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Interesting episode on the bike industry with Whyte and Pashley CEO
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028tzr
“Mechanical bikes”
I thought if was not great. It provided a couple of companies a platform to push there latest trends.
E bikes and droppers. Other than a mention of theft no discussion of traffic conditions, driver behaviour lack of SAFE traffic free routes. Etc etc.
That's what happens when you only have industry people using it as a promotional opportunity.
My dad called to ask if I'd heard it, which I had. Not super interesting if you're into bikes in any way seriously. The programme format is quite product centric, so no surprise that it didn't touch on the broader cycling topic.
Last week's one about washing machines was quite interesting, I kid you not.
no discussion of traffic conditions, driver behaviour lack of SAFE traffic free routes. Etc etc.
I think you mistook this for a conversation about cycling the activity, rather than a conversation about a product - namely in this case 'the bicycle'. It's the very premise of the series - talk about a type of product and how it has developed over time and it's future as a commercial entity. Sure, you are going to have mention of the environment in which the product is to be used to better understand consumer demand. But it's a series about a product type first and foremost.
It was ok, nothing more. And probably more interesting for people with a passing at best interest in cycling/bikes rather than cycling obsessives who wouldn't learn a lot. I probably enjoyed the one on washing machines a week or two back more. But the series is mostly quite superficial (for a R4 show). They were going on about dropper posts being especially good for short people which was weird....and probably a good indicator of the level of knowledge of the show's host.
Edit - mtbfix and I appear to be one and the same person....only my dad would have been calling from beyond the grave.
cheers oli very interesting
something it made me think about what will happen when China annexes Taiwan and all of a sudden the bike industry is cut off from its biggest supplier by far
“Mechanical bikes”
As soon as ebikes were mentioned I knew someone was going to have to decide what they were going to call non-ebikes, and was ready to cringe. But "mechanical" actually seems not a bad option, and I'm surprised it isn't used more. Yes, I know all bikes are mechanical, but most people would understand the term in the right context. Beats "acoustic" <puking emoji>
Beats "acoustic" <puking emoji>
Agreed. Still made me cringe though. I have no better term to suggest, of course.
The French seem to have settled on "musculaire" vs "assistance électique"
Not super interesting if you're into bikes in any way seriously...Last week's one about washing machines was quite interesting, I kid you not.
if you were a washing machine enthusiast instead of a cyclist, you probably would have found this week's one more interesting than the one about washing machines...
To be fair, the market for "manual" washing machines died out a while back.
@Kimbers If you're interested in the Taiwan situation, I wrote about that a couple of years back. I think the situation is still pretty much the same. https://singletrackmag.com/2023/02/taiwan-a-storm-brewing-for-the-bike-industry/
something it made me think about what will happen when China annexes Taiwan and all of a sudden the bike industry is cut off from its biggest supplier by far
I know this is a bike forum but that's a slight inconvenience compared to the high end microprocessor industry
something it made me think about what will happen when China annexes Taiwan and all of a sudden the bike industry is cut off from its biggest supplier by far
The whole point of taking over Taiwan is to have that industry. Its why they haven't done it yet. They're biding their time until Taiwan essentially gives up (some form of 'invasion' may still be needed) so they can walk in, take over, and be back up and running in short order. Destroying Taiwan's industry serves no-one in China.