Slip_Stream

The Long distance cyclist Heinz Stucke is now being sponsored by Brompton and has covered great distances on a Brompton folding bicycle. He is in his 70s now and just keeps on going!!

fietsbob

Yea he parked his Bike Friday, opted for something to get him to places
where even it, was unwieldy
for the small boats and planes to reach Really remote places
he hasn't yet ticked off on his 'been there' list.

Dahon.Steve

I don't know but I somehow think Brompton's new management maybe financing some of these expeditions if you know what I mean. It's not a bad idea at all and quite smart if you ask me.

Foldable Two

From my observations, Brompton has reallystepped-up its marketing efforts over the last 12-18 months, especially here in the U.S.

At the same time, Bike Friday has, IMO, reduced it's marketing effectiveness as a result of Lynette's departure. That said, from my visits to BF in Eugene, and viewing of some Brompton videos, they are NOT the same size manufacturing operations. Brompton is multiple times larger. One advantage Brompton has is apparently a very large, local customer base - Eugene, OR is not London.

Now, if BF was located on Long Island, and if automobiles were taxed for driving into NYC, we'd have an interesting comparison.

Lou

vik 

+1 - Bike Friday is a small company making semi-custom/custom bikes in the US. It doesn't have the backing of a cycling friendly culture and it has to compete with much larger competitors many of whom are building their bikes at lower cost overseas.

It's a tough market to be in. I certainly am always impressed by how dedicated the folks are in Eugene when I stop in on my way north or south along the coast. Nobody is getting rich at BF. They work hard to provide a specialized product and they get super excited when they hear about one of their bikes going on a fun adventure.

scarabeoguy

I agree with Vic about Bike Friday. However, I think a lot of their marketing, branding and focus have disappeared when Lynette left.

vik 

Marketing is the weakest part of the Bike Friday skills mix. They make great bikes, they love cycling and they love their customers. Getting the message out to the wider bicycling community and non-bikers who could use a folder is not what they are good at.

Having said that I don't ride catalogues, websites or benefit from reading about sponsored riders beyond some entertainment. I ride bikes and I'll ride whichever are best for me.

I've run into companies with better marketing depts than bikes or customer service and although it makes you feel good during the purchase process it leaves you unhappy in the long run.

Bike Friday is far from perfect, but the things they are good at are the things that matter to me.

Foldable Two

+1 - and, their bikes sure are fun to ride from our point of view!

Lou

brakemeister

I am somewhat not all that impressed if those folks who are travelling around the world and living on their bikes get stuff for free.
They are living the dream and we ( the consumer ) is paying for it.
We the 99.9% have to work for a living and can only dream to have the time and money to go to those great places....
All power to them but they should find ways to pay for their hobby.....

I rather make a special effort to help the person who is trying to get to work every day on time, or kids who want to use their bikes for a paper route or go to school ....

lol

thor

CSG

"All power to them but they should find ways to pay for their hobby....."

You may be bitter or jealous that you can't do it but it seems to me these folks already have found ways to pay for their hobby. And kudos to Brompton for sponsoring Stucke and showing their bikes are completely suitable for long distance cycling.

I can't help but see an anti-Brompton mindset on this forum and it seems likely because of so many Dahon dealers and owners participating here.

jur

It's getting tiring to read your silly comments about anti-Brompton sentiment. There is no such sentiment, except in your mind perhaps. Thor is correct of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch; giving a Brompton to someone for touring is nothing else but marketing, and that comes out of the bottom line if income, which paying customers ultimately pay for. Just ride your Brompton. I'm doing that and enjoying it, but let's leave the evangelistic zeal outside, shall we?

jimbeans

I agree with Thor on this one, it's the same issue with sponsored riders/athletes that get prodeals on a lot of items, all of this goes back against the pricing structure and everybody ends up sponsoring this person indirectly.

Dont think it has anything to do with any one specific brand, and there aren't many Dahon dealers posting in these forums. Luckily Thor lends his opinions and support often, you'll find that he never gets into the brand war over the many years he's contributed. And your other examples? But no need for wasting forum space with this.

Foldable Two

I've always told my wife that if we start to run out of money, I will become the next famous "senior spokesperson" ala Ed McMahon and Art Linkletter. If I can do it in the world of folding bikes, I'll have a chance to own one of everything!!!

In fact, I'll ride anywhere/everywhere for FREE food & board and bikes!

Lou
(I may be OLD, but I am still a marketing machine.)

pacificcyclist

Thor,

Most of these cycle sponsored tourists are pretty much at the bottom of the sponsorship barrel. Trust me, they don't get the same privileges like say Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador or Cadel Evans.

Most of these sponsored tourists usually get a free bike or two, Fedex or UPS shipping support for parts and that is pretty much it. A few gets some sort of money compensation, but most of them do not get a salary. I know a few of these sponsored tourists myself and the expense of sponsoring these folks are peanuts compared than those executives and bike dealers who wine and dine themselves at Interbike -- I was one of them many years back myself. Seriously, the major costs of marketing are not spent on sponsored cycle tourists, but rather from sponsored tour riders plus marketing shows and events as they are not cheap to run.

In return for bike sponsorship, these riders provide photos and stories. In turn, these photos appear, guess where, in cycle product catalogs. Some cycle tourists try making extra money selling their day to day stories to travel magazines, the ones you see on the back pocket seat of your favorite airlines are just a few of the examples!

pacificcyclist

CSG,

When I was touring 8000 miles for close to a year, I thought I needed lots of money. Then, I realize I can live pretty frugal. With cycle touring, you really don't need much at all.

Thor is somewhat correct that giving free bikes away to these people ultimately come out of someone's pocket; the consumer. But I think what Thor is neglecting to mention is that this is part of the marketing expense of any bike company and ultimately some of that goes on the price tag of the bike. This is the cost of doing business, but I like to emphasize the fact that these costs to support someone's touring hobby is a lot less than support someone else's Tour De France racing hobby.

A little factual revelation to you CSG. Perhaps you really need to understand the bike industry to make realistic comments, but since you suck at it. Let me say that getting sponsorship from major bike brands to support your cycle touring adventures is really hard these days, especially with these challenging economic times. Unless you are someone like Heinz, most people just ride anything they can get their hands on from any bike company that's willing to sponsor. So when you said that proves Brompton can tour long distance is like saying I can tour on a carbon road bike with camping gear and as long as my sponsor mails me a frame replacement or parts via Fedex or UPS as my support, then the end story on some catalog is that of this bike is tour worthy. Who really cares about the small details. Marketing is about creating a perception, any perception that sells bikes. Simple as that.

brakemeister

sure you are somewhat right PC.....
There used to be a lot of sponsoring in the bike biz going on .... I put the hydraulic brakes on John Tomac bikes... Andreas Hestler, Missy,Greg Herbold,Bart Brentjens, and a couple other Worldchampions...... and and and.... at the time it was a good investment and we introduced Magura ( and hydraulics ) into this market ( and the rest of the world by that matter, the makers over in Germany always thought that They did it, but I know the sales figures from every Monday after major races ).
And yes at the time we also sponsored world travellers... again it made sense ...

Today its a different story, Industry sponsorship has reached an all time low.
Lance gets most of his money from outside the industry, same as most other real Pros.... and if you believe it or not... he is using "our" spokes and doesnt get paid nuttin for it.... but I digress

I am wondering where those wine and dine parties are on Interbike.. I am going there since 30 years? and always seem to miss them.
( Tern had a house rented off the strip a couple miles away, they were commuting with the show bikes , and they had a grill party one night, which I unfortunately missed ..... but it was beer and brats ... not caviar or steaks)

But again you right the show costs a lot of money, even if you pinch pennies all the time....

And it is good marketing I guess to have somebody demonstrate how the bike hold up somewhere up in the Andies or in Nepal ..lol
Of course he dropped his bike friday for a Brommy .... ooops ... good that he didnt drop a Dahon ..lol

CSG Bitter.??? u are kidding right ..... I am pretty happy go lucky guy ...and I love "my bikes" . So much so that everytime I sell one it seems a part of my family gets picked up from the Fed Ex truck .... lol

Still I think that that real grassroots stuff is better in the long run.... the kids bikes I repair for free in the neighborhood are delivering my paper, a couple kids go to school with them, instead of using moms suv ...

Not bitter at all ...
now who is this Heinz Stucke anyhow ??? Ouch !!!
need to google him I guess....to make the marketing work :-

thor

vik 

Unless you are wealthy and leveraging your capital through investments you are earning a living by making something or providing a service which someone values.

Heinz Stucke gets a Brompton and probably some $$$ to support his travels because Brompton feels having him travel on their bikes is good for their brand image and results in improved sales. Instead of being a bike tourist if he worked in their marketing department designing posters/catalogues/websites he'd be paid a lot more and nobody would be unhappy about it. The fact that he makes a modest living riding his bike and promoting a bike brand doesn't seem any different to me than if he helped sell Bromptons by working in their marketing dept and sitting behind a desk.

The folks that I know who get paid to tour or get free product are not slackers who are bumming off the bike industry. They put a lot of effort into writing/photography and in many cases they are involved in R&D for the companies they work for. There is no free ride. Especially when you look at how little money it takes to get a touring bike on the road. The payback to the rider is pennies on the hour.

Quite a lot of my enjoyment/entertainment when I am not doing the sports I love is to read reports and look at photos/videos made by folks doing these sports. Many of these people are sponsored in some way. That doesn't bother me.

fitirpaldi

+1

CSG we know you love your Brompton because it suits YOU, just because other people find other bikes more suitable does not mean they are anti-brompton. Remember, this is not your Bike Shop, This is a forum where everyone has an opinion, not just you.

Deep breath, chill and enjoy your bike.

Regarding Brompton sponsorship, good for them! its a win-win situation, much better than the average TV or magazine adverts!

vik 

Can someone remind me where and when we are having the Brompton burning this week?...I lost the PM....

fietsbob

https://www.heinzstucke.com/ website link for Herr Stucke

seems he has adopted Castilian Spanish as the default language

Foldable Two

Damn!!! Looks like I'd do better being the spokesperson for Depends or maybe AARP.

Who knew.

Lou


Thor,

Back in the "good old days" (the mid-70's) The T.C.A. (Tele-communications Association) used to hold it's annual "show" in San Diego, CA. ALL the manufacturers participated - I was with Graphic Sciences (I sold DEX Facsimile machines), and there were dozens of Hospitality Suites every night. Everyone went from floor-to-floor in 14-floor tower at the Town & Country Hotel and drank and ate at as many as possible - no invite needed. Likely very different today.

vik 

I bet Google does.

CSG

Hmmm, lots of personal attacks here. Says plenty about those who do it.

brakemeister

CSG you have a funny way.... ( this might be considered a personal attack again ??? )
where are those ?

you really need to chill out.... grab your favourite bike and go for a ride ...it helps

thor

kamtsa

It would be nice if all the people that have financial interests in one brand or another will identify themselves as such. This way we will be able to tell the greedy from the opinionated. ;-)