Why so much branding on bikes? Are we childish show offs?

[hollister]

"I am often asked why my Spandex® bicycle riding costume features eight hundred and thirty corporate sponsorship logos even though I do not actually have a sponsor. The reason for this is simple. For every thirty male bicycle riders there is one female bicycle rider and, as in nature where the most adorned peacock gets the peahen, the male bicycle rider with the most brightly coloured Spandex® and most corporate sponsorship logos gets to mate with her"

 

[dbmtb]

I wrote my post last night when I was about to hit the sack and forgot to include the most important point....

That cyclists have wanted to buy bikes just like the pros - means that they also get the same stickers as the pros.

I've often been tempted to remove stickers but thought "this is how it was designed to look" and "if I ever want to sell it on, more buyers would want the decals". Just look how more desireable Mavic 317 disc rims WITH stickers are - because the stickers fell off most of them!

And

Model names - well. The Aston Martin analogy doesn't quite hold water as ALL their vehicles are high end. However, the owner of, say, a Team Marin would want the less-initiated observer to know that they weren't just riding a Palisades Trail. But look at both bikes (the year they had similar colours) and you'd be pushed to tell the difference. You look at an Aston Martin and think "that is an expensive car". And to be fair - there are plenty of logos on Porsches and Ferraris, even given the instantly recognisable nature of their silhouettes. And the iconic value of Mercedes, Rolls Royce and Jaguar logos pretty much puts that analogy back to bed. Expensive cars and expensive bicycles are pretty much the exclusive domain of the male. Male=kid=likes stickers. 8D So yes - we are pretty much childish show-offs. But so are the high-end car owners.

I think a clothing analogy is better - Truly exclusive fashion doesn't show who the designer is except on the label which is inside. And copies are available as soon as new designs hit the catwalks.

I sympathise with your thoughts on this - and never put additional stickers on bikes for any other reason than to cover big scratches. But any logos that came on the components themselves stay on. Of course - one could choose to buy products with less obtrusive logos.

 

[tintin40]

Some frames don't need a makers logo on the side But if you pay good money for quality parts then why not keep the brand on show. I'm happy to advertise the parts on my frame.

 

[Carlos]

I love the understated look...can't stand stickers all over. The Italians are bad for it but, as mentioned, Look is one of the worst!
This is my own little brand of custom frames/bikes. Only one decal on the headtube, one on the downtube - literally one, on one side only that wraps around - and the frame tubing sticker on the seat tube.
Just a little understated

 

[brocklanders023]

BITD the decals were part of the brand identity of a bike manufacturer, along with the paint design. You knew it was a Marin simply by looking at the grey frame / coloured forks, stem, bar. You even knew the model from the fork colour. No one else used a similar font, it was Marins. Same for Orange, easy to pick out with the font used and even easier if it was the classic orange/white combo. They were all at it and carried the same (with minor changes) for years. I think most of the decals were quite understated back then (unlike the paint jobs!).

All went wrong around 1993/4 and these days most of 'em look the same to me and I agree that the decals are far too big and in your face. Couldn't tell a good Cube/Marin/GT/Trek etc from a bad 'un now without looking at the groupo :?

Saying that, my modern bike isn't too bad. Just a big Orange and a big Five on each side. Job done.

 

[hamster]

S y n c r o s

No more to say

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Does it really matter to you what other people think of you??

If it does then aren't you answering your own question??

 

[t-stoff]

yeap, i cant tell one bike from another nowdays, or im getting old or im not buying new mtb mags. ;D they are all more or less white or matt black right ?

I really miss the times where you could spot a Judy from far far away, it didnt need stickers at all, and they were small. I remember finding my judy from 97 horrible, were was the nickelite colour ?
Anyways
But then it was the yellow colour of the SL that made the difference. But as you know, you can only do it if you sponsor top riders, and for you to notice it you got a put the stickers everywhere, even sponsors events and put some ads on mags. Then comes the development with the money.

You can brand it because its good, if isn't good, you/any one will recognize it and make "that face" of disgust. Like when you see a crappy car brand. You get instantly reminded of something, when its good you get positive of quality or design thoughts and eventually will get you wishing for it too.

branding products is more than just stickers, it has a whole strategy behind it, involving marketing, creativity and the idea that it looks good from the costumer point of view, and from the others who see it in others.

its not rocket science.

 

[futuristicoldman]

Stevo, it just got me thinking after looking at a link on here with some geezer in the states selling tubing decals for £50 posted (or some such daft price), but really its just an excuse to get a spot of mischievous web banter going. I love a bit of heated web banter!

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Stevo, it just got me thinking after looking at a link on here with some geezer in the states selling tubing decals for £50 posted (or some such daft price), but really its just an excuse to get a spot of mischievous web banter going. I love a bit of heated web banter!

............

Always gets me into strife!