How much does the brand name actually matter?

[KeepItSteel]

Just read through the De Kerf thread and saw some (IMO) beautiful bikes, but was interested to read how some people werent too sure why they were quite so revered.

I've often wondered how much influence the name of a manufacturer has over your opinion of the brand, if any?

For example, 'De Kerf' sounds cool and looks cool on printed on the tubes, right?
So surely there is added preconceived kudos when it comes to declaring love for them?
As does a few other popular brands,
'GT' (thanks heavens he didnt stick to his full name)
'Specialized' (perhaps helped the masses take to them?)
'Kona' (depite falling back out of love when they decided to build crap around 10 years ago)
'independant fabrication'

and do we sometimes steer clear of liking a brand based on the fact we dont like the name?
a few that i've turned my nose up to, more because I think they sounds naff..

'Roberts'
'Marin' (never took to them)
'Saracen'
'D.O.G.S B.O.L.O.X' (eugh!)
'Genesis'



Is it just me? or do we sometimes judge before we ride?
BTW, its just a theory, dont shoot me down! im willing to accept some of the brands im not keen on build great bikes!

 

[sylus]

Certianly you have a point

There is a lot of label snobbery within the forums BUT enlarge I think most are just here for retro

Like so many in all walks of life. some people will always pay over the odds for something that does exactly the same as something that is 10 times cheaper

 

[Tazio]

I think it's sometime a case of your first impression of a brand never leaving you. For example my first MTB I bought. I wanted a Cannondale as I thought they looked great with the fat tubes, but I couldn't afford them. So I was then torn between a Kona because it looked seriously cool with the extended seat tube and the design features like their refusal to give up on thumbies that could click back to unindexed if you bashed it on a run. Or a Marin which looked cool with their bright forks.

In the end I went for the Kona as a friend who was a courier in London told me that there had been a few instances of couriers having forks break. Since then I've never really liked Marin though i know them to be decent bikes.

Though they did get a bit cooler when I found out how to pronounce it properly

And I'd still like a Cannondale, but an old one. In red.

 

[tintin40]

Brand names really mean nothing except when it comes to selling on.

 

[Tazio]

Brand names really mean nothing except when it comes to selling on.

I disagree. When you're buying something you know that the £20 bars will do the job as well as the £50 bars. But you want the £50 ones. Why? Surely a 20g saving isn't worth £30? However that nice little bit with the brand name on it can make you justify it to yourself.

Back on the day a pair of X-Lite bars were as good as a pair of Pace, still are. But which part do you you want more?

NB Bars are only being used as a convenient short to type part, not an efficient argument, only a device.

 

[KeepItSteel]

I think it's sometime a case of your first impression of a brand never leaving you. For example my first MTB I bought. I wanted a Cannondale as I thought they looked great with the fat tubes, but I couldn't afford them. So I was then torn between a Kona because it looked seriously cool with the extended seat tube and the design features like their refusal to give up on thumbies that could click back to unindexed if you bashed it on a run. Or a Marin which looked cool with their bright forks.

In the end I went for the Kona as a friend who was a courier in London told me that there had been a few instances of couriers having forks break. Since then I've never really liked Marin though i know them to be decent bikes.

Though they did get a bit cooler when I found out how to pronounce it properly

And I'd still like a Cannondale, but an old one. In red.

I have almost the exact same memories about Kona & Marin from the early 90's

 

[KeepItSteel]

When you're buying something you know that the £20 bars will do the job as well as the £50 bars. But you want the £50 ones. Why? Surely a 20g saving isn't worth £30? However that nice little bit with the brand name on it can make you justify it to yourself.
Back on the day a pair of X-Lite bars were as good as a pair of Pace, still are. But which part do you you want more?

I tend to agree, I could equip myself with a bike full of Halfrauds own brand bit and pieces and probably ride just as fast and far, but I would enjoy the ride just a wee bit more having spashed the cash for a few fancy logo's and shaved grams..

The difference for me is, if I were the last man on earth I would happily drive around in a battered old landy or VW van, but I would still ride a high end bike... theres nothing quite like a well set up bike with awesome dialled geometry and lines, and a smattering of high end components. Poetry in motion.

 

[silverclaws]

KeepItSteel, I have often wondered about the snobbery with retro mtb's, something I liken to the perceived snobbery bitd with the mtb magazines, so nothing has changed there. Even with my choice of machine they are still looked at as lowly in comparison to some of the more exotic play things, but at least they seem to be having a bit of a comeback, why this is, I don't really know, but I am understanding many are learning to admire them because of the apparent recent popularity.

I chose Saracen because Halfrauds bitd where I lived was the only bike shop that had mountain bikes, and the e-stays looked fab compared to the Raleighs, of which I learned to dislike from earlier experiences with the 'sports' bikes, they were fragile compared to the Dawes bikes I preffered. Raleighs, I broke many, so they were not high on my list of trusted frames. Saracen sort of appealed due to my knowledge of history and the fact that I have lived in those lands, so as a name, it had souvenir qualities, a black saracen all the better, also handbuilt in England appealed to my then sense of nationalism.

But on here, I am also finding some of the stuff others dribble over, I have never even heard of, perhaps that is due to the fact that once I am content, I tend not to look further, but I do feel there is the more money than sense mentality at work some times. I ask, who is one trying to please -others If that is the case, perhaps a psychologist might have some answers.

But, I am and always have been practicality minded, so practicality always comes before fashion and fashion, I have never taken much notice of, it being a preserve of those with money to waste. Californian steel never interested me, because UK conditions were rarely Californian, so I sought a machine for UK conditions as that is where I would be riding the thing. Bitd, on my mtb club rides I saw many admired yank designs fail in the pooey mud we have, Kona's and Marin's especially, although I admired their decoration, leading me to think, they were all show, rather than substance.

At the end of the day, what is it all about, the bike or the ability of the rider.

 

[andrewl]

Just read through the De Kerf thread and saw some (IMO) beautiful bikes, but was interested to read how some people werent too sure why they were quite so revered.

I've often wondered how much influence the name of a manufacturer has over your opinion of the brand, if any?

Interesting topic...

In the mountain biking world I live off the beaten track and so the name and reputation of many bikes has been a real factor when buying something that you can’t view or test ride before you buy. Over the years I have been pleasantly surprised by some bikes and bitterly disappointed by others and I think I’m much wiser when it comes to selecting bikes which suit my riding style and the local terrain.

Most photos of DeKerfs that I’ve seen are of them being ridden in pretty testing conditions and most which pop up for sale have a nice used patina to them so to me that suggests a great ride and a frame worth having. Well I’d have one

 

[heartbreaker]

I would say there is lots of bike snobbery here

I admit to it myself, I only want the so called best bikes and brands

In my experience none of them ride any better than any half decent bike so it can only be the name on the side that makes me want it.

since i joined retrobike i've even become a snob to bikes I had owned a few years ago...stumpjumper M2, even though I still have it and it rides just as good than any Yeti, Fat , Pace that I've had since.

I'd never heard of cunningham before i came here and anybody who wants one must surely be because of the Kudos and name on the side, not the fact that its any better ' quality' .I doubt anybody riding it would notice difference than any other well built bike with good components.

So I'm a sucker for brands and names, I couldnt afford them when younger and still can't now really, but least i admit it thats the reason.

That said I would never look down on anyone with a so called shite bike even a Raleigh Mustang, each to their own.