Interbike 2011

Though the annual cycling trade show isn't what it once was, it's still fun to go and see what the industry's got to offer for the year ahead. No matter what you've seen up to that point (Eurobike), there's always surprises. If nothing more, it's good to see what you otherwise would see pictures of and of course, catch up with fellow industry folks you only talk to a few times a year. Remember it's a small industry!

This year, I wanted to take some pictures at the show. It's always a goal of mine and somehow I never get around to it. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the show.

The Look "Premium Collection" certainly caught my eye. For 2012 they'll have a series of "country bikes" representing about a dozen countries with paint to match. They'll also continue to offer the "Mondrian" edition as well as a "Black on Black" and "Greg LeMond" editions.

Here's another look at some of the Look "Premium Collection" offerings for 2012.

Dario Pegoretti had some bikes on display inside the Gita Bike booth. You've got to love his work, especially his use of color and creativity on his Ciavete frames.

Here's a shot of a nice looking commuter. An expensive looking commuter no less.

The beauty of a Pegoretti is often accentuated by the fact that it's a mix between classic "old school" with modern technology and componentry. In an cycling era where carbon bikes with bad paint jobs is the often the norm, a Pegoretti is always refreshing.

Inside the Gita booth, you can also find the popular and always-crowded Pinarello booth.

The Pinarello Graal is a traditional Time Trial machine disguised as a "Super Bike". The stem and aerobars do a good job of that. The sleek lines and paint don't hurt either.

Though not as advanced as some of the other GPS enabled computers out there. The SRM PC7 is the gold standard in the Pro-Peloton, its color options are vast and offer great customization.

Guerilla Marketing or Gorilla Marketing

If you're on facebook or twitter, you've probably seen your share of lame, overly-obvious "product placement" and promotion. Here's the scenario...

• Problem: Brand "A" usually a small, sometimes local brand needs some exposure to grow their market-share.
• Solution: Instead of devoting some time and money into an effective marketing or advertising campaign, or better yet improving its products or services, Brand "A" pimps out "Brand Ambassadors" (or insert gimmicky title here) by giving them discounts or free product.

While conceptually this approach is not a horrible idea, as sometimes smaller companies have to find creative ways of reaching the consumer. It does have the potential of turning consumers off. By potential, I mean a really good chance!

Furthermore, what type of message is a company sending to its potential customers? If Brand "A" gives its product for free for following certain steps and becoming a "Brand Ambassador", is your product really worth what you're selling it for? Will Spira be able to sell a pair of running shoes for $105 when Joe-Schmo can get them free for uploading pictures and telling his friends how "great" they are? How do you build loyalty within your customer base with this approach anyway?

The answers to these questions will vary from person to person, however in my opinion as someone in the business of selling products/services, it's the last approach I would adopt. It's annoying, it makes products look second-class, and it's bad use of Twitter, Facebook, and social media in general. Would it be too much for these companies to spend time coming up with guide-lines on how "Brand Ambassadors" can promote the product? Blatant promotion does not equate to me wanting your product. It instead keeps away from your product.

Sram Red... Wait for it... goes Black!

Since we're on the social media and marketing topic, what was up with SRAM's latest campaign? For a couple of days, I thought someone had hacked the twitter accounts of the likes of @linseycorbin, @rappstar, and @mcewenrobbie to name a couple.

Basically, Sram changed the color of the Sram Red groupo from red (well it wasn't really red to begin with) to black? Let me see if I can understand... the old Sram Red, changed to all black, but it's still Sram Red and not Sram Black? Your twitter efforts and teasers left as much to be desired as your groupo's performance. I'll stick to Campy.

Oh, in case you were wondering, I'm not a marketing expert, I just play one on TV.

Oh Lazer, How Could I Forget???

To let you in on a little secret, 50% of the reason why I started to write my winter clothing entry was because I wanted to highlight Lazer's awesome helmet covers. While it's not for the most frigid of climates, it does serve a great purpose on rainy climates as well as mild wintery places (Pacific Northwest, South West, UK, etc.). This isn't your typical giro/bell winter cover that makes any FRED look like Mario Cipollini. As a matter of fact, unless you don't know it's a cover, you'll probably not even notice it. As with many other helmet related accessories, Lazer has done a really good job with this one.

If this doesn't provide enough warmth for a Chicago or Minnesota winter ,Lazer also makes a liner that goes inside of the helmet. While I couldn't find a picture of it, I've checked with a number of retailers that say it's available for order.

Thank you for reading!

The Weather Outside is Frightful, and My Cycling Gear so Delightful....

As we approach winter across most of the US, it's time to dust off the good ol' warm clothes. If you're looking to do some riding in the cold weather, check out this list of must-haves. With the right gear, winter riding can be just as enjoyable as riding any other time of the year, maybe even more so given it's unpredictability.

Depending on the area of the country you're in, you may not need the warmest of clothes. Chances are however that you'll want a pair of tights. If money is no object, the Castelli Sorpasso Bib Tight is an excellent choice. You'll find that the Rosso Corsa tight has a pad that's flexible, comfortable, and stays dry. Furthermore, the Thermoflex and Thermoflex Core Due materials will keep the rest of your lower half both warm and dry on your winter rides. While this may not be the least expensive option out there, it's worth every penny. Castelli clothes tend to last, are stylish, and make riding comfortable even during uncomfortable days. For a budget minded rider, check out Bellwether's Thermaldress Tight with Chamois.

Now that you've got a set of tights, you'll need a warm top. We'll skip over arm warmers as those are a given for the months leading into and out of the really cold winter months. Pearl Izumi makes a number of tops ideal for winter however the P.R.O. Softshell Jacket has my vote for warmth, wind protection, fit, and aesthetics (you've got to look good while riding). The laser-cut direct-vent panels provide superior ventilation and the internal draft flap with zipper seals in warmth.

Finally, for baselayers, gloves, shoe/toe covers, and winter accessories Descente is an awesome brand. While not as popular as others, Descente is known for high quality skiing clothing and their cycling gear does not disappoint. Whether you want a beanie or balaclava they've got a couple that will do the trick. Want to keep your feet warm? Check out their Element shoe covers and winter sock. However my favorite Descente winter accessory is the Wombat Glove. The Wombat Glove is a transformer of sort giving you the option of having a five-fingered glove or a wind-proof mitten. Next time you're picking out a pair of winter gloves, spend the best $50 on gloves you'll ever spend. Your fingers will be happy.

If you have suggestions on winter gear that's tried and true, don't be shy about sharing it... until next time, stay warm out there!

Team Deals, Worthless for Shops...

If you work in the Bicycle Industry, or have been a part of one of the many cycling clubs around the country, you're probably familiar with "Team Deals" and how they work.

Right now it just happens to be that time of the year... Interbike is just around the corner, the 2010 season is basically over, new product is coming out, and most local amateur teams are getting ready to plan for next year. That means securing sponsors, riders looking to make a move, and lining up a shop/bike sponsor.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's unlike any other amateur sport out there, and I don't mean that in a good way. Unless average weekend warriors (cat 5, 4, 3's) thinking they're pros is somehow good.

Anyway, depending on where you live and the size of the racing community, bike shops compete against each other in order to "partner" with clubs as a sponsor. To put it more simply, a shop will offer bikes (or frames), components, accessories, etc. at significant discounts during team buy-in periods. While these team buy-ins are approved by the individual companies (ie Cannondale Bikes) and are great for team members, usually the only benefit a shop or company gets out of it is a name on a jersey/bibs... I know what you're thinking, so what?

So why is it that a bunch of average riders (in the grand scheme of things), think they're entitled to get "pro deals"? Even if you're a Cat 1 or 2 locally doesn't mean much. If you were a good rider you'd be racing alongside Guy East and if you were really good, you'd be Chad Beyer.

Who's fault is this though? If you ride a bike and belong to a cycling club, why wouldn't you want to get a smoking deal on a bike you'd otherwise be paying a lot more for? If I wasn't able to take advantage of industry discounts I certainly would want to take advantage of team buy-ins. It's simple: product A costs $100 which you can buy for $50 if you belong to Club/Team X. Ok, so I get why the riders and clubs push for this.

What about the bike shops/brands? What's in it for them? If I own a bike shop, and sell bikes near my wholesale price, how is that of benefit to me? "Well", says the club President, "there's a lot of people riding the bike that you sell and your name is on the side of our Club/Team X's jersey!". You mean to tell me that a bike that otherwise I could have made an extra $X, I can sell for less and you get to wear a jersey with my name on it? Is that supposed to be a good thing??? Who goes to the races by the way? Is it not a bunch of other racers that belong to a team and get "team deals" as well? How does this marketing strategy work then?

The point of all this is not to blame it on the consumer. Until brands such as Cannondale, BH, Colnago, X, Y, Z, etc. and bike shops don't quit doing this, the whole industry is going to continue to work this way. These consumers aren't dumb, they know they get to use a bike/frame for a season and then flip it on Craigslist or eBay to make their money back. The problem is, this floods the market! So when companies complain that you're not ordering as much as you used to... just let them know, they've made their bed, now they've got to lie in it.

My Thoughts on Bike Snob's "Eternal Dilemma"

June's edition of Bicycling Magazine, as usual, includes a column written by the now uber-famous (and no longer anonymous) Bike Snob. In particular he explores what he calls "The Eternal Dilemma"... to buy online or to buy from a Local Bike Shop (LBS).

Even though there's really no right answer, and good points that argue both sides, he does cover most of his bases. Most importantly, at the end of the day... or the year, or decade, there WILL be room for both.

In my time in the industry, I have noticed that unlike Bike Snob describes, it doesn't depend on a person's mood, they don't tend to swing back and forth as much as their mood might. An LBS customer tends to be an LBS customer regardless while an online shopper isn't an online shopper, he or she tends to be a bargain hunter and shopping online allows them to do that.

LBS customers tend gravitate to their local shop because of many aspects, but most commonly: Knowledge - as simple as bicycles are, they're still complex machines and any good LBS will know bikes inside and out. Familiarity - it's the whole "Cheers" theory, going somewhere everybody knows your name... as a matter of fact, hang out at any independent bike shop and you'll be sure to find "groupies". Instant Gratification - though not always the case, it's great to not have to wait for something you want or most importantly need. Finally, and most importantly Customer Service - cycling is not a cheap sport/hobby, having the piece of mind that an LBS will stand behind their products and services is priceless, and while not all bike shops do this, all good ones do. Loyalty is mutual... a customer that's loyal to a bike shop will feel that loyalty reciprocated.

Sure, there are lots of exceptions to every rule, for example convenience... an LBS customer may have to travel 1o miles each way for tubes and instead opt to buy them online. On the other hand, an online shopper might not be mechanically inclined or have certain tools and therefore use his or her LBS selectively for labor purposes.

In the end people will do what "fits" them best, and that's fine. It's the great thing about having options. So if you're an LBS, or online shop make sure you give your customers a reason to come back, if you don't you've essentially given them a reason to go somewhere else.

Feeling Trisexual? What you Need for your First Triathlon

I'm not much of a triathlete, even though it's how I got into cycling I haven't done one in about two years. There's a local race in a few weeks that I've considered signing up for.

I must admit, right now there's a couple of things holding me back... and even though it's nothing major, I'm just getting a bit nervous about having to put a bento box on my bike (not to mention one of these). Luckily, the race won't be long enough for either of those.

All joking aside, even though I consider myself a roadie (and need to live by these rules) Triathlons can be fun and a great way to cross-train. The fact that they're looked down upon by my fellow roadies is kind of a head-scratcher. Aside from all of the gizmos and gadgets, triathletes aren't so bad after all.

So if you're thinking about doing your first triathlon, here's the cliff notes version of the whole process... just remember it's not as bad as it sounds:

1. Pick a distance: Triathlon is any event in which you swim, bike, and run. A lot of people assume Triathlon = Ironman, which is not the case... there's lots of different distances but most races will be one of the following: Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman and Ironman. If you've never done a triathlon, you're most likely going to start off with a Sprint or something similar to it.
2. Train: You probably know this part, however if all you've ever done is watch people dot it on TV, you're probably thinking "oh that's not so bad" (Unless you've watched NBC's over-dramatic Telecast of IM Hawaii). My point is that even the short distance triathlons require training. So do yourself a favor and don't waste your $60-$100 to get pulled out of the water. Check out Ontri or Slowtwitch as they're great resources.
   
3. Gear Up: For a newbie, showing up to a race might be a bit intimidating as local Age Groupers (fast or not) will have some of the coolest shit the pro's don't even have. You don't need most of that. These are the must-have's: Goggles, a triathlon top & short (or suit), a bike, helmet, running shoes, a number belt, and body-glide (very important).
4. Have Fun: If this is your first race, the probability that you're not going to win is high, so just go out there and have a good time. This will be the only way to get a feel for how it all works... you can practice all you want, however race day is race day, you'll see what I mean.

If you're thinking to yourself that can't be as easy as what I just described, you're kind of right. It wouldn't be called exercise if it was easy... and more people would be doing it. However, this is a good starting point.

Make sure you use your LBS (Local Bike Shop) as a resource, especially if there's a Triathlon specific shop in your area. Find a local triathlon club or coach and get in touch, they're usually willing to help you through the process. Don't ever feel like you're asking a dumb question, there's a lot of unknowns to someone who's new to the sport and people will understand. If you're not much of a people person, it is 2010 and everything is at your fingertips online, so check out some of the resources I mentioned above and knock yourself out!

Good luck!