Originally Posted by
surreal
Short summary: GP made a huge contribution to the current state of the bike industry, but he didn't actually do anything innovative. In fact, he was just one of many ppl who lamented the shift from normal do-everything road bikes to the one-trick-pony race bikes that had dominated the market--- and still kinda do, today.
Originally Posted by
surreal
So, Riv has managed to create a massive INFLUENCE on cycling, even if they don't sell a ton of bikes. Incredibly, GP managed to do it by telling us what we already know, which I guess is effective b/c it makes us feel smart and self-righteous. Which is a really smart marketing ploy.
By being THE voice of the "normal" bike crowd- it IS innovative.
Take Rivendell out of the mix- and who are the big-time makers that are making steel frame do-anything bikes?
It's a niche segment of the population that go for that. The "riding a bike for the sake of riding a bike" crowd isn't a very vocal bunch. Put 'em on an inexpensive upright hybrid or on their same old sweet bike they've had for 20-40 years and they're happy. But by and large- they're the most people riding bikes. So, yes- bikes with "Rivendell-ish" appointments are everywhere. You have such a bicycle build. But those bikes aren't Rivendells. But Rivendell, even being a tiny company, are the biggest company that use that "conventional wisdom." So things that relate to those appointments and that concept and philosophy are by default pointing back to Rivendell.
As I read your posts, you seem to understand that Peterson's bicycle build concept and philosophy has been around "for decades" and is "ancient." You seem to understand that all of the big bicycle manufacturers have gone away from that philosophy and bicycles built like that would have an exceptionally small niche in the market. You seem recognize that Peterson's bicycle build concept is essentially the same as yours. But yet you seem to disparage Peterson and his company for espousing that philosophy and selling products that relate to that as his "schtick" and "insipid." I don't understand that.
Bikes are "leisure" to me. While I don't have anything from Rivendell, I understand they 'play for my team.' While a person who is into bicycling will look at my 30 year old bike and refer to it as a "relic," the same person would be more likely to look at a Rivendell with a similar build and think it's cool, although in a retro sort of way. At this point- to get a bike with the appointments and the style I'd like- I could go on the cheap and figure out how to upgrade a "vintage" bike (which still won't give all the features I REALLY want), go for the outrageously expensive route and get a custom build, or I could go the still rather expensive route and get a Rivendell.