Atherton Bikes wants you....
- Thread starter Trekrules
- Start date
no thanks
hard pass
This is like when I see someone on Facebook who does not let me sign them up for health insurance during open enrollment but then I see them start a go fund me for a surgery. Good luck with that.
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Unclear.
No doubt there are some big investors in that list.
In the last two hours, 111 have pledged. Averaging the difference in the amount from earlier this morning gives about £215/pledger.
(772104-748189)/(985-874) ~= £215/pledger.
Prior to this if we do the math, we get about £856/pledger
748189/874 ~= £856/pledger
If these numbers are to be believed, their brand is strong. Folks are plopping down at a chance to "own" a part of a company. I believe you can get your cash out in a liquidity event (i.e. company sells), but I'd have lots of questions before plopping down. This is far from a typical investment to say the least.
Deep in the comments on the Pinkbike page, there are some people commenting on how it reached something like 90% of the goal within 16 minutes of going live. That was with less than 70 people.
i can't comprehend how their framebuilding tech (additive manufacturing / bonding, etc) - though really cool - can be at all viable for large scale manufacturing / ramping up to a level that's able to generate enough unit sales / revenue (and reduced pricing) to pay more than just the athertons themselves. unless they're planning on adding another stream that utilizes "conventional" framebuilding tech perhaps? can only sell so many gucci $4k frames.
I know a buddy looked into a frame, and by the time he could get it here in Canukistan the price was eye watering. Something like 5500-6000. He ended up deciding on a full Intense build for 6700.
Don't really know what was on his list. We got talking about racing, Athertons came up and he mentioned in passing looking into a frame and the cost. The whole build your own angles was a bit interesting to him.
I'll do it if they commit to naming all their frames "Lord Bummer". Despite all being different from one another.
don't forget the Duke of Bummer
This is deeply confusing to me, but appears to have paid off for them. I can only assume that the family has PLENTY of cash at this point, unless they sunk all of it into their bike park, which I find hard to believe. Also, what is this money buying? If I wanted an Atherton frame, I'd pay in on a pre-order for a frame, but this is strange. It's like if Kickstarter got rid of the incentives...
that‘s more of a
Yeah, it didn't work for rocket engines, why should it for bicycles?
don't forget they can be made with custom geo. i'd be curious to see cost models vs custom builders/options.
Why take out a loan and owe interest when the internet will give you money for free?
I mean yeah, custom geo is cool, but how many people can accurately identify a geometry tweak they actually want/need? While certainly cool, they'd be better off offering 3d printed lugs as an upgrade and using some non-horrifically expensive production method for the standard dimension parts. But hey, if they internet wants to throw cash at them, who am I to say they're wrong?
We should crowd-fund the Grim Monkey, a Ridemonkey version of the Grim Donut built by the Athertons.
How would you get one chainstay at 420mm and the other at 450mm to keep everyone happy on their chainstay length?
I would even go as far as saying that custom geo is more a relic of the old times when manufacturers had not yet figured out good geometry. I was always after custom geo back then, but my desire for such a thing has almost completely vanished these days, as i can hop on almost any bike by any decent company and be 99% sure the bike won´t be holding me back. And even for most of the people with more specific preferences, there´s most likely a decent bike out there. Custom geo is definitely a selling point, but i guess we´re talking about half a degree of headangle for shits and giggles here, rather than some whacky one off with 520mm chainstays and a 70 degree head angle, since they will most certainly limit the options to something within a reasonable (and tested!) range.
It´s a nice gimmick to feel like you got something special, but overall the usefulness is pretty mediocre i feel and with mountainbiking becoming somewhat mainstream, the custom market seems to become even more irrelevant as people will be lusting after the newest, perfectly styled complete bike with fancy stash compartments and other bells and whistles. So yeah, you´re probably right in saying they´d be better off with some conventional design.
I have also always questioned the long term viability of their production method, as it does not leave many options for visual tweaks somewhere down the line. How are they gonna compete with the new Yeti or Specialized spaceship looking designs that´ll be all the hype three years from now, when the Atherton bikes can only offer a different colour scheme. Seems like they´re backed firmly into the small scale premium niche with that approach, with not too much potential to expand on it.
this is a good point, but custom stuff is always bigger sales wise on the road side of the business. atherton road bike?
I tend to agree that custom isn't really needed at this point for most people. (Reach adjust like GG's headset system is pretty rad though.) For sure a custom bike was once the pinnacle, but that's not really workable given how most high-end carbon bikes are made these days. So they're hanging their hat on a niche. Some people really want a truly unique bike and are willing to pay for it. How many remains to be seen. And of course whether anyone needs it is a separate question - one that rarely matters when we're talking about bikes.
The idea does make a lot of sense in being able to rapidly change and tweak things. Cost of carbon molds and the fact that the industry™ changes every year and marketing constantly spewing out how half a degree makes a bike "ridable" is a good reason to have rapidly-adjustable manufacturing. There may be better ways to do this in the future though, with 3-d printed molds or something, but conceptually it seems to be one of the things that has created a great deal of frustration for smaller manufacturers and even caused many to go out of business or stop being competitive.
One thing i could really see them succeed with though is a form of "custom" product in the form of a pro or signature model, something that is widely available among various action sports, but totally missing in mtb, except for maybe some custom paint jobs here or there.
If they can build a good roster of athletes and offer slightly different frame geometries, modeled after a certain athlete´s preferences, that could be a huge selling point for them. Truvativ tried it with their signature line of components and other than that we really only get pro saddles. In BMX, skiing or snowboarding pro models are a huge thing though. Just imagine riding your favourite pro riders geo and maybe even the different linkage he/she rides for a more progressive setup or whatever. Basically make their bikes real professional racebikes, perfectly identical with what the pros are racing on so that their customers can be sure to always purchase a bike that´s 100% the pinnacle of technology. Then slap a pro rider´s name or logo on it and bam, they´re gonna sell like hot cakes. That would also solve the problem of keeping the bikes fresh. It worked for BMX for years and mountainbikers are certainly not above buying into some kind of hype or lifestyle. Just imagine the impact a Bryceland pro model would have...
If they can build a good roster of athletes and offer slightly different frame geometries, modeled after a certain athlete´s preferences, that could be a huge selling point for them. Truvativ tried it with their signature line of components and other than that we really only get pro saddles. In BMX, skiing or snowboarding pro models are a huge thing though. Just imagine riding your favourite pro riders geo and maybe even the different linkage he/she rides for a more progressive setup or whatever. Basically make their bikes real professional racebikes, perfectly identical with what the pros are racing on so that their customers can be sure to always purchase a bike that´s 100% the pinnacle of technology. Then slap a pro rider´s name or logo on it and bam, they´re gonna sell like hot cakes. That would also solve the problem of keeping the bikes fresh. It worked for BMX for years and mountainbikers are certainly not above buying into some kind of hype or lifestyle. Just imagine the impact a Bryceland pro model would have...
The Lord, the Duke, the Earl, the Viceroy, the Duchess of Bummer for the ladies...I think you guys are onto something here.
Seriously, the best option I see for them is to basically have the bike aspect of the business be a side hustle and to build their capacity as a model shop/additive manufacturing resource to fully utilize the additive equipment. The bike angle just seems like a good way to get additional funding for more capital equipment and is a feel good story which is how you get money from others.
Basically build a competent model shop which can be a nice after biking retirement nest egg or have the option after a 5 year or so period to sell the business or merge it with a larger rapid prototyping firm as that is just kind of what happens within that industry. Lots of the larger companies within the space acquire the smaller fish to remove competition, expand their service outreach, and to maintain expedient lead times and delivery.
Basically build a competent model shop which can be a nice after biking retirement nest egg or have the option after a 5 year or so period to sell the business or merge it with a larger rapid prototyping firm as that is just kind of what happens within that industry. Lots of the larger companies within the space acquire the smaller fish to remove competition, expand their service outreach, and to maintain expedient lead times and delivery.
I believe they just wanted their own brand to make the ideal bikes for themselves. To offset the costs they will sell a few to fanboys/-girls. I can also see that privateers could benefit from an extended support, like e.g. say you buy one of their frames and they allow you under their tent at the races.
Currently sitting @ 1.3 million USD, the rich get richer. https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/atherton-bikes/pitches/bj9Q5Z
Sorry North American and Japanese Monkeys, the Athertons don't want your cash! Euro only bro....
Taking a page from my "get $1 from every dumb ass in the world" plan.
Sorry North American and Japanese Monkeys, the Athertons don't want your cash! Euro only bro....
Taking a page from my "get $1 from every dumb ass in the world" plan.