I thought America was Japanese

i do. you guys hurts my feelers....

The borg is what the injuns were before my Euro ancestors showed up.
None of them rode Trek's btw.

Its getting more like that all the time.

Trek has a plethora of models and lots of other "choices". No one can carry everything, and there are those who be disappointed regardless of my business choice. Personally, I'd love to have a shop full of cool, neat "different" stuff. Problem is, I wouldn't be around very long unless people come in and buy it.

It would seem to me that Trek has a model that works for the average LBS owner. Is that Trek's fault? Nope.

I think the bigger question is why doesn't other bike manufactuers copy Trek in this standpoint? If Trek is cornering the market in terms on being on 90% of LBS's sales floors... Well, it seems to me they are doing something right.

As far as Bontrager goes. Why the hate? I freely admit I have a Madone 5.9 with Bontrager components on it and they work fine. Acutally, more than fine. The new 08 X-Lite wheels might be the best wheels I have ever ridden on. That includes a set of DT Swiss.

In the end, they have a great model of delivering their bikes to the public and the other manufacturers need to catch up.

I work at a shop, we don't carry Specialized/Trek, we used to do Trek. We don't for the simple reason that anything in the aluminum frame and down, Giant makes Trek and Specialized. They have always done that and unless the tide of economics changes, it will continue to do that. The carbon stuff, as far as I know, are made on this side of the pond, this has been the information that I have found in recent years, I don't know if this still holds true.

Though we are talking about two different things here, if we are arguing about quality and all that sort of stuff, then if all the bikes being built are in Asia, then that's where all the quality control people will be. I like to say to customers that if the barbecue fire is on the other side of the island, people with hot dogs and hamburger are likely going to be there too.

If we are talking about the "brain drain", yeah then that's happening. It's not just in bikes, it's in every single industry that corporations are able to make for cheaper with overseas labour.

If you are unhappy with the way your LBS does business, quit your job, buy a bike shop, and run it the way you see fit.

Respectfully,

Mr. Duh

Every person in the US says that "they want choices". Almost uniformly this is wrong. If a shop hits every relevant price point and market corner with a Trek bike, consumers won't know the difference. The average person who walks into a bike shop to buy a bike won't be able to tell the difference between Trek and Specialized, much less some of the more exotic brands.

More industries are figuring this out. Apple Inc. is making a killing on restricting consumer options, for example.

I wonder how much of this has to do with Trek and how much to do with Internet sales.

Why rail on Trek? Until SRAM came along a couple years ago with component groups there were only 2 choices.

What peeves me about LBS's is the lack of in-stock high end components and small parts. Every time I need bits to service my Dura Ace stuff it always has to be ordered.

The shop that sponsors us carries both Cannondale and Trek in equal amounts. Cannondale is our team's bike sponsor too.

I agree, sort of. Surely the 'boutique' bikes wouldn't be as profitable. My concern is that if Trek (or any company) is putting pressure on to carry _only_ their line, it makes it that much harder for a bike shop to carry a few smaller brands just for the sake of having them.

In the end, I don't begrudge the LBS for doing what it takes to stay in business.

You should have signed it Mr. Completely Clueless.

I'd imagine that the problem with stocking components and small parts is that they tend to sit on the shelf forever and it costs a pretty penny to get it on the shelf in the first place. Some shops are better at this than others, from what I've seen. But most shops, if it's components like shifters, derailleurs or cranksets, will want to order those on a per customer basis. These are just too expensive to have a lot of them sitting around for years on the shelf.

Plus the internet. Enough said.

Why? You are the one b*tching about your LBS not having enough variety. Take it up with the shop owner or start a business of your own. The LBS exists to make the owner money. That's what businesses do.

The point is...Trek goes with a formula that works and so called experts on bicycles are in the minority. The average Joe looks at a high end Trek and it looks very special compared to their 20 year bike in the garage. Trek makes great bikes and something for everybody. They may not be my cup of tea but they are certainly good enough. As to you finding special parts....bike shops aren't in business to satisfy you. If that were the case...they would go broke. Guys like us with very particular taste aren't well served by LBS's because we are well outside the mainstream. They can't make enough money to survive off guys like us. Look at the bikes the idiots on the NYC CM ride were on. That is John Q Clueless...I mean public.

Mr Ratliff...making friends the internet way. One insult at a time. Carry on.

Exactly! And since I won't be the first to go off topic, it's a shame that international trade talks have collapsed in Geneva. An op-ed in my paper suggests that the US will blame China, China will blame the US, everyone will blame the EU, poor countries will blame rich and so on. In the end, consumers world-wide will lose. And my own country, Canada, is just as complicit in the failure as anyone else although it'll be the first to claim its hands are clean. Rubbish.

Whether it's trade in agriculture, bikes, or comsumer electronics, consumers win with trade. Lord help us is the Dems win the WH and carry through with promises to 'renegotiate' NAFTA.

BTW, I bought my first bike, a Trek 1000, back in 04 largely due to LA's performance in the TdF.

I totally agree about them not being in bidness to satisfy guys like us. High end part stocking is a pet peeve of mine because I would rather give the money to the LBS and not to some nameless faceless guy in cyberspace who can get it to me faster and cheaper and keep my down time to a minimum. I do my own wrenching BTW. As a result I use the LBS mostly to buy sponsor product and inner tubes and tires. I dont even buy Optygen from the LBS anymore because I can get it 15 dollars cheaper thru Amazon.com including shipping. Thats 180 bucks a year saving. I really feel for those guys, but at same time I'm not made of money. So I guess my anger is based on guilt. Wierd.

Welcome to Capitalism.

A. In no place am I *****ing.
B. If I don't like my internet service, should I quit my job and start an internet service? If I don't like the pizza shops in my town, should I quit my job and start a restaurant? If I don't like my local paper, should I quit my job and start a news rag? If I don't like all the morons who post on bikeforums, should I quit my job and start an on-line forum? Do you see where this is going? Pretty soon, I won't have much time for riding.

as a long time bike shop guy, it never fails. if you stock a 172.5 Dura Ace crank, then folks will come in wanting 170's or 175's...or the will want FSA, or Campy. Stock a Manitou R7 Platinum fork, they will come in looking for a Rock Shox.

Chinese?

God, that's the truth. I haven't worked in a shop in ten years, so I can imagine how effed things are. TREK is the Starbucks of bikes (I have nothing against either brand). If your LBS only carries TREK (and you won't be seen on one), go elsewhere. I find it very hard to believe that in 2008 you cats can't find a way to get another brand if you don't want a TREK.

Besides, if you want to be little rebels find a frame builder in your region and have him/her build you a frame.

^^^or go to UBI and build your own frame

I did just that (not UBI).