eh? open letter to nahbs

[ergott]

I'm very confused. I've spoken to Rich, awesome guy and obviously a great business man. If you don't already know, his company builds more custom wheels than probably all the other wheelbuilders in the country and then some. He's managed to keep quality up all the while. I doubt he's scrounging for work. Why write the letter at all?

The other problem here is that one of the complaints is "There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all bicycle wheel for any cyclist, but especially not someone who loves custom bikes." Companies like our Boyd and Hed do offer different options for rider size.

Also, companies like Zipp and Shimano don't even have robots build their wheels (at least not the high end Shimano wheels). So what's a handbuilt set of wheels?

Just thinking out loud.

[EricKeller]

at least everyone is going to be looking at the wheels now. I bet that was the last thing most people look at in most years

[e-RICHIE]

Also, companies like Zipp and Shimano don't even have robots build their wheels (at least not the high end Shimano wheels). So what's a handbuilt set of wheels?

My Cole Wheels are handbuilt, as were all the Cane Creeks I used before I switched some five years ago. There are enough pre-built wheels on the market at all prices and for so many uses, that the need for a custom set has diminished. It's a fact of life atmo. The same is true for frames, and also for complete bicycles. The custom tangent may have made sense decades ago when materials and assembly quality were more to the left hand side of the developmental timeline. But that was then. We're not there anymore.

[abbeyQ]

Before anyone worries about wheels and if they are handmade from a wheelbuilder, how about
folks find a way to make the forks that go through the head tubes of the frames that have their
names on them atmo.

Does this mean I need to find a frame builder that can understand fluid dynamics, spring rates and damper circuits? Call me crazy but I'd rather leave that to Fox/Rock Shox/White Bros/X-Fusion

[e-RICHIE]

Does this mean I need to find a frame builder that can understand fluid dynamics, spring rates and damper circuits? Call me crazy but I'd rather leave that to Fox/Rock Shox/White Bros/X-Fusion

Cool.

[Don Walker]

Ok, I am ready to say whats on my mind.

At first, I wanted to flame flame flame Rich. But then I realized, hey, he just gave NAHBS a bunch of free press the week before the show. Nice job!
I thought about it some more and came up with the best course of action is to keep my fat mouth shut. Why? Because people *expect* me to go off on stuff like this.
Why give anyone any ammo when I see the same thoughts are being shared here on VS as they probably are everywhere else. What I took from the open letter was the following. Please let me know if you read it like it did.
We want our wheels at NAHBS. We don't want to pay for a booth. Please help us get our wheels to the show. It will be good for the industry. (Meaning WB)

If y'all see that as I do, its called coat-tailing and Garro saw it. (great song, btw, Steve!)

So, I won't go on any public record and flame for the sake of flaming, but I will let my opinion be heard here and only here.

Thanks for watching.

DW

[devlin]

That's how I read it Don.

[dashDustin]

Ditto. What was especially odd is who all posted it on Facebook...

[e-RICHIE]

Please let me know if you read it like it did.

DW

I read it that way too atmo.

[Nierman]

I love that Garro has a song holstered for any occasion.

I nominate a beaver for the official mascot of the inaugural NAHWS.

All open letters are advertorials.

[hmbatrail]

I thought about it some more and came up with the best course of action is to keep my fat mouth shut. Why? Because people *expect* me to go off on stuff like this.
Why give anyone any ammo when I see the same thoughts are being shared here on VS as they probably are everywhere else.
DW

My baby boy is all growns up.

[ergott]

To be fair to Rich, there used to be all sorts of discussion on what constitutes a "handmade" bike and who could exhibit at the show. A Colnago C60 or Trek Madone 7 is no less handmade than many other bikes at the show, but you don't expect to see them anytime soon. Does a set of Mavic R-Sys wheels on a bike that is intended to be exhibited at a show celebrating the "handmade" and "art form" really fit in?

[theflashunc]

Andy Tetmeyer from HED responds to this completely made-up controversy:

A response to Wheelbuilder.com's open letter to NAHBS builders - VeloNews.com

[Don Walker]

damn, you beat me to it!

Hed wheels will be on several bikes at NAHBS and 2014 will be the sixth year that Hed has purchased a booth to display our wheels at the show. We have spent time and money at the show for the past five years and will continue to do so in because we see value in it. There are very few other opportunities where we can support a venue for custom builders, develop relationships with them, and speak to consumers face to face. The builders and show attendees are exactly the people we want and NAHBS is where we start those relationships.

boom.

DW

[Curt Goodrich]

Hed is good people and great wheels. Bonus for being Minnesotan.

[crumpton]

However, we only offer black nipples.

perfect!

[Dave Anderson]

Hed is good people and great wheels. Bonus for being Minnesotan.

X1000 ....and they support the local community and us builders.

[Dave Anderson]

To be fair to Rich, there used to be all sorts of discussion on what constitutes a "handmade" bike and who could exhibit at the show. A Colnago C60 or Trek Madone 7 is no less handmade than many other bikes at the show, but you don't expect to see them anytime soon. Does a set of Mavic R-Sys wheels on a bike that is intended to be exhibited at a show celebrating the "handmade" and "art form" really fit in?

Boy.... don't get me started on Mavic....... I get what your saying, but to me it seemed that the implication was that builders don't see the value in custom wheels, don't offer them to their customers, and don't display them at shows. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Frankly, wheel choice around here is generally driven by the customer. Riders buying custom bikes generally know what they want when it comes to wheels. Therefore, if WB feels that their wheels aren't getting a fair shake, then perhaps their "open letter" should have been directed at riders and not builders or Nahbs. As has been said...if they want their stuff at the show, there are plenty of ways to get them on bikes, or better yet, they can buy a booth.

Just my $.02

Dave

[Mike Mcdermid]

X1000 ....and they support the local community and us builders.

see that speaks volumes you can get the local italian tubing supplier to offer more support to builders than the one in blighty here theres no goodwill to be found anywhere IMHO

[ergott]

Boy.... don't get me started on Mavic....... I get what your saying, but to me it seemed that the implication was that builders don't see the value in custom wheels, don't offer them to their customers, and don't display them at shows. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Frankly, wheel choice around here is generally driven by the customer. Riders buying custom bikes generally know what they want when it comes to wheels. Therefore, if WB feels that their wheels aren't getting a fair shake, then perhaps their "open letter" should have been directed at riders and not builders or Nahbs. As has been said...if they want their stuff at the show, there are plenty of ways to get them on bikes, or better yet, they can buy a booth.

Just my $.02

Dave

I agree that the customer drives part of it and there are plenty of builders that either do their own. I get a lot of inquiries where someone is looking for wheels for an upcoming custom bike myself.

I hope people give Rich some benefit of the doubt, because it doesn't seem like he's the kind of guy that is starving for attention or in need of work.