I have noticed that often some of the nicest folders can only be assessed and ordered through sites that are not too great. This thread is meant as a place to collect those sites and their issues. The idea is not to be trite but instead to hopefully serve both the brands as well as us -the customers-. I hope that by collecting these complaints there is a chance that at least one site will improve. That would mean better information for us and very likely more sales for the manufacturers. Maybe if this thread grows we can mail it to the manufacturers in question. On the other hand this may remain the only post,.. oh well can't hurt to try.

So, please write down your URLS or second and third etc., others'.

Maybe we can also give Props. to good sites too.

My Nominees for "Not Good":

PWB

http://www.pbwbikes.com/

Sure they have a disclaimer from 2004 but for a company that sells units often costing $ 1000 or $ 2000 you'd figure they would at least have some decent, larger size pictures of their units as well as details. Plus more specs, testemonies etc etc. I am not saying i want a flashy site, i actually don't, just an informative one.

GOBIKE

http://www.ingear.be/

One of their few dealers (a better known one) has a site that makes me cringe. I already send them a mail offering to correct their English, it is just... well,.. not good.

For the rest: few, small and unclear pictures. I could not find any prices on this particular site.

GAERLAN

http://www.gaerlan.com/

NOT good. Few, small and unclear pictures, not enough text, info and specs, layout is dodgy at best. Too bad, great bikes here.

---

My PROPS go out to

BIKE FRIDAY

The best Folder site i know. Big, very informative, helpfull, lots of pictures and doing many good things to further the "Folder Freedom Fighters Revolution". I just wished they were cheaper but that is for another thread.

XOOTR SWIFT

http://www.xootr.com/index.htm

Not bad, getting there. Still room for more faq and improvement but they seem to listen to requests for more info on-line.

DOWNTUBE

http://www.downtube.com/

Erm,.. i don't know about "we have created the greatest on-line Bicycle Resource"... But it is pretty good. They seem to also add info when requested, But they NEED more pictures. Bigger pictures of different angles and details! Particularly of their own bike as very few pics are to be had anywhere. The intro page is confusing.

DAHON

Lots of models, lots of info. Good page.

The PBW site is built around an e-store which doesn't lend itself to functionality but makes it easy to "add to basket." ;)

Definite props to Dahon - they've got the single nicest website of just about any bike manufacturer.

What's the deal with Gaerlin? I understand their bike is a good ride but it's sort of a Moulton-ish "disassemblable" rather than a folder, no? I just don't "get it"...there are much more easily folded bikes on the market...

The actual "GoBike" site isn't a site at all - it's a "coming soon" page that's been stagnant for at least half a year. http://www.gobikeonline.com/

At least the Belgian dealer has info. I used to represent a company that produced light aircraft. It got to the point where our site was better than the manufacturer's and they ended up paying us for rights to parts of it. I think GoBike should pay our resident GoBike owner, "Chop", for the content from his site! http://www.long-john.com/pagegobike.htm

Yes, as i mention on another thread that is the biggest drawback of Gaerlin. A critical design failure i'd say. No matter how good the ride and price are you can't compete with other bikes like Bike Friday if your bike doesn't fold at all really. Cheaper to get S & S couplers or other brands.

As for the GoBike site, that is just ridiculous and wrong. Anybody got an e-mail adress of Go Bike. Hell i'll make them a site if that is what it takes. Crazy that a company can design one of the highest tech. most innovative bikes and get some of the most prestigious design awards and yet they can't get it together to make even a simple site. -Insert Fart sound here-. Pity.

I tried to contact GoBike by email. Several times. (I design marketing programs & tools, websites among them)

No response.

Shame since they've invested a fortune designing a very nice bike. Maybe they're not ready for the mainstream. I'll be the first to agree that growing a business too fast is a sure fire way to kill it. I hope they get it sorted out...

But they still don't have a nice, simple, comparison grid that gives the first-time customer a good overview of their line, and how all the various models differ. Grrrr...

Other than that, though, a fine site. The forum, in particular, is well-run.

Brompton's site is terribly outdated.

Have you seen the "Spec Comparison Pages" found Here

Bruce

Hi Vince,

I'm afraid that I have to take issue with you regarding your remarks about ingear.be's 'so called' GoBike site.
Your statement seems far more inaccurate than the sites you deride.

(a) It is not a 'GoBike site', Seppe sells many other marques

(b) English is probably neither Seppe's 1st or 2nd language, yet he has gone to trouble of translating his pages for the benefit of those who have never heard of Babelfish, and those not so linguistically gifted as you and I. The site is after all for a shop in Belgium where Flemish and French are the everyday languages.

(c) You say that you couldn't find prices anywhere....

http://www.ingear.be/gobike/en/whatgb.asp

Hint, the prices are the figures with the Euro sign in front of them (at the top of each model spec.)

Seppe busted a gut to get any sense out of the despatch department at 'Le Groupe Go' and still only received the first 30 in Northern Europe when he told them he would cancel all orders if the the latest of many deadlines was missed.

By all means have a 'Go' at 'Le Groupe Go' or GoBike or whatever for their non-existant web pages and photos, but please don't insult a man who is really trying to provide a good service, and whose principles have led him to deal only in 'Human Power' despite many requests for mini motos etc.

I would be most grateful if you would remove your comments as I would hate it, if this good man should read this cringe-making post.

Thanks! Safe riding!

@ Chop, hey too bad you seem to be offended by what i wrote. No need for that man, it is just an opinion and everyone is free to disagree or take it in their stride.

But just as a response to your comments, what i wrote exactly (and what i meant!) is the following:

"One of their few dealers (a better known one) has a site that makes me cringe."

So i never wrote that it was a "GoBike site" taking exception is your right but please read and understand that which you take exception to.

"I already send them a mail offering to correct their English, it is just... well,.. not good."

I meant that and i would still do it. Seppe replied to my mail and didn't even acknowledge my offer so perhaps it is not so strange that i think the English is a pity...

"For the rest: few, small and unclear pictures."

I think for such a nice folder it deserves more and more detailed pics, kinda like on your site. That way i think more people might be interested.

Inaccurate?...... inaccurate my hind quarters. Sorry. Opinionated yes. Innacurate no.

"I could not find any prices on this particular site."

Well, i didn't say "they are not on the site", just that i couldn't find them and that was all there was to it. Now, it would appear simply that i couldn't find them (could have looked harder) or that perhaps they are hard to find in general. Is that so offensive or wrong, just a an opinion and observation. i just feel that such critical information needs to be very quickly and easily found, but perhaps it is just me not looking hard enough.

Very importantly i must stress that i never had a go at Seppe as a person i just thought his site and English could use work. I still feel that and i am still not just complaining but willing to help. Neither did i defame his character by suggesting he doesn't "bust his gut" or whatever, since i don't actually have no way of ascertaining that and actually don't care so much. I was only talking about the website and my take on it, that is all. For what it is worth, I do take your word for it that he is a busy and hard working man. So why do you take it so personally for yourself and on his behalf...? What makes you so sure he would take it badly?

I appreciate that you like him and his business and respect both as do i but that doesn't mean i can't have an opinion or be critical. Perhaps if Seppe surfs this way he will read this clarification and see there is no reason to feel bad. It is exactly because i think that the GoBike is a great product (and those that sell it should be supported) that i was critical. In order to hopefully improve things that could use improvement IMO.

Sorry Vince,

Call me thick, but you don't mention the actual GoBike site which is non existant, and Philip, the designer's web site is not much better. I found out most information from a combination of Seppe's, Velovision's, the Italian & Japanese web sites. Surely it's the Supplier & designer you should be knocking!
And regarding the correct English I'll gladly help you to correct the text on your site, which it seems, while good, carries quite a lot of errors. ;o)
If you still can't see it , then we'll have to agree to disagree!

P.S. had a great day riding the GoBike around Vilnius in Lithuania yesterday, I'm sending this from Warsaw, Poland.

Well Chop, i'd be pleased if you could help me with my English har har. No really, i often don't do my utmost to make my personal page error free as it is mostly for my own enjoyment. I enjoy and can muster valid critisism, i really do so please let me know what you find!

Perhaps i can give you pointers on better/bigger pictures for your site har har?! Na man just kidding. I think it is best that we agree to disagree on the Go Bike stuff. Glad you can take it that way/do that! Appreciate that. See you around the boards and take care!

V.

Hey Vince

I've added some 'BIGGER' pictures of comparisons between GoBike & Brompton folded & unfolded, For pics where detail would be an advantage, I turn up the pixels on my camera, but for the out and about, day to day shots, I only use e-mail size which means they load quicker for people with slow computers.

Better Belgian milk than Dutch beer! :beer: Iechyd da! (Good health / Cheers in Welsh)

Hey looks good the bigger pics! Very usefull for someone who is considering either. Oh yeh the smaller pics make sense in that context. I personally also found that the size is important but perhaps more imp. is trying to photograph on a sunny day and maybe making three pics or even five of the same thing to get one decent one. That is prob. also a lot to do with me having a cheapo dig. camera though...

Say do you polish/clean up your bikes often? They look brand spanking new.

About the beer, it tis a good thing i don't drink any (Dutch) alcohol. But i must say i have to go to Belgium one of these days to get some proper fries with a proper selction of sauces. Hot damn there is some good stuff!

Vince,

Polish? What is that? I did ride on Polish roads though! Washed worst of mud off for the comparison photos, but don't tell the Swiss, it's probably illegal to wash even a bicycle there! The GoBike is only about 1 month to 6 weeks old and looking a bit battle-scarred already.

Easy on the chips & mayonnaise though or you'll be needing an air shock too!

Hmm funny, never thought about that, that you spell both words and meanings the same. I dunno i am beginning to suspect i am just uniquely adept at making my bike dirty. They always have mud splashed and a bit of a greasy drivetrain compared to other people that seem to bike in the rain as much as i do. Weird.

Mayo and Fries: ha ha, well i haven't gotten myself an impressive girth yet, but as i am in my late Twenties i deffo still have to watch it. Especially with my Snickers and Coke habit. Still i don't have the cash or inclination for shocks so good advice har har. Though the Downtube is pretty cheap,.. hmmm.. *Now if i attach a large basket to that one and fill it up with Coke and Snickers... i'd never have to get off my bike...!*