufacturers outsource their manufacturing to the far east and the quality is very good.

    My interpretation may well be wrong though, in which case, no doubt others will correct me.

    "Abominable" was certainly very happy with the Echo anyway, by all accounts - see http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12727243
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Bamford wrote:
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    I was under the impression that all of their frames were hand made in the UK?

    I think it is a little ambiguous, but my interpretation is that the "off the shelf" titanium models, such as Eclipse, Etape, Echo et al are all still made in Taiwan.

    Personally, whilst it would be nice if they were all made in the UK, and I believe that to be Enigma's ultimate goal, that wouldn't put me off buying one though as I believe that many of the top brand cycle manufacturers outsource their manufacturing to the far east and the quality is very good.

    My interpretation may well be wrong though, in which case, no doubt others will correct me.

    "Abominable" was certainly very happy with the Echo anyway, by all accounts - see http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12727243
    I think you're right, the standard off the shelf ones are from Taiwan unfortunately. The custom ti and steel models are made over here. Would be great if Enigma find themselves in the position of being able to manufacture the tubing and construct all their bikes in the UK. I remember having a converstation with Jim Walker about it at their Open Day.
  • Bamford
    Bamford Posts: 65
    giant mancp wrote:
    Would be great if Enigma find themselves in the position of being able to manufacture the tubing and construct all their bikes in the UK. I remember having a converstation with Jim Walker about it at their Open Day.

    They've recently been trying to recruit a welder, so maybe that might happen sooner, rather than later. Let's hope so, because I think it would be a real selling point if all of their models were manufactured within the U.K.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    I'm contacting them by e-mail shortly to try and arrange a visit to test a few bikes. Given their reputation here, can I rest easy in the knowledge that the fact their off the shelf frames are made in Taiwan will have no impact on quality? I presume they have rigid QC checks?
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Also, looking at their web site, the Ti frames are all offered with a brush finish - can they be painted like the steel frames?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    I think all their frames are top quality tbh, never heard of any returns. I would have thought different finishes are available. Best thing to do it contact them and take it from there, great people to do business with.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    giant mancp wrote:
    I think all their frames are top quality tbh, never heard of any returns. I would have thought different finishes are available. Best thing to do it contact them and take it from there, great people to do business with.

    Will do, thanks :)
  • Bamford
    Bamford Posts: 65
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Also, looking at their web site, the Ti frames are all offered with a brush finish - can they be painted like the steel frames?

    It's not something I would choose, because not having to worry about paint chips is one of the attractions of a titanium frame.

    Have a look at the following links

    http://www.enigmabikes.com/finishes.html

    http://pub28.bravenet.com/forum/static/ ... 0&cmd=show
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Bamford wrote:
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Also, looking at their web site, the Ti frames are all offered with a brush finish - can they be painted like the steel frames?

    It's not something I would choose, because not having to worry about paint chips is one of the attractions of a titanium frame.

    Have a look at the following links

    http://www.enigmabikes.com/finishes.html

    http://pub28.bravenet.com/forum/static/ ... 0&cmd=show

    Thanks Bamford, I've seen that already. Have you looked through the Owner's Gallery as well? Some great images there.

    I am torn between leaving it bare, as you say, and having it painted. The photos of the fully white Elite look amazing, but I'll want to gauge the quality of the paintwork for myself.
  • Bamford
    Bamford Posts: 65
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    I am torn between leaving it bare, as you say, and having it painted. The photos of the fully white Elite look amazing, but I'll want to gauge the quality of the paintwork for myself.

    Have a look at these links and then tell me you still want it painted :D

    http://www.velodramatic.com/images/wallpapers/gallery

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/velodramat ... 555684312/
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Bamford wrote:
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    I am torn between leaving it bare, as you say, and having it painted. The photos of the fully white Elite look amazing, but I'll want to gauge the quality of the paintwork for myself.

    Have a look at these links and then tell me you still want it painted :D

    http://www.velodramatic.com/images/wallpapers/gallery

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/velodramat ... 555684312/

    Wow! The photos in the first link are Bike Porn! Amazing! :shock:

    I didn't realise the logo could be blasted onto the head tube - looks so much better than the red sticker, n'est pas?

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