How accurate are catalogs?

[pedestrian]

Or rather, how common was it to sell bikes not conforming to catalog spec? I recently bought a 1994 Scott Boulder, which has a Tioga AHeadset and a threadless stem, just like in the catalog. However, in almost every picture I can find of these bikes online, they have quill stems. How does such a thing happen?

 

[novocaine]

Or rather, how common was it to sell bikes not conforming to catalog spec? I recently bought a 1994 Scott Boulder, which has a Tioga AHeadset and a threadless stem, just like in the catalog. However, in almost every picture I can find of these bikes online, they have quill stems. How does such a thing happen?

bike shops happen.
But also cost of parts happen, a catalog may have been designed the year before when the new bike designs had been chosen, then it all falls apart when production runs start and they can't get the bits they wanted anymore.
for the most part a catalogs are right, but sometimes something else sneaks in.

94 is very early for a Ahead, They'd only been around a year or so and only on very top end stuff.

 

[pedestrian]

94 is very early for a Ahead, They'd only been around a year or so and only on very top end stuff.

Yeah, that bike was tricked out. Unfortunately, everything on it is pretty much shot. I bought it because I wanted the AT-2 bars, but even those are bent. I'll be able to salvage an XT shark fin, but that's about it.

 

[murphy79]

My first Kona (a '94 rigid 'Race Light' Kilauea) we bought back in late '94 from (I think) JE James. Years later I realised it had the 'Mountain Shock' decals and therefore should have had suspension forks. No big deal, someone just accidentally put the wrong stickers on it. Except to make the forks work someone also had to fit an aftermarket cable hanger, and the forks were the wrong colour, black instead of grey. It was only years later (after finding this site) that I found out that the forks were from the previous year, and actually a little short for the suspension corrected geometry (still rode great though).
My guess, the shop needed a set of Marzocchi forks for something and grabbed them off the nearest bike, replacing them with a set of P2s they had lying around and then sold the bike as fully rigid. I'd say that sort of thing happened all the time back then. Probably the reason I got such a great deal at the time! Still got the frame and the wrong forks.

 

[BerthaPog]

‘93 vs ‘94 Explosifs - according to the catalogue, only the ‘93 mentioned the splined/fluted down tube, and the ‘94s are a a mix of splined and non-splined. I suspect the splined ‘94s maybe overbuilt ‘93s x will see if I can find any evidence of the ‘93 fade paint job on my ‘94 green one, with splined down tube.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I feel that it was very common for companies to modify spec's throughout the season - that can include components, but might include finish/paint and potentially tubes/frame designs. I'd view the catalogue as the product managers ideal concept for the bike based on his/her perception on avaiability of parts, expected demand,. etc.

 

[bikeworkshop]

As a rule, the brand or their local agent are guaranteeing the spec shown in the catalogue
- or superior components if it differs.

I've sent a few bikes back over the years where we considered the parts fitted inferior -( probably after trying for a discount on trade)

Covid was madness.
At times, the contents of every bike box would be a surprise.
Sometimes they couldn't even get the right colour paint!

Loads of factories dropped their prearranged low-margin cycle business to engage in boomtime medical equipment

In 2050, the "catalogue spec 2021 bike"
will be of historical comedy value only.

 

[BerthaPog]

In 2050, the "catalogue spec 2021 bike"
will be of historical comedy value only.

Do they even still have catalogues? Thought is was just a web-page that may or may not get changed if needed ‘cos they’ve run out of 200GS and want to fit 80GS.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Do they even still have catalogues? Thought is was just a web-page that may or may not get changed if needed ‘cos they’ve run out of 200GS and want to fit 80GS.

Those brands foolish or atavistic enough to have still been foisting tree-hungry catalogues on their dealers in 2021 will have learned their lesson

 

[benjabbi]

‘93 vs ‘94 Explosifs - according to the catalogue, only the ‘93 mentioned the splined/fluted down tube, and the ‘94s are a a mix of splined and non-splined. I suspect the splined ‘94s maybe overbuilt ‘93s x will see if I can find any evidence of the ‘93 fade paint job on my ‘94 green one, with splined down tube.

I had a non splined 94 Explosif, ended up being the exact same frame as my 94 Kilauea. Which according to the catalogue it shouldn't have been. I can only assume that as Tange stopped production of the Ultrastrong downtubes and Kona had Explosif orders left to fill they did the next best thing and painted up Kilauea frames as Explosifs. I think I'd have been a bit miffed if I'd paid full whack at the time.