Do certain bikes give off a certain vibe?

gtvlusso

I my really weird mind;

Specialized bikes: Fun exciting
Giant Bikes: Bit boring
Trek Bikes: solid and sturdy
Surly Bikes: kinda like a beach shack; hippieville

Not really sure what I am trying to get across....Just when I see certain brands, I immediately have a stereotyped and probably factually incorrect view - maybe this is induced by graphics or branding...I don't know, does anyone else get a certain vibe from certain brands?

CiB

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

richVSrich

i see so many specializeds...and maybe treks are second most common i think...

anything "non-high street" i see i'm always quite curious, and they definitely stick in my memory more...(as opposed to just another bloke on a spec)

rick_chasey

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

tailwindhome

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

What about a Dogma in Team Sky colours?

rjsterry

gtvlusso wrote:

Giant Bikes: Bit boring

Guilty as charged.

DrLex

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

I can't stop thinking of the fore-runner to British Leyland:

meanredspider

Volagi Liscio - rider possesses superb lady-pleasuring skills

bigmat

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

Only sold in Evans, popular with Aussies and triathletes? Look nice enough to me though. I associate all of the big brands with "a bit boring" to be honest e.g. Specialized, Trek, Giant - all fine bikes though I'm sure. Most (road) bikes are pretty similar these days though if we're honest - tend to have similar comonents / finishing kit so only real difference is the frame and forks, most of which come from a very limited number of far Eastern factories, so any perceived difference between brands is likely to be down to marketing, prejudices or other individual experiences.

kelsen

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

When I see BMC, I think Evans. In the same vein that Boardman equals Halfords

rick_chasey

Look = all round cycling hero.

gtvlusso

meanredspider wrote:

Volagi Liscio - rider has access to immense supply of chocolate

All good now :-)

EKE_38BPM

kelsen wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

When I see BMC, I think Evans. In the same vein that Boardman equals Halfords

I know what you mean by thinking Evans when you see a BMC

bigmat

TailWindHome wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

What about a Dogma in Team Sky colours?

I saw the ultimate pack of Mamils on my commute in to work the other day - fat, middle aged, all on Pinnarellos. Mamil number 1 gave me a good race up Loampit Hill (I was on the Iron Horse to be fair). He amber gambled at the lights at the top. I stopped. Mamil number 2 (Team Sky Dogma, full Garmin kit - WTF? I mean, nooooooooooooo!!) went straight past through a red light weaving round a lady with a pram. Mamil 3 arrived in time to hear my expletive laden utterances in response - he stopped, to be fair, and hopefully passed on my considered views to his mate.

Anyway, I guess this means that Pinnarello is the brand of choice for the discerning MAMIL!

rick_chasey

EKE_38BPM wrote:

kelsen wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

CiB wrote:

BMC - bike of the gods, only for use by those with Special Powers.

Really? For no good reason I equate BMC with n00bs.

When I see BMC, I think Evans. In the same vein that Boardman equals Halfords

I know what you mean by thinking Evans when you see a BMC

As opposed to associating it with a graveyard of 1 day talent?

MonkeyMonster

cannondales - randomly awesome

mudcow007

when i would ride my Kona Stinky young hoodlums would say "sick bike laaaaad"




now when i ride my Specialized Secteur they just think im a weirdo in lycra

clarkey cat

I like to compare bikes to cars.

So a Specialised Venge would be a Lambourghini or something.

Gussio

Anything steel from De Rosa = lust

richVSrich

mudcow007 wrote:

when i would ride my Kona Stinky young hoodlums would say "sick bike laaaaad"




now when i ride my Specialized Secteur they just think im a weirdo in lycra

a few weeks ago, a boy racer pulled up next to me one morning at some lights, and said my bike is wicked....a boardman hybrid, with spoke reflectors and everything...

prawny

Specialized = Evil
Trek = sheep
Kona = old school cool turned halfords even though they dont sell them any more it's a stain (applies to GT also)
BMC = Meh
Pinarello = Rich tosser
Colnago = Rich tosser

Thinking about it any of the main brands that attract people I find pretty repellant. The only one of the major brands that I feel positively towards is Giant I think.

I harbour no ill feelings towards anyone with any of these bikes, I'd quite like a colnago myself but that's probably because they're a bit more neiche. Give me a Look/Time/Willier/Viner/Enigma/Genesis/Rourke any day of the week.

veronese68

I tend to think Specialized are the result of not much thought process because there are just so many of them.
The Venge must have a vibe to make it purr.
Ti frames make me think discerning and affluent. (ie jealous)

SimonAH

Hmm,

Brand vibes....

Specialised are the boring choice - even if very good I just don't like the aesthetics of the affordable bikes. A replica football top.

Giant / Trek - dependable, reliable. A well cut mid-price suit without a flashy lining.

Brompton - A saville row suit

Most of the italian marques - exquisite looking outre couture, but I'd always be worrying about the stitching coming apart.

Hipster fixies with narrow bars and big rubber grips - red skinny jeans. You would not be seen dead in them.

Titanium frames - very expensive jeans worn in until faded and soft. Matched with a linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

Boardman - Primark. Perfectly good and functional clothes but you (however irrationally) do not want to be caught in there shopping.

Cove - Hawaiian shirt and board shorts

GT - Interview suit for a teenager from George at ASDA.

Moulton - Church's brogues.

cyclingprop

Fixie with skinny jeans = tosser.

spasypaddy

Rick Chasey wrote:

Look = all round cycling hero.

checking in 8)

clarkey cat

A Look and a Hewitt spasypaddy...

you might be my hero.

CiB

Blimey A throwaway line about BMCs and it all kicks off. Hold your horses people. They're pretty good, even though my next bike won't be a BMC, not just because it has to come from Evans. I enjoyed that Trek I had a go on a few weeks ago.

When it comes to bikes I don't normally see the make / model; it's more the rider that catches my eye:

Long legs thin torso, right kit = probably a real roadie, decent cove.
Fat duffer with the seat down at min height and no clips resulting in heels on pedals: waste of space.
All points in between: meh.

cyclingprop

Do certain bike shops give off a certain vibe? I'd say probably more so than certain bikes.

spasypaddy

clarkey cat wrote:

A Look and a Hewitt spasypaddy...

you might be my hero.

its actually a ridley resprayed by hewitt...

i am GOD

TheStone

I've always thought

Trek = Ford
Giant = Toyota

Good bikes, nothing wrong with them, just lack that exciting part.

prawny

CiB wrote:

When it comes to bikes I don't normally see the make / model; it's more the rider that catches my eye:

There's only one sort of rider that catches my eye and it's none of the options you list there