Living Car Free - Bikes made by Car Companies

Bikes made by Car Companies (http://autos.yahoo.com/photos/bikes-from-car-companies-1318019762-slideshow/#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fbikes-from-car-companies-1318019762-slideshow%252Fbikes-from-car-companies-photo-1318018535.html) Is this the wave of the future?

Not too long ago there was a Hummer bike, based on the Montague folder. I wanted one of those just to say I had a Hummer, but I couldn't justify it for any practical reason.

I didn't see a single bike on the list that I'd actually want to ride; they were mostly a bit too garish for me, except that one from BMW, and I'm pretty sure I don't need a carbon fiber bike to buy groceries....

Most of them are just re-badges. In Korea these are very popular esspecially since Hyundia owns a stake in the local major bicycle maker Samchully. So, you see a lot of people cruzing around on Hyundia Sonata bicycles and such. The Hummer folding bike is still fairly popular here as well. For what reason, I can not explain. Saab also has a popular line of bikes here.

I'll have the VW please. Be great for hills.

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xkvP1TEeYPjysdpc7xCViA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00Nzg7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/290/2011/10/07/Volkswagen-electric-bike-4_201553.jpg

Ferrari - Colnago bikes:

http://vimeo.com/26495586

I'll have the VW please. Be great for hills.

It has no pedals, and only a 12 mile range on the plug-in battery. The Ford concept bike atl least claims 60 mile range, and pedals.



http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Fbx72a.dLwx7tp5SY6McmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00MjA7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/290/2011/10/07/ford-E-Bike-Press-bright_201536.jpg

^ Good point. I never noticed that. It does look cool though.

These bikes are designed to help market cars.

These bikes are designed to help market cars.

Yep, I wouldn't ride one of these things. Riding one of these bikes is equivalent to bending over and letting corporate america have it's way with you.

A bike's a bike, no matter who made it. Yamaha makes guitars, Ford makes charcoal briquets. So what?

Cycles Peugeot started making bicycles in 1882 before turning to making cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycles_Peugeot

A bike's a bike, no matter who made it. Yamaha makes guitars, Ford makes charcoal briquets. So what?

Sure, a bike's a bike. However by purchasing and riding one of those bikes you're supporting the very industry and mindset that most car-free people are trying to avoid. So, there's nothing wrong with the bike per se, but there is a over-reaching business/cultural philosophy attached to the bike that I don't agree with.

The companies making these bikes likely don't give 2 squirts of **** about the bike community, or the reasons people choose to use bikes as transportation. They're just trying to capitalize on the cycling market with their well known brand names. In my opinion these are basically just nice wal-mart bikes.

Sure, a bike's a bike. However by purchasing and riding one of those bikes you're supporting the very industry and mindset that most car-free people are trying to avoid. So, there's nothing wrong with the bike per se, but there is a over-reaching business/cultural philosophy attached to the bike that I don't agree with.

The companies making these bikes likely don't give 2 squirts of **** about the bike community, or the reasons people choose to use bikes as transportation. They're just trying to capitalize on the cycling market with their well known brand names. In my opinion these are basically just nice wal-mart bikes.

I'd be interested to hear what similarities with Walmart bikes that you're finding here.

Let's take the most promising bike of this lot, the Ford e-bike. Ford's purpose in designing it is most likely not an evil corporate plot, but an attempt to show off the usefulness of new battery and control technology. If this technology makes cars greener, it'll be a good thing. It's a much better thing if the same technology powers an e-bike that enables a lot more people get rid of their cars.

A lot of people can't physically handle a long bike commute, especially in a hilly area. But they might use a pedal bike with an assist from an electric motor. Especially if it goes 60 miles on a 12 hour charge, and it's light enough to carry up a couple flights to your apartment.

If this Ford bike ever goes into production at a decent price, I can see them selling a million e-bikes in a couple years.

Sure, a bike's a bike. However by purchasing and riding one of those bikes you're supporting the very industry and mindset that most car-free people are trying to avoid.

Yes and no. I agree that its good to reward companies that have been leaders in the bicycle industry and demonstrated a commitment to bicycles. That's a very good reason.

However, by buying a bicycle from Ford, you are sending them the most powerful pro-bicycle message possible. One they understand, that there's profit in bicycles. If Ford could make a utility bike that answers cyclists needs as well as their F-150 answers pickup owners needs, that would be tremendous.

Though you might be surprised at how strong the support for bicycles is in Walmart. I've been at meetings with Tom Walton, talking in Washington with our Senator about bicycle issues. We all wish that Walmart would sell decent bikes, but as a corporation, they may have realized that the price point that most people set to the value of a bicycle is below what it takes to buy a quality bicycle.

I don't know of any car companies that actually manufacture bicycles. They are all made by someone else and rebranded. Me? I am not impressed by a bike just because it has some fancy name on it. I am more interested in what it is made of, how it is made, quality of components and will it do what I need it to do.

Aaron :)

Though you might be surprised at how strong the support for bicycles is in Walmart. I've been at meetings with Tom Walton, talking in Washington with our Senator about bicycle issues. We all wish that Walmart would sell decent bikes, but as a corporation, they may have realized that the price point that most people set to the value of a bicycle is below what it takes to buy a quality bicycle.

Maybe he ended up doing a steep descent on one of his bikes :)

Now if only his customers realized that buying a WM bike is a waste of time and money.

I don't know of any car companies that actually manufacture bicycles. They are all made by someone else and rebranded.

That could be said about much of their cars as well. A lot of the parts that go into their cars are actually made by someone else.

However, by buying a bicycle from Ford, you are sending them the most powerful pro-bicycle message possible. One they understand, that there's profit in bicycles. If Ford could make a utility bike that answers cyclists needs as well as their F-150 answers pickup owners needs, that would be tremendous.



Hate to rain on this Ford E-Bike parade but this isn't a bike it's a 'concept' with "no production plans" so if I was cynical (which I am) I'd say it's a case of 'maximising the publicity while minimising the financial risk'.

Hate to rain on this Ford E-Bike parade but this isn't a bike it's a 'concept' with "no production plans" so if I was cynical (which I am) I'd say it's a case of 'maximising the publicity while minimising the financial risk'.

Yes, we went over it all in the thread http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/769828-Ford-Motor-Co.-new-bicycle.....

I was using Ford because the other poster was. I assumed that we were just being theoretical. The point of the discussion was whether or not, one should buy a bike from a car company. What's wrong with "maximising the publicity while minimising the financial risk"? Sounds like good business sense to me.

i a coors one on a bus bike rack. owner said he got it at a yard sale for $40.00.
and i think i saw a subaru. it came with the car. and how abot jeep? they have one.
interesting way to keep your name moving around.

Yes, we went over it all in the thread http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/769828-Ford-Motor-Co.-new-bicycle.....

I was using Ford because the other poster was. I assumed that we were just being theoretical. The point of the discussion was whether or not, one should buy a bike from a car company. What's wrong with "maximising the publicity while minimising the financial risk"? Sounds like good business sense to me.

I hadn't read that 'General Cycling Discussion' thread. I can't be expected to read every thread on every forum on BF.

So we are being theoretical about buying a theoretical bike and sending a theoretical message to Ford.

Now I understand. Thanks.

I hadn't read that 'General Cycling Discussion' thread. I can't be expected to read every thread on every forum on BF.

So we are being theoretical about buying a theoretical bike and sending a theoretical message to Ford.

Now I understand. Thanks.

In the auto industry it's SOP to build a concept vehicle before the vehicle goes into production. There are a number of reasons for this, including to test public opinion of the concept and generate enthusiasm about your products and company. These vehicles are past the "theoretical" stage but not yet to the practical stage. I don't see anything nefarious about this, personally.

I wonder where people think new and better e-bikes will come from. AFAIK, Trek and Giant have not spent billions of dooars on R&D of new "smart batteries," but the auto companise have.

On a related note, GM recently launched an on campus add campaign trying to show students how much cycling sucks and why they should buy one of their huge trucks to get to and from school. **** GM, I don't care how good (or bad) their bikes are, I will never buy one. http://www.bikeleague.org/news/gm_blunders.php

In the auto industry it's SOP to build a concept vehicle before the vehicle goes into production. There are a number of reasons for this, including to test public opinion of the concept and generate enthusiasm about your products and company. These vehicles are past the "theoretical" stage but not yet to the practical stage. I don't see anything nefarious about this, personally.

I wonder where people think new and better e-bikes will come from. AFAIK, Trek and Giant have not spent billions of dooars on R&D of new "smart batteries," but the auto companise have.

Considering that GM attempted to squash the EV1 electric car, after a successful concept prototype, I'd wonder if they were trying to do the same thing to the bicycle. They claim they are now committed to the electric car, but have priced it in the stratosphere.


On a related note, GM recently launched an on campus add campaign trying to show students how much cycling sucks and why they should buy one of their huge trucks to get to and from school. **** GM, I don't care how good (or bad) their bikes are, I will never buy one. http://www.bikeleague.org/news/gm_blunders.php

I suspect this is the real message from GM. Yes... buy yourself something really big.

That could be said about much of their cars as well. A lot of the parts that go into their cars are actually made by someone else.

Components yes, but I don't know of too many car companies that pay someone to build a car then slap their badging on it. I also don't know of any bike company that makes 100% of their own components. One of the last was Raleigh and possibly Schwinn at some point.

Aaron :)

On a related note, GM recently launched an on campus add campaign trying to show students how much cycling sucks and why they should buy one of their huge trucks to get to and from school. **** GM, I don't care how good (or bad) their bikes are, I will never buy one. http://www.bikeleague.org/news/gm_blunders.php

Yeah, GM marketing has been very stupid many times. They had a "Tahoe Apprentice" contest in 2006 that allowed people to make their own Tahoe ads. Money magazine called it the stupidest marketing move of the year. Ooops. Here was my contribution to the chaos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azqvP-f94Cs

Yeah, GM marketing has been very stupid many times. They had a "Tahoe Apprentice" contest in 2006 that allowed people to make their own Tahoe ads. Money magazine called it the stupidest marketing move of the year. Ooops. Here was my contribution to the chaos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azqvP-f94Cs

So did you win the contest? :innocent:

Thsi reminds me of the old song: "Don't ask me what I think of you, I might mot give the answer that you want me to."

Though you might be surprised at how strong the support for bicycles is in Walmart. I've been at meetings with Tom Walton, talking in Washington with our Senator about bicycle issues. We all wish that Walmart would sell decent bikes, but as a corporation, they may have realized that the price point that most people set to the value of a bicycle is below what it takes to buy a quality bicycle.

I realized, just the other day, that if they moved them to the sporting goods dept, instead of the toy dept, maybe their customers would consider buying a bike that was above toy quality.

So did you win the contest? ;innocent:

This reminds me of the old song: "Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to."

Well, sort of. Obviously GM didn't give me an award; but Money.com used a frame from mine to illustrate the article. Great for the portfolio. :D

I'm so glad I'm not the only person who remembers the real Fleetwood Mac. "Oh Well, Part 1" I can still remember when I first heard that on the AM radio. I was blown away!

Concept bikes may actually be developed by the design studio of an automotive mfg., as an exercise, but the actual products are licensed out to a bicycle manufacturer.

Gerv, don't put all the blame on GM for withdrawing the EV-1, blame American society and the state of California..
The EV-1 was a test bed, developed for one market only. The Southwest. None were sold to the public, they were leased.
They still belonged to GM.
If the people who used the EV-1 had been offered the chance to buy them, most would have choked and walked away. Even if GM had sold them for cost(nobody's talking about the real cost per unit), legacy support
for the EV-1 could have staggering. Plus, all the people who drove them got the battery packs replaced for free. 32 Nimh batteries at about $2800.00 EACH = $89,600.00, is what an EV-1 owner would have to shell out every two to four years depending on how they drove and maintained the battery pack. Even the special tires they put on the EV-1 cost about $400.00 from what I understand. Not a good bargain for anyone in my book.

Concept bikes may actually be developed by the design studio of an automotive mfg., as an exercise, but the actual products are licensed out to a bicycle manufacturer.

Gerv, don't put all the blame on GM for withdrawing the EV-1, blame American society and the state of California..
The EV-1 was a test bed, developed for one market only. The Southwest. None were sold to the public, they were leased.
They still belonged to GM.
If the people who used the EV-1 had been offered the chance to buy them, most would have choked and walked away. Even if GM had sold them for cost(nobody's talking about the real cost per unit), legacy support
for the EV-1 could have staggering. Plus, all the people who drove them got the battery packs replaced for free. 32 Nimh batteries at about $2800.00 EACH = $89,600.00, is what an EV-1 owner would have to shell out every two to four years depending on how they drove and maintained the battery pack. Even the special tires they put on the EV-1 cost about $400.00 from what I understand. Not a good bargain for anyone in my book.

Actually, the EV1 was a concept car that should not have been pushed into production. Oh well GM management made a lot of bad decisions at the time. Let's hope the Volt does better. Probably the batteries are a lot better anyway.

For people who have trouble grasping the concept of concept vehicle, it's analagous to a beta version of software.
give it a chance, see what happens. That Ford e-bike concept still looks pretty sweet to me,

Bikes made by Car Companies (http://autos.yahoo.com/photos/bikes-from-car-companies-1318019762-slideshow/#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fbikes-from-car-companies-1318019762-slideshow%252Fbikes-from-car-companies-photo-1318018535.html) Is this the wave of the future?

You mean bikes branded by car companies.

Sort of like bikes branded by bike companies (but actually made under contract in Taiwan or China) but with name recognition for non-cyclists.

I like the Audi (drive one - on rural highways, on primitive roads in Moab, wherever) Renovo (my wood router is my favorite power tool).

http://www.renovobikes.com/audi-duo/

These bikes are designed to help market cars.

The irony is jaw dropping considering the effect of the automakers anti-cycling lobby groups and the rising toll of maimed and dead cyclists at the hands of the automobile.

What's next, a company that made trans-fatty acid drenched foods for a decade running a heart awareness campaign?

What's next, a company that made trans-fatty acid drenched foods for a decade running a heart awareness campaign?

Kellogg's has got you beaten to the punch.

"Be good to your heart with great-tasting Kellogg's® Smart Start® cereals" (http://www2.kelloggs.com/ProductBrand.aspx?id=212)

Kellogg's Fruit Loops (http://www.acaloriecounter.com/breakfast-cereal.php) contain Trans Fats, and HFCS.

Corporations don't care. They just want you to buy.