1/2 Interesting take on business & cycling

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Trevor S
theage.com.au1058034939321.htmlOpen ↗

"It might be golf, tennis, soccer, cricket or rugby - triumphs in these areas seem to trigger a
sales spurt at Rebel."

"Not so with cycling. Even though Australians Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and Michael
Rogers are doing well in the Tour de France, Mr Heath believes only retailers of elite cycling
equipment will reap the full sales benefit."

""Parents don't seem so keen to promote cycling to their children," he said."

--
Trevor S

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with. BMX used to be a big sport in the 80s now you hardly hear of it.
Most parents will buy their kids a bike , BMX or mountainbike , some kids will save money and buy their own bike , it won't be a racer as they are so expensive , even a low priced racer will be out of reach @ $600-$700. Cycling clothing is ridiculously priced, shoes - $140 - $200 for an average pair of shoes.
Then you've got that 'danger' element that most parents fear about their kids being on the road.
So it's an expensive sport , it's not popular and doesn't have that peergroup appeal and it can be dangerous.
I was speaking to a bike shop owner a few weeks ago and according to him sales do go up during and just after TDF Also club memberships are suddenly renewed and it's sorta the start of a new season.
BTW
I wish I was in Townsville - so damn friggin cold - It's gettin bloody hard to be on the bike in the mornings.
Cheers

Trevor S:

Quoted message said:

theage.com.au1058034939321.htmlOpen ↗

"It might be golf, tennis, soccer, cricket or rugby - triumphs in these areas seem to trigger a
sales spurt at Rebel."

"Not so with cycling. Even though Australians Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and
Michael Rogers are doing well in the Tour de France, Mr Heath believes only retailers of elite
cycling equipment will reap the full sales benefit."

""Parents don't seem so keen to promote cycling to their children," he said."

I think it's a combination of reality and perceptions that cause this. Children outgrow their toys,
and keeping a child on a bike until its teens will require a constant expenditure on components
which cost relatively outrageous amounts, much more so than in "traditional" sports. There may also
be a perception that cycling will get their kids run over by rampaging vehicles, or that they will
fall off towering cliffs or run into brick walls at high speed.

Cycling does not give an impression of being a team sport, where interactions with peers are
considered important in the formative years. This, and the cost of equipment, may be why most
schools do not include cycling in their sports curricula.

Quoted message said:

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with.

Therein lies part of the problem -- cyclists who view riding as a competitive activity. Cycling is
not a sport, it's a way of life. It's transport, freedom, exercise in the open air... waaaay more
than many any narrow definition of a "sport".

David Sutton:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with.

Therein lies part of the problem -- cyclists who view riding as a competitive activity. Cycling is
not a sport, it's a way of life. It's transport, freedom, exercise in the open air... waaaay more
than many any narrow definition of a "sport".

Cycling is *also* a sport. It can be a hobby. It can be many things to many people, as it should be.
To promote it as only one thing can only serve to put off some who may not be inclined to "measure
up" to any self-imposed boundaries of any one definition. Why not let people decide for themselves
what they want their cycling to be?

Malvern_star <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Trevor S said:

http://w-" rel="ugc nofollow noopener">theage.com.auwOpen ↗
ww.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/14/1058034939321.html "It might be golf, tennis, soccer,
cricket or rugby - triumphs in these areas seem to trigger a sales spurt at Rebel." "Not so
with cycling. Even though Australians Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and Michael
Rogers are doing well in the Tour de France, Mr Heath believes only retailers of elite cycling
equipment will reap the full sales benefit." ""Parents don't seem so keen to promote cycling
to their children," he said."
--
Trevor S "Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with. BMX used to be a big sport in the 80s now you
hardly hear of it. Most parents will buy their kids a bike , BMX or mountainbike , some kids will
save money and buy their own bike , it won't be a racer as they are so expensive , even a low
priced racer will be out of reach @ $600-$700. Cycling clothing is ridiculously priced, shoes -
$140 - $200 for an average pair of shoes. Then you've got that 'danger' element that most parents
fear about their kids being on the road. So it's an expensive sport , it's not popular and doesn't
have that peergroup appeal and it can be dangerous. I was speaking to a bike shop owner a few
weeks ago and according to him sales do go up during and just after TDF Also club memberships are
suddenly renewed and it's sorta the start of a new season. BTW I wish I was in Townsville - so
damn friggin cold - It's gettin bloody hard to be on the bike in the mornings. Cheers

Actually Townsville is to hot! Think its too cold - check out these people:
users.rcn.comicebikeOpen ↗

I think the reason kids choose bmx and mountain bikes over racers might have something to do with
the way in which they want to use the bike.

Kids like to go up and down curbs and across paddocks or just racing around the back streets.

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Cheers

John

Malvern_star said:

Trevor S said:

http://w-" rel="ugc nofollow noopener">theage.com.auwOpen ↗
ww.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/14/1058034939321.html "It might be golf, tennis, soccer,
cricket or rugby - triumphs in these areas seem to trigger a sales spurt at Rebel." "Not so
with cycling. Even though Australians Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and Michael
Rogers are doing well in the Tour de France, Mr Heath believes only retailers of elite cycling
equipment will reap the full sales benefit." ""Parents don't seem so keen to promote cycling
to their children," he said."
--
Trevor S "Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with. BMX used to be a big sport in the 80s now you
hardly hear of it. Most parents will buy their kids a bike , BMX or mountainbike , some kids will
save money and buy their own bike , it won't be a racer as they are so expensive , even a low
priced racer will be out of reach @ $600-$700. Cycling clothing is ridiculously priced, shoes -
$140 - $200 for an average pair of shoes. Then you've got that 'danger' element that most parents
fear about their kids being on the road. So it's an expensive sport , it's not popular and doesn't
have that peergroup appeal and it can be dangerous. I was speaking to a bike shop owner a few
weeks ago and according to him sales do go up during and just after TDF Also club memberships are
suddenly renewed and it's sorta the start of a new season. BTW I wish I was in Townsville - so
damn friggin cold - It's gettin bloody hard to be on the bike in the mornings. Cheers

John Staines said:

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Riding around the streets of North Carlton, Fitzroy and Collingwood would ruin a flimsy lightweight
road bike, and it's certainly not doing much good for the $500 front suspension mtb that I've
modified for that run either..

(slicks, comfy saddle, $2 shop radio, panniers etc, and I'm thinking of getting it regeared to give
better speeds on flats as I'm already tottering around at 25-30ish in max gear most of the time)....

Whoever thought deep dish bluestone guttering and laneways was smart needs to be put on a bike and
made to ride over it for all eternity..
:-)

PC

Quoted message said:

There may also be a perception that cycling will get their kids run over by rampaging vehicles, or
that they will fall off towering cliffs or run into brick walls at high speed.

..or get their sons into wearing lycra, and shaving their legs... </sarcasm>

When I was in high-school (in the Newcastle area), I knew of only two fellow students who took their
cycling seriously-- one was seen around Edgeworth wearing nicks, and spent the next 4 years having
the [censored] beaten out of him, and the other never told anyone except his closest friends.

--
Chris,,

"Trevor S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

theage.com.au1058034939321.htmlOpen ↗

"It might be golf, tennis, soccer, cricket or rugby - triumphs in these areas seem to trigger a
sales spurt at Rebel."

"Not so with cycling. Even though Australians Baden Cooke, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady and
Michael Rogers are doing well in the Tour de France, Mr Heath believes only retailers of elite
cycling equipment will reap the

full

Quoted message said:

sales benefit."

""Parents don't seem so keen to promote cycling to their children," he said."

It could be because the Rebel bikes are not that good.

In a similar vein: SMH had an article on Ultimate Frisbee on Monday, describing how it had grown
massively over the last few years. The ultimate player they talked too specifically mentioned that
they _don't_ play with the normal frisbees but with slightly heavier ones. Despite this, the article
finished with a paragraph where a spokesman from Rebel said that the growth in ultimate hadn't led
to a rise in their sales of frisbees.

I wonder if Rebel have paid Fairfax to get whinging space this week.

PC said:

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 23:31:30 GMT, John Staines <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Quoted message said:

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Quoted message said:

Riding around the streets of North Carlton, Fitzroy and Collingwood would ruin a flimsy
lightweight road bike, and it's certainly not doing much good for the $500 front suspension mtb
that I've modified for that run either..

Quoted message said:

(slicks, comfy saddle, $2 shop radio, panniers etc, and I'm thinking of getting it regeared to
give better speeds on flats as I'm already tottering around at 25-30ish in max gear most of the
time)....

Quoted message said:

Whoever thought deep dish bluestone guttering and laneways was smart needs to be put on a bike and
made to ride over it for all eternity..
:-)

Quoted message said:

PC

This sounds suspiciously like someone who hasn't actually commuted on a road bike. I've been
commuting and riding my road bike first for a couple of years from Nth Melb and for the last 3 years
from Carlton all over the place, including the terrible Yarra trail.

I think you're underestimating the strength of road bikes. My bike hasn't been ruined at all, and
it's certainly not flimsy. In fact, I'm surprised at the amount of kerb hopping it takes without
ill effects.

However, I can see that a road bike may not be everyone's choice, particularly if the bike's sole
purpose is commuting.

--
Nick

PC said:

John Staines said:

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Riding around the streets of North Carlton, Fitzroy and Collingwood would ruin a flimsy
lightweight road bike, and it's certainly not doing much good for the $500 front suspension mtb
that I've modified for that run either..

Road bikes aren't flimsy. They usually do bigger distances too (in the hands of an average club
racer). 14,000km/year of potholes is common.

GK

Hi,

I wasn't saying they were flimsy but you can hardly do jumps and tricks on them like the kids
tend to do.

I love racing bikes and have always had one even as a kid but they weren't built to go up and down
curbs, over jumps or general everyday thrashings. :o)

Cheers

John

g said:

PC said:

John Staines said:

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Riding around the streets of North Carlton, Fitzroy and Collingwood would ruin a flimsy
lightweight road bike, and it's certainly not doing much good for the $500 front suspension mtb
that I've modified for that run either..

Road bikes aren't flimsy. They usually do bigger distances too (in the hands of an average club
racer). 14,000km/year of potholes is common.

GK

(NickZX6R) said:

Quoted message said:

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Quoted message said:

This sounds suspiciously like someone who hasn't actually commuted on a road bike. I've been
commuting and riding my road bike first for a couple of years from Nth Melb and for the last 3
years from Carlton all over the place, including the terrible Yarra trail.

I think you're underestimating the strength of road bikes. My bike hasn't been ruined at all, and
it's certainly not flimsy. In fact, I'm surprised at the amount of kerb hopping it takes without
ill effects.

Maybe if I was 6 inches shorter and 50kg lighter I might agreer.. (I'm 6'5", 140kg), and I power
through said laneways and dish gutters at 25-30km/h.. I would ruin a road bike in no time, and
that's assuming I can actually get my arms that far back and my back hunched that low..

PC

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Megan Webb

Actually Townsville is to hot! Think its too cold - check out these people:
users.rcn.comicebikeOpen ↗ [/B]

They look so warm and comfortable😉

Townsville's beautiful - it's not hot - what are you goin on about?!?😄
I used to work for a shopfitting/building firm in Townsville. Once we were building gables , eaves and signboards on a shopping centre roof. We stopped for smoko - it would have been about 9.00 am. When we resumed work about 15-20 minutes later the sun had melted the insides of two makita drills - now that's hot! 😄

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jose Rizal
David Sutton:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Cycling as a sport isn't very popular to start with.

Therein lies part of the problem -- cyclists who view riding as a competitive activity. Cycling is
not a sport, it's a way of life. It's transport, freedom, exercise in the open air... waaaay more
than many any narrow definition of a "sport".

Cycling is *also* a sport. It can be a hobby. It can be many things to many people, as it should be.
To promote it as only one thing can only serve to put off some who may not be inclined to "measure
up" to any self-imposed boundaries of any one definition. Why not let people decide for themselves
what they want their cycling to be?

Hit nail on the head!😄

(NickZX6R) said:

PC said:

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 23:31:30 GMT, John Staines <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I guess all this can be done on a racing bike as well but it's not as exactly street cred. also
they're not really built to handle that sort of environment/punishment.

Quoted message said:

I think you're underestimating the strength of road bikes. My bike hasn't been ruined at all, and
it's certainly not flimsy. In fact, I'm surprised at the amount of kerb hopping it takes without
ill effects.

and overestimating the strength of cheap MTB/BMX look likes with their discreet DO NOT USE stickers.
AndreS.au ===> Confusion depends on knowledge.

PC said:

On 16 Jul 2003 05:20:12 GMT, [email hidden] (NickZX6R) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Even as a 22yo commuter cyclist, I sure wouldn't want a road/racing bike..

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This sounds suspiciously like someone who hasn't actually commuted on a road bike. I've been
commuting and riding my road bike first for a couple of years from Nth Melb and for the last 3
years from Carlton all over the place, including the terrible Yarra trail.

I think you're underestimating the strength of road bikes. My bike hasn't been ruined at all, and
it's certainly not flimsy. In fact, I'm surprised at the amount of kerb hopping it takes without
ill effects.

Quoted message said:

Maybe if I was 6 inches shorter and 50kg lighter I might agreer.. (I'm 6'5", 140kg), and I power
through said laneways and dish gutters at 25-30km/h.. I would ruin a road bike in no time, and
that's assuming I can actually get my arms that far back and my back hunched that low..

Quoted message said:

PC

Fair enough then. I'm about 70kgs and I don't hesitate much with bluestones (except in the wet🙂 and
kerb jumping.

Quoted message said:

assuming I can actually get my arms that far back and my back hunched that low..

Ahhhh...here's your problem - your arms are supposed to go in front 😉

--
Nick

Malvern_star <[email hidden]> wrote in news:3f15293a$2_4 @news.chariot.net.au:

<Snip>

Quoted message said:

Townsville's beautiful - it's not hot - what are you goin on about?!?😄

I can tell ya in summer after a ride the hills in Douglas (near the Uni), straight into the river
for a swim 🙂 and only ride early in the morning, so not to bad

Paluma area is good in summer, about 5 degrees cooler

Sweet now though... low 20's ...

--
Trevor S

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." -Albert Einstein