New Hoy bikes.....thoughts?

handful

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/hoy/sa-calobra-004-2013-road-bike-ec051524#features

Well this is the top of the range from the new Hoy range now for sale through Evans. Seems decent enough spec for the price but hardly an inspired look in my opinion.

They are also doing a hybrid range as well, flat bars and disc brakes with the commuter in mind and these appear to be equally bland.

What's the general view?

Anonymous

Cannot seem to enlarge the pic or look at other photos.
It is all a little odd IMO. Odd colours, odd model name and it all seems about Chris Hoy (sorry sir) and not the bikes.

Is that the current top of the range, or The top of the range?

Its just too much Pendleton, and not enough Boardman for me at the moment. Early days though.
The bikes need to start winning some group tests and magazine awards.

handful

Here is a link to the range. http://www.evanscycles.com/pages/hoy-bikes?view=html&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=CampaignEmail&utm_campaign=Hoy_Summer&utm_content=uk-130604&s2email=chris.self%40lineone.net

The video works but not sure why the photos won't enlarge though :?

Neale1978

Check them out here

http://www.hoybikes.com/

It is all a little odd IMO. Odd colours, odd model name and it all seems about Chris Hoy (sorry sir) and not the bikes

This is an odd opinion, in my opinion. What have you drunk this evening?

doug5_10

Bit bland styling wise and stupid names although styling would fit better with retro looking track versions. Seem good value-ish 1300 for Ultegra and Aksiums but no full CF model. Own brand finishing kit always has the aura of tat about it

Anonymous

Neale1978 wrote:

Check them out here

http://www.hoybikes.com/

It is all a little odd IMO. Odd colours, odd model name and it all seems about Chris Hoy (sorry sir) and not the bikes

This is an odd opinion, in my opinion. What have you drunk this evening?

Are you buying one then Neale?

I got a good look at it (the £1300 one) on hoybikes.com It does not do it for me.

The coloured stripes look a bit gay. Sorry if that sounds a little Hoymophobic
The colour and lettering font/design look a bit military. Like an American plane or jeep from WW2 or Vietnam war.

One more quick JD and then its bed for me.

simonhead

They look like they have been rushed somewhat. Really quite boring looking or as Evans would describe it "understated"

Anonymous

Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the design meetings.
Mind boggles on how they came to the final design and what the ones that did not make it looked like.

iPete

Each to their own, they've spent a fair amount of time on these, didn't buy off the shelf frames etc. If they were garish people would be moaning about that too.

A mate who's ridden one said it was actually really good and he is bit of a bike snob..

Neale1978

Are you buying one then Neale?

I got a good look at it (the £1300 one) on hoybikes.com It does not do it for me.

The coloured stripes look a bit gay. Sorry if that sounds a little Hoymophobic
The colour and lettering font/design look a bit military. Like an American plane or jeep from WW2 or Vietnam war.

One more quick JD and then its bed for me.

I wont be getting one because iam happy with the bike i have. The stripes are supposed to be taken from the lines/markers on a track no? The names have meaning to Chris also i think which i think is totally fair enough. At least they are not called anything like 'The beast', 'Razzler', 'Top knob', 'Beefcake' 'Thunderthighs' etc

They look like they have been rushed somewhat

Due to..

triban

i saw these in store last night...

not the best looking bikes around; they just looked a bit dull and uninspiring for my taste. Considering that they are Alu bikes, they're probably not the best value either.

Still, never tried one... they might be excellent.

I've got my heart set on a Wilier Izoard for my next bike (based on looks alone :roll: )... just can't decide what groupset to go for.

chris_bass

they look boring as sin, quite well spec'd but seem a bit on the pricey side. Overall I'd say they were ok but not great!

dont think i'll be getting one.

Anonymous

Neale1978 wrote:

Are you buying one then Neale?

I got a good look at it (the £1300 one) on hoybikes.com It does not do it for me.

The coloured stripes look a bit gay. Sorry if that sounds a little Hoymophobic
The colour and lettering font/design look a bit military. Like an American plane or jeep from WW2 or Vietnam war.

One more quick JD and then its bed for me.

I wont be getting one because iam happy with the bike i have. The stripes are supposed to be taken from the lines/markers on a track no? The names have meaning to Chris also i think which i think is totally fair enough. At least they are not called anything like 'The beast', 'Razzler', 'Top knob', 'Beefcake' 'Thunderthighs' etc

I guessed there must be some reason for the lines, but that just adds to the oddness IMO.
It has lines from a track but a name from a climb. Fair enough they are both things that are close to him, but that then adds to the whole 'buy this bike because its associated with sir Chris Hoy' thing.

Boardman's seemed to be good bikes and I do not think people braved Halfords just because it had his name on it. He certainly did not show his face much or name them after his favourite cat.

The Hoy's look OK at best IMO, but other than the link to an Olympic living Legend, I do not see the appeal over the many other options.
Of course the ride may be amazing and they may be 10/10 in every review, but if not then it just comes back to having 'HOY' (which looks a bit like 'BOY' on the frame) and a big 'H' on it with some quirky love it or hate it design touches.

edhornby

I think they'd probably be a good bike, I like the fact that they've taken their time to design a really good ali frame rather than a generic carbon - if I were getting one I'd get the tiagra base model and save for some summer wheels or at least some top quality tyres (I notice that they all have 25mm tyres, good choice)

yeah the grey base colour is a bit dull...

VTech

I think they look OK and will do well but a pet hate of mine is unfinished websites, dead ends etc.
I think they have missed a trick with the new stock for later this year, they should have tweaked at the mind strings a little to tantalise viewers. Anticipation in marketing is a powerful ally !

Anonymous

I hope the frame is great but not sure why the fact its not off the shelf will make it so.
Had a quick read of the site blurb and did not spot any technical breakthroughs that would make me think it would be brilliant.

It just goes on about how SCH is invovled in everything. I do not see him as a bike builder and the more he goes on about being involved, the more I feel he is just a face to sell some bikes.
The pics in the factory look very staged and he seemed very unnatural and uncomfortable at the launch clip that I saw a while back.

CX bike would have been good. Not sure about the flat bar/hybrid section being titled 'City'. 'Kids' bikes will be interesting too :shock:

Agree its not a great site either. The only difference in the blurb on all four 'City' bikes (before pressing for more info) is the cost and model number. Continues the boring theme I guess.

simonhead

6 months from prototype to available in the shops seems very short, given that its 30 days for a container to go from Taiwan to Southampton

VTech

Pointless post, sorry.

greasedscotsman

VTech wrote:

Ive emailed them letting them know.

Could you not have just emailed them? Does it need to be flagged up that there is an error?

VTech

greasedscotsman wrote:

VTech wrote:

Ive emailed them letting them know.

Could you not have just emailed them? Does it need to be flagged up that there is an error?

I guess so, point taken.

styxd

Had a look at the road bikes - I think they look quite tidy. Not sure on the geometry, looks like they've gone for "sportive" esque numbers. Slackish head angle, longish head tube, although the chainstays are still quite short. The seat tube angles are to steep on the larger models. 72.5 - 73 would be better I reckon.

slowbike

I didn't like the colour scheme of my current road bike - until I got it home ... now I really like it ...

But - it's not really the colour scheme that will make/break this bike for the diehards - it'll be how it rides ..
For those just coming into the sport then it'll be a brand name they (believe they) can trust.

As with all these things - I think the base product is good - it'll be the aftersales service that'll make the final difference.

Calpol

I think this is unfortunately doomed to failure. The only thing I can see going for this is the extensive distribution that Evans will provide and a small degree of brand equity brought by Sir Chris Hoy. I guess he/the company behind it are thinking that if Boardman can do it then so can they.

The bikes themselves don't look to provide anything special and aren't that good value from what I can see True its a growth market but the number of players in it are pretty big. Track cycling doesn't even have the mass exposure that road cycling has so its hard to see the Hoy name resonating aswell as say Boardman, Lemond, Merckx etc. Boardman had the benefit of crossing over for a few seasons to broaden his name and his product seems to have arrived at a good time and pricepoint.

Lets hope Sir Chris hasn't invested too much of his own cash into this.

greasedscotsman

Calpol wrote:

Track cycling doesn't even have the mass exposure that road cycling has so its hard to see the Hoy name resonating aswell as say Boardman, Lemond, Merckx etc.

Really? I think most people in this country know who Chris Hoy is, even if they don't ride a bike. That could be a market they could easily pick up on. People who are new to cycling and have no idea who Boardman is other than a brand that Halfords sell.

Bar Shaker

Some very serious competition in those price brackets.

Boardman Bikes worked at cost for the first few years to get the brand established. SCH seems to think this won't be necessary. It will be.

I quite like the colour scheme but an ali frame, budget wheels and downgraded chainset don't cut it at £1300 these days.

Wunnunda

Do you have to have TLC (Thighs Like Chris) to ride one? If so, I'm out.

BTW aren't you supposed to call them HOY(tm) bikes, as opposed to Hoy? :roll:

t4tomo

Bit too Grey for me to be tempted - I actually quite like the stripe detailing, but overall its too understated. I could have done with a bit more of an accent colour somewhere - black seat, bar tape, hoods etc are very dull. Spec is reasonable for the money, the proof will be how they ride.

goonz

doug5_10 wrote:

Bit bland styling wise and stupid names although styling would fit better with retro looking track versions. Seem good value-ish 1300 for Ultegra and Aksiums but no full CF model. Own brand finishing kit always has the aura of tat about it

Pretty much this.

Look cheap to me and not liking the names. Nothing special about them or anything that stands out. Has Hoy designed the bikes or just lending his name to them? If the latter not very impressive at all.

Bar Shaker

goonz wrote:

doug5_10 wrote:

Bit bland styling wise and stupid names although styling would fit better with retro looking track versions. Seem good value-ish 1300 for Ultegra and Aksiums but no full CF model. Own brand finishing kit always has the aura of tat about it

Pretty much this.

Look cheap to me and not liking the names. Nothing special about them or anything that stands out. Has Hoy designed the bikes or just lending his name to them? If the latter not very impressive at all.

It isn't Ultegra though. Ultegra shifters and brakes but FSA chainrings/cranks and 105 cassette = not an Ultegra groupset.

OK so many manufacturers do it, but it is misleading when you headline the bike as an Ultegra bike.

Roberto di Velo

Saw these in the Birmingham Evans and wasn't too impressed. Actually, I quite like the paint job, but that's about it.

Photos don't really show it, but they have seriously oversize down tubes, which look a bit old-hat to me. The £1000 didn't feel particularly light either.

At that price point I don't think they're great value and I think they'll struggle to sell many.

chris_bass

I saw these for the first time in the flesh today and I think they look better in real life than they do in the photos.