The Nashbar Story

In article , Rex Kerr wrote:

Ron George wrote:
Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.

http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Interesting, though it seems to have a lot of speculation. Also,
Nashbar doesn't seem to be nearly as cheap as it was say 7 or so years
ago -- any 'speculation' on what that is?

Unrealistic expectations, combined with a general inflation of what is
considered minimum equipment. In other words, nobody wants a 7-speed
freewheel anymore.

In defense of Nashbar, I have to say that their aluminum cyclocross
frame routinely cycles down to a low-point price of just over $100,
usually at the same time as the matching carbon CX fork hits $120 or so.

I bought one last year, and it has two annoying but minor design flaws
(I think 135 mm spacing is wrong for this frame--I want to share wheels
with my road bike; there's a crap-catching chainstay bridge behind the
BB), and otherwise works very well.

On the other hand, their value-leader "Frame" road frame appears to have
disappeared, replaced by the pricier carbon-stayed road frame.

I tend to buy a lot of used components, but the cyclocross frame was
noteworthy because it was an inexpensive entry into the sport at a time
when there was a virtually nonexistent supply of used cyclocross
bicycles, owing to the general boom in the sport.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

right.who buys 8 speeds and obscure stuff? like the never to be wheel
truing graphic CD at CD prices 2$5-35:
where's the market?

"Ron George" wrote in message
...
| Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.
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| http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

"Common knowledge" surpasses most of the content there. What's really
missing is a commentary on why Performance chose to keep the Performance
name, instead of Supergo. Performance carries a lot of baggage; they're not
known for great service (in their retail stores), but they advertise as if
that's what people should expect. So their customers are often underwhelmed.
Supergo, on the other hand, exceeded expectations. Most customers were
attracted to them for one reason- cheap bike parts, sometimes some truly
great deals. And the typical Supergo seemed to be staffed better than the
Performance stores.

The inside story on the shuttering of Supergo would make for an interesting
read.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Ron George" wrote in message
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| http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Common knowledge" surpasses most of the content there. What's really
missing is a commentary on why Performance chose to keep the Performance
name, instead of Supergo. Performance carries a lot of baggage; they're not
known for great service (in their retail stores), but they advertise as if
that's what people should expect. So their customers are often underwhelmed.
Supergo, on the other hand, exceeded expectations. Most customers were
attracted to them for one reason- cheap bike parts, sometimes some truly
great deals. And the typical Supergo seemed to be staffed better than the
Performance stores.
The inside story on the shuttering of Supergo would make for an interesting
read.

I don't think it's a secret. Alan worked both hard and well for many
years. It was just time to move on.
He was a successful attorney before Supergo and probably has quite a few
interests and options now.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article
,
Ron George wrote:

Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.

http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Blogspam. Little content but lots of speculation, which is the norm on
blogs since actual journalism isn't a big part of blogucation.

Ron George wrote:
Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Tim McNamara wrote:
Blogspam. Little content but lots of speculation, which is the norm on
blogs since actual journalism isn't a big part of blogucation.

You're braver than I.
I saw the url and passed
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

I don't think it's a secret. Alan worked both hard and well for many
years. It was just time to move on.
He was a successful attorney before Supergo and probably has quite a few
interests and options now.
--
Andrew Muzi

Andrew: That I know. What I meant was, what's the story behind keeping the
Performance name and killing off Supergo? Was any thought ever given to the
idea that Supergo might bring more to the party?

We had an employee in the way-back days who moved to Southern California for
school. He went to work at one of the Supergo locations as a wrench, and
came back to us the next summer. The stories he told... I'll just tell one
of them for now. When bikes came in for a "tune up" they got a very
interesting treatment. Before anything was done to them, the entire bike was
dumped into something like those big acid baths they put bike frames into
for treatment prior to painting. No acid in them, of course, but rather a
cleaning solution. Yes. The entire bike went into it. Bearing & everything
got all of their greased washed out, but dang, the bikes came out looking
amazingly clean. Tires, grips, everything.

Now, I don't know if they were selective at all about this or not; one can't
believe they'd subject a nicer bike to such treatment. But can you imagine
any bike processed in that manner, and then actually have some miles put on
it?

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA


"A Muzi" wrote in message
...
"Ron George" wrote in message
...
| Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.
| http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Common knowledge" surpasses most of the content there. What's really
missing is a commentary on why Performance chose to keep the Performance
name, instead of Supergo. Performance carries a lot of baggage; they're
not known for great service (in their retail stores), but they advertise
as if that's what people should expect. So their customers are often
underwhelmed. Supergo, on the other hand, exceeded expectations. Most
customers were attracted to them for one reason- cheap bike parts,
sometimes some truly great deals. And the typical Supergo seemed to be
staffed better than the Performance stores.
The inside story on the shuttering of Supergo would make for an
interesting read.

I don't think it's a secret. Alan worked both hard and well for many
years. It was just time to move on.
He was a successful attorney before Supergo and probably has quite a few
interests and options now.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 28 Feb 2008 22:06:43 -0800, (Donald Gillies)
wrote:

Ron George writes:

Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.

Bike Warehouse was still called "Bike Warehouse" in 1980. And, it
became Bike Nashbar a few years later, and my memory suggests the
1980-82 time period.

It was still Bike Warehouse when I mail ordered my 1985 Specialized
Stumpjumper which I just ride through the Merritt Island Wildlife
Refuge on Wednesday :-]

On Feb 29, 2:48*pm, A Muzi wrote:
*Ron George wrote:
Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.
http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html
Tim McNamara wrote:
Blogspam. *Little content but lots of speculation, which is the norm on
blogs since actual journalism isn't a big part of blogucation.

You're braver than I.
I saw the url and passed
--
Andrew Muziwww.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In the past, I asked "what mail order" and heard Performance. All well
off 60+ years retirees.

"Ron George" wrote
| Feel free to drop in comments. Thanks.
| http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2008...e-nashbar.html

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Common knowledge" surpasses most of the content there. What's really
missing is a commentary on why Performance chose to keep the Performance
name, instead of Supergo. Performance carries a lot of baggage; they're
not known for great service (in their retail stores), but they advertise
as if that's what people should expect. So their customers are often
underwhelmed. Supergo, on the other hand, exceeded expectations. Most
customers were attracted to them for one reason- cheap bike parts,
sometimes some truly great deals. And the typical Supergo seemed to be
staffed better than the Performance stores.
The inside story on the shuttering of Supergo would make for an
interesting read.

"A Muzi" wrote
I don't think it's a secret. Alan worked both hard and well for many
years. It was just time to move on.
He was a successful attorney before Supergo and probably has quite a few
interests and options now.


Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Andrew: That I know. What I meant was, what's the story behind keeping the
Performance name and killing off Supergo? Was any thought ever given to the
idea that Supergo might bring more to the party?

We had an employee in the way-back days who moved to Southern California for
school. He went to work at one of the Supergo locations as a wrench, and
came back to us the next summer. The stories he told... I'll just tell one
of them for now. When bikes came in for a "tune up" they got a very
interesting treatment. Before anything was done to them, the entire bike was
dumped into something like those big acid baths they put bike frames into
for treatment prior to painting. No acid in them, of course, but rather a
cleaning solution. Yes. The entire bike went into it. Bearing & everything
got all of their greased washed out, but dang, the bikes came out looking
amazingly clean. Tires, grips, everything.

Now, I don't know if they were selective at all about this or not; one can't
believe they'd subject a nicer bike to such treatment. But can you imagine
any bike processed in that manner, and then actually have some miles put on
it?


Great story!
Long ago, when the earth was young, I worked for a guy who used a steam
cleaner on 'tuneups'. Detergent and water in, grease and dirt off, much
like a graffiti remover. Bikes looked great and the shop stayed clean
but 60 days later everything was a rusty mess, bearings included.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971