tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post3947893254398485305..comments2023-09-08T06:31:18.925-05:00Comments on Belgium Knee Warmers™: Pacific Buys CannondaleRadio Freddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07419506761098758178noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-25085511415897244292008-08-02T20:39:00.000-05:002008-08-02T20:39:00.000-05:00Hopefully Pacific will give Cannondale the GT trea...Hopefully Pacific will give Cannondale the GT treatment when it comes to product segmentation and segregation from the mass-retailers. Seeing GT's 2009 line-up has convinced me that Pacific wants a big slice of the premium bike market, in addition to the mass-retail market (and by the way, GT carries bikes that are well over $2000, so I would not say that GT has been watered down to be more budget shopper friendly). If Pacific is willing to funnel more funds to the ailing brand to bring forth more appealing models and designs (i.e. - See GT 2009 line-up), Pacific may do well to uphold Cannondale's image, contrary to what some bikers out there believe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-66374487611552833522008-07-20T16:53:00.000-05:002008-07-20T16:53:00.000-05:00I have to admit my experience with a few of the lo...I have to admit my experience with a few of the local LBS have not been great. I am 42 years old and a novice as far as bikes go, but I am interested in commuting. It became apparent that as soon as I said I wanted to spend around $400, that the local LBS was not particulary interested in answering my questions. Note that this is still significantly more than the Walmart special. Seems to me there is "tweener" market that is not being represented by either the mass marketer, or the typical LBS. I am one those, and the club is growing in number. Schwinn seems to fit the bill with their lineup right now. And who knows maybe someday a Cannondale will be in my sites. But try and find an LBS that carries Schwinn. Off to Walmart I go I guess. It is a sad day. :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-68754229885720554582008-06-04T12:34:00.000-05:002008-06-04T12:34:00.000-05:00Noooooooo! Lopes is riding Ibis and I just got min...Noooooooo! Lopes is riding Ibis and I just got mine. Literally, today about an hour ago it came in!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-28499958434506076912008-02-16T07:49:00.000-06:002008-02-16T07:49:00.000-06:005 years ago when Pacific bought GT I came up with ...5 years ago when Pacific bought GT I came up with the Brian Lopes Theory, every team he has raced for has been bought by Pacific. First it was Mongoose, then GT and now Cannondale.mtgoatboyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17837080874630956418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-44987358235303467582008-02-08T15:26:00.000-06:002008-02-08T15:26:00.000-06:00I stopped in performance the other day to pick up ...I stopped in performance the other day to pick up a rain jacket ($12), some Sidi Genius 5s ($204), some tubes, bars, socks, etc...all damn cheap. But I noticed that in addition to Shcwinn, GT, Iron Horse, Mongoose, they were also selling Fuji - including the Fuji Team Pro road bike and the Fuji Cross Pro cyclocross bike, which are relatively high-end bikes. Maybe this is only because I'm in the SF Bay Area and there is a relatively large market here for these types of bikes?Dustinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15226125898308779011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-636755915242130142008-02-08T12:10:00.000-06:002008-02-08T12:10:00.000-06:00good post man, i had no idea to all the stuff goin...good post man, i had no idea to all the stuff going on underneath.Wallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11868940453683277724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-89028560755172570132008-02-07T22:23:00.000-06:002008-02-07T22:23:00.000-06:00Wow...what to say. I've worked for IBD's (still d...Wow...what to say. I've worked for IBD's (still do) and, thanks to an early acquisition by Performance spent several years working for and even running one of their stores. My perspective on Pacific is that they are a publicly traded company looking to maximize prophets for their investors. As pure at heart as their intension's may be if they don't increase their investors profits they will be forced to make changes to what they are doing. If that means 'dale is placed into Performance stores so be it. Performance can NOT sell higher end bikes. They have tried and failed, failed miserably. Their staffs are untrained kids that happen to be working in a bike shop. They could just as easily be selling clothing at The Gap as selling a bike. Performance isn't interested in training their employees to sell high end bikes because it takes to long and too much effort to do the training AND in turn sell those bikes. The customers need to be fit, they take long test rides and ride too many bikes. That would mean either hiring more staff OR selling fewer units...not going to happen.<BR/>Say what you will about companies like Trek, Specialized, Giant and even Cannondale. They have ALL had their problems when it comes to quality (in fact I think Cannondale has recalled more bikes more often then any of the other three put together) the reality is that in the grand scheme of things they each offer solid bikes for the money. Look at other industries and tell me one that offers the width of selection AND bang for the buck performance that you get from any of the companies. Are they a custom built, one off jewel that fits like a glove and anticipates your every desire and whim on the road....not always. Are they rock solid light weight progressive (yes I said it) great performing machines for the masses....most of the time, yes. Cannondale's future looks a bit bleak...which is a sad thing but lets not point fingers when Cannondale was the one that got themselves in this situation when they thought it was a good idea to build motorcycles. And lets not forget that if it wasn't for Trek, Specialized, Giant and whoever else. We probably wouldn't be able to buy those real jewels, nor could we appreciate them for what they are...true works of art. Besides is that limited addition print you bought any less a work of art than the original?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-2611331757406020862008-02-07T20:07:00.000-06:002008-02-07T20:07:00.000-06:00It’s place in the pantheon of great brands is assu...<I>It’s place in the pantheon of great brands is assured.</I><BR/><BR/>Great brands like Ross, Schwinn, Diamondback, that wrecked their good reputation when they got mass-mass marketed.<BR/><BR/>You really think they will be able to survive being linked with Performance, nevermind whether Pacific will get the urge to big-box-ify them? <BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong. If you need to buy name brand stuff from Performance, you can do alright. On their house brand stuff - clothes, tools, etc. - it is good from the standpoint of making decent performance accessible at sub-Assos prices. That's a huge service to cycling - Performance provides the gateway drug gear into higher performance riding. But I've found a lot of their house brand gear is sketchy quality. While some of their stuff is great (kevlar socks, higher end house brand gloves, discounts on name brand nutritionals and components), only their superb no-questions-asked returns policy makes up for things like shoes that blow out, chamois stitching that can't survive a long day in the mountains, and tires that blow apart faster than an Amy Winehouse marriage. <BR/><BR/>I'm skeptical. If I see Magnas with shodilly scraped-together Lefty forks, I'll know the gig is up.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461836999036966262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-66434153299398761842008-02-07T18:22:00.000-06:002008-02-07T18:22:00.000-06:00What, is BKW now a part of Bicycle Retailer? This...What, is BKW now a part of Bicycle Retailer? This post is not PRO...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-13287796703721270772008-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:002008-02-07T12:52:00.000-06:00While its easy to lament the sale of Cannondale to...While its easy to lament the sale of Cannondale to Pacific because of their corporate-ness, how is that much worse than a private equity company with no cycling relationships. Pacific, while being the big business side of the industry, gets more people riding bikes in this country than anyone else by simply selling the kind of cheap machines BKW (and I) wouldn't touch. People that start riding a Dyno Sledgehammer today are more likely to someday buy a Soulcraft or Moots than someone who just stuck with the car. And they're more likely to respect BKW readers when they're behind the wheel. <BR/>In addition Jeff Frehner is a true bicycle enthusiast, someone who lives and breathes cycling. I wouldn't be surprised if he enjoyed BKW. So as long as the corporate overlords give him room to carry out the whole "crown jewel" plan, there's plenty of hope yet for Cannondale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-69377634070072665362008-02-07T09:55:00.000-06:002008-02-07T09:55:00.000-06:00I was a GT dealer back in the 90s when Pacific bou...I was a GT dealer back in the 90s when Pacific bought GT and I recall the agenda was the same. Keep GT separate from the Pacific brand. That meant: out of mass retail, staffed by the same dedicated souls who built GT into what it was. For whatever reason, that plan lasted less than 12 months. It is inevitable, no matter how you sum it up, Cannondale will never be the same again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-7859999048264198232008-02-07T09:54:00.000-06:002008-02-07T09:54:00.000-06:00Do they make steel bikes? Then who cares?Do they make steel bikes? Then who cares?Brett Svatekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15258218395931121058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-1531992563163402162008-02-07T08:41:00.000-06:002008-02-07T08:41:00.000-06:00I still have my Homegrown mountainbike from before...I still have my Homegrown mountainbike from before Schwinn suffered the same fate.Shane A. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678173140542762010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-36817110927967736702008-02-07T08:23:00.000-06:002008-02-07T08:23:00.000-06:00The thing I dont get about what you wrote is that ...The thing I dont get about what you wrote is that Pacific already has a big market share in the big boxes and Proformance. Why would Dorel spend 200 million to dummy down the Dale brand and put it in places they already have a big selection. Thats stupid and bad business. I gotta figure that any company that can get 200 million for Cannondale cant be that dumb. <BR/>What if they really wanted to be a player at both ends of the market. They couldnt do it with Mongoose and Schwinn. So they went out and bought a highend brand. I think it makes sense......Just dont dummy the product down, Then it might workAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-33215936484595490762008-02-07T06:44:00.000-06:002008-02-07T06:44:00.000-06:00Nice analysis. We'll have to wait and see, but I'...Nice analysis. We'll have to wait and see, but I'm not confident in Cannondale's future...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-78519794886475934062008-02-06T23:34:00.000-06:002008-02-06T23:34:00.000-06:00nice post. It's always a shame when quality brand...nice post. It's always a shame when quality brands like Cannondale get acquired by huge conglomerates. Hopefully Cannondale can keep its identity and quality despite the purchase. Unfortunately your post doesn't paint a pretty picture. <BR/><BR/>EMBEddie Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14666251863721770104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-21439796851227464142008-02-06T23:20:00.000-06:002008-02-06T23:20:00.000-06:00I have lost all faith in the stupid production bik...I have lost all faith in the stupid production bikes. I just purchased a custom, american made Ira Ryan. Who really cares about Trek, Cannondale, Specialized or any other production bike?? If they don't care about quality and only think about money, they might as well be sold at the local grocery stores.,<BR/>AriArihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13083766829086663770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-60798625569528494712008-02-06T22:48:00.000-06:002008-02-06T22:48:00.000-06:00well written P. thanks for translating this. i kne...well written P. thanks for translating this. i knew it meant something but couldn't sound it out in my little brain...<BR/><BR/><BR/>noel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-61509357352836933632008-02-06T19:48:00.000-06:002008-02-06T19:48:00.000-06:00As someone who just yesterday received their new s...As someone who just yesterday received their new system six I am really bummed. I don't care what Trek does, they will always, to me at least, still be the pathetic company of the 90s and their concept stores are just too much to handle. Specialized is OK, but their bikes just seem to lack a certain something and MTB seems to be their real jewel.<BR/><BR/>Dale was the bike you started out with, tried a bunch of others and then came back to. Look, Cunego won the giro on an aluminum dale with Ksyrium wheels. That combo is, in my opinion, the best dollar for value bike that has ever been.<BR/><BR/>Maybe Felt will benefit and if they do, great. But man, to see Dale go the way of mongoose et al is just sad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-6841741923054827122008-02-06T19:46:00.000-06:002008-02-06T19:46:00.000-06:00na na na na hey hey hey goodbye Cannondale.na na na na hey hey hey goodbye Cannondale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com