Yeah, I hate those Riv guys, they just make copies of vintage Raleigh Internationals and old French bikes.
--end sarcasm-- Most bike "problems" have been solved by our inventive ancestors. Grant, Jan, Sheldon and others have reminded us that almost every new product was first in "The Data Book" <http://www.cyclepublishing.com/cyclingbooks/db.html> years ago. Surly and Riv both do a good job of creating practical solutions for bicycles. Grant does it with an emphasis on aesthetic, where Surly's designs are more no-nonsense (and more approachably priced). I applaud both for sticking to their guns and doing what they want, and for the influence they've had on the industry in spite of what the "big guys" are doing. At the same time, I don't feel I owe either brand my unending loyalty. I don't feel constrained to buy a Riv if I want a fancy country bike; now I could buy from several makers of stylish bicycles (thankfully, I found a used Riv). Similarly, I don't feel constrained to buy a Surly if I want a fat bike; I just bought a Specialized Fatboy yesterday after much anguished comparison to Surly's offerings (I work in a shop that carries Spec and Surly). On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 9:49 AM, iamkeith <[email protected]> wrote: > I LOVE Surly. I was the one who put that "Racing Sucks" thread up on the > list here, and I know I've said that the LHT is a "copy" of the All > Rounder - but I never meant to imply that they were followers and not > leaders in their own right. I just find the similarities and parallels > between the companies as interesting as the differences. Looking at the > bike industry as an outsider, I'm guessing that there will always some > subliminal cross-pollenation of ideas even between the true innovators, but > I also think it's possible for different people/companies to come to > similar conclusions in different ways. I personally found and fell in > love with Rivendell because they shared convictions that I already had, > about the folly of letting racing drive fashion, and of advancing > "technology" strictly for marketing sake. (And I'd never quit wearing > wool, either.) I'm not convinced Surly isn't just coming from the same > place. The irony, as we all know of course, is that BOTH companies > actually end up influencing design trends more than all others combined > - just in a positive way. (Maybe Jeff Jones would be the only other in the > same category?) But here's the thing: Speaking as a mountain biker > foremost, I'll even say that Surly, with their fat tire advancements and > smart bikes that are accessible to more people, has done *more* to > improve the sport than anyone in 30 years - including Rivendell. > > > On Monday, October 13, 2014 9:55:41 PM UTC-6, Bruce Smitham wrote: > >> OK, I'll admit that I own a Surly Pacer and have owned a LHT to get me >> down the coast of California in the summer when my a Soma San Marcos build >> didn't work out. I am disappointed in Surly these days. The Racing Sucks is >> so close to "Un-Racer" and now they are making wool stripped shirts that >> totally resemble the ones Riv is making. I just read it in their blog here: >> http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/the_goods_that_are_soft >> >> Bruce "just a little disappointed in Surly" Smitham in San Diego >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
