bye bye by colnago,gios,grandis,vetta,passoni,bertoletti,carlà,marnati,tommasini,barco,casati,ciocc,de rosa,masi,somec etc,etc........and by me
the reality is
The independent frame builder can do what these brands cannot.
They are not wrong or right
Explanation
These are well known brands of frames.
Well known because they are well marketed.
Colnago is often cited as a leader of quality in Australia.
In reality they are generally well made production frames
but not better than other brands.
some flash graphics and reasonable paint.
but very well marketed. (via racing and adverts)
They create brand loyalty.
The create
LUST for their product.
The business model and method is they have a number of frames to sell each year to remain in business. A certain price point to meet to be able to sell to their dealer network. The dealer sells to the customer.
Every one has to make a % profit, as it is not a charity.
Production is geared to this.
Numbers and prices.
Costs of production and what the
consumer will pay for a frame
has meant that most production has gone to where it is cheaper.
Asia.
All the brands are in combat with each other to ensure survival.
This is the reality of our world.
The consumer who buys the frame is what drives this.
If no one bought Asian made frames then the Italian brands will still be building in Italy.
Marketing is about selling.
Nothing wrong about that.
We live in a capitalist economy.
Branding is about creating some thing that pulls at your heart
and opens your wallet to buy their brand.
I have visited the Milan bike show twice.
I like to speak to the frame builders for my interest
The question they all ask me immediately is
HOW MANY FRAMES DO YOU MAKE EACH YEAR?
They never want to speak about one's work or skills or have a look at your work. It is about numbers. It is a business first.
They want new agents to sell more frames than the agent they have now.
The passion is a myth that I thought existed.
Put a tie on and speak numbers and sales.
The workers do the dirty hard work. Toil.
Who is the frame builder?
I understand and appreciate this.
It is not wrong.
It is their world
But for me, it changed my perception and steered my direction
I did not want that world.
Dario Pegoretti is some one who I enjoy to converse with.
He speaks to me as a builder speaking to a builder.
That is nice.
I wish I had met him 10 -20-30 years ago.