Originally Posted by
Gibsonsean
I'm somewhere between group 3 and group 2.
I have no idea how much the bike costs to produce at what volumes, what the final retail pricing will be, what the distribution model will be etc. etc but I've previously posted my thoughts and speculations on this. Jipe's observations on the representativeness of 'cheap' ti frames from China very well articulate my own views. None of the comparators seem particularly valid or accurate and they do not take into account automation of frame welding.
Automated frame welding is not new. Taiwanese companies (Merida for example) have been using robotic tig welder for like two decades, manly to build frames in a massive scale (>200,000 units a year!)
And their ALUMINIUM frames are not that cheaper than Chinese titanium frames in general.
So there is absolutely zero chance Peter can build titanium frame in his factory that cheap. If he can do such a magic somehow, he can be an instant millionaire by mass producing road and mtb frames at a fraction of the current cost.
If you can see the future, you don't need to tell others' fortune for small money - you can go buy some lottery tickets instead.
Originally Posted by
Gibsonsean
I also have read (posts from Peter and David Hon) that he rejected an offer from Dahon to license and manufacture his original design.
So he thought he could make money selling the bike at that low price. Now I wonder whether he ever had a bike at all.