Expensive carmarkers enter bike market

[CommuRider]

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/fitness/mini-cooper-enters-the-cycling-market-20101011-16fge.html

Pinarello v. Ferrari?

Or carmakers realising a CO2 price is on its way and they need to start looking at other markets?

Edit: basically the article is a UK Guardian article reprinted in the Fairfax stable and just a review of T250 Aintree.

[drubie]

They've done it semi regularly since the 1980s. BMW in particular get excited every now and again and produce some over priced, under specced dud with a BMW M-power sticker on it and watch the drooling idiots struggling to make the payments on a 318i buy one to hang on the shed and gather dust.

You can buy a Ferrari MTB at cell right now.

It's one of the truisms of cycling though - if a car maker puts out a line of bicycles, they will suck. Yes, that includes Peugeot

[il padrone]

But Bugatti made good bikes



Modern re-creation

[CommuRider]

It's one of the truisms of cycling though - if a car maker puts out a line of bicycles, they will suck. Yes, that includes Peugeot

For the life of me, I can't understand Pug fans and "handling around corners" *shakes head*

Anyway, according to this book, all carmakers owe their provenance to bicycles. No chicken or egg problem at all.

http://www.economist.com/node/16690861?story_id=16690861&CFID=145352827&CFTOKEN=44079849

"Cycling’s innovations, including spokes, pneumatic tyres, ball bearings, steel tubing and differential gears, were soon borrowed by the motor industry. Many automobile pioneers were former bike mechanics, Henry Ford and William Hillman among them, and bicycle companies that converted to car manufacturing include Bianchi, Peugeot, Opel, Morris, Rover and Humber. The bicycle, Mr Penn writes, was also the forerunner of long- distance travel. In 1892 two brothers opened a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio and soon turned their minds to how a flying machine might work. In 1903 the “Wright Flyer”, with bicycle-derived sprockets and chains driving its propellers, became the world’s first powered aircraft."

All hail the cyclemakers and their users!

[CommuRider]

ilpadrone - that modern re-creation is missing a bell.

[Uncle Grumpy]

http://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/it ... toreID=105

Thank you, that is all.

Grumps

[jimsheedy]

http://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/item/1300451/Limited_Edition_Holden_Hsv_Bicycle/&storeID=105

Thank you, that is all.

Grumps

Can you move that over to the bogan thread?

[CommuRider]

http://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/item/1300451/Limited_Edition_Holden_Hsv_Bicycle/&storeID=105

Thank you, that is all.

Grumps

"Limited Edition came out with the first 100, 1996 Mallo utes."

The ute is definitely sexier than the bike. And they're dreaming at that price. BMW bike at $1625

http://www.bmw.com.au/com/en/bmwrange/_shared/pdf/lifestyle_Bike_Collection.pdf

Ooh, accessories

[JV911]

Pinarello v. Ferrari?

nope - colnago

[Uncle Just]

Anyone remember the Porsche MTB of some years back? Only ever saw one and that was on a bike path. Over priced and the suspension spec wasn't anything special.

[elantra]

The bikes being pedaled by Mini Cooper Motors are a much more serious effort than most other motoring forays into the bike market.
They are already in the showrooms here (brisbane) and they are very nice bikes, in the retro groove.
They use Reynolds 520 or 531 frames.
Obviously this is more a marketing exercise than a serious push into the bike market, but I for one would not say no to one of these little beauties in my garage.
http://www.cooperbikes.com/T200-singlespeedracingbike.html

[leighthebee]

yep. the Reims is on my shopping list, although when I posted in the other section was told its pretty highly priced for the specs.

so I'm now thinking of making my own Brabham BT19 special......Looking for an old Repco frame, but most I see are too small...

[jimsheedy]

The bikes being pedaled by Mini Cooper Motors are a much more serious effort than most other motoring forays into the bike market.
They are already in the showrooms here (brisbane) and they are very nice bikes, in the retro groove.
They use Reynolds 520 or 531 frames.
Obviously this is more a marketing exercise than a serious push into the bike market, but I for one would not say no to one of these little beauties in my garage.
http://www.cooperbikes.com/T200-singlespeedracingbike.html

A Wallpaper design award? What for? I should've entered.

[JV911]

Anyone remember the Porsche MTB of some years back?

i had the porsche-branded roadie - funny sloping top-tube, purple frame with yellow seat, tyres and bar tape

before you ask, no, i didnt pay for it

[gorilla monsoon]

I saw a very nice Peugeot penny-farthing at the Paris Motor Show a couple of weeks ago, even took a couple of pics.

Hyundai started-off making bicycles and still does. It used to be that Korean Hyundai dealers had a higher profit margin in their bikes than they did with their cars.

[munga]

actually decent

[CommuRider]

A Maserati at 1% of the price of a four-wheel version?

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1032534_maserati-lends-name-to-carbon-fiber-infused-pushbike

Hmmm...needs to be be reviewed.

[elStado]

i had the porsche-branded roadie - funny sloping top-tube, purple frame with yellow seat, tyres and bar tape

before you ask, no, i didnt pay for it

You stole it?

I don't know about expensive car markers being a good thing, since they are really after the high flyers with more money than sense.

However, I do welcome the shift that car manufacturers could make from vehicles to/back to bikes. A bicycle version of the Toyota Camry would be good; good value, well built, no frills, inexpensive to own and maintain and also efficient. Normalising cycling is the best thing for everyone.

[JV911]

A bicycle version of the Toyota Camry would be good; good value, well built, no frills, boring

yes they're called "Giant"

[elStado]

A bicycle version of the Toyota Camry would be good; good value, well built, no frills, boring

yes they're called "Giant"

Hhaha true, good point. I used to have a '08 Giant Rincon with semi-slicks on it, great bike actually, until it was stolen.

But having Toyota throw it's manufacturing capabilities and advertising budget behind a range of bicycles and ebikes would be a sight for sore eyes.

[weemac]

I'm glad that Fiat don't make a bike.... It would have some great performance components on it but the frame would disappear in a cloud of iron oxide overnight.... Oh!, and it would leak oil from places where it is not possible to leak regardless of how many times you fix it...

emac.

[JV911]

I'm glad that Fiat don't make a bike.... It would have some great performance components on it but the frame would disappear in a cloud of iron oxide overnight.... Oh!, and it would leak oil from places where it is not possible to leak regardless of how many times you fix it...

[Solirossi]

A mate of mine who races bikes for Ducati was given a Bianchi/Ducati with Super Record!

[CommuRider]

Just came across the fashion designers pimping up bikes. Not inspiring enough and definitely underwhelming:

the Gucci bike

http://www.likecool.com/Gucci_Bike--News--Gear.html

the Chanel bike

http://www.purseblog.com/chanel-bags/th ... cycle.html

and the Hermes bike

http://www.purseblog.com/hermes/the-hermes-bicycle.html

[BigVin]