Originally Posted by
paul2432
Probably not. However, I think that is largely irrelavent. The quality of a bike reveals itself over time. Sometimes months or even years. A ride around the block is not a sufficiently powerful test for most consumers to differentiate a higher and lower quality bike. Instead they must rely on the proven quality of a brand that has been demonstrated by hundreds or thousands of users over many years. The "Antartica" would have no such track record for consumers to rely upon.
Paul
No, but Surly and Trek both have track records. In particular Surly has it's own loyal fanbase. Even if instead of calling it the "Antartica" it was named the "Ultra Long Haul Trucker" which is arguably what an Atlantis is anyway, you still wouldn't be able to command the same price.
Rivendell is recognized as a premium brand among those folks that know about bikes. That in and of itself allows them to charge more. This is hardly a phenomenon unique to the cycling world and it's easy to see why people posting here might think it's a factor in Riv price points. Rather than being malicious, it may simply be logic.