Ikea: Merry Xmas, have a bike...

hatbeard

The big reveal takes place today. Truck doors will open, bicycles will be unloaded and the surprise will be disclosed. IKEA US co-workers across the country will then find out that each and every one has a brand new bike to take or ride home.

"It's been a good year for IKEA, so what better way to celebrate our success than to thank our IKEA co-workers who made this happen. Our big reveal today will be a fun day as we unload 12,400 new bikes at IKEA US locations. This is our way of saying 'thanks IKEA co-workers for being strongly committed to working together.' We hope this bike will be taken in the spirit of the season while supporting a healthy lifestyle and everyday sustainable transport," commented Mike Ward, IKEA US President.

With a strong commitment to good health and being environmentally conscious, IKEA selected an all terrain bike as the holiday co-worker gift for 2010. What makes it even more special is that the delivery of bikes is a total surprise for all co-workers. Hopefully, all will stay mum until today/Tuesday, December 7th at 9:30 am (each store’s local time).

continues here:- http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101207005475/en

I bet there's a handful of mildly happy people amongst those 12,400 and a hell of a lot more people who would have preferred cash.

cee

hatbeard wrote:

I bet there's a handful of mildly happy people amongst those 12,400 and a hell of a lot more people who would have preferred cash.

i wonder how many will say "Hey...this is a ooberfantastico pressie for my child for xmas....kerching...money saved to buy good stuff...like eggnog."

I also wonder how many of them (presumably reebok or equivalent BSO's) will end up on ebay.

hatbeard

I wonder how good the employee facilities are for people who ride to work are as well.

Maxticate

Been done before by the looks of it,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Raleigh-IKEA-Folding-Bike-Never-Used-/200551684975?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item2eb1cfdb6f

lae

It's a shame that Ikea, which has the infrastructure and the reputation for selling good quality, affordable, well-designed and interesting 'things', hasn't released a good cheap utility bike. Something like the BTwin Vitamin.

I saw those little rebadged Raleigh folders for sale in their store but they're not really what I'm thinking of.

Bassjunkieuk

I'm sorry but this is bikes for Americans......I hope they have strong frames and large saddles :-D

Nice idea tho but it obviously wasn't that good a year if they aren't doing it internationally!

SamWise72

Yeah, most of the free folders ended up on t'Bay. I imagine this will be the same.

rolf_f

Errrrrrr :shock: A BSO so cheap they left the suspension off
(On the other hand, that is to quality cycles what Ikea is to quality furniture.....)

The Rookie

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

and large saddles :-D

Walmart stores sell a saddle that is so big it looks like it would fit over a horse!

Simon

dilemna

Many of the fold up bikes they gave as Christmas gifts to staff several years ago ended up abandoned around the bike shed. Still the Christmas I was there, they gave each member of staff a PURE digital radio which was cool and is still going strong. A good present. Touch wood. It's cherry wood. Far better quality and durable than the look of the bike above they are giving out this year. Still 3/10 for trying. Perhaps they should have taken part in the C2W scheme.

Jay dubbleU

Nice idea - shame about the bike

EKE_38BPM

That bike looks horrible! I think when people want to know what a BSO is, they should be pointed at that picture.

Just had a mooch online and it seems that IKEA had the bike made specifically for them. Obviously by someone who either has no idea about bikes or knows about bikes and hates them.

cyberknight

Did they all come flat packed with a few extra bits and a really crap spanner to put it together?

Maybe they were made to look crap so you could cycle to work and no one would want to steal it and your kids would never be seen dead on it so you would have to use it .....