[bunnyhiphopper]

I was interested in getting some 5"/6" rockers for my Salty, especially since I just bought a new DHX -air with the longer (2.25) stroke. I emailed Ventana and they wrote back that they were all out of stock and had no plans to make more. This is how they ended the email. No explanation. Furthermore, I know that Dream Cycles (or whatever they are called) offer build kits for the Salty including the 5/6 adjustable rockers.

This is pretty LAME. Im tempted to go CNC a bunch and sell them. At 200 bucks a pop, it may be worth it. Designing it in Solidworks should take about an hour.

 

[Soupboy]

Call Sherwood...

...to discuss in person.

FWIW - if you want to talk about "...LAME..." you should give Dreamride a call.

I was interested in getting some 5"/6" rockers for my Salty, especially since I just bought a new DHX -air with the longer (2.25) stroke. I emailed Ventana and they wrote back that they were all out of stock and had no plans to make more. This is how they ended the email. No explanation. Furthermore, I know that Dream Cycles (or whatever they are called) offer build kits for the Salty including the 5/6 adjustable rockers.

This is pretty LAME. Im tempted to go CNC a bunch and sell them. At 200 bucks a pop, it may be worth it. Designing it in Solidworks should take about an hour.

 

[bunnyhiphopper]

Yeah, I would have preferred to call direct but I am never around during regular business hours. It just seems strange. Ventana even lists it as a current option for the X-5. Maybe its a scam to sell more rockers. I guess I won't know till I call.

I don't agree with much that the "Dreeamride" guys have to say and they're overpriced, so I prefer not to call them.

 

[el Turtlehead]

No, it's not a scam...

...it's about demand and the cost of production. Their website may be lagging behind a bit, but that's because they spend alot of time building bikes out there and not so much time with Dreamweaver.

Yeah, I would have preferred to call direct but I am never around during regular business hours. It just seems strange. Ventana even lists it as a current option for the X-5. Maybe its a scam to sell more rockers. I guess I won't know till I call.

I don't agree with much that the "Dreeamride" guys have to say and they're overpriced, so I prefer not to call them.

 

[sherwood]

Maybe its a scam to sell more rockers.

Come on BHH you don't know me very well if you believe I would even think about scamming anyone to sell more stuff. For the record, we are currently out of stock on 5/6 rockers, and since we had a ton of interest in a 6" dedicated rocker last year, we decided to make those instead for '06.

Turtlehead hit it exactly right, it is a cost and demand situation. Logistically we can only schedule so much time on our machines, and we prefer to build 100% in-house whenever we can. So if 5/6 rockers are to be a go, then they better get some demand, or next time we run out, they will be on the chopping block again.

In the past, we have had some customers request specific adjustable travel rockers, and I have always considered their requests seriously, but sometimes there simply isn't enough interested customers to make it a go. Happened with 4/5 '04 rockers, 4/5 '05 rockers, and our discontinued 3/4/5 '04 rockers which we still have plenty of stock in. It seems that in the end most customers prefer their bike to be simpler and don't want to have extra adjustments that they don't use. Of course you and Green Giant obviously feel differently.

Teresa and I specifically discussed 5/6 rockers last week and came to the conclusion that we should probably make more, and should get them in the hopper as soon as schedule on our machines opens up. This was due to only two recent inquires regarding 5/6 rockers. So for now I guess we have interest in two sets, including you.

If you really want a pair, order them, and you will be the first to get them when we finish making them. We are right now shooting for a late December time frame for machining them, but as this is in the middle of the silly season that will probably slip to mid-January when everybody gets back to work full time with no festive destractions.

Call me next time before you feel the need to insinuate that I might be a scammer, please. I can assure you I am not, never have been, never will be. 916 631 0544 x 203 through Teresa, x 206 for voice mail.

 

[Green Giant]

Sherwood a scammer? I think not.

In the past, we have had some customers request specific adjustable travel rockers, and I have always considered their requests seriously, but sometimes there simply isn't enough interested customers to make it a go. Happened with 4/5 '04 rockers, 4/5 '05 rockers, and our discontinued 3/4/5 '04 rockers which we still have plenty of stock in. It seems that in the end most customers prefer their bike to be simpler and don't want to have extra adjustments that they don't use. Of course you and Green Giant obviously feel differently.

For the record, I would consider the 4-5 rockers a "want to have" not a "need to have". The 3-4-5's work just fine obviously. Just looking for that clean look.

I've always considered Sherwood's and Teresa's customer service TOP notch, and I agree that Sherwood goes above and beyond to make things happen. A scammer - I think not.

In my world of bike dreams though a 4-5 rocker on an updated 05 salty, with the HH125 x geometry, with bushings everywhere but the main pivot (double bearings) would be SWEET, along with double butted tubing and gussets... hey we can all dream.

Anyways, I completely understand why business decisions get made for a smaller company, and have to agree. I really don't see Sherwood trying to scam anyone. As far as customer service goes, Sherwood BAILED my butt last year when I messed up my rear triangle trying to swap out bearings in a hurry.

 

[bunnyhiphopper]

I obviously know your company well enoght to know that you aren't trying to scam anyone. I admire you for sticking with such high quality standards and only improving rather than diminishing like the current trend. Those were the wrong words. I just cant understand why you would make(or why there would be more demand for) 6" only rockers, when it is only slightly more difficult to machine and almost no rider sacrifice in the 5/6" rocker. I don't know anyone that would rather switch rockers every time they want to change travel. I guess I still don't get it. Maybe Im stupid. Once again, I admire your background and dedication to your company and customers (pretty surprised to be getting an email from THE MAN, you know ). I guess I was just a bit frustrated at the lack of clarity in the email.

The initial title of 4/5 is a typo. Should be 5/6

 

[paddlefoot64]

How many other companies are out there where the owner will answer questions on a forum like this? That's why MTBR is so special. I believe the reason the combo rockers never sell well is that most of us Ventana (and other boutique brands) are pretty particular about how the bike looks. It not only has to function above average, it also has to look above average. To me, the adjustable rockers always look kind of unfinished, like somebody left a part off of the bike. But there are also some of us that sit around thinking about trying to match spoke nipple and hub color to the frame. IMHO, it's just not all about function. Most of us are pretty vain creatures, it seems.

 

[bunnyhiphopper]

I gotta agree with you there. Im one of those vain creatures, but I also recognize the balance of form and function. I agree that the 3,3.5,4 I think it was looked a bit funny and added a bit of weight, but in all fairness the 5/6 doesn't look that bad. Its also the only way to run 2.25 stroke shocks in the 5" position (that Im aware of). This is why I want one so bad.

I also think a majority of folks didn't know that this rocker existed, since its not listed on the page with all the other rockers. This could account for the lack of demand.

 

[CarlosPR]

eyyyy!!!! What happened with the request to Sherwood to convert the 3-4-5link to only 4-5? I'm still waiting to send mine to change them to 4-5 inches. I remebered that Sherwood told that it have to be at least 10 or 15 persons to do it, right? Sherwood, are you still able to work with that links? if not, are someone interested in buying them from me?

 

[sherwood]

Sherwood, are you still able to work with that links?

Got two interested parties. So it is still in the offing awaiting another eight. Like I said, interest in adjustable rockers has been minimal.