Paketa No More?
07-01-18, 08:03 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 345
Bikes: Erickson Signature, Paketa D2R
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Paketa No More?
Maybe this is old news, but quick forum search turned up nothing: It appears the Paketa has thrown in the towel. Sad, if true. They (he...) were a welcome alternative in the high end and those of us who ride them are believers. Here is their current web home page:
07-02-18, 06:52 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Lafayette, Colorado
Posts: 1,047
Bikes: 1998 Co-Motion Co-Pilot, 2015 Calfee Tetra
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 177 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
5 Posts
Very unfortunate. We got a carbon tandem but adopters of the Paketa tandems were very pleased. A small high-end market is a difficult place to survive.
07-03-18, 03:13 AM
#3
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Orange Park, FL
Posts: 188
Bikes: 2004 Co-Motion Speedster
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
We've never ridden one, but a team or two at the Georgia Tandem Rally ride them. I do recall Ric and Marsha of House of Tandems brought one with them 2-3 GTRs ago. I was stunned by the weight. Or lack thereof. It was a possible contender for the "retirement bike". It's sad to another manufacturer call it day.
__________________
Jeff
Learn from other people's mistakes. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself.
2004 Co-Motion Speedster
2010 (Specialized) Carmel comfort (my neighborhood bike)
2008 Raleigh comfort (wife's neighborhood bike)
Jeff
Learn from other people's mistakes. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself.
2004 Co-Motion Speedster
2010 (Specialized) Carmel comfort (my neighborhood bike)
2008 Raleigh comfort (wife's neighborhood bike)
07-03-18, 05:46 PM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 345
Bikes: Erickson Signature, Paketa D2R
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
We've never ridden one, but a team or two at the Georgia Tandem Rally ride them. I do recall Ric and Marsha of House of Tandems brought one with them 2-3 GTRs ago. I was stunned by the weight. Or lack thereof. It was a possible contender for the "retirement bike". It's sad to another manufacturer call it day.
07-04-18, 11:52 AM
#5
Clipless in Coeur d'Alene
Yes, a big shame to see this loss.
Would be curious if this was due to the inevitable low volume of this market area or the new high import tariffs on metals.
Would be curious if this was due to the inevitable low volume of this market area or the new high import tariffs on metals.
07-06-18, 08:56 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ft Worth, TX
Posts: 1,971
Bikes: Custom 650B tandem by Bob Brown, 650B tandem converted from Santana Arriva, Santana Noventa, Boulder Bicycle 700C, Gunnar Sport
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
Lots of possible reasons for a small company to fail. In addition to mentioned import tariffs, they range from family/health concerns of the principle to undercapitalization (very common) and product warranty costs. The company will be missed. The owner posts on this forum showed his passion for and thoughtful approach to tandems.
In this case selling top end metal bikes in today's carbon dominated market must be a huge challenge. So many buyers go with the consensus popular choice, never really considering a metal bike. Even if you have a better mouse trap it does not ensure success. Other pretty good mouse traps backed by large amounts of capital and marketing tend to drive out other ideas.
