Vintage Klein/Cannondale/Trek-The Rise and Fall of Empires.

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24pouces":a7psquv2 said:
Why you don't add some other big empire brands as Specialized or Giant…
I always got an interest for Cannondale, since I discover that bike in 1988, something which was very different with big tubes, BMX geometry and that 24" rear wheel. The apex was that summer 1990 when I saw their EST prototype. In my mind, Cannondale wasn't a big empire but a small innovative brand… until the big Volvo Cannondale team.
In the same time, in 1990-91, I discovered Klein in magazine. but I fall in love the day I could touch one :D
Trek ? The first carbon fiber which landed in France (the yellow 8900 with Rock Shox and the orange 8700) were very amazing bikes. Trek was a big entreprise but they worked a lot for new materials like composites but they were able too to work steel or aluminum. Over than the brand name, it was those two bikes which gave me that fascination.
On other end, the main critic about Trek, saying that they eat everybody (Klein, Bontrager, Gary Fisher…) is a bit easy. Why did they sold to Trek ? Financial or economic reasons, keeping more time for creating and giving to Trek all the market work or perhaps a solution for not dying? I really don't know.
In 90ies, I remember that Trek was the main concurrent of Specialized. But I never like Specialized bikes. But I recognize it's only a subjective view.

I would more speak about the rise and fall of Mountain Bike than rise and fall of big empire. For me, a lot of things changed in the mid of 90ies when Big teams with big sponsors came. But I recognize too that it's only a subjective view :D


I didnt consider Specialized or Giant as in my head i was thinking of Bigger companies who manufactured in the U.S.A, both Specialized and Giant were manufactured in the Far East. (i didnt have any contact with Specialized BITD, was the brand having there bicycles built by Giant or was it Merida...?)

Im aware that Keith Bontrager was happy with the Trek purchase, had that not happened things would have not lasted much longer. And his legacy lives on albeit in a slighlty different form.
 
Re: Re:

paddlingpool":etekur4w said:
Triplets ;) :-
8DbgkIXh.jpg

Blimey, they are like buses...lol

I really love mine, basic and simple, and yet still handmade in America.
 
Re: Re:

24pouces":1by3jf14 said:
Why you don't add some other big empire brands as Specialized or Giant…
I always got an interest for Cannondale, since I discover that bike in 1988, something which was very different with big tubes, BMX geometry and that 24" rear wheel. The apex was that summer 1990 when I saw their EST prototype. In my mind, Cannondale wasn't a big empire but a small innovative brand… until the big Volvo Cannondale team.
In the same time, in 1990-91, I discovered Klein in magazine. but I fall in love the day I could touch one :D
Trek ? The first carbon fiber which landed in France (the yellow 8900 with Rock Shox and the orange 8700) were very amazing bikes. Trek was a big entreprise but they worked a lot for new materials like composites but they were able too to work steel or aluminum. Over than the brand name, it was those two bikes which gave me that fascination.
On other end, the main critic about Trek, saying that they eat everybody (Klein, Bontrager, Gary Fisher…) is a bit easy. Why did they sold to Trek ? Financial or economic reasons, keeping more time for creating and giving to Trek all the market work or perhaps a solution for not dying? I really don't know.
In 90ies, I remember that Trek was the main concurrent of Specialized. But I never like Specialized bikes. But I recognize it's only a subjective view.

I would more speak about the rise and fall of Mountain Bike than rise and fall of big empire. For me, a lot of things changed in the mid of 90ies when Big teams with big sponsors came. But I recognize too that it's only a subjective view :D


This Image certainly had the desired effect on me Bitd, and Martyn Aston had skills.
 

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Re: Re:

sinnerman":2w4xpe8h said:
I really love mine, basic and simple, and yet still handmade in America.

Are we sure about that? I believe I read once that the frames were built elsewhere and then finished in the USA ie put the decals on,this was enough to claim hand made in America?? could be a load of rubbish lol :LOL:

I've had at least 5 dales though regardless lol :cool:
 
Re: Re:

stew-b":2p0ngy9b said:
sinnerman":2p0ngy9b said:
I really love mine, basic and simple, and yet still handmade in America.

Are we sure about that? I believe I read once that the frames were built elsewhere and then finished in the USA ie put the decals on,this was enough to claim hand made in America?? could be a load of rubbish lol :LOL:

I've had at least 5 dales though regardless lol :cool:

...LOL..., Its not a clockwork Orange you know... ;)
 
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