The where did it all go wrong thread

[makster]

Whilst trawling ebay, it never ceases to amaze me how far some good brands fell.
You know the ones, where you look at a frame and think WTF??
I'll leave this one here, just for starters.....



(This gem can be had for a bargain price here, if you're interested http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Mountain ... SwbYZXe4lZ )

 

[widowmaker]

Re:

A young boys dream to own a Raleigh, then it al went wrong

Making a bit of a comeback now though.

Local to me too

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re:

Can anybody explain what the 5 star rating on that listing is all about....?

My 'Where did it all go wrong' manufacturer would be Muddy Fox, doesn't Argos sell the name now? :facepalm:

 

[legrandefromage]

Raleigh's then Marketing director in 198something stating 'we see no future in the ATB'.

Its a bit like the Lancia thing, in 1992 they sold around 2 cars in the UK market after years of mistrust over rust and other problems.

Raleigh had always knocked out nasty low end stuff along with Peugeot so both those brands suffered terrible image problems despite some very high quality products.

The problem you then have is that when you do make a 'comeback', like Saracen, the market they're aimed at go 'who??'

Pumping out cheap gets mass brand recognition but also crosses the fine line into devaluing a brand.

Orange have done well to keep the brand at a reasonable high point.

 

[Adam_S]

Especially in this day and age when a frame is really just something to hang fancy bits off of, the bike business can be incredibly fickle. Get it wrong for just a year or two and it takes a huge amount of effort to come back.

Kona is another example of a once mighty bike company brought low but at least they look like they're starting to bounce back again.

 

[legrandefromage]

Kona lost their UK distribution in 2011 ish so would have only been seen as a heavily discounted brand for a while.

Marin definitely lost their way as Whyte all but took over.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

Voodoo :facepalm:

 

[M-Power]

Re:

Car manufacturers understand this, especially German ones. Take a brand with an image problem like Skoda had and improve the quality and enhance the reputation...surprise surprise people buy them and are proud to be seen in them.

People are increasingly 'cool' brand and image conscious these days with the advent of social media.

As someone once said, you don't drive a Ferrari, you wear it.

 

[02gf74]

Cannondale did that sort of frame design but I suspect this Raleigh is aimed at the ignorant with £ 150 to spend on a new bike so it is a marketing ploy to make it stand out from the mediocraty that is available in that price bracket.


Expect never ending disappointment should you buy that bike.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

GT went mince but are on the way back, as did Saracen. Marin didn't go downmarket, they just stopped producing up to date bikes and lost lots of decent shops.
Diamond Back are another. How about Klein as the controversial choice?