A decade in.

[steve garro]

Coconino Cycles turns 10 today!
Here is some things that are going down: coconino cycles custom bicycles 928 774 7747 www.coconinocycles.com: Coconino Cycles 10th anniversary post, please read & pass on.
Thoughts, comments, ect?
- Garro.

[Matthew J]

The world is ten years the better for it. Looking forward to another ten.

[SteveP]

cheers and congrats to you steve.

i read and appreciate all that you have done.
your story is incredible.
you have some amazing tales of bike adventures.
keep throwing them in there now and again.

note on the comments. i cant speak for anyone but my guess is nobody looking to get a cococino will balk at you covering your costs.
just throw in a story or 2.. worth more that $$

[znfdl]

Mazel Tov!!! You need to do another 10, so I can get my single speed MTB when I move to Camp Verde....

[zetroc]

Steve - you're doing great work. I eagerly await the day I can swing a leg over my Coconino. Any and all price increases you put in place are well deserved.

Thanks for all you do.
Steve

[Matthew Strongin]

note on the comments. i cant speak for anyone but my guess is nobody looking to get a cococino will balk at you covering your costs.
just throw in a story or 2.. worth more that $$

No balk. I read it and thought it makes perfect sense. If or when I'm in the market for a Coconino I only hope you're charging a fair price that lets you cover your costs, sustain your business, and put enough coin in your pocket to live the life you want.

[nahtnoj]

Coconino Cycles turns 10 today!
Here is some things that are going down: coconino cycles custom bicycles 928 774 7747 www.coconinocycles.com: Coconino Cycles 10th anniversary post, please read & pass on.
Thoughts, comments, ect?
- Garro.

Steve,

I really like what you are talking about here. Materials cost x, I want/need/deserve y, and this is how long it takes, so this is what it costs. I think greater transparency of the hourly wage you receive does nothing but strengthen the case that you should get more.

[the bottle ride]

Steve- great post.
Prices going up is one part inflation and one part a testament to your craft and excellence:I like how you have laid it out too.

I remember first finding you because of Drunk Jonny- I was a fan from the start.
Congratulations on the 10 years in business and congrats on being booked for 2013- both are pretty awesome achievements.

[dgaddis]

Steve,

I really like what you are talking about here. Materials cost x, I want/need/deserve y, and this is how long it takes, so this is what it costs. I think greater transparency of the hourly wage you receive does nothing but strengthen the case that you should get more.

+1 to all of that.

CONGRATS Steve!!

[Nierman]

Congrats, Steve. Looking forward to the Decade of Hits album release. You are an inspiration to many. Thanks for sharing your adventure stories & images.

Flying out to LA a few years ago, looking south toward the Sacred Mountain of the West:

coconino2.jpg

[funcrusher]

a year older than my son...and i bet your baby doesn't talk back!!

mazel tov

[spopepro]

Congrats. 10 years is a long time, especially in this niche.

I'd suggest against disclosing what you worked out as your hourly. I think it's a fine experiment to conduct for personal reasons, but I worry about the reaction in this day and age where "everyone is replaceable, someone wants this job at that wage if you don't, laborers shouldn't be able to make demands, Someone Sombody is only making xx.xx and they can do it, etc" kind of stuff circulates hard on the internet. Nearly everyone working for an honest living today earns less than they should (and less than they did), but the backlash against those who try and stand up to demand it is harsh, and I'd hate to see that happen here (not here as in v-salon, here as in with the hourly experiment).

[steve garro]

Congrats, Steve. Looking forward to the Decade of Hits album release. You are an inspiration to many. Thanks for sharing your adventure stories & images.

Flying out to LA a few years ago, looking south toward the Sacred Mountain of the West:

coconino2.jpg

Those are the very mountains on your shirt!
- Garro.

[steve garro]

Congrats. 10 years is a long time, especially in this niche.

I'd suggest against disclosing what you worked out as your hourly. I think it's a fine experiment to conduct for personal reasons, but I worry about the reaction in this day and age where "everyone is replaceable, someone wants this job at that wage if you don't, laborers shouldn't be able to make demands, Someone Sombody is only making xx.xx and they can do it, etc" kind of stuff circulates hard on the internet. Nearly everyone working for an honest living today earns less than they should (and less than they did), but the backlash against those who try and stand up to demand it is harsh, and I'd hate to see that happen here (not here as in v-salon, here as in with the hourly experiment).

Interesting.
I would wager that it's much, much lower then what most professionals make, and 1/4 what i pay the car Mech or the plumber...........both of which state the hourly wage on the reciept.
I'll think this one over.
More thoughts, please. I do take them to heart & consider them all.
And, thanks, everyone!
- Garro.

[Matthew Strongin]

As a consumer, I care about the hourly wage when I'm paying for hourly work. Plumber, mechanic, lawyer, accountant, whatever. I see buying a bike as a product purchase. The value, IMO, doesn't need to equal the sum of COGS and labor. And that formula wouldn't likely account for your expertise, attention to detail, insight, etc. The price should follow what the market will bear and how users value the product, and my guess is your product is underpriced. I agree with spopepro...do the experiment, but don't share your calculations. It's none of my business.

[72gmc]

Charge what you gotta charge. I want you to be around when it's time for me to be in your queue!

All respect to you for 10 years and for all of the contributions you make here. I always enjoy reading your posts. I also enjoy mainemike's posts but that's more of an anti-value thing.

[Britishbane]

Steve, Congratulations. I don't know squat about building bikes. but you've made it ten years, on your own, doing your thing your way. This is no small accomplishment. Not only that - you have people willing to wait 13+ months. Pretty rad, no?

The dude abides.

[JoB]

I agree with the 'product' comment above.

In my mind, your situation compares to others where there are ostensibly comparable goods for a much different price. Organic farming comes to mind: Why do these apples cost 3 times as much as the ones at Giant? Don't know but I know the farmer and she's not getting rich off of this.

Speaking of farming: My neighbor is a fruit and veg grower and does high-end farmers' markets only. He had some plums one week that wouldn't sell for $2/pint. Next week, he charged 3.50 and they were gone within an hour. True story

So I guess what I am saying is, one one hand I can see someone saying '1700 bucks is a crapload of money for a bunch of 4130, some rod, flux, and a powder coat'. On the other hand, there are very few people who can do what you do, and most of them charge a lot more than that. I appreciate that you feel the need to explain your price increase, but 'hey, I gotta eat' would have sufficed, IMO.

Go get 'em, and all the best for continued success.

Interesting.
I would wager that it's much, much lower then what most professionals make, and 1/4 what i pay the car Mech or the plumber...........both of which state the hourly wage on the reciept.
I'll think this one over.
More thoughts, please. I do take them to heart & consider them all.
And, thanks, everyone!
- Garro.

[David Tollefson]

I'm in agreement with some of the late sentiment on this thread -- you don't owe any one an explanation on the why's of the price increase. Kudos to you that you feel compelled to give it, but I don't see it as a necessary part of the public equation.

And I could aspire to be a pale shadow of the builder you are...

[chancerider]

All the Best, Garro. You're a heckuva guy.

Rick