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They seem to be all over the place - one minute they're building one thing, the next it's something completely different, and none of it ever seems to make it to the 'delivering bike to the customer' stage.
They're pretty good at marketing, though.
JP
They’re pretty good at marketing, though.
The best marketing is word of mouth/recommendations from outside the company, from this thread we have 3 unhappy customers and one who say he wouldn’t buy from them again. No one on here who has bought a frame from them has had anything good to say about the company. There was a thread a while back from a guy who had built one up who seemed very happy with it, but he’s only ever posted on that (his own) thread, draw your own conclusions...
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/sick-bicycle-co-og-gnarcissist-year-one-ltd/
The more I see of them, the more I think they are using the ‘bikes’ as a marketing vehicle to sell the pocket money items to kids, they’ll have a go at making bikes, cause it’s a laugh and brings traffic, but I wouldn’t take them seriously, if you want a bike like theirs, go to the people that make them on their behalf, Marino, rideworks, FTW etc and get exactly what you want. I get the impression that once you get to a stage where you can afford a bike/frame of theirs, you are no longer the target market.
Perception is reality etc
They’re pretty good at marketing, though.
Not converting that to sales though...sort of basic thing you'd expect a business to want to do. Although maybe really they're just a clothing business that dabbles in the odd custom bike frame to give them the credibility of an actual bike company...clever marketing that 👊
Impressive how they got 25k Instagram followers for such a young company... doing something right as roughly double Cotic, Stanton and the like
Following the surf industry model?
Almost all the major surfbrands sell he off board etc... But not in big quantity, it's just to give their clothes brand credibility.
Not converting that to sales though…
Not bike sales. A mate once asked on SM if they had a pic of a FS frame built up, as he was interested in buying, they told him something along the lines of ‘no, but it looks like a bike, duh’. He bought a cotic flare max. And a sick T-shirt. Their social media is full of comments of ‘you guys are ace, wish I could afford a frame, sadly I can’t but bought a (T-shirt, grips, gloves) instead...
. I get the impression that once you get to a stage where you can afford a bike/frame of theirs, you are no longer the target market.
So puberty then.
Impressive how they got 25k Instagram
But can only sell half a dozen frames and never deliver , yes sir that's impressive.
Tom,
May I ask how you know how many units Sick ship per month? Frame wise?
Seems like you know a huge amount about their profit and loss account.
Oh I don’t, it just how the operation comes across imo, care to correct me?
But you speak with such conviction about how it’s such a poorly run business. And how they don’t sell any frames. I assumed you had actual numbers and facts to back it up.
I never said they didn’t sell any? 300 odd isn’t it?
As for poorly run, I don’t even think that, I just think the bikes come second to the T-shirt’s etc, meaning people hand over a lot of money, and don’t get what they expect or hope for. Some do, but not everyone.
James you work for Sick why dont you tell us? 😀
Like a moth to a flame.
#haters
I actually don’t work ‘for’ Sick. I do a lot of freelance stuff for them. So anything I say isn’t me speaking on behalf of them. I’m not an employee. They have always paid my invoices on time, I know of well over 100 customers who are currently riding a Sick bike. And happy with their purchase. It’s a company in its infancy that has made a lot of mistakes and grown quicker than it expected.
Like any industry early adopters have had a rough time. Mega long lead times and often a lack of answers and updates. A lot of that is a resource thing.
The three directors may be divisive characters but everyone involved gives a shit about making it work; we have had countless 2/3am WhatsApp and phone conversations about stuff.
The customer service inbox gets probably between 50 and 100 emails a day. So the response times are no where near where they would like it to be.
I don’t think they have ever claimed that their customer service is good, only that’s it’s improving.
The bikes ride well, that’s the hardest part to get right. Many long standing bike companies haven’t cracked that yet.
I’m sure all the other stuff will follow along.
They seem a bit to gnar and rad and photo opportunity for me, i wish them the best as a new company but seen various exchanges where being polite isn't evident never mind customer relations. Not sure I have the time for a company who only wants a certain type of customer by their own admission. Treating potential customers badly then excusing it by being gnarly and rad doesn't really do it for me.
To play devils advocate a bit, they obviously care. If they didn't care they wouldn't be reading this.
I think the problem is their passion is biking and not logistics. If I set up a bike company I'd imagine it's a steep learning curve and there is a lot to get your head around. At least they have the balls to try and have a go and aren't sat in a job they hate moaning about it and not trying to get out the rat race.
I hope my frame comes, if it comes late I'm fine with that as long as they tell me it's going to be late and the reason why.
I don't quite see why they have burnt the bridges with this forum, it seems both sides hold grudges
Many long standing bike companies haven’t cracked that yet.
No of course they haven't 🤣.
I never said they didn’t sell any? 300 odd isn’t it?
How many frames get sold out of the grand total?
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10621767/filing-history
Next year should show this massive growth.
Some of you clearly have a problem with the company. It's quite odd and, to be honest, a little disturbing to read so many negative comments and opinions about a new mountain bike company who are obviously trying to do a good job.
This forum can be a strange place sometimes, and I'm glad it's not representative of the UK scene.
Some of you clearly have a problem with the company.
They don't really help themselves at times. I like the look of the bikes. Shame I'm not needing a bike like that as that isn't my kind of riding. On the other hand they do have a habit of kicking off..
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/sick-bikes-and-welding/
the UK scene.
🤣
I actually don’t work ‘for’ Sick.
Thanks for the info.
Explains some of your posts on here.
it’s not representative of the UK scene
What’s that then?
Impressive how they got 25k Instagram followers for such a young company… doing something right as roughly double Cotic, Stanton and the like
Instagram followers really help Soho Bikes out didn't they!
Surprised no one from Sick has jumped on this thread, they're normally far more entertaining.
Impressive how they got 25k Instagram followers for such a young company… doing something right as roughly double Cotic, Stanton and the like
I'm concerned that I'm drifting into old fart territory here but is your number of Instagram followers now a concrete achievement? How much money does that number of followers earn you?
This is by far the worst Sick post on STW so far, zero drama, boring!
To be fair to them maybe they are simply not stirring things up needlessly with an audience they have decided is not theirs.
They do seem to be quiet on all social media at the moment. Lucky buggers are probably off snowboarding.
I just read the other Sick(!)* thread. What an odd thread and owner of Sick(!)*
.
.
.
.
*Do I have to put an exclamation mark? Might it be better as Sickexclamationmark?
Sickexclamationmark
It's a Sick-sclamation mark (!) 😉
After skimming this thread, I might actually might buy one of their t-shirts...
...I hope they send it.
They do seem to be quiet on all social media at the moment.
“We only check Facebook once a week” - bit odd for a company like that
Instagram followers really help Soho Bikes out didn’t they
I was under the impression, having hung out with those guys, that they were doing pretty well.
It's just that the owner couldn't be arsed anymore.
Still the best bike shop I've ever used, the guys were genuinely lovely and hugely knowledable. Mario the mechanic is now at Look Mum No Hands, I'd recommend any of them.
an audience they have decided is not theirs.
Why do they keep sending the press releases then?
an audience they have decided is not theirs.
I am a regular STW type and also own a Sick.
Although maybe really they’re just a clothing business that dabbles in the odd custom bike frame to give them the credibility of an actual bike company…
I looked at frames (eventually) on their site off the back of this thread title as i remembered they had a number of nice hardtail options last time i was "not spending any money".
On mobile i could only actually find the frames via the site map/navigation links at the bottom of the page, lots of big links to t shirts accessories and the like though.
Not much HT selection now either, several FS frames but looking at the range I'd have said it's a different company from the one whose frames i looked at 8 months ago.
Why do they keep sending the press releases then?
For the big hitters.
I am a regular STW type and also own a Sick.
We need a photo of your Sick in front of your logburner with a T5 visible through the window before we'll believe that. (Oh and a copy of today's front page of The Guardian in shot too...)
I am a regular STW type and also own a Sick.
Yes but running your own enduro series kind of negates the huge drag factor of being a stw type 😀
It’s just that the owner couldn’t be arsed anymore.
From what I recall at the time, their landlord decided to lump them with a humongous rent-hike, so much so that the work/reward ratio for the owner no longer made sense.
Common story in London, very much viable businesses killed stone dead by sudden crippling rent hikes from greedy landlords, Brixton cycles are currently facing a similar situation.
Madness
I think the bushiness rates have gone up massively in London due to conservative policy, I seem to remember something about big cities getting hit hard to offset a reduction in small towns.
I could be wrong about that though as the article I read was a long time ago.
A real shame, because getting a coffee in Soho bikes and talking to other riders was a really good pick me up during the week when I was working in central.
I think it's madness as well, insane rents and business rates for small players yet they can't be arsed to go for the big evaders like Amazon - and furthermore seem to up the rates for small players and high street based businesses.
Is it just me (browsing from elsewhere so possibly a localisation thing) or has their website "gone" with a contact email that's at a wholly different domain shown?
I was looking for that awful stem too 🙁
Website works for me
So I'm an actual 'customer' who bought a frame from a clearance sale that was on '2 day delivery'. That was in September 2018. I've not received it to this day tho I have had multiple assurances that its 'in the post'. And yes jmatlock, several of those assurances came from you.
My Sick! T-shirt got here from Latvia pretty quick.
And yes jmatlock, several of those assurances came from you.
Ah, there’s your problem, from the previous page...
I actually don’t work ‘for’ Sick
Nxgater. Have you had a refund? Have they said what they delay was caused by
The plot sickens
I think those waiting for frames need to step it up a level!!
So I’m an actual ‘customer’ who bought a frame from a clearance sale that was on ‘2 day delivery’. That was in September 2018. I’ve not received it to this day tho I have had multiple assurances that its ‘in the post’. And yes jmatlock, several of those assurances came from you.
#hater 😉
big yim
Member
I’m hoping for a better experience with them. Ordered a wulf am frame and it’s due Feb 1st …….
Postie been?
*raises eyebrow*
It's only fair to give them a few days with all the snow disruption
ill put 50p it wont turn up next week....
I'll match that and say it sounds like he'd be lucky to get it next month...
Interesting that some people still consider them a good company. I've followed this for a while, always liked a start-up and admire those of us who put our (or other people's?!) money on the line and go for it.
I think the 'they're trying'/'they're a good comapany' views don't hold any weight. The bare minimum service required is delivery of product on time, and decent and fair communication if that order can't be met on time/at all. I think the patience some of you 'customers' have shown is remarkable considering the time scales involved.
Postie has been and no frame although I contacted them directly last week and said I'm hearing a lot of whispers about people's orders not showing up and being delayed. I was told it will be here in February and it's in manufacturing now.
Did you order via Ubyk?
I saw a guy riding a Wulf last weekend, very nice looking frame to be fair.
Not ordered by ubyk although I did order some hope e4s off them and they turned up and are fitted to my other bike. It's not all doom and gloom out there all the time.
I was told it will be here in February and it’s in manufacturing now.
What country is this frame being made in? If not a U.K. one then I’d imagine you’ll be waiting for the completion of a batch, painting, shipping, customs, then finally getting to and from the Sick warehouse. Feb seems ambitious if that’s the case
*false, entirely false
big yim - unfortunately this is the same story they gave me. I sat and waited for 6 months on that line. In the end I put a claim in with paypal given the time to do so was running out; i.e. I would loose the ability too.
I would take anything they say with a massive pinch of salt given my (and others on this thread) experience of being strung along.
mashr, the frames are made in Peru.
If I'm left waiting till past February I'll have to put in a PayPal claim I'm afraid and get a cotic bfe
I hope this isn't the case though
Exactly what I ended up doing, but got a P7 - a frame I'm completely happy with by all accounts.
Yup. (well, some are/were, but seems as though they use a few different people/whoever has spare production capacity.)
I’m just thinking out loud here, but could it be that they have realised that they are actually better at designing and marketing stuff rather than building it? And completely underestimated the process, time and cost it takes to get a 3rd party bike builder to do the job, at the same time because of their too cool for school attitude/ arrogance they don’t have the bottle to fez up to their existing customers to tell them what’s going on. It’s a shame as irrespective of whether you liked / didn’t like ( delete as appropriate) their rad goatie attitude the bikes looked good and it’s always good to see a British company do well. Sadly it sounds like the sick bike co, is sharp becoming the limp dick bike co. If they keep failing to deliver.
I wonder if it is as simple as cashflow - builder won't build unless paid, money isn't making it from customer to builder....?
You have to sell a lot of t-shirts to actually pay for a frame to be built..
Edit: they are turning over bugger all.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10621767/filing-history
and
I wonder if it is as simple as cashflow – builder won’t build unless paid, money isn’t making it from customer to builder….?
Hope not, as most of the bikes seem to be done on a 'buy based on a render then if we get enough buyers, we'll go get it made' model, to minimise the risk (to them).
edit That's only their first years trading though isn't it, I don't think they'd got much out at that point? The Gnarcissist went live in mid '17 I think, not sure when the t shirts started.
I'm not aware they've ever made any production frames themselves - always small runs or protos by other people. So by now sick really should have worked out that you multiply any frame builder's delivery estimate* by at least 4. And probably add a few months for luck...
*I've still not delivered my own latest frame (for myself) which was originally planned for completion in July last year 🙂
mick that applies to any manufacturing really , from my involvement in *just in time* engineering manufacturing - If your not using the same manufacturer for each batch you get issues with every batch.
* had a group of buyers who would swap my supplier EVERY other batch - which meant i had teathing problems every other batch.
If you buy one of these over a BTR even considering the price difference, you deserve all you get.
I've never even heard of btr and they are double the price of the wulf /cotic bfe
Have you been living under a rock, or maybe a bridge?
Have you been living under a rock, or maybe a bridge?
I've never heard of them either and I work in the bike industry.
You should pay more attention then.
You’ve only got yourself to blame to even go and buy their shit, copycat frames with stupid geometries just be raaaaad and kooool...
Just buy a Kingdom Bike which is where they copy most their bikes anyway...except you get the best customer service and proper bikes!
Wow, tough crowd! If they don't post me the frame I'll get my money back and move on. No need to get all bitter and twisted.
raaaaad and kooool
Is what sells ...you can have the greatest product on earth very few will buy it if you can't market it
Just buy a Kingdom Bike which is where they copy most their bikes anyway
Whoooaa.
I hate sick bikes as much as the next man* but they in no way what so ever copy the geo of Kingdom Bikes.
Have you actually looked at geo rather than just a picture of unpainted tubes...
*no hate but dislike of their way of dealing with customers that have put money their way and been mugged off.
Is what sells …you can have the greatest product on earth very few will buy it if you can’t market it
It seems that with marketing you don't even need a product .
It seems that with marketing you don’t even need a product .
when you live in a nation of ****ers who believe the NHS will be better off because it's written on the side of a bus...I'd agree with you
^^ Bloody true!