Trust Performance Announces US Demo Program
Back in October, Trust Performance released their multi-link suspension fork, the Message. Since then, Mike Levy has been putting it to the long-term test. In the meantime, it's been nominated for a slew of awards and accolades for its innovative design. The Message is a multi-link design front suspension "fork". In contrast to what we're used to seeing, a traditional telescopic fork, it lets the front wheel move up and away from an object, rather than just up.
Plain and simple, it's really different than what we're used to and in addition to big claims of how it can improve the ride of a trail bike, it comes with a hefty price tag of $2,700 American dollars. The crew at Trust, along with several leading bike shops have partnered to launch a demo program in the United States to allow riders to experience the fork for themselves before shelling out what many people spend for an entire bike, or a month's rent for a room if you live in much of California.
Trail Head Cyclery in Cupertino, CA, Arizona Cyclist in Tucson, AZ and Worldwide Cyclery West in Newbury Park, CA and Lancaster, PA are now Trust Performance’s first authorized demo partners offering riders the opportunity to demo Trust Performance’s multi-link front suspension design, the Message.
 | We’re big believers in the demo experience. You can read about how the Message rides, but the only way to really understand how it enhances your trail experience is to ride it |
I spent some time talking to Lars Thompson, the owner of Trailhead Cyclery about the Message and why they chose to implement such a niche product into their demo program. Lars has been around the mountain bike industry for years and when it comes to trends and what is or isn't an innovative product, he's someone that I would trust. Thompson says that to him, the only way someone would ever consider purchasing the fork is if they have ridden it and understand what it's about. He said, "It's not what I'm used to, or what anyone is, for that matter. You have to ride the fork to understand what it's doing. It's a complicated piece of suspension."
How does the whole demo program work? Well, at Trailhead, Thompson said that for $100, a rider can have the Message installed and set up correctly on their bike by THC's staff. Then, they have five days to see what the fork is all about as long as it's back before the shop closes. The shop also offers the option of taking the fork out on one of their demo bikes. The bikes are typically reserved at the rate of $90 but, you can ride a high-end bike and the Message for $150, for two days, total.
So, now anyone can try out Trust's Message, given that you have $100 and an afternoon near one of the demo shops. Riders can draw their own conclusions as to whether the Message is worth $2,700 and the hype.
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And on goes the list.
It’s easy to naysay and armchair engineer when you don’t know a thing about what it’s even like to design and think what’s next. In a day and age where 1% improvement and color changes are the story of the day it’s easy to let that dictate what normal is.
Reality is you’re being sold daily on all these sites what the companies with the money and resources to influence tell you is what you should have. What you need. And what is that on average? Hmmm? That saving 70 grams somewhere is worth $100? That the $500 price gaps between top end and the 3rd level down are big enough to justify the cost? $60 bottle cages and $120 headsets?? Matching enduro blue shirts, gloves, shorts? Shoes, and helmets at a few hundred each?
You add up all that you pay way too much for and start with the best fork you can afford that’s then custom tuned by somebody like Dirtlabs or if you can...the Trust fork. Take that $6k budget or so you have for a new bike and start there vs the $3000 carbon version of a frame that weighs basically only a 1lb less at best than a $1700-$1800 aluminum version. Hell, go to a hardtail even. Then see what you can afford for wheels, brakes, drivetrain, and such.
But who makes money off you that way eh? Not Shimano or SRAM the two deepest pockets in the biz. Follow the money.
That's almost 25% of what I payed for my last fork.
1. You can subsidize my time
2. Provide a free demo
3. Re-think your marketing
4. Provide free shuttles or lift passes and food
Sure, stuff gets broken, but that's a different story...
Even if it was created by the lord wizard dw!
lacemine29.blogspot.com/2018/12/trust-message-fork-review.html
Summary: The guy didn't like it. Trust said he and the other testers (all seasoned pros and very technically proficient) didn't know what they are doing.
For Euclid's sake, try again.
I guess I'm not being realistic here though: if someone's in the market for something like this they probably give approx. zero f*cks about the demo cost.
If they didn’t charge for the demo, there would be little incentive for a shop to do it.
Yeah, because CA, AZ and PA are totally on the same coastline...