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Old 02-07-12, 12:26 AM
  #13  
753proguy
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Originally Posted by unterhausen
Vanilla is a really bad bellwether of the state of the custom market. The market is maturing. People want a Vanilla, Sachs, Kirk and a handful of others. Outside of a select few, it seems like most of the big-name builders can deliver in less than a year. There have been a couple of high-profile flameouts in the custom frame community, and if that doesn't drive people to Trek/Specialized, it drives them to the known quantities. A lot of people that build solid and appealing bikes have dropped out of the business, that's simply not enough.

The reality is that most people that want to become framebuilders don't have the money to lose for years on end. It's a major commitment to buy insurance, and as soon as you have the first bike on the road, you effectively commit to buying insurance for the life of that bike. Costs are high, margins are low, and the prospects of making a sustainable business are not good. Some people see this up front, and some people have to waste a couple of years on the project before they throw in the towel. Everybody I know personally that is still in the business is part time and have a way of subsidizing the business.
What he said! x 100 maybe....
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