[revmonkey]

Do any of you bikers feel any loyalty to any particular brand? I currently own a specialized (only a hardrock, i'm pretty young and damn poor), but for my next bike (a BMX) i'm looking to get a Specialized Fuse, even though i could get a MUCH better bike (Free Agent Trail Devil) for about $100 bucks cheaper. one of the reaosn why i want the fuse is simply because of the 'specialized' name. (don't shoot me, i don't want it to be a poseur, i want it because i feel a certain loyalty to it)

do any of you feel this way about your bikes?

 

[CHUM]

I'm guilty - what can ya do?. I think most people are to a point. If ya try something out that works well for ya it's human nature to associate the brand as quality across the board

I used to work for Specialized years ago and love their product - so my primary rig is an '04 Specialized S-Works Enduro.

Hell....they make a great ride (even though they are a little on the expensive side)

 

[rzozaya1969]

I think it's normal to have brand royalty, I'm partial to Specialized and Titus, although I know there are lot's of other great bikes out there.

 

[jr711]

yeah i think most are to a point. i'm a santa cruz fan, but i don't own 5 santa cruz bikes. i only own one. i also have a gary fisher hartail, and a schwinn road bike. for the most part i buy things that are a good deal. the one thing i won't do is buy apparel by bike companies. i won't buy c'dale shorts or shoes or specialized helmets or gloves or jerseys. i haven't yet but i guess i'd buy santa cruz jerseys and clothing(only if theres a deal of course).

 

[Scarpa]

I dunno, normally I'm not into loyalty. If price and quality was equal or close though, I'd probably pick a brand I'm already familiar with. Your choice to go Specialized for a BMX is odd though, IMO. I don't think they are well known in the BMX world, but I'm not sure.

That said, I did recently buy a Santa Cruz bike pretty much because I live there. That's more of a local pride than loyalty thing though, and I did get a healthy discount.

 

[OC Rider]

I went through 8 Manitou Forks before I finally bought a Marzocchi. I also have stuck with Santa Cruz for my last two bikes; first the SL and now the Blur.

Rob

 

[AndrewTO]

Guilty. Not only with bikes, either.

I'd like to think that part of MY reasoning is supporting a company that has earned my respect enough to shell out the cash in the first place. Not always the case, but usually.

 

[norm]

I went through 8 Manitou Forks before I finally bought a Marzocchi. I also have stuck with Santa Cruz for my last two bikes; first the SL and now the Blur.

Rob

OT, but what kind of Manitou Forks did you go through. Were they all lemons?

 

[RonSonic]

I don't know if it's loyalty so much as liking the way a particular company or design team does things. There are so many marketing, design and engineering compromises in a bike and so many different companies that somewhere out there is someone who puts the light, strong, cheap marker right where you want it. Or sometimes who was just lucky enough to catch you with the right product after you'd given up on someone else's cheaper one.

Ron

 

[Earthpig]

No. I feel absolutely no brand loyalty whatsoever when it comes to bikes or bike-related gear. My last 4 "primary" mountain bikes have been made by Trek, Gunnar, Santa Cruz and Ventana. The only brand of mountain bike frame that I've ever owned more than one of would be Surly (2 different 1x1s and one Cross Check), but only because they make a spectacular product for the money and the 1x1 frame is the best fitting and riding hardtail I've ever ridden. Personally, if I was looking at two bikes, and one was better than the other and was also $100 cheaper, I'd be all over that deal like white on rice. Better is better, especially when it's cheaper too.

 

[OC Rider]

OT, but what kind of Manitou Forks did you go through. Were they all lemons?

Nada. My first fork was a Scott Unishock which was ok when it came out. I rode that for a year and then changed to the Rock Shox Mag 20. Hated that. Replaced it with the Manitou 2 which I loved. I stuck with Manitou from there and usually bought a new fork every 1 to 2 years. I think I went from the Manitou 2 to the Manitou EFC - Manitou SX-R - Manitou Ti - Manitou Mars - Manitou Mars1 - Manitou TPC-Air - Manitou Black Elite. Each fork was better than the last until I got the Black. It was horrible so I finally broke my loyalty to Manitou and went to a Marzochhi Bomber which has been great.

Rob

 

[revmonkey]

well as mentioned before, i chose the specialized because of the name... but it's much less of a bike than the trail devil... MUCH less of a bike.

 

[immtbman]

Like many, I was a roadie for a long time before going offroad. Had a nice steel Trek skinny tire ride - great bike, which is still solid after 20 years. Bought it because it seemd like a quality product AND I grew up in a small town a stone's throw from Waterloo, WI - Trek headquarters. Plus, my retired dad worked there part time in the '80's. So when time came to go to fat tires, I went to Trek first. Bought a Fuel. Also bought a handful of Trek accessories, all of which ultimately landed me the nickname "Trekted" with my bike club... It's all good

 

[AndrewTO]

well as mentioned before, i chose the specialized because of the name... but it's much less of a bike than the trail devil... MUCH less of a bike.

(snickers)

Oh, sorry. Please continue.

 

[skiahh]

I've had great luck with Specialized

I typically focus on performance first but Specizlized keeps winning for "bang for the buck' and warranty service. I went with Litespeed for a road bike, however, because I wanted to Ti for comfort.

So, I guess I'd say I have some loyalty to the S... I'd start looking at them for a new bike before any other.

 

[LetsGoOutside]

Yes, I feel a brand loyalty to Cannondale, Specialized, Fuji, Trek and Raleigh. Oops maybe that's too many to be loyal to but that's what is in my stable, a quality bicylce is a quality bicycle and I love them all.

 

[slowrider]

Not brand loyal..

But I am loyal to U.S. made frames. I feel that it is far more important to support jobs in you're country than it is to support a given company. I currently own 2 Turners (5 Spot and an old RFX/6 Pack proto), a Cannondale 1fg and an old Kelly hardtail commuter. Over the last 12 years I've also owned an Ellsworth Truth breifly, an Intense Uzzi DH, 2 Foes frames a few Fisher bikes, a couple other Cannondale bikes and frames and a Bullit from before Santa Cruze started having them made in Tiawan.

 

[JmZ]

I have several brands I like, and several that I don't. I'll shop the ones I want well before I look at other alternatives, and even then I'll look at the next group well before I look at the last group.

It isn't brand loyalty though, my last five bikes have been:
Ventana
Rocky Mountain
Interloc
Jamis
Specialized

I bought each one, because it fit the need (want) that I had at the time.

Right now in my basement are a Ventana, Interloc, Specialized, Trek, Giant, and Univega. I look for a bike that fits my needs and is within my budget (debatable by the wife ).

JmZ

Do any of you bikers feel any loyalty to any particular brand? I currently own a specialized (only a hardrock, i'm pretty young and damn poor), but for my next bike (a BMX) i'm looking to get a Specialized Fuse, even though i could get a MUCH better bike (Free Agent Trail Devil) for about $100 bucks cheaper. one of the reaosn why i want the fuse is simply because of the 'specialized' name. (don't shoot me, i don't want it to be a poseur, i want it because i feel a certain loyalty to it)

do any of you feel this way about your bikes?

 

[FoShizzle]

i absolutely do.....among the many bikes and bike parts I have purchased, the only one the just really sticks with me as being a loyalist is Ventana. That company just has so much personality that I would actually feel guilty trading that bike for another......which I never see happening.

 

[Guyechka]

maybe to an extent...

I think this could classify as a seperate thread, but there are bikes I slobber over just because someone cool is riding them or making them. Sometimes I slobber because they are made by small time, super dedicated frame makers (gotta have an Endless Lifetime!). But when it comes to buying a bike, I look for deals. There are, however, certain brands that have earned my disdain--rightly or wrongly--and I would never buy any product from them. For instance, the first mt. bike I rode was a C-dale, and I hated it something terrible. It was a rental while my bike was being shipped and built. That was in '87, and I know things have changed a little. I just can't forgive C-dale for that first encounter. I even turned up my nose when I found out that my GF's gloves were C-dale.