Branding, it hurts, it’s hot and it smells too..!

May 24, 2010 at 15:56

Source: Rich Travis

I see us all pushing our wears in this incestuous industry of bikes… That’s right, living, loving and even hating on each other like a bunch of kids on the playground. Nothing really changes with age, be it a scrape here or bruise there, elbow or ego for that matter… That’s right, I’m guilty, and so are you Pinkbike faithful, keyboardist to the herd and angry youth of course, can’t forget them. Like it or not, you're getting branded like a small young calf as we speak. It's obvious as you display your vast knowledge of the brands you choose to love and hate. Is that your shoes that smell like a barn?

This letter arrived at work the other day and I thought it was good for everyone in the industry to take a step back and remember the branding that got you all here in the first place. This young person writes and I add don’t jab at his penmanship and/or mis-spelling, he’s only 12 for the love of Pete. More inside,

Dear Hayes Disc Brakes,

My name is Alex _____ and I am 12. Mainly, in the winter I ride snowcat and snowboard.

In the Summer and times with no snow, I like to ride bike. I have a Schwinn girls mountain

bike, but I want to get a new one soon.

In the trees behind my house I have a bike track that I work on. The next bike I get I want

it to have “_______”. It would be cool if you would send me some stickers if you have

Any, so I could put some on my bike. Here’s is my address:

Alex ______
PO Box____
Larimore, ND.

On back is a map of my trails, Thanks!

We all get these types of letters from kids each and everyday, but do we stop and remember what it really means to us and them… Somehow we caught this kid’s attention with one our brands, no doubt. I remember the brands that first got my attention, they were cool, anything to do with Tomac, then Palmer got my attention back then! What does that say about me, who cares… What I like about the letter is our BMX sales guy showed it to me to remind me that stickers, t-shirts, balloons and banners are essential to branding.

I see a lot of effort in the pits at the races/events to get elite racers back on the race course and that’s essential. I also see a lot team trucks and companies telling kids that they’re servicing only race bikes for the weekend. Big mistake, that was your chance to brand that kid and lock him into your corral for years to come. You just sent that kid out for some more brand feeding and he’s going to find another brand willing to feed him. I’m not saying that kids won’t get away from you time and time again, but they’ll remember you and your paths will cross again, I guarantee it. How do you think that Shimano stayed on top from early on to present? They were at the BMX tracks in the late 70’s supporting, promoting and developing products with up and coming companies, teams and racers some of which became frame/decision makers in the MTB world. Who knew...? You couldn’t have predicted this, but their intentions mattered most and worked wonders because they had dust on their teeth from a weekend of racing and the trust of these early MTB pioneers. There was loyalty and relationships built back then that are still in play today in the Taiwan factories making your bike.

Take a break from my-tweet-face.com and take the time to send stickers, help the kids at the events, look them in the eyes and brand someone, that’s why we’re here, to add to our collective herd.

What do your shoes smell like...?

Rich T.

Must Read This Week

1. Fails for your Friday: Pinkbike's funniest home videos edition 44935 reads
2. Pinkbike Product Picks 31411 reads
3. Life Behind Bars: Red Bull YouTube series with Semenuk 30962 reads
4. Video of the Month - April 2012 27240 reads
5. Movies for Your Monday 24497 reads
6. How-to: Learn to Corner Better - Video 22316 reads
7. Mark Matthews - Sweat Equity 19620 reads
8. Renthal: The Life Of An Integra Stem 19316 reads

84 Comments

Score Time

winga (May 25, 2010 at 4:04)

Awesome.. thanks for sharing that. Despite all of the negative comments the story still has a message and to me people seem to be ignoring it. This kid is riding a girls bike, making his own track and asking for stickers so that he can dream of his new parts. He doesn't have the flashiest bike or crazy tracks on his door step, but despite this he is still living his dream. Who cares if this also provides an opportunity for Hayes to plug their brand!! Maybe people just need take a step back and look at things at face value for a change.. instead of getting so caught up in the details.

[Reply]

WAKIdesigns (May 25, 2010 at 1:09)

I'm confused... no Im not bicurious, I'm just confused. First paragraph is brilliant and full of truth essence of what most of us really are. It should definitely be something visible on top of every text field on any biking related site, so everyone reads it before posting anything and arguing too much about something.

Still, text that follows has something which purpose starts to be something unclear to me. I sort of get the message of: we Hayes Brake Group we stuff kids with promo crap, sometimes we help kids to sort out their bikes so they buy our stuff later, and we are proud to say that we do it. We have nothing to hide. Furthermore we must say that many of our competition could take more of our customers if they were as wise as us.

The message I don't get too clearly (which I believe was the point of that article) is: we can be better human beings by beeing more true to ourselves. I sign under that. I try to be as true to myself as possible while writing these long rants, that somehow help me break the monotony of my job; sadly, channel my biking passion into keyboard rather than handlebar way too often. I might not be the wisest of all but I just don't get this article, apart from getting a vague touch of higher values and your clearly high IQ.

The problem is, you can't change kids of all ages from 10 - 60. I thought Dirt TV's video from Maribor about weights and measures would finaly kill the demon of speculation in most of FaceMonkeys, but it just triggered more. Stupidity of speculation is what you guys thrive on so what was the exactly point of that article?

It's like George W Bush would say: Let's make it clear we didn't go to Iraq to save the world from terrorism so you Euros are not acting wisely by not admitting it, because if you would, you could get more oil, bananas, banjos or whatever.

WAKIdesigns (May 25, 2010 at 1:30)

Im not trying to be negative, I think, there's a lot of smart substance in what you tried to say, it's just it wasn't too clear.

mudspud (May 25, 2010 at 2:05)

Couldn't agree more. So what is the message here - glamorising the corporate brain washing of kids? Get 'em young like the cigarette companies used to eh!?! Kids that age shouldn't give a crap about companies and branding, they should be out riding their bikes for fun not feeling inadequate cos their folks can't afford the latest kit for them.

WAKIdesigns (May 25, 2010 at 2:32)

It's like feeling ok about doing crap just because you admitted you do so. Yes branding is crap, I prefer the one from biking over colourful shop displays stuffing 2yr old children with impulses to demand on their parents: BUY MAAAM! I WANT THAAAAT!

Oh, hello sir! Hereby I want to show you my courage by admitting that this poo you found at your door last night was mine. I'm putting myself forward as there are many kids around here who are simply cowards, denying by silence that it was them who planted a series of steamers, here at your property, during the course of last few weeks.

navyman (May 25, 2010 at 2:55)

i think that the point of it is to remind people that kids are the future of the sport and that the companies shouldn't get wrapped up in doing the best for the people who are in the teams, that they should help and support the people who will be in the teams but aren't at the moment- basically support the grassroots and don't be too corporate; doing things that definately bring in money. besides can't you remember how important stickers were as a kid (it was mainly the type face and images that made a sticker not a name)- don't put the next generation off biking, if branding is what it takes then do it.

ps. whats the poo thing about?

WAKIdesigns (May 25, 2010 at 3:03)

navyman, I thought so too. But well then, if I would decide to do such a write up, somehow putting my company forward, I would do it in a simplier way to hit the heads of those who just might not get it.

Poo: I just like to go sideways a bit to explain my point, or if it doesn't work, just for the fun of it...

squishbiker (May 25, 2010 at 18:46)

I don't think it worked.

[Reply]

+ 10

Budlee (May 25, 2010 at 0:23)

This is so true! Brilliantly written article and I do hope companies read this and take note

[Reply]

+ 11

StuHaight (May 24, 2010 at 16:09)

That sure is something, wow!

bikinbeast (May 25, 2010 at 1:06)

Rich gets it Wink

Props.

+ 11

Matt-W (May 25, 2010 at 4:49)

An amusing and perhaps quite honest article.

Just remember that not everyone likes mainstream brands, lots of people ride in jeans and a t-shirt for a reason.

livingkills (May 25, 2010 at 7:48)

great honest article

reasonably amusing too

bxxer-rider (May 25, 2010 at 14:57)

great articale

and the ale has better hand writing and spelling then me and im 5 years older....

jinx (May 25, 2010 at 22:31)

Interesting, though a very capitalistic and pure economist thinking. Big Grin

This industry has very poor advertising and the marketing is far from okey, compared to other sports. In the pits, they should have an employee utterly dedicated to their customers, talking and helping them out, giving out free service etc.

It costs 5 times more go find a new customer than to keep an old one.

DynamicQ (May 26, 2010 at 1:38)

Brands are nothing! Back at the day when I lived in Russia, there hardly was anything on the market but hayes 9's ... and you know what! They were amazing brakes! They had modulation, braking power, and If you'll break it you could fi it with a few allen keys and sella tape on your laps! Litteraly! My bike been stolen recently and I have limited ammount of budget for a new DH rig. I am getting old hayes! Screw their new marketing crap! Hayes strokers are just pure marketing! They are worse then hayes mag's or nines.
We are living in the centurary of brain washing nowasdays. This new hayes ACEs or strokers won't improve my riding in any scenarios!

rffr (Jun 12, 2010 at 19:07)

Haha, your talking like disc brakes are old school or something. Back in the day... BEFORE disc brakes... BEFORE V brakes... was an era of real marketing and love. Back when crazy ass designs like the slingshot frames roamed the planet. None of this disc brake stuff... that's new school.

Very heartwarming article guys Smile

DynamicQ (Jun 14, 2010 at 8:32)

I am not talking before disc brakes. I am talking about - that hydraulic systems can't advance much appart from it's weight and its strength. Look at grimeca! They had 6pot brakes before anyone did! It is all alreday invented 100 times! We are just marketing guinea pigs or idiots who want to loose few more grams of their bike.

rffr (Jun 14, 2010 at 16:55)

Grimeca... now that is a company you don't hear too much any more. Looked like freakin scaled down car brakes haha. Shame their qc wasn't up to par leaving many unhappy.

I do think times have changed compared to when lots of us were kids. The 90's was a pretty crazy time for bmx and mtb. Lots of wild designs etc. One thing that would be nice to see companies giving out at stands... and that is magazines etc. Free vids on dvd's etc. Stuff that actually gives back to the riders, outside of just giving their logos on a sticker away. I find it even lamer when companies charge for certain schwag also. Anyone else feel the same?

[Reply]

buhgina (May 25, 2010 at 20:44)

I think that this is awesome, it shows an active imagination, drive and determination. Something that is very hard to capture with a product. This in turn, will directly affect profit for one side of the relationship, and enjoyment for the other. Branding, as it has been called, is a good thing, especially for the cycling industry. If branding in our industry has this effect on kids then so be it. A kid riding a bike and enjoying it, is a kid not falling into the hands of electronic entertainment companies or drugs. This promotes a healthy lifestyle, this is cycling we are talking about, not an alcohol or tobacco company. There should be no comparison made, what a disgusting thought.

You want this to happen in business, it helps support the bottom line, which brings in more money for growth. Growth is very important, without it, the value of the products in our industry will suffer. A bike manufacturer says "You purchase our products because we offer you value for a certain price". Value means they have put engineering/ designing time and materials into the product for sale, they tested it, they tested it some more. Then they sell it to distributors, then on to the consumers. What do the consumers do? They pay the bills, they ride, they gain enjoyment, along with health and lifestyle benefits (maybe sometimes setbacks, crashing sucks). A loyal customer is a happy customer, and a happy customer will come back and pay for something of value to them.

When you get good service from a bike shop, think, they really value my time and money, they want to me to go out and have fun. Then tell people about it, tell people about the positive and negative aspects of the products you purchased. Stand up and support the manufacturers you want to. It creates competition, competition breeds innovation, and innovation benefits us the riders. We constantly get sweet new stuff to spend our hard earned money on.

My shoes... I wouldn't smell them if I were you...

karl-burkat Mod (May 25, 2010 at 21:46)

excellent comment.

[Reply]

sgtjag (May 25, 2010 at 5:22)

Im 20 years old, work at a bike shop, I see this a lot, I have a shoebox full of stickers that I now pass on to the younger guys, Oh man if you can just see the look on their face. I'm still being branded when it comes to customer service in the industry, if a company doesn't want to help me out i won't recommend it to a customer

+ 16

clarkestar Plus (May 25, 2010 at 6:31)

sgtjag thats the spirit! This article has a good point. Support the young riders. I don't entirely support the fact that the article is all about branding someone. getting them locked into their brand. Really it should be getting them locked into biking. and through that they will respect and remember your brand. I hate promo crap from corporations. Just support your future riders; not shovel propoganda down their throats.

Not only do i hope they sent him a pack of stickers. but i hope they figure out what bike he has and send him a set of brakes. NOW THAT would be cool.

sgtjag (May 26, 2010 at 10:17)

Yea that would make that kids day

[Reply]

seraph (May 25, 2010 at 0:58)

You say "this young person writes and I add don’t jab at his penmanship and/or mis-spelling, he’s only 12 for the love of Pete," and yet your penmanship and misspelling is terrible, but how old are you?

jcinkits (May 26, 2010 at 0:20)

seraph, seraph, my erudite nemesis, no one was criticizing him for his spelling, and in fact the opposite...but you on the other hand ARE STILL making comments on this site that are negative, irrelevant and incredibly annoying...can't you just get off this planet! You may be a good bike mechanic [ as you stated in a previous rant ] but you are an even better, and really good 'intellectual hoodlum'...no matter what anyone says on this site you always have something to say that tries [ and fails ] to put you above everyone else. check it out! EVERYONE ELSE made comments that were only positive, and on the subject,and even if they disagreed no one made it a personal attack on someone the way you do...get a life my brother, before it passes you by!

seraph (May 26, 2010 at 2:25) (Below Threshold) show comment

Get a life? You're one to talk! I don't really care if everyone else was making positive comments, I decided to make a negative one. What's your problem? Don't you have something better to do than criticize my comments?

jcinkits (Jun 1, 2010 at 23:26)

as i said in my note to you seraph - yes i do have better things to do than criticize your [constant[] criticizing, but after you telling me you might report me for harassment i nearly fell off my chair laughing - what's the matter? give it, but can't take it! i thought i would spare my criticism of you publicly which is why i sent you a note on your profile site, but i should not be surprised that you threatened to run crying to 'mama pinkbike' over my note to you...so once again, if you don't like being criticized, try not criticizing everyone and everything on this site; You seem to take pride on your profile statement that 'half of pinkbike hates you - too bad, since this is not a forum for pokeing and prodding each other and that's all my note to you was about - different opinions about products and related bike stuff is ok, but you never stop putting people down for totally unrelated stuff...like spelling...anyway thank you for reminding me i have better things to do than criticize your [ endless ] criticism. i will hereforth cease and desist and promise to be a good boy and follow my own advice. happy trails. Gramps.

jcinkits (Jun 1, 2010 at 23:50)

Ok so now on to the topic on hand - Bottom line: we are all so incredibly lucky to have so many choices and are not stuck with the 'status quo' product [ eg: Troy Lee this Troy Lee that troy lee blah blah ] but we can pick and choose - and no matter what anyone thinks about most of these products including Hayes [ old school vs new school ] everyone of us rides differently even within the same discipline and often the same product that is 'crap' for one of us is 'amazing' for another...as far as the 'sell' is concerned what is the problem!!!!! Everyone wants to sell their product and if the pitch is BS some of us who are not as well informed or mechanically inclined will lose when we purchase it and some of us won't because we know better and won't buy it - as far as the kids are concerned, BS and bad product is one of the ways they learn and grow - when i was a kid it was a 40 lb coaster brake Schwinn w/ an empty cigarette pack attached to the spokes to make it sound cool...simple? yep. but with 'progress' comes complications and a gazillion products, so, kiddies, keep it simple and just get out there and ride with a decent bike with reasonable brakes...let someone else work out the kinks on the prototypes and then buy whatever you are uncertain of if it is any good. Meantime, i just restored and repainted a 1970 Schwinn Deluxe Cruiser for my Daughter in-law and actually got as big a rush flying down the hill on my street as i do shredding the Shore on My Bottlerocket...happy trails y'all.

seraph (Jun 2, 2010 at 9:26)

Cool story, bro.

jcinkits (Jun 2, 2010 at 21:32)

well seraph, wish i had as much patience for criticism as you have bike talent [ just revisited your profile page and you are obviously talented bike builder ] after the dust settles no matter what differences we have, we still have a love of bikes and riding - perhaps the onus is much more on me to follow the adage : 'if you can't say something nice don't say anything'- apparently i should be more mellow with age - nuff said.

Matt-W (Jun 14, 2010 at 10:16)

Wall of text hits you for massive damage.

jcinkits (Jun 16, 2010 at 22:52)

what the *%%# are you on about....

[Reply]

mongoose85 (May 25, 2010 at 9:31)

I dunno. I think this is more about customer relations than branding. I mean sure, look at Monster. My gosh I know kids old as 5 that know the brand and on a side note makes me feel old.

I think its kind of sad that we brand whore ourselves so much but if you love Marzocchi then you love Marzocchi. I like all three. I know this was directed mostly at company's HR and PR departments but I agree, it just doesn't feel right.

But awesome for the kid and his trails! Nothing feels better than riding with the neighborhood biker gang on the track you made after school.

I think Pinkbike should send him a HardRock or something. Wink

[Reply]

tabletop666 (May 25, 2010 at 14:18)

I know one thing, and it is that when a company sends free stickers with my order, it gets me stoked, and I usually stick them all over my shit...Free stickers are a cheap and easy way to get people stoked on your product, and it doesnt hurt if the stickers look sick either!

[Reply]

Cwcoady (May 26, 2010 at 12:14)

"This young person writes and I add don’t jab at his penmanship and/or mis-spelling, he’s only 12 for the love of Pete."

Why do you assume this person is a boy? Their name is Alex and they clearly state they ride a girls mountain bike.

willsoffe (May 26, 2010 at 14:28)

BOOM!

Well spotted! This article now not only shows the money grabbing and superficial nature of the MTB industry, it also shows its blatant sexism too!

I love the fact that the vicious, heartless corporate beast that is the MTB industry has been so obviously exposed in this article.

Will

buhgina (May 26, 2010 at 17:21)

Blatant sexism? How about maybe a minor over sight at best. Without your "vicious, heartless beast that is the MTB industry" you wouldn't be riding the bike you are now would you.... You should think before posting such pessimistic views.

Cwcoady (May 26, 2010 at 19:11)

Agreed. I had no thoughts of blatant sexism. I merely wanted to point out the error for the sake of Alex. If Alex is a girl (it is quite possible a 12 year old boy is riding a girls bike) I would hate for her to pull up this page and see that it was automatically assumed she was a boy. Girls have it hard enough getting recognized in "action sports".

willsoffe (May 27, 2010 at 0:42)

If you don't even consider that someone is a girl before assuming they are a boy then this is blatant sexism, I can't simplify it any further.

The whole article admits that the bike industry is trying to grab kids young and hook them into spending money on their products.

The industry is focussed on making kids buy poor quality bikes that a monsterously over priced. I worked in Halfords for a year so I saw this first hand. it's very difficult to convince a kid to buy a light, strong, well specced hardtail when there is a 50 pound bike that looks extreme with huge forks and stuff. There is no education, no useful knowledge, it's all "SUPER MEGA HYPER 24 GEARS HUGE SUSPENSION HI-TENSILE STEEL FRAME"

Rather than, "well lets see, you're 10 years old and only ride on cycle paths, how about a nice alloy framed rigid bike with quality gears that actually work and brakes that arent made of plastic"

buhgina (May 27, 2010 at 19:47)

Sexism is a belief that one gender is superior in relation to the other. There could be many reasons why the author of the article missed that fact about the bicycle's gender specific design, if it is in fact, a fact. Perhaps, you, need some education and useful knowledge. Maybe reading comprehension to kick it off to a good start.

No education, or useful knowledge you say? Experience is the greatest teacher of all. Your telling me a ten year old kid should step in to a bike shop, and know everything about cycling and the retail industry, give me a break. The same kid cannot be amazed at the sight of a full suspension rig, that the same kid cannot take advantage of his parents hard earned wealth, that they wish to lavish their child in. So that, "said child", cannot be easily excited about cycling and have an active imagination. Oh to imagine oneself riding with style and speed, what a ridiculous thought for a child to have. I hope you never have kids man. That child is still alive in me, and, probably many others on this website.

We should all be as lucky as you to know everything. Just in case you don't, that was sarcasm. If you worked at a shop I owned, you would fall prey to the beast called, employee turnover. Thanks for coming out.

willsoffe (May 28, 2010 at 3:24)

I'm definately uneducated. I only just graduated with a BA in business management and studied modules on business ethics so I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about.

Where I say "no education or useful knowledge" I mean that IN MY EXPERIENCE (having worked in 5 bike shops in England and abroad) it is rare to find a shop where staff are honest with customers. It does happen occasionally and I know of shops which genuinely try and get kids on the most suitable bike. But in the main, staff don't help the customer find a nice light bike that is well specced and good value, instead they point them in the direction of the bikes with the biggest mark up; the full suspension, steel framed monstrosities with plastic cranks and brakes. These invariably break and cost a fortune to fix. Labour charges are also pretty steep in my experience.

Thankfully, this is a trend that is gradually changing as more manufacturers create bikes that can actually be ridden. However, the bike industry does seem totally full of trends and hype as opposed to trying to give people products that are fit for purpose and actually last.

Your second paragraph is a little cofusing. What point are you trying to make? It sounds like you're saying that kids need gimicks and full suspension in order to get them excited about cycling. I think that is utter rubbish, if a kid gets a heavy, cheap bike, it will fall apart and they will give up struggling to ride something that heavy and awful. Give them a less exciting looking bike that is light and strong and they will be amazed how far they can go with it.

My point: The mountain bike industry is exploitative and manipulative of customers especially children. It is gradually improving thanks to a minority of honest shops but it is not helped by idiotic articles such as this one sayin that kids need to be branded young to love Hayes and hate Hope and Magura etc. It just sounds like a very negative approach to customer relations.

buhgina (May 28, 2010 at 7:02)

5 shops eh... Employee turnover... Well I don't know what kind of shops you work at. You must have dealt with allot of dumb customers to gain that opinion. Rare to find a shop where the staff are honest, and a bike that that doesn't break and cost money to fix, a changing trend where manufacturers are creating bikes that can actually be ridden (we have been riding bikes for how long sport). Where do you come up with this stuff?

Hhaha if it makes you feel better MR. BA, business analyst. I'll say your right, have fun living in your own little reality. Must be lonely.

willsoffe (May 28, 2010 at 8:03)

I have dealt with customers who have never owned a bike before and so oddly enough are "dumb" compared to a member of staff. I dealt with someone last week who was 24 and had never ridden a bike.

I realise that all bikes break and labour charges are unaviodable. I am simply stating that some of the bikes I have had to work with cost >£99 and have full suspension and disc brakes. These bikes are awful compared to a >£99 rigid bike with vee brakes. It takes staff to steer the customer toward the bike which will be best or they will simply buy the bike which looks best. In my opinion this is the industries problem for making awful bikes and marketing them instead of making simple, reliable, quality bikes.

In terms of a bike not being able to be ridden, I should have clarified for you as you are obviously looking to be pedantic instead of actually having anything useful to add to the debate. The kind of bikes that many budget shops (where 12 year olds are likely to have bikes from) sell bikes that cannot be ridden HARD/FAST/OFF-ROAD or ON JUMPS without breaking. Many of the 'mountain bikes' had disclaimers which said (I quote) "This bike may not be used for jumpin or stunting".

I am glad that you admit that you were incorrect for calling me uneducated.

buhgina (May 28, 2010 at 12:31)

Debate... There is no Debate.

Your comment pegged the "MTB industry" as "money grabbing and superficial". Then you characterized it by calling it "a vicious, heartless corporate beast". Just because companies in our industry manufacture parts for racing applications, and sell them to the general public for profit, doesn't make them evil as you portray them.

Its called a market economy, with a supply and a demand. In this economy there are different industries, and within these industries there are separate niches. Our industry and its niches, create products for fun, fun costs money. At least our industry doesn't sell abuse, pain, and even death. Say what you want to make your pessimistic views and opinions seem plausible. Your wrong.

Just because you have a BA doesn't mean a thing, you want me to name drop what I took in University. Nope, cause it also doesn't matter.

Have a nice day sport!

[Reply]

dilatedjunkie (Jun 7, 2010 at 10:25)

IMO, It seems like all of you negative nancy's are missing the point of the article. The point of the article was more like this.... "companies, remember not to bite the hand that feeds you. By turning away kids and/or other non-racing folk for service, you may close the door on many customers that would have been stoked about your products for life." And, sometimes doing some small stuff for someone (like sending stickers) helps boost their opinion; big deal. It's not like they are a company of racist pedophiles and support terrorism.

If you are at a bar and Jack Daniels [insert favorite beverage here] comes and gives you a free bottle of booze....is it just some schemeing propaganda and you immediately dump it in the sewer. OR, do you drink it and say "Jack Daniels....that was really cool of them to give this to me."????

These are facts that any company with a consumable product should learn and use. It doesnt mean that it's propaganda....i mean it's stickers and service...not cigarettes and guns and lead paint here. It's not at all about manipulating children or anything like that. It's more of a hey....if you show up at a race and only help race people, you're turning your back on the people that put food on your table. and in turn, if you take care of people at a young age...they remember it.

Again, my opinion....but I would bet if I looked at all of the posts of the negative nancys on here....these are probably the same people that hate all over hayes and manitou every chance they get. and now this just gives them one more thing to skew and turn negative. You people have to realize it's more of a "i'll scratch your back, you scratch mine", than these kids are walking $ signs or something. Jesus C!

[Reply]

snl1200 (May 25, 2010 at 16:19)

Mixed feelings here... I grew up on skate and bike stickers also but am also getting a bit frustrated by kids growing up thinking that brands make the sport. So many of the younger riders I talk to these days have the mentality that brands are the most important feature in selecting gear, or in there experience in general; that the decision between Santa Cruz branded aluminum or Trek branded aluminum is the critical feature in their riding experience. It's not that well designed gear isn't a factor in the experience, in my opinion it's important to remember that its not everything. Hayes, Avid, Shimano... at twelve just enjoy your bike regardless. I'm always pleased to see kids ripping on anything and having a good time.

[Reply]

dilatedjunkie (Jun 7, 2010 at 10:25)

Also,

let me ask you....is Sram's push for the World Bicycle Relief just a push to get there product name in countries where they can't actually afford bikes yet.....so that when they can, they will only buy SRAM... ever think about that people? You see, you can turn anything to make it seem bad. Say this out loud "I am, wee tod did"

[Reply]

Solso (May 26, 2010 at 8:30)

Damn sweet article! Branding is probably the best way to guarantee your survival as a buisiness. Even me, after more than 20 yrs riding, I still am very loyal to some brands. So to all you guys making bike parts...keep sending free stickers,t-shirts, posters and whatever else that will keep your customers and new riders stick to your brand!

And as for my shoes...don't put your nostrils anywhere NEAR them...you've been warned!

[Reply]

riggadon (May 25, 2010 at 9:47)

good article. i remember calling/ writing companies and asking for free stickers, and i supported the ones who gave them to me, while being pissed at the ones who didnt.

and to the poeple saying that its like brainwashing kids; its business. even bike companies have to advertise to young people to stay alive

[Reply]

ammosally (May 27, 2010 at 12:21)

I just sent this to the owner of my bike shop... He has a lot to learn in this area. I'm constantly telling him that we have to hit the youth market... We have to have kids WANT to wear our stuff or come to our shop to get tuned up... maybe he'll listen...

[Reply]

NorthShore-3 (May 25, 2010 at 0:50)

That's really good and true I remember getting stickers. IT made me feel so good. Smile

slydaddy (May 25, 2010 at 9:34)

I still luv getting stickers and I'm way past 12!

[Reply]

dannybanks (May 25, 2010 at 1:32)

My shoes smell like lavender and elderflower Smile

[Reply]

mexfreeride (May 25, 2010 at 15:55)

from a marketing point of view he is 100% right. it's the emotional bond created here that will keep that kid attached to that certain brand. it takes so little and it means so much. god job rich!

[Reply]

campofchampions Plus (May 25, 2010 at 13:28)

How better to know who "Get's it" than seeing a sticker on a car or bike? Snowboarding was built on the back of "Free Stickers" Hopefully biking is too. I like to think it is.

KyleIsaman (May 26, 2010 at 7:27)

I hang my goggles off my rear view mirror. I also have a Fox Racing Shox sticker on my bumper. Also, there's no better accessory I like seeing on a truck than a Dakine pad.

[Reply]

T10irons (May 26, 2010 at 14:45)

Did you mail the kid some stickers???

ammosally (May 27, 2010 at 12:22)

If NOT, I have a bundle of them, give me the kids addy, and I'll send it to them....

[Reply]

Lauralovemachine (May 28, 2010 at 3:57)

This article scares me. It sounds like this guy doesnt care about kids and treats them as walking dollar bill machines to be caught and stripped of money.

Unless it was ment as a joke? In which case its not v well written!

x

[Reply]

uiuiuiui (May 25, 2010 at 8:27)

Hayes definitely is NOT my kind of brand but oh well...

great Post!!!

my greatest respect for Mr. Rich T.

and regarding the branding... he does have a point!
isn't it that way for all of us?
one company or one company representative treats us well or helps us ou and we begin to support them?
thats what they call branding.. but you can also call it great customer service and/or product ^^

support!!!!

www.ridesuperco.com
www.canfieldbrothers.com
www.hopetech.com
www.avalanchedownhillracing.com
www.burgtec.co.uk
www.syntace.com
www.mavic.com

haha Smile

[Reply]

wishihadabike (May 25, 2010 at 1:11)

this storyy awsome !! haha i guess you can say im branded by it, makes me want to be apart of the mountain bike indusrty and have your job !

[Reply]

thevish Plus (May 25, 2010 at 1:15)

Bravo, i'm loving this article, and try to apply it to the sport as a whole, not just the companies who rep the sport.

[Reply]

badbadleroybrown (May 25, 2010 at 12:48)

Great letter!... And great write up!!!

[Reply]

konagoern Plus (May 27, 2010 at 6:25)

great write up! this is something everyone should think about!

[Reply]

home-team (May 24, 2010 at 18:23)

that is awesome rich ...

[Reply]

nothingbetter (May 25, 2010 at 17:04)

good write up. This is probally one of the best articles I've seen on here in a long time!

[Reply]

hockeynut (May 25, 2010 at 5:42)

i hope they sent him some stickers after that Razz

dgatien (May 25, 2010 at 9:51)

Couldn't Alex be a girl?

Just saying.

Also, forget sending her stickers, Hayes should be sending brakes.

seraph (May 25, 2010 at 21:47)

I don't think that any brake Hayes makes will fit onto a "Schwynn girls mountain bike."

t3rry Mod Plus (May 26, 2010 at 9:45)

oh they totally might. Schwinn makes some decent begginers bikes.

R-trailking-S (May 26, 2010 at 19:16)

Even my commuter dept. store mtb has full disc tabs... even though it has v brakes. They'll fit Smile

seraph (May 26, 2010 at 19:26)

If it's not from the past 6 years or so, it probably won't have disc tabs.

[Reply]

nojzilla (May 25, 2010 at 8:22)

maps to the trails!!!! awesome

[Reply]

vano (May 25, 2010 at 13:37)

That kid is like me when I first started biking.

[Reply]

pannepacker (May 25, 2010 at 0:44)

great article!

[Reply]

clanmember32 (May 25, 2010 at 6:41)

i like this post. Props man!

[Reply]

xoliuppercutx (May 25, 2010 at 20:50)

Incredible

[Reply]

pbuser102331 Plus (May 25, 2010 at 2:27)

Stale sweat lol

and mfrs don't need to visit race tracks nowadays the internet killed all of that.

[Reply]

oldschoolj Plus (May 25, 2010 at 6:38)

kindve brings you back to reality, its easy. Excellent article. Props.

[Reply]

yuroshek (May 25, 2010 at 9:35)

Rich, Your the man!

[Reply]

matko-cro (May 25, 2010 at 6:46)

@ waki:

exactly.

my response to everything you wrote is exactly!

[Reply]

Below threshold threads are hidden