So I found this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_frame
http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ha-i.html#hellenic

I'll agree it's BS to make exact replicas of other people's bikes, but the triple triangle gets thrown around a lot. Sometimes it looks cool.

Here's a new use of triple triangle
http://volagi.com/sites/default/file...0view%201A.jpg

I didn't know about the Hellenic style of seat stay.

I hope people don't start claiming that's why they made that bike the way it is and not because the GTB was a popular frame.

What's wrong with that? If an overseas company figures out a cost-effective method of replication and production, this transfers to a quality product at a sub-standard price. I'm sure plenty of people are willing to pay extra to have original designs built here in good 'ol USA. I'm sure there are means for obtaining NOS, depending on how much money we're talking about. For the consumer looking for a good balance of performance/affordability, I say let the companies produce the fakes. Let the customers ultimately decide which product will succeed as they cast their vote with their purchase.

If this is infringing on the OG company's rights, they should've established patent ownership long before this issue ever arose.

And as far as fixie boutiques, if they sell the product I want, then I will buy from them. I just might skip the douchy t-shirt that they also try to push on me.

yeah well. my next frame is going to have like five triangles.

copy that *****es.

so close
http://www.gunnarbikes.com/newslette...29-04_ming.jpg

I only see two triangles there

I see 3 and a pentagon

Lame.

I'm not sure what the point of copying an inferior design is. Sheldon summed it up nicely:

"Hellenic stays were introduced by (and named for) the British frame builder Fred Helens in 1923, and have been used off-and-on since by frame builders who wish to make their frames visually distinctive. They are of no practical value, and often cause un-necessary complication in brake-cable routing, luggage-rack attachment and installation of frame pumps. The are also slightly heavier than normal frame construction."

I see a parallelogram.

http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/a...6/IMG_0796.jpg

FTW

It is good i sold my GTB - it would look like so many bikes.

They could easily add 2 more.

custom triple triangle
 

custom builders will make you one.

creative inspiration for the triple triangle frame came before GT.

QFT. There's a blurry line between what is and what isn't a copy but calling it a copy just because it has three triangles is a little overkill, just as yummy said about aluminum frames with big downtubes and cutaway seat tubes.

IMO, this = copy

http://superbbicycle.com/store/bikes...ace_superb.jpg
http://up.picr.de/1798767.jpg

http://prollyisnotprobably.com/old/a...x350-22637.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/...29f677aa_o.jpg

But not
http://www.pedalconsumption.com/arch...e_triangle.jpg
http://www.iminusd.com/product_image...49768_zoom.png
http://prollyisnotprobably.com/old/a...0x346-7993.jpg

thats a high horse you ride on carleton

at least it's original.

:rolleyes:

fixed

+1

Are you gonna buy one?

Serious question.

No I'm not going to buy one, but that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the aesthetics of the frame. There's obviously a demand for bikes of that style and the chances of finding NOS or used frames like that are few and far between. I don't see how it's a ripoff of a GTB when its got typical (pursuit) track geometry, and is made of steel as opposed to aluminum. Is it a ripoff because of the triple triangle?

Does that mean that GT should have the monopoly of triple triangle frames?

high horse is high.

if a product isn't made anymore and prices for said product are high and another company bases a frame or product on said discontinued item at a lower price I don't see a problem. give the people what they want and they will buy it. is this not how consumerism works?

look at japanse sports cars and motorcycles

How am I on a "high horse" for thinking that this product is an easy copy of a popular frame? Can't I have an opinion?

Yes, it happens in all industries. That doesn't mean it's right. It just means it's somewhat legal. Look at how many iPhone clones came out only 6 months after the iPhone was launched. It took 5+ years to develop the iPhone from scratch.

If high horse is high, then it's also true that

http://i.imgur.com/p6n13.gif

If you want to make your iPhone analogy applicable to this situation, we would only be able to buy used or NOS iPhone 2G's and nobody else would be allowed to make an all touchscreen smart phone. There's a point when too many intellectual property rights hurts a market. All the iPhone spinoffs have pressured apple to keep innovating and keep their prices down (but only slightly because they're apple :P). That argument makes even less sense since the iPhone is still in production - GT isn't getting any more money out of triple tri track frames. The dilution of their market value doesn't matter much to GT now since they don't even offer them anymore.