[skiahh]

Was at one of those huge, upper end mass outdoors stores tonight and what did I see on the bike racks? A new Truth, right alongside the more mass produced bikes.

Galyan's stocks better outdoor gear as well as the basic stuff and, as far as I know, is a pretty big chain. There might have also been a Joker there, but I didn't look that closely - I was looking for the Yakima stuff.

What gives?

 

[Trevor!]

Was at one of those huge, upper end mass outdoors stores tonight and what did I see on the bike racks? A new Truth, right alongside the more mass produced bikes.

Galyan's stocks better outdoor gear as well as the basic stuff and, as far as I know, is a pretty big chain. There might have also been a Joker there, but I didn't look that closely - I was looking for the Yakima stuff.

What gives?

I doubt that the Mass market would pay for an Ellsworth but it is possible that the specific shop you were in just happened to be selling the Truth..

Odd though.
Trevor!

 

[IntenseRdr]

Doubt it very much, Ells is Going Mass Market. Not their style!

I doubt that the Mass market would pay for an Ellsworth but it is possible that the specific shop you were in just happened to be selling the Truth..

Odd though.
Trevor!

I agree with Trevor. mass market would not want to pay the money. I work for a corp. outdoor 4 sport specialty company. High end bikes and bike shop service being one of our biggest specialties and we are a stocking Ellsworth dealer. But, I only stock them in our top end shop with our best crew, most of which ride Ellsworths and race them as well.. We have about 10+ shops in multiple states, but only one shop that carries the Ells frames. Tony Ells told me at Interbike he is very particular about their R/D and will not let anything go with out making sure its going to be perfect. Meaning if they have to take more time and skip a year model to make it right, they will do it. Happened with my Dare frame, many changes made for 03 and they didnt produce a 03 Dare, waiting til 04 to make sure all was right exactly the way Tony wanted it. So, i wouldnt count on seeing these bikes out in mass numbers. They only produce so many of each frame a year. They are not the kind of campany that wants to be compared to a mass produced company. They are a very high quality builder and i doubt they would go to a mass production company to build for them. They recently opened their own production facility to keep tabs on things. The shop you saw the Ells bikes in may be the only shop for that company that carries Ells. That may have been the case. I hope! Scared me for a second when i saw the post! LOL Have a nice day! Ride hard, have fun and wear a helmet!

Ellsman1
04Dare/888

 

[skiahh]

can't look it up on their site....

but Galyan's is in 19 states, some of them pretty big mt biking states. What they're doing selling a $3200 Truth in Dallas, TX (Arlington) is beyond me. Here's their location site - call one near you and see if they stock Ellsworth. Here's the link: http://www.galyans.com/stores. Their site says you have to contact a local store to get answers rather than the corporate offices.

 

[rhodoman]

Galyans in Indianapolis also sells Ellsworth and they only have a tiny shop that is in no-way high end oriented. They build up their truths with LX components, I was very disappointed when I saw this. Buddy of mine bought a Truth there and it was crap from day one. Took forever to get the shifting figured out, ended up not having the right deraileur hanger for the deraileur they used. Not sure what Ellsworth is thinking.

 

[MightySchmoePong]

The Galyan's near me in Rockville, MD sells them as well...

They've had a built up Truth and Isis in there for going on two years! The bike shop is complete crap, never anyone there and no decent parts selection. It's a strange mix for sure.

Dave

 

[AndyH]

Yes, Galyan's is an Ellsworth dealer...

but Galyan's is in 19 states, some of them pretty big mt biking states. What they're doing selling a $3200 Truth in Dallas, TX (Arlington) is beyond me. Here's their location site - call one near you and see if they stock Ellsworth. Here's the link: http://www.galyans.com/stores. Their site says you have to contact a local store to get answers rather than the corporate offices.

Yes, Galyan's is an Ellsworth dealer according to Ellsworth's web site. Although, based on what I'm reading in this message thread, perhaps they shouldn't be.

 

[Ghostrider]

The Galyan's near me has had the same ID frame on its rack for two years now. It has a lot of finger prints on it including mine. So even though it is at a national retailer it dosn't mean everyone will buy them. The over $2,000 frame sits next to a $600 North Face (name branded) bike.
I had a Rocky Mountain RM 6 a few years ago that a LBS wouldn't work on because he thought I bought it from Galyan's when they carried Rocky Mountain. I guess some people just don't like big named stores.

 

[Tony Ellsworth]

Galyan's is an Ellsworth Dealer

For about four years now, Selected Galyan's stores have been able to order Ellsworth's from Galyan's distribution center.

This gave Ellsworth dealer representation in areas of the country, (especially four years ago) where there were no Ellsworth Dealers. We maintain pretty good communication with bike department heads in those stores that carry Ellsworth's, and in all those stores, that DO carry them; they have a fairly well established IBD style bike department.

We don't consider our Galyan's presence mass market. And yep, Ellsworth's would have to change considerably to be affordable on that part of the bell curve so to speak.

Cheers,
TE

 

[luv2hmr]

Galyan's does sell Ellsworth not just show them......

I am the store manger of a Galyan's and assure you we do sell Ellsworth and not just show them. We have sold 3 in the last year. We have a Truth, Isis and ID on display.........and that is really what they are displays. When someone is interested in buying a quality bike like this they want to spec it with what they want and that is exactly what we do. The bikes on dispay simply show we carry Ellsworth and when someone wants one we special order it with the exact components they want. That explains why the same bikes are always on display in the Galyan's you are visiting. We also have certified tech that have graduated from Barnetts in Colorado Springs.........many of the LBS do not have certified tech's, most of them are self taught or learned their skills from someone else.

Cheers.

 

[sumguy1]

Galyan's sold me my Id and my Truth

And it was just like buying from a specialty LBS.
I spec'ed the bike to my tastes - had the QBP catalog out and just chose what I wanted.
The build was as good as any specialty shop, maybe even better. The shop guys cared and took great care in every aspect of the deal.

Today there is a more local LBS carrying Ellsworth and I would probably take my business there now. But 3 years ago Galyan's was the only Ellsworth dealer within a reasonable distance to me.

Wait, I forgot....

First, I actually went out of my way to a specialty shop to check out the Truth and was left standing, ignored by the floor people until I touched a bike. I was then told, "please don't touch the bikes". I , looking like the scruffy dirtbag that I daily pretend to be, grunted and moved away from the shiny ano metal bits that had attracted me. I then asked about availability and was sighed at. Then, shoulders slumped, I exited the shop, never to return.