We have to deal with a psychopath running our country, pardon us if were a bit on edge.
FWIW While a lot of the couriers here in SF have beater bikes, a good amount of them have VERY nice ones, including the most beautiful Kalavinka I have ever seen and quite a few customs. . (Saw the Kalavinka locked up infront of the civic center a few times, 3 tone design that was colored to look like the underside of a fish, fish swimming around the seat tube. siiiiiick). I also believe there was a thread in the past about a messanger who loved his (much abused) vanilla.
If you make your living off of messangering, love what you do, and do it for quite a while, it makes sense you spend *some* money on the tools you use to get the job done (ie clothing and bikes), just like any other profession.
Im not a courier, but what you're saying is just kinda stupid to me. Sorry.
This whole hipster bashing is ********. So some people who like nice bikes listen to popular bands and wear fashionable clothes. Fine. They're still riding. And when they get out of it, it means cheap second hand stuff for everyone. The market continues along its merry way. You're probably not selling to hipsters because your bicycles don't have the same level of aesthetic appeal and apparent craftsmanship as a Vanilla.
Originally Posted by Thylacine
Okay, so Sacha White has been PMing me wondering why I used the words 'hipster' and 'Vanilla' in the same sentence, so I'm here to publically clarify. Here's the offending paragraph for reference -
Seriously though, I dunno how much couriers are paid where you guys are from, but unless they're trust fund babies doing the courier gig to 'see how the other half lives', I dunno any here that would even entertain the thought of spending over 200AUD on a pair of pants to courier in. Maybe it's different in the northern hemisphere, maybe you're all overpaid hipster cruisers doing Allleycat on your Vanillas - I dunno - but that's seriously not the case here.
I used Vanilla in this sentence because it's the most absurd scenario I could think of. You could just as well put 'Sachs' or 'Walker' or 'Thylacine' or 'Parlee' in there if you like. I don't know about any other builders, but I must confess, hipsters DO by Thylacines. Now, Thylacines aren't as bling or expensive as Vanillas, so it's safe I think to assume hipsters do buy Vanillas. It doesn't mean I especially like selling to hipsters, and it certainly isn't my goal in life to cater solely for hipsters - far from it. I got into this gig to sell really nice bikes and semi sensible prices.
Now, where I come from, (dunno why I'm repeating this for the third time) couriers are working class people. They don't ride Vanillas/Thylacines/Whatevers, and they don't wear 160 buck capri pants. If you turned up for work here on a Vanilla/Thylacine/Whatever, you'd be run out of town. That's it, a simple illustration in absurdity from where I'm sitting.
I don't know where the easy going nature of the Americans have gone recently. Seems like most of you are uptight and on edge and in need of either a holiday or at least a good laugh at yourselves? Maybe a trip to Australia or at least The Aussie Thread is in order so we can rough you up a bit, poke fun at you and then give you a bear hug and buy you a beer.
Anyway, must dash. My polished stainless steel lugged Thylacine fixie, custom Crumpler bag and Rapha shants are calling. Meeting some friends down at Starbucks for a have decaf half soy latte. Should be fun.