The Staufenberger Repository

Riding the fashion wave

We've commented before on the fashion component that has crept into the bicycle market. We've also tirelessly documented the worldwide spread of one expression of that fashion dimension: the fixie hipster.

In our original post back in June last year, we wondered how the manufacturers who were beginning to produce off-the-shelf fixies - such as Specialized, Bianchi, Lemond and Ridgeback - would manage this new dimension to their market. After all, it takes a lot of effort and a bit of luck to remain fashionable year in, year out.

Recently, Specialized have valiantly - though misguidedly - copied the sneaker manufacturers by releasing limited "city" editions of their Langster rig. Hence you get the London, Seattle, New York and others (though these others do not, strangely, include fixie-loving San Francisco).

There is some logic to this move. Fashion is a cycle of new news and demand is usually fueled by some form of limited availability. So new variations, of an existing product, available in limited numbers or for a limited time ticks a number of boxes. It's certainly worked for adidas and Nike for a while.

But therein lies a problem. The sneaker and other streetwear sectors are awash with limited editions: sites like hypebeast provide an almost daily stream of limited edition collaborations between so-and-so artist and such-and-such brand. It's getting a bit, well, tired.

There's also a more bike-specific reason why these Langsters don't work: they misunderstand the culture they're trying to engage. The city angle is clearly a nod to the urban centres where fixie culture has grown. Yet those urban roots are in self-built bikes not off-the-peg numbers. Just take a look at fixed gear gallery: they might not all be pretty, but the majority are home built and therefore unique.

For this reason, the Langster city editions haven't got the sector's opinion formers excited. True, there's been a bit of discussion on fixie forums. But local (London, UK) reaction started at mixed and got worse. Which makes the whole thing a bit of an own goal as the reason for these initiatives is street cred rather than (direct) sales volume.

So what should they have done? Well, if we were launching a bike range (and heaven knows we've considered it at length), here are a couple of things we would do.

Firstly, acknowledge the DIY roots of the trend by incorporating a degree of customisation. Mini do something like this with their paint options.

They should also tap into the retro aspect of fixie culture. The DIY approach means that many home-made rigs use old parts. For this reason, steel track frames from the 70s and 80s tend to be valued more than the newer aluminium.

So why not reissue a past classic, in the same vein as adidas Originals, say? Specialized have been around long enough to have some interesting things in their back catalogue. In fact, here's Ernesto's early 80s Allez (full details here):

That's better, isn't it?

You don't have to be mad to work here...

Some premises round the corner from Studio Staufenberger are being refurbished for a new venture. This poster is stuck in the window:

Now, we're not usually ones to criticise. But sometimes even we struggle to accentuate the positive. Perhaps we're missing something but...Wacky?

Not that there's nothing wrong with using a descriptive approach to naming a brand. It tends to work best at the budget end of things: Kwiksave, Easyjet, Prontaprint and so on. But this falls foul of the stimulus/response  aspect of successful communication that Steven King and others set out long ago. If you want people to think you're krrrrrrrazy, telling them that you are is probably not the best way of prompting that response.

Let's hope this isn't really the name of their shop/service/brand and just a bit of bad communication prior to launch.

We'll keep you posted.

Bike Polo

I went down to Brick Lane on Sunday for a bit of bike polo, the sport of urban kings.

Hipster Olympics

It's hard being cool:

Back in the saddle

The sun is finally out. I'm back on the road with a new bike. Patrick's tackled a couple of hills in France, read a Lance Armstrong biography and is now ready for the pro tour (after he gets some new shorts). So what better time to post random cycling footage.