Branding, it hurts, it’s hot and it smells too..!
Source: Rich Travis
I see us all pushing our wears in this incestuous industry of bikes… That’s right, living, loving and even hating on each other like a bunch of kids on the playground. Nothing really changes with age, be it a scrape here or bruise there, elbow or ego for that matter… That’s right, I’m guilty, and so are you Pinkbike faithful, keyboardist to the herd and angry youth of course, can’t forget them. Like it or not, you're getting branded like a small young calf as we speak. It's obvious as you display your vast knowledge of the brands you choose to love and hate. Is that your shoes that smell like a barn?
This letter arrived at work the other day and I thought it was good for everyone in the industry to take a step back and remember the branding that got you all here in the first place. This young person writes and I add don’t jab at his penmanship and/or mis-spelling, he’s only 12 for the love of Pete. More inside,![photo]()
Dear Hayes Disc Brakes,
My name is Alex _____ and I am 12. Mainly, in the winter I ride snowcat and snowboard.
In the Summer and times with no snow, I like to ride bike. I have a Schwinn girls mountain
bike, but I want to get a new one soon.
In the trees behind my house I have a bike track that I work on. The next bike I get I want
it to have “_______”. It would be cool if you would send me some stickers if you have
Any, so I could put some on my bike. Here’s is my address:
Alex ______
PO Box____
Larimore, ND.
On back is a map of my trails, Thanks!
![photo]()
We all get these types of letters from kids each and everyday, but do we stop and remember what it really means to us and them… Somehow we caught this kid’s attention with one our brands, no doubt. I remember the brands that first got my attention, they were cool, anything to do with Tomac, then Palmer got my attention back then! What does that say about me, who cares… What I like about the letter is our BMX sales guy showed it to me to remind me that stickers, t-shirts, balloons and banners are essential to branding.
I see a lot of effort in the pits at the races/events to get elite racers back on the race course and that’s essential. I also see a lot team trucks and companies telling kids that they’re servicing only race bikes for the weekend. Big mistake, that was your chance to brand that kid and lock him into your corral for years to come. You just sent that kid out for some more brand feeding and he’s going to find another brand willing to feed him. I’m not saying that kids won’t get away from you time and time again, but they’ll remember you and your paths will cross again, I guarantee it. How do you think that Shimano stayed on top from early on to present? They were at the BMX tracks in the late 70’s supporting, promoting and developing products with up and coming companies, teams and racers some of which became frame/decision makers in the MTB world. Who knew...? You couldn’t have predicted this, but their intentions mattered most and worked wonders because they had dust on their teeth from a weekend of racing and the trust of these early MTB pioneers. There was loyalty and relationships built back then that are still in play today in the Taiwan factories making your bike.
Take a break from my-tweet-face.com and take the time to send stickers, help the kids at the events, look them in the eyes and brand someone, that’s why we’re here, to add to our collective herd.
What do your shoes smell like...?
Rich T.
I see us all pushing our wears in this incestuous industry of bikes… That’s right, living, loving and even hating on each other like a bunch of kids on the playground. Nothing really changes with age, be it a scrape here or bruise there, elbow or ego for that matter… That’s right, I’m guilty, and so are you Pinkbike faithful, keyboardist to the herd and angry youth of course, can’t forget them. Like it or not, you're getting branded like a small young calf as we speak. It's obvious as you display your vast knowledge of the brands you choose to love and hate. Is that your shoes that smell like a barn?
This letter arrived at work the other day and I thought it was good for everyone in the industry to take a step back and remember the branding that got you all here in the first place. This young person writes and I add don’t jab at his penmanship and/or mis-spelling, he’s only 12 for the love of Pete. More inside,
Dear Hayes Disc Brakes,
My name is Alex _____ and I am 12. Mainly, in the winter I ride snowcat and snowboard.
In the Summer and times with no snow, I like to ride bike. I have a Schwinn girls mountain
bike, but I want to get a new one soon.
In the trees behind my house I have a bike track that I work on. The next bike I get I want
it to have “_______”. It would be cool if you would send me some stickers if you have
Any, so I could put some on my bike. Here’s is my address:
Alex ______
PO Box____
Larimore, ND.
On back is a map of my trails, Thanks!
We all get these types of letters from kids each and everyday, but do we stop and remember what it really means to us and them… Somehow we caught this kid’s attention with one our brands, no doubt. I remember the brands that first got my attention, they were cool, anything to do with Tomac, then Palmer got my attention back then! What does that say about me, who cares… What I like about the letter is our BMX sales guy showed it to me to remind me that stickers, t-shirts, balloons and banners are essential to branding.
I see a lot of effort in the pits at the races/events to get elite racers back on the race course and that’s essential. I also see a lot team trucks and companies telling kids that they’re servicing only race bikes for the weekend. Big mistake, that was your chance to brand that kid and lock him into your corral for years to come. You just sent that kid out for some more brand feeding and he’s going to find another brand willing to feed him. I’m not saying that kids won’t get away from you time and time again, but they’ll remember you and your paths will cross again, I guarantee it. How do you think that Shimano stayed on top from early on to present? They were at the BMX tracks in the late 70’s supporting, promoting and developing products with up and coming companies, teams and racers some of which became frame/decision makers in the MTB world. Who knew...? You couldn’t have predicted this, but their intentions mattered most and worked wonders because they had dust on their teeth from a weekend of racing and the trust of these early MTB pioneers. There was loyalty and relationships built back then that are still in play today in the Taiwan factories making your bike.
Take a break from my-tweet-face.com and take the time to send stickers, help the kids at the events, look them in the eyes and brand someone, that’s why we’re here, to add to our collective herd.
What do your shoes smell like...?
Rich T.
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Props.
This industry has very poor advertising and the marketing is far from okey, compared to other sports. In the pits, they should have an employee utterly dedicated to their customers, talking and helping them out, giving out free service etc.
It costs 5 times more go find a new customer than to keep an old one.
Very heartwarming article guys
I do think times have changed compared to when lots of us were kids. The 90's was a pretty crazy time for bmx and mtb. Lots of wild designs etc. One thing that would be nice to see companies giving out at stands... and that is magazines etc. Free vids on dvd's etc. Stuff that actually gives back to the riders, outside of just giving their logos on a sticker away. I find it even lamer when companies charge for certain schwag also. Anyone else feel the same?
Not only do i hope they sent him a pack of stickers. but i hope they figure out what bike he has and send him a set of brakes. NOW THAT would be cool.
Why do you assume this person is a boy? Their name is Alex and they clearly state they ride a girls mountain bike.
The whole article admits that the bike industry is trying to grab kids young and hook them into spending money on their products.
The industry is focussed on making kids buy poor quality bikes that a monsterously over priced. I worked in Halfords for a year so I saw this first hand. it's very difficult to convince a kid to buy a light, strong, well specced hardtail when there is a 50 pound bike that looks extreme with huge forks and stuff. There is no education, no useful knowledge, it's all "SUPER MEGA HYPER 24 GEARS HUGE SUSPENSION HI-TENSILE STEEL FRAME"
Rather than, "well lets see, you're 10 years old and only ride on cycle paths, how about a nice alloy framed rigid bike with quality gears that actually work and brakes that arent made of plastic"
No education, or useful knowledge you say? Experience is the greatest teacher of all. Your telling me a ten year old kid should step in to a bike shop, and know everything about cycling and the retail industry, give me a break. The same kid cannot be amazed at the sight of a full suspension rig, that the same kid cannot take advantage of his parents hard earned wealth, that they wish to lavish their child in. So that, "said child", cannot be easily excited about cycling and have an active imagination. Oh to imagine oneself riding with style and speed, what a ridiculous thought for a child to have. I hope you never have kids man. That child is still alive in me, and, probably many others on this website.
We should all be as lucky as you to know everything. Just in case you don't, that was sarcasm. If you worked at a shop I owned, you would fall prey to the beast called, employee turnover. Thanks for coming out.
Where I say "no education or useful knowledge" I mean that IN MY EXPERIENCE (having worked in 5 bike shops in England and abroad) it is rare to find a shop where staff are honest with customers. It does happen occasionally and I know of shops which genuinely try and get kids on the most suitable bike. But in the main, staff don't help the customer find a nice light bike that is well specced and good value, instead they point them in the direction of the bikes with the biggest mark up; the full suspension, steel framed monstrosities with plastic cranks and brakes. These invariably break and cost a fortune to fix. Labour charges are also pretty steep in my experience.
Thankfully, this is a trend that is gradually changing as more manufacturers create bikes that can actually be ridden. However, the bike industry does seem totally full of trends and hype as opposed to trying to give people products that are fit for purpose and actually last.
Your second paragraph is a little cofusing. What point are you trying to make? It sounds like you're saying that kids need gimicks and full suspension in order to get them excited about cycling. I think that is utter rubbish, if a kid gets a heavy, cheap bike, it will fall apart and they will give up struggling to ride something that heavy and awful. Give them a less exciting looking bike that is light and strong and they will be amazed how far they can go with it.
My point: The mountain bike industry is exploitative and manipulative of customers especially children. It is gradually improving thanks to a minority of honest shops but it is not helped by idiotic articles such as this one sayin that kids need to be branded young to love Hayes and hate Hope and Magura etc. It just sounds like a very negative approach to customer relations.
Hhaha if it makes you feel better MR. BA, business analyst. I'll say your right, have fun living in your own little reality. Must be lonely.
I realise that all bikes break and labour charges are unaviodable. I am simply stating that some of the bikes I have had to work with cost >£99 and have full suspension and disc brakes. These bikes are awful compared to a >£99 rigid bike with vee brakes. It takes staff to steer the customer toward the bike which will be best or they will simply buy the bike which looks best. In my opinion this is the industries problem for making awful bikes and marketing them instead of making simple, reliable, quality bikes.
In terms of a bike not being able to be ridden, I should have clarified for you as you are obviously looking to be pedantic instead of actually having anything useful to add to the debate. The kind of bikes that many budget shops (where 12 year olds are likely to have bikes from) sell bikes that cannot be ridden HARD/FAST/OFF-ROAD or ON JUMPS without breaking. Many of the 'mountain bikes' had disclaimers which said (I quote) "This bike may not be used for jumpin or stunting".
I am glad that you admit that you were incorrect for calling me uneducated.
Your comment pegged the "MTB industry" as "money grabbing and superficial". Then you characterized it by calling it "a vicious, heartless corporate beast". Just because companies in our industry manufacture parts for racing applications, and sell them to the general public for profit, doesn't make them evil as you portray them.
Its called a market economy, with a supply and a demand. In this economy there are different industries, and within these industries there are separate niches. Our industry and its niches, create products for fun, fun costs money. At least our industry doesn't sell abuse, pain, and even death. Say what you want to make your pessimistic views and opinions seem plausible. Your wrong.
Just because you have a BA doesn't mean a thing, you want me to name drop what I took in University. Nope, cause it also doesn't matter.
Have a nice day sport!
Still, text that follows has something which purpose starts to be something unclear to me. I sort of get the message of: we Hayes Brake Group we stuff kids with promo crap, sometimes we help kids to sort out their bikes so they buy our stuff later, and we are proud to say that we do it. We have nothing to hide. Furthermore we must say that many of our competition could take more of our customers if they were as wise as us.
The message I don't get too clearly (which I believe was the point of that article) is: we can be better human beings by beeing more true to ourselves. I sign under that. I try to be as true to myself as possible while writing these long rants, that somehow help me break the monotony of my job; sadly, channel my biking passion into keyboard rather than handlebar way too often. I might not be the wisest of all but I just don't get this article, apart from getting a vague touch of higher values and your clearly high IQ.
The problem is, you can't change kids of all ages from 10 - 60. I thought Dirt TV's video from Maribor about weights and measures would finaly kill the demon of speculation in most of FaceMonkeys, but it just triggered more. Stupidity of speculation is what you guys thrive on so what was the exactly point of that article?
It's like George W Bush would say: Let's make it clear we didn't go to Iraq to save the world from terrorism so you Euros are not acting wisely by not admitting it, because if you would, you could get more oil, bananas, banjos or whatever.
Oh, hello sir! Hereby I want to show you my courage by admitting that this poo you found at your door last night was mine. I'm putting myself forward as there are many kids around here who are simply cowards, denying by silence that it was them who planted a series of steamers, here at your property, during the course of last few weeks.
ps. whats the poo thing about?
Poo: I just like to go sideways a bit to explain my point, or if it doesn't work, just for the fun of it...
I think its kind of sad that we brand whore ourselves so much but if you love Marzocchi then you love Marzocchi. I like all three. I know this was directed mostly at company's HR and PR departments but I agree, it just doesn't feel right.
But awesome for the kid and his trails! Nothing feels better than riding with the neighborhood biker gang on the track you made after school.
I think Pinkbike should send him a HardRock or something.
If you are at a bar and Jack Daniels [insert favorite beverage here] comes and gives you a free bottle of booze....is it just some schemeing propaganda and you immediately dump it in the sewer. OR, do you drink it and say "Jack Daniels....that was really cool of them to give this to me."????
These are facts that any company with a consumable product should learn and use. It doesnt mean that it's propaganda....i mean it's stickers and service...not cigarettes and guns and lead paint here. It's not at all about manipulating children or anything like that. It's more of a hey....if you show up at a race and only help race people, you're turning your back on the people that put food on your table. and in turn, if you take care of people at a young age...they remember it.
Again, my opinion....but I would bet if I looked at all of the posts of the negative nancys on here....these are probably the same people that hate all over hayes and manitou every chance they get. and now this just gives them one more thing to skew and turn negative. You people have to realize it's more of a "i'll scratch your back, you scratch mine", than these kids are walking $ signs or something. Jesus C!
let me ask you....is Sram's push for the World Bicycle Relief just a push to get there product name in countries where they can't actually afford bikes yet.....so that when they can, they will only buy SRAM... ever think about that people? You see, you can turn anything to make it seem bad. Say this out loud "I am, wee tod did"
and to the poeple saying that its like brainwashing kids; its business. even bike companies have to advertise to young people to stay alive
You want this to happen in business, it helps support the bottom line, which brings in more money for growth. Growth is very important, without it, the value of the products in our industry will suffer. A bike manufacturer says "You purchase our products because we offer you value for a certain price". Value means they have put engineering/ designing time and materials into the product for sale, they tested it, they tested it some more. Then they sell it to distributors, then on to the consumers. What do the consumers do? They pay the bills, they ride, they gain enjoyment, along with health and lifestyle benefits (maybe sometimes setbacks, crashing sucks). A loyal customer is a happy customer, and a happy customer will come back and pay for something of value to them.
When you get good service from a bike shop, think, they really value my time and money, they want to me to go out and have fun. Then tell people about it, tell people about the positive and negative aspects of the products you purchased. Stand up and support the manufacturers you want to. It creates competition, competition breeds innovation, and innovation benefits us the riders. We constantly get sweet new stuff to spend our hard earned money on.
My shoes... I wouldn't smell them if I were you...
Unless it was ment as a joke? In which case its not v well written!
x
great Post!!!
my greatest respect for Mr. Rich T.
and regarding the branding... he does have a point!
isn't it that way for all of us?
one company or one company representative treats us well or helps us ou and we begin to support them?
thats what they call branding.. but you can also call it great customer service and/or product ^^
support!!!!
www.ridesuperco.com
www.canfieldbrothers.com
www.hopetech.com
www.avalanchedownhillracing.com
www.burgtec.co.uk
www.syntace.com
www.mavic.com
haha
Just saying.
Also, forget sending her stickers, Hayes should be sending brakes.
exactly.
my response to everything you wrote is exactly!
That shit's not cheap and if you can afford that, you can afford to buy yourself some new "Hayes Disc Brakes". Something reeks of manipulation here.
Oh btw, I could use some free stuff too, here's my address...