They cut their race team and then undercut their dealers on pricing… how much more of a signal do they need to send?
I’ve been reamed on this thread for questioning Orange’s pricing but it was fairly clear that this was coming.
State of the industry: a running thread
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They cut their race team and then undercut their dealers on pricing… how much more of a signal do they need to send?
I’ve been reamed on this thread for questioning Orange’s pricing but it was fairly clear that this was coming.
Aye - they can't deduct from your salary for the scheme if you're on minimum wage so I don't qualify for a much vaunted benefit at work. Then the company send out surveys on how you travel to work so they can claim the kudos for their reduced carbon footprint for my unincentivised decision to cycle to work.
I worked in a bike shop during the last part of the pandemic & got out just in time as footfall dwindled & my hours reduced. Despite all those bikes sold during covid I see less bikes on my commutes than I did before (Uber-eats etc being an exception).
Absolutely, I take that back. As also mentioned previously, sticking with the same or very similar suspension design for 5 years (or more?) in this industry, doesn't smell of longevity.
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Yes, same as it ever was, full suss and folded aluminium hard tails are made in Halifax by hand, standard hard tails and gravel bikes shipped in from the Far East.
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The real shame is that pretty much everyone sticks with the same suspension design these days, there are not many new ideas, just tweeks. Look at any of the big players, they all use a variation of well established tech. Due in part to shock improvements + pivot placement after dropping front mechs the current Orange full suss bikes are superb and still review well against the competition.
I think carbon has done for them personally. People are much happier to pay more for a mass produced, far east carbon frame from Santa Cruz or the like rather than a hand built aluminium frame that's just as light! That and the silly pricing of the lower end bikes which must have killed off the bulk of their business.
The current owner either went chasing profit or couldn't compete. Either way it's very sad.
More like 25 years! There’s a lot to be said for sticking to a (nowadays) unique design up in a world of multi(high pivot designs, Oranges just looked old and for youngsters coming into the sport, the Orange name doesn’t mean anything like it does to us. You’ll get us old farts saying “but Steve Peat won races on an Orange”. Yes he did, 19 years ago!
I don’t even think it’s the UK full suss that have caused the issues. If they aren’t selling then you’ve control of production and can scale back as needed. The far east bikes just aren’t selling and have been heavily discounted for months. Looks at the deals Johnnyboy was given on the bikes he took in and even those aren’t selling. It’s the time of year when new stock should be on the shop floor and this hasn’t happened. My guess is the they have kept putting off delivery of this years bikes but now the factories have said no and are asking for payment.
I’ve been toying with a new hardtail and have been eyeing a P7 from Winstsnleys. They have £1000 off but even then it’s £1600 for a 525 framed bike with £50 Clarks brakeset. Been looking for a while but trying to get current bike through winter without spending any money on it. Even at the discount they are offering, they’ve not sold a single large in 4 weeks. Still interested as never had one and this may. Last chance but wary now as if they go under there’s no frame warranty. Shouldn’t hopefully be an issue but I have broken a steel hardtail in the past.
CassidyAce
Senior Retro Guru
In other news, KwikFit will be servicing e-bikes (and human-powered bikes) in the UK (https://cyclingindustry.news/kwik-fit-to-start-servicing-bicycles-with-fettle-partnership/) following what they started in the Netherlands: https://cyclingindustry.news/kwikfi...ike-and-ev-servicing-and-maintenance-centres/. They maintain that we are in a period of 'energy transition' to an era of e-mobility with a spectrum of e-transport that runs from e-scooters to e-bikes to electric micro-cars and full-sized electric cars. Interestingly, Trek UK put their relatively strong performance down to investment in their e-bike offerings. I guess some businesses have sniffed out where the money is going to be coming from and others haven't.
Well if the figure from that article is accurate and appropriate to this market (e-bikes generating 8% of sales in 2022 but representing 30% of overall bike sales value), as you say, Trek have their eye on the (money) ball.
Wonder if that market share or volume for ebikes grew in 23?
Wonder if that market share or volume for ebikes grew in 23?
geddy1972
Specialized Fan
Kwik fit servicing bikes ! They are crap at servicing cars ! I wouldn't trust them to repair a puncture.
You can't get thicker than a Kwik fit fitter !
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