I just got the opportunity to spend some time with Tony Ellsworth and his wife. He came into our shop to meet us and discuss the future. He is a very down to earth guy who really loves to ride. I was trying to get him to go for a ride with me tomorrow but he is too booked up and is leaving this weekend back to the west coast. we even got him to use a brooklyn accent. He stayed for some time.. enjoyed the Brooklyn Bagels and took a bunch for the road. All in all a great guy.
Tony Ellsworth
- Thread starter hooples3
- Start date
-
- Tags
- ellsworth manufacturers
I'm not saying you all don't deserve opinions (afterall, opinions are like ass holes...), but it seems Ellsworth as a whole gets A TON of bad press. I always end up wondering how much of the bitching is based on actual personal experience vs crap people read on the interweb then present as their own.
I've wondered the same thing.
I don't think anyone called Tony the Antichrist.
Well the one interaction I had with him I was taking a fellow monkey's Joker back in because it had broken. He was very polite and got as much information as he could from me about what happened...then decided to warranty the frame and send a new one to Paul. From my own personal experience he's ok in my book....D
I owned a Truth for a long time (still own it, though the frame is stripped down and hanging in my shed) and the only 'bad' experience I had with Ellsworth is that when I ordered some stuff from them twice (a jersey and a new rocker arm), they took several days to ship it so it arrived later than I thought. I've experienced the same thing when ordering stuff from the Santa Cruz store as well so maybe it is par for the course.
These are not mega size companies, so I am not surprised it too a little longer than expected, although usually frame repairs are quicker because of the importance to the customer and impact it has on reputation.
The experience was far from bad...it was just the worst thing I could come up with after owning and riding one of his bikes for 5+ years. I retired my Truth and bought a Santa Cruz Blur and as nice as the Blur is, my old Truth was a better ride.
For the longest time I didn't want to believe that my new bike wasn't as good as the old one and now I'm in the process of replacing the Blur (just need the CFO's approval) and will most likely go with a Knolly Endorphin or a similar 5-6" travel, somewhat beefy AM rig. I don't have the time or desire to even consider racing so I don't need a lightweight XC rig any more.So why are you still riding the Blur again?
nice story .
the reason he came east was to make sure the stores selling his bikes are happy and to get any input he can on how to make his company better. I know in the end it will benefit him but he seemed very sincere. the conversation could have taken place over the phone, but he didnt he took the time to be there and I give him a lot of credit for that
Maybe he has turned over a new leaf?
Or maybe high end bikes aren't selling like they used to...
Or maybe high end bikes aren't selling like they used to...
I was a dealer in 2000-2001.
EVERY single interaction was a huge PITA, and every customer had some kind of issue.
Most not resolved satisfactorily.
I recieved insults and lies from T.E. customer service, even on issues that were ellsworth's.
Example:
I bought 4 truth frames, which I was going to outfit with Hayes. The welds were too thick to run hayes with an adaptor...T.E.'s response?
"Well, you really should have bought Hope's, they are better". (Which was simply not true at the time).
That was the last time I dealt with them.
Oh, and anyone remember 'T.E. breaching Shaums March's contract, a day or two befor the final race of the season, and refusing to pay him?
EVERY single interaction was a huge PITA, and every customer had some kind of issue.
Most not resolved satisfactorily.
I recieved insults and lies from T.E. customer service, even on issues that were ellsworth's.
Example:
I bought 4 truth frames, which I was going to outfit with Hayes. The welds were too thick to run hayes with an adaptor...T.E.'s response?
"Well, you really should have bought Hope's, they are better". (Which was simply not true at the time).
That was the last time I dealt with them.
Oh, and anyone remember 'T.E. breaching Shaums March's contract, a day or two befor the final race of the season, and refusing to pay him?
Last edited:
I seem to recall a story of last years maxxis team (who were running ellsworths) and a certain T.E. I'm pretty sure Strobel rode and was not impressed by the bike and asked for some geometry changes. T.E told him something to the affect of "shove it the bikes perfect your riding sucks" so Strobel rode his DHR. Awesome sponsor a race team and f*&k all their input. Good strategy.
The way I understand it (but who the hell am I?) is one of the other riders had an issue with his frame so luke gave him his frame to use until he got a new one. Not sure if that ever actually happened or not.
Luke has always been a fan of the DHR. He gave up free frames to run a DHR he paid for out of pocket a few years ago.
i'll call him that. i've chatted with him a couple of times. each time hoping he wouldn't be an ass. or walk around some of my questions.
no thanks
Last edited:
Yeah back in the early days of RM the picture of my Joker was the butt of a lot of jokes. It all started with losing a hundred bucks. Getting stranded off the 5 freeway just outside of Bakersfield for almost 8 hours with Sanjay. Then a marathon drive back to LA to pickup his car, then back to Tahoe. Only to arrive a break my Joker in three places on my very first run. Years after the crash I still had people recognizing me at Tahoe or at Big Bear "dude weren't you that asian guy with the Joker that folded in half?" But yeah despite all that the replaced the bike twice, the first time no problem thanks to Donnie, the second time I had to twist their arm a bit.
How's life treating you Donnie been a while. That photo of a gang of us seems to pop up on RM every now and then. When Sanjay, Tym, Orven and a bunch of old time regulars met for a day at ATT. Back when you rode the Cortina, Orven was on an M1 and always incognito. And remember that one time where we all got a cabin at BB during the Team Nicolai days, Sanjay decided to wake me up by farting in my face and he got a fist to the ass that penetrated to bone? Them were the days...
Just because I've had a pleasant conversation with Paris Hilton means she's not a herpes-riddled intellectual black hole, right?
Was her mouth full?Just because I've had a pleasant conversation with Paris Hilton means she's not a herpes-riddled intellectual black hole, right?
