Didn’t Zen Fab close like two-three years ago?
Zen doesn’t exist iirc
Was also curious about geekhouse
Ok… Waterford. Or just do all of them through Colossi.
1 Like
Unfortunately this is the pretty typical end-state of a small business with razor thin margins, if the owner isn’t quick enough to recognize that it’s not running a profit. Pretty soon they’re in the situation of having to raise money from new customers in order to build the stuff they sold to the previous customers, and when it all comes tumbling down the last folks are left in the wind.
2 Likes
I heard about that guy through the local bike nerd grapevine. He lives about 400m from me. Apparently he’s building frames again for a builder in another city close by.
The only MUSA option they offer anymore is a full custom (coincidental to the True Temper thing, or caused by that?). So embrace that, get off that always lugged hill, and offer more non-dumb-big bikes at the Clem priceway.
1 Like
Fuck it, make everything in Taiwan. Keep customs through Waterford for any weirdo who wants them. Sell TIG welded frames for sub-$1000.
2 Likes
I’ve also heard those rumors. Are you in the bay?
A disk A. Homer Hilsen where you can still run the long reach sidepulls if you really want to, but if you disk up it looks normal. Maybe two forks, a 9mm dickless and a TA disk one (cuz TA is safer!)
Nope I’m in the Hammer… Go Ticats!
They’re actively marketing to the Riv demo
oh shit matt chester welds for true north. read my blog for full press release.
Grant gave a rundown of their nonhuman assets in that bloopfh post. @jimmythefly is absolutely correct that he’s the biggest asset of the company, but, alas, a person does not make the greatest thing to offer as collateral for a loan.
For the bike part of the company he’s already doing as much as possible. Riv has basically given up on lugs these days unless you’re a pretty deep-pocketed customer, and ditto for MUSA bicycles, and those are on-demand and outsourced so Rivendell’s financial stake in them is minimal. His bizarre frame design ideas might drive some people away (double top tubes in frames that absolutely don’t need it) but they also bring people in (the tandumb, the Rosco Bubbe.) I certainly don’t know if the mystical merchandise is a drag or benefit to the bottom line, but the margins on woo are generally pretty good.
He’s gotta move; there’s no big city on the west coast that isn’t seeing catastrophic real estate inflation, and moving to a smaller town would lift that weight right off the company’s back and he could refill the coffers (instead of paying for expensive industrial space.)
Hunqer Gatherer?
6 Likes
I do believe that is the bike I see in my dreams
1 Like
My all time favorite bikepubes line is “Matt Chester in a fake moustache.” I laughed out loud when I first read it and I still giggle whenever I think about it.
Same
You have a blog?
no.
1 Like