Foo - Boutique my a**

People on this board love to use the word "boutique". What the h@!! does it mean?!
They always use it to describe Ksyriums SSC SL's or DeRosas or Pinarellos or some other higher line part or frame that is mass produced and marketed/sold internationally.

It doesn't describe the wheels or frames they refer to and no one uses that term for anything other than small perfume and soap stores.

But no one ever uses it to describe a hand-laced set of wheels custom built for someone or a custom frame built to spec--which is actually the closest to the definition of "boutique". Nope, they call a mass-produced Ksyrium a "boutique" wheel.

What is the deal?

boutique: somewhere where overrated overpriced fashion items are sold.... :D

I call anything boutique that holds no real value except in a purely visual or aestetic way. (I won't refer to specific companies but some frame companies lisence a certain technology. The only difference is the welds are done in an exceptional way creating a very pretty look, they also charge a lot more for this exact reason, that boutique, that holds no value for me personally) If a really expensive piece of equipment offers no real performance increase (strength, speed whatever you measure) then it is boutique.

However lets say in my case I see an orange Frame available. I do call this boutique. Because in my area they are rare to see for sale and are usually marked up considerably due to shipping costs and international charges. This makes the frame hold no value imo.

I think boutique is pretty self explanatory :) (although I have no idea what you are refering to directly...)

I've never hear it in reference to bikes b4. But I hear it all the time in reference to musical equipment, guitars and amplifiers in particular. I agree I don't really know what it means and yet I do know what it means? It's like a Fender amp for example is very common, they are nice but common they certainly get the job done. But then there is some guy that used to work for Fender and whent off on his own. His amps are not mass produced they are made by him in his shop one at a time. Hence boutique. And very expensive too boot. I guess bikes have the same sort of thing going on.

I call anything boutique that holds no real value except in a purely visual or aestetic way.
I think boutique is pretty self explanatory :) (although I have no idea what you are refering to directly...)

boutique n.f. Local où se tient un commerce de détail, où exerce...

:p

Hmm, I use boutique to describe little curiousity kind of things, sometimes hard to find - like barplug lights... or some of the items sold at Momovelo... like honjo fenders or really nice bells or the chainguard he sells there or the cafe locks. Or those neat little laser/LED tiny lights, etc etc etc... that's boutique bike items to me.

I wouldn't describe the big items up there though... those I'd just call performance or something... or expensive.

I just assumed it meant anything made custom or in very small lots spec'ed to someones individual preferences.

Dan

I just assumed it meant anything made custom or in very small lots spec'ed to someones individual preferences.

Dan

Exactly what I was thinking. Also some obsolete, expensive thing still being made in small numbers. Lugged steel bicycle frames come to mind. Rivendell is a boutique shop.