jhaber

never said to copy it in steel, just throwing out a suggestion

seedubs1

<====Votes for a GT-B replica

ADSR

I like the idea of a clean frame with maybe one bottle mount with the option of threaded or threadless forks. Powder coated, and I also like the option to have different color schemes (headtube/downtube in alt. colors). Let's not make this a big BMX bike.

iansmash

why not? haha

everyone loves a bike you can toss around

cord13

+1. id like to see it as a affinity/GTB mixture

LeaderBike

Maybe we should make three styles. if we were to make the geometry 73 in the back and 74 in the front with a downward slope, do feel we should do this on the bmx style frame? This project could be reality very soon. anybody feel free to chime in. Leader wants to get these models made soon.

Brian

iansmash

Yes!



However, I love the feel of my 725TR w/ 75 degree head tube and 35mm rake fork...the handling is incredible!

SSBully

Great questions!

JMHOs:

Kill the gusset idea. Look at what's been proven to work. 99% of the bikes you see posted in here aren't gusseted, and they hold up to the abuse of messengers and guys that like to do tricks, just fine.

Pursuit geometry???!!!! Again, how many people do you see riding a bike with that type of geometry on a daily basis? Not many. Just stick with flat top tubes and maybe, the slightest slope towards the headtube. Yes, there is a market for pursuit bikes, and it's a very small one. Doesn't seem like a sound business decision to put money into new designs that limit their marketability.

Many color choices is a good thing! I'm just not too sure about the glittery, sparkly stuff.............. White, black, red, yellow and blue as standard colors, and all of the preorder colors as small($10-20) upgrade colors. I am going for paint, but powder is so darned indestructible, but much more expensive!

As others have stated before, put the stickers over the paint/powdercoat so they are easily removable! Although, I'd rather see a sticker pack sent with the bike and let me choose where and how many I want to put on my bike! You never know, a lot of them may end up on people's cars! That's good, free advertising for you guys!

1 1/8 Headtubes! There are only a handful, if that, of headsets for 1" headtubes. The amount of stems available is even crappier! NO INTEGRATED HEADSETS!!!!! There are just so many more options available with the threadless type! Sweet Acros', Kings, etc. The idea for the threaded headsets is fine for a retro bike, but then it will have a more classic geometry and styling, and aerotubes don't fit that description. It'll end up looking out of place and disjointed!

mbhakti

The colors need to be simple and appeal to many people. Crazy paint schemes will be a seller for a few, but they won't appeal to most. If you pick really nice shades of simple solid colors they will sell like crazy.

The bareknuckle is an awesome style of frame. If you could do something similarly styled, for less coin, you would have a huge market.

Simple is good.

david3558

I like Ian's idea of the frame, the Cannondale replicas would also be really nice!

ADSR

That's true, and that's how come steel frames. I just get the image in my head of a frame that's the worst of both worlds. You'll get that gussets, thick tubing, and extremely reinforced, utilitarian look of a BMX with the ungainliness and inherent fragility of a 700c frameset. Prolly is already dropping a FGFS frame, and it looks like poop. I wouldn't commute on it, and I'm sure a lot of folks share my sentiments. I'd like a frame that's nimble, fast, durable for locking up, and looks elegant. I'm sure they can make it able to barspin, but it just sounds too nice so far to shoehorn into such a niche market.

cc700

engineer a frame solution so it becomes impossible for people to do this:


in all honesty i think you are doing fine with the current lineup.

either keep prices as low as possible, or offer as many colors as possible. i would buy a 725tr frame if i wasn't absolutely thrilled with my kilo. or, if the 725tr came in more colors, or if it was a little cheaper with the current color selection, or if it was lighter. i'm a lightweight so i don't need a strong freestyle type frame. i like aluminum bikes but i don't see people buying into a lot more choices, they already have a ton when it comes to steel and your lineup between the 20,21,25, and 35 is enough choice. just need more colors.

iansmash

IMO, your opinion is a little out of whack here for a couple of reasons...no offense or anything but I have some counterpoints I'd like to make.

1. Gussets: Many guys are breaking their bikes, especially the hardcore trick guys. I realize that the leader bike will probably have higher quality than some of the bikes that are commonly broken (SE frames) but still...Gussets weigh very little and won't be hurting anybody.

2. Pursuit Geometry on the street: I think the lack of pursuit frames on the street is a direct result of availability. There are the Affinity cycles, which are quite expensive, and then old used pursuit frames, which were rare AND expensive. There is no inexpensive one on the market.

That said, I don't think the frame should have very aggressive pursuit stance, just a minor drop, (sub 5 degree) from the seat tube to the head tube.

3. Glittery paint jobs WILL be popular! I'm very confident of this. Again, bikes are rarely offered in off the wall paint schemes, which is why many people don't opt for them!

Pennywize

i would like to see a model that is more like the bareknuckle. Tight geo, simple, classy... but make it less $$

iansmash

Only if it has a better looking fork! haha

SSBully

I can definitely appreciate the counterpoints, as this healthy discussion is how products get better and people can share ideas! Now my turn! haha

While I do agree that some bike need gusseting, if you look at the leader desings as they currently stand, the toptube and downtube join before the neck, effectively acting as their own gusset. Adding additional gussets would make it look too "bulky"?

Ahhhhh the old, it's not available, therefore nobody can effectively buy it, argument. I call it the "Field of Dreams" argument, build it and they will come. I do believe that if the market existed and if it were really in high demand, it would have been done already! However, we do agree that a little more aggressive geometry could be helpful, and we agree that the it would be a minor slope, <5 degs.

I'm not saying don't offer the glitter, just not as one of the "standard" colors. Make them an upgraded color and charge $10-20 more those colors.

iansmash

Fair enough, I agree with most of these things.

I think when it comes down to it, a ot of people are resistant to the pursuit geometry because they're afraid that it will be too hard to ride when they finally get it, but most people have never ridden steep/pursuit geometry before. Either way, with the small slope like that, it would hardly be difficult to set it up to fit just fine.


I drew up the design I posted in bikecad with specific measurements and angles in mind...not just arbitrary features to make it look cool. It features all of the things I initially mentioned in my first post and it looks damn good to me haha

mbhakti

That's funny, I think the bareknuckle has the best looking fork of any steel frame I have seen. That's one of the reasons I like them so much.

Murderface

dont bother w/ NJS if you're not an NJS company, its pointless to narrow it down to a field that you're not aiming at, by allowing a wider range and more common styles you're bound to make more ppl happy!

old scratch

you guys should sell a complete build around the 3 speed fixed sturmey archer hub that is about to be released. an aluminum bike similar to the jamie roy, and put fat slicks on it. the perfect urban commuter fixed.

XMilkCrateX

I'd like to see a triple triangle frame. iansmash's idea is pretty sweet.
mbhakti's color scheme is good to.

Dannihilator

Maybe ditch the idea of trying to shape the top tube and downtube and use a higher quality steel like let's say tange prestige.

Don't make it compatible with only one type of crown. From where I came from, it's been viewed as a bad business move to make things proprietary.

Darwin401k

Unless you have a monopoly like Cisco does then it's all gravy.

I'd like to seem something similar to the curves of this beautiful Yamaguchi. Though I doubt the price range you are aiming at will be met.



As far as paint schemes, I agree you should offer the popular base colors like black, red, blue, green, yellow, etc. Then option for some flakes/sparkles can be added for a few extra bucks. Decals should not be under the clear coat or better yet as someone mentioned above, leave the decals aside for the owner to place anywhere they would like.

blankgen

I'd really like a complete bike, something in between bikes direct and big name companies as far as price/specs go.

tall&lanky

make a triple triangle/ gt-b replica and i will buy it. guaranteed.