Value of The Folding Bike Forums

[wpflem]

I got my first look at Downtubes on our showroom floor yesterday and I have to say I was impressed with them as a real value. Our Merc order should be in this week or next. We now have, I think, 12 brands of folders in our folder specialty store. I would have never have known to add the aforementioned two folders if I had not been a regular reader of this forum. I'm thankful for you folder devotees who keep me up to date.

[Wavshrdr]

We are all just beta testers here. :D

[Simple Simon]

" 12 brands of folders in our folder specialty store "

WOW ...... I wish there were many many more bike shops like you.

[wpflem]

It's nice you have 12 folder models in your strore. I didn't get a response from your email address about the cost of a Delsey hardshell case for the Joey (you are an Airnimal dealer too - right?) outside this forum, so thought I'd try here.

Brian, I saw where our manager replied via email, but I'll check and resend.

[maunakea]

wpflem, I hope you post on the Forum the availability of your demo bikes for sale. I'm sure you could sell them all here.

[wpflem]

That is a very good idea. If we post anything it will have to be in the advertising section of the Market Place below to be consistent with the bike forum rules. Thanks for the suggestion.

[bookishboy]

When I saw the title of this thread, I first thought that it was calling into question the value of this sub-forum, as in, "Do we really need this? Maybe all the 'folding bike' threads should just be 'folded' into the commuting or general forum, as appropriate."

I got a little indignant and was already preparing responses on just exactly why this forum has value......

Heh. I should have known better.

wpflem, I'm really interested to see over the coming months how these lesser-known models take to a retail environment.

[igor455]

it neat to see what isout there for well just letting us know whats out there

[james_swift]

I say we fork away from the main branch and start foldingbikeforums.net.

[wpflem]

When I saw the title of this thread, I first thought that it was calling into question the value of this sub-forum, as in, "Do we really need this? Maybe all the 'folding bike' threads should just be 'folded' into the commuting or general forum, as appropriate."

I got a little indignant and was already preparing responses on just exactly why this forum has value......

Heh. I should have known better.

wpflem, I'm really interested to see over the coming months how these lesser-known models take to a retail environment.



I guess I inadvertently titled this thread in such a way as to generate perhaps more attention than it deserves, but I am highly appreciative of the regular participants in this forum. Being in the folding bike only business as a specialty is tricky and risky I think. We have to be careful how many and what models we stock because the folding bike business is not all that brisk in the USA; nonetheless, we strive to stand out as a leader and principal source for them. Here is a current snapshot of my take on current retail interest:

High Interest:

Dahon (lots of choices, always interest)
Downtube (really too early to judge, but for now looks like it belong here as high interest)
Brompton
Xootr Swift (always a high interest bike)
Moulton (Bridgestone Moulton is popular, but not much interest in Pashley-Moultons)
Montague
Airnimal (still too early to judge)

Low or Intermediate Interest:

KHS
Breezer (we haven't ordered in any of this year's model, but last year's choices were not good sellers)
Bike Friday (yes, when Bike Fridays are priced against the other bikes in the shop, they just don't seem to sustain a buyers interest). Plus, a few people I think do a test ride and go home to directly order.
Birdy (people seem to like it, but just do not bite for the buy)
Giatex

We obviously don't know about the Merc yet.

About 70% of our sales are Internet orders. I've tried to set up the store as a "must visit" place for bikers who arrive as tourists in Santa Fe. I think it is working, but it will take time. We do have the best shop decor in the business. You just can't beat our walls for beauty, they are lined with huge and colorful antique French lithographs of cycling.

WPF

[maunakea]

Pix of the shop, please.

[wpflem]

Pix of the shop, please.

You almost caught me empty handed with your short request. I couldn't find any images on my computer, but you might like seeing the representations of some of the original wall posters at: http://sfbikes.com/santafe_bikes_original_posters2.htm The web just doesn't do them justice because several of them are quite large.

I am attaching a picture done just outside the shop. The Santa Fe paper did this one for an article on us last summer.

[maunakea]

Very tasteful artwork. Thanks for the pix.

[Simple Simon]

yes - agreed some internal pix of the shop would be great to see - and also a very positive thing to add to your web site - added kudos (even more).

Question: do you let people ride all the bikes, to compare for themselves ?

[LittlePixel]

Kind of off topic but at the same time on; I know Chop spends time maintaining a good list of manufacturers/builders/shops/etc but since tinkering with del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us) recently I really think setting up a Folding bike resource for this forum with useful links grouped by type/relevance could become a really valuable resource for anyone coming to the site - new or old.

For those that don't know - Del.icio.us is a so-called 'Web 2.0' site where you can add, group and share links. The important bit is the tags that you add to the links, so that you can embed specific information to find links from a set of user defined ones really easily. What's also cool is you can see who else is linking to the same things and maybe find new things via them.

So if I added my raleigh site (for an easy example) I would tag it "raleigh, 406, folder, vintage, conversion, sram-s7, phil.wood, un-72, fixed.gear" and so on.

Then you could look for "raleigh.twenty+phil.wood" and find links to all the sites that have been submitted and tagged that cover both those things. Or "downtube+user.conversions"; or "merc+reviews" etc etc...

See here as an example:
http://del.icio.us/littlepixel/bikes
http://del.icio.us/littlepixel/bikes+twenty
http://del.icio.us/littlepixel/bikes+manufacturers

I haven't sorted all my tags yet but you get the idea.

I think as a shared resource—of external links and indeed threads here—built up over time by the good people here, it could become a great supplementary addition to the forum. What do people think?

[brakemeister]

the site is very valuable indeed.
I am in the Industry for 30 plus years ( I startet early. lol )
I love small wheels / bikes/ folders .... have designed my own at one time ... but keep learnning on almost every daily visit here....

Thor

[james_swift]

james_swift,
Nice tapejob on the Swift - makes it look like a one-off along with your component choices. I rode the original Swift in NYC several years ago and it is a really nice design and ride. I obtained a Joey this year because I liked the 24-inch wheels. If I had a 20-inch folder my first choice would be the Swift.

After almost a year of commuting on the train with my Swift, the tape, originally applied to protect the paint job, is pretty badly gashed and gouged from being racked alongside the other bikes. The paint on the top tube is chewed in places as well. It's a mess. I saw this one guy with a mountain bike frame completely wrapped from front fork to rear dropout in what looked like tennis racket grip. :eek:

[wpflem]

yes - agreed some internal pix of the shop would be great to see - and also a very positive thing to add to your web site - added kudos (even more).

Question: do you let people ride all the bikes, to compare for themselves ?

Good point. I will try to do some soon and post on the website.

Yes, we definitely let people test ride, but its a small operation so we try to limit the testing to two rides per day.

[folder fanatic]

Our folding bike community is still small and very far flung from each other. The only sure way each of us can "communicate" across the miles is through forums like this. You can't be lazy and take things for granted when you enter the world of folding bikes. You have to stay abreast of the new trends and test ride whenever you can (and support the shop by buying, too). These forums have been invaluable to me to locate and purchase my bikes, their accessories, and upgrades on this and related forums. In reality, folders have been around for a lot longer than most people have been. I even seen a folder on an episode of "Columbo" in the 1970's. But the dawning conciousness awareness of these bikes did not reach me until several years ago. Education is still the best way to bring in new fans as well as keep the old ones.

[Dave Hickey]

I couldn't agree more about the value of this forum. I'm a moderator on another cycling website and they don't offer a folding bike forum. When I'm traveling for business and my net surfing is limited, I find myself visting this forum as my first choice...Since visiting this site for the first time, I've purchaced a Swift and Downtube based on the information received here. I know have 4 folding bikes in my "fleet"...