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Evil Carbon?

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
Well if he is running a very successful ad agency he must know more about communication than the rest of us then.
Some companies prefer not to take the flamebait. I on the other hand am a sucker for that sort of thing..

It is pretty comical to read some of the totally misinformed speculation that I've seen thrown about, but hey, millions of women watch soap operas every day.

I wish these guys the best of luck, and from what I've seen, they turned the corner for the better early this year. They lust aren't out publicly shouting about it or blaming others for the issues and raw deals that have been forced on them. They are just moving forward and trying to make things better. Kevin's a real creative guy, and Evan is a very talented designer. If you could bottle what makes them tick and sell it you would be a rich man, I am rooting for them because they have the potential makings of a real success story.
 

demo 9

Turbo Monkey
Jan 31, 2007
5,910
46
north jersey
I think even outside of here they lost confidence, I remember the first time i saw 1 in person, i thought it was dope(maybe if it gets fixed it still is) I am sure i speak for a TON of people, that is disappointed/bummed not to actually see any around. This whole year at diablo i saw two, 1 of them being I8rice. Hearing the hype (everywhere) than not seeing a product doesnt inspire confidence. Even if i didnt read how bad they are on here, im sure i would still be skeptical to jump on board, never actually seeing 1.

Doesnt help that its a "brought back" company that "failed" once
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
Theres a lot of hype on a Bugatti Veyron too, doesn't mean I don't have confidence in it. :)

I think the silent route is a bad call. Nevermind blabbering with the mass idiots on forums (myself included, unfortunately) but the last blog update was APril ffs. Just doesn't look good to anyone.

I'd never own an Evil (too much money for what you get, imo) but I do wish them the best of luck in continuing to be around.


I gotta ask though, wtf is wrong with these guys? WHy wouldn't you re-release the original Evil hardtail? Thta thing would sell like mad.
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
I think even outside of here they lost confidence, I remember the first time i saw 1 in person, i thought it was dope(maybe if it gets fixed it still is) I am sure i speak for a TON of people, that is disappointed/bummed not to actually see any around. This whole year at diablo i saw two, 1 of them being I8rice. Hearing the hype (everywhere) than not seeing a product doesnt inspire confidence. Even if i didnt read how bad they are on here, im sure i would still be skeptical to jump on board, never actually seeing 1.
The only reason you didn't see more was because the bikes were not available, because Evil could not get their manufacturing partner to A) build enough of them fast enough, and 2) build them correctly repeatedly. *Hypothetical situation here* ---> It's tough when you get 5 saleable frames out of a batch of 75.. Especially when you have promised all 75 to people, expecting that "this time" everything is 100% OK.

Doesnt help that its a "brought back" company that "failed" once
Evil never "failed" in any way previously. I just made the decision that it was more important to me to work with other frame companies with e*thirteen, than it was to compete against them by building boutique level frames. I could have EASILY hired a QC staff and built the entire 2005 to 2008 Iron Horse dw-link line under the Evil name (in 2003 nonetheless), I just chose not to. I made the decision to stop making frames and hold onto the brand until later. Then I sold it to Kevin because he is my friend and had the passion to go nuts with it.
 

Uncle Cliffy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2008
4,490
42
Southern Oregon
I'm gonna try and be nice here and not fuel the fire. It's already 3 alarm...

Consumer confidence is the problem here. Mountain bikers are impatient mutha fvckers. They have to be told what's going on or you'll ruin their playtime with fancy bicycles. So, that means the dealers need to be informed on what's up. Customers can read here to find the latest news and horror stories I guess, but we make up a small amount of the consumer public. All the information about Evil is on this forum. It's definately not on the year old stale website. :think:

A picture of a cell phone from a tradeshow? Please.

So, a customer puts in an order for a frame and the dealer takes such order and calls it in. MONTHS pass by with no word from the manufacturer, and calls to such manufacturer go to a full voicemail box... Crap.

Kevin, Evan, and whoever else, good luck. Through all this, I'm still rooting for you.
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
Theres a lot of hype on a Bugatti Veyron too, doesn't mean I don't have confidence in it. :)

I think the silent route is a bad call. Nevermind blabbering with the mass idiots on forums (myself included, unfortunately) but the last blog update was APril ffs. Just doesn't look good to anyone.

I'd never own an Evil (too much money for what you get, imo) but I do wish them the best of luck in continuing to be around.
Given how many times they have been burned on the product side, I think you will have to wait until they are ready to present their evolution to hear from them publicly. You may never. More often than not, companies (in all industries) choose not to directly address this type of thing.

I gotta ask though, wtf is wrong with these guys? WHy wouldn't you re-release the original Evil hardtail? Thta thing would sell like mad.
I don't think that Kevin likes the look of the Imperial. There was a new Imperial design made but it never went to production. Personally I think they have better things to invest time and money into.
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
I am not dissing evil in any way, esp gen 1 evil, My opinion is more along of the lines of (to the general public) it dissipated once, now there is a **** show, is it going away again.
Gotcha, as someone with personal knowledge of the situation, and as a person with a reasonable level of experience as both a business owner and someone working in cycling, I think that the suggestion that Evil is in any way going away is preposterous. That's my professional opinion, take it or leave it.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,883
24,467
media blackout
The only reason you didn't see more was because the bikes were not available, because Evil could not get their manufacturing partner to A) build enough of them fast enough, and 2) build them correctly repeatedly. *Hypothetical situation here* ---> It's tough when you get 5 saleable frames out of a batch of 75.. Especially when you have promised all 75 to people, expecting that "this time" everything is 100% OK.

Oh man, the joys of process control. I feel their pain. The project I'm currently on is a new material validation to replace a material being discontinued.
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
Taiwanese frame (nothing wrong with that) that costs the same as a US made frame, without anything particularly special about it. Its anice bike for sure, I just don't understand why it costs so much other than the fact that people will pay that price.

I'm just not one of them. :)
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
WOW, crazy timing on that. I am in the process of cleaning out my entire shop (building a new one right next door) and I literally just put the back end on that bike about 2 hours ago. I haven't touched that bike in years, and on the same day it hits the internet? Is it Halloween yet?!

3 years off from 2013, how are we doing?
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
WOW, crazy timing on that. I am in the process of cleaning out my entire shop (building a new one right next door) and I literally just put the back end on that bike about 2 hours ago. I haven't touched that bike in years, and on the same day it hits the internet? Is it Halloween yet?!

3 years off from 2013, how are we doing?
you should make room in your new shop by sending me that beauty :thumb:
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
WOW, crazy timing on that. I am in the process of cleaning out my entire shop (building a new one right next door) and I literally just put the back end on that bike about 2 hours ago. I haven't touched that bike in years, and on the same day it hits the internet? Is it Halloween yet?!

3 years off from 2013, how are we doing?
rad you have that! was that a rideable proto?

curious what your thoughts are on the future of gearbox development. having lived with one for a few years, i'm, sold as to the potential performance benefits, but not necessarily of the market viability.

also - i seem to recall you were associated w/ another gearbox project ('mysterybox'?); what was that about?
 

monkeyfcuker

Monkey
May 26, 2008
912
8
UK, Carlisle
WOW, crazy timing on that. I am in the process of cleaning out my entire shop (building a new one right next door) and I literally just put the back end on that bike about 2 hours ago. I haven't touched that bike in years, and on the same day it hits the internet? Is it Halloween yet?!

3 years off from 2013, how are we doing?
Please tell me your new shop is being built so you can work on a DH bike with a gearbox and that'll make my year lol!
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,874
4,214
Copenhagen, Denmark
Given how many times they have been burned on the product side, I think you will have to wait until they are ready to present their evolution to hear from them publicly. You may never. More often than not, companies (in all industries) choose not to directly address this type of thing
DW now also PR expert :)

I think he was more talking in general terms about the lack of overall communication. Letting people know they are alive an kicking by keeping the blog updated and keeping awareness about the company going. Even if **** is hitting the fan and new frames are moths away there are ways to keep the dialogue going in a positive way.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
I think he was more talking in general terms about the lack of overall communication. Letting people know they are alive an kicking by keeping the blog updated and keeping awareness about the company going.
a website thats not over 1 year old would be nice too
 

S.K.C.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 28, 2005
4,096
25
Pa. / North Jersey
The only reason you didn't see more was because the bikes were not available, because Evil could not get their manufacturing partner to A) build enough of them fast enough, and 2) build them correctly repeatedly. *Hypothetical situation here* ---> It's tough when you get 5 saleable frames out of a batch of 75.. Especially when you have promised all 75 to people, expecting that "this time" everything is 100% OK.

Evil never "failed" in any way previously. I just made the decision that it was more important to me to work with other frame companies with e*thirteen, than it was to compete against them by building boutique level frames. I could have EASILY hired a QC staff and built the entire 2005 to 2008 Iron Horse dw-link line under the Evil name (in 2003 nonetheless), I just chose not to. I made the decision to stop making frames and hold onto the brand until later. Then I sold it to Kevin because he is my friend and had the passion to go nuts with it.
OK - I think I'll jump in here...

dw speaks the truth with regard to production difficulties. It is extremely frustrating. As someone who helps out EVIL I'm in communication with both Gabe and Kevin quite a bit and as was said previously - things can and do go wrong in the course of MTB production/manufacture. The fact that these difficulties are happening to a new company simply compounds the situation. That said - Kevin and Gabe aren't the type to piss and moan about it. They put their heads down and gut it out the best they can. So EVIL is doing what it can with what it's got.

With regard to the future of EVIL spoken by someone who knows, I'll let him do the talking:
Don't worry about Evil, Gabe is a stand up guy and really helped Kevin and the guys at Evil work through this transition. There will be new blood at Evil too, actually the guys are in Taiwan right now meeting with the (NEW) factory about the new frames.
From Gabe:
... I had a amazing time working with Kevin, DW, Evan and the rest of the crew at Evil and wish them the best in the future.

As many people already know there are some exciting things in store for Evil and they will get through everything which they have faced this year. Their mission is to take care of all of their customers out there, and I know they are thankful for how patient everyone has been.

Gabe
 
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ashfanman

Chimp
Dec 6, 2010
1
0
Never posted on here before, but been following the events at Evil with some interest and felt compelled to post on this thread.

I've no doubt that a lot of the issues Evil have been having with production are out of their control. The problem is that they really aren't helping themselves by not communicating clearly with their customers - both potential and existing. I'm a journalist by trade, and without doubt the worst thing a company can do in reaction to bad press is close up. That way, you ensure that only the bad side of the story will be reported (or spread on internet message boards). You need to let people know what's going on, even if it's just to hold your hands up and say: "Yes, we've been having some problems with production but we're working hard to remedy the situation and will be keeping you all posted." I bet that the majority of people who have posted on this thread would be more than happy with that. Obviously existing customers with warranty issues need to know where they stand too. Again, the lack of communication as a customer is infuriating.

It's not just the Revolt - what about the Sect/Division? I've been eagerly waiting for news since last year's Interbike, but not a peep. The website now hasn't been updated for news since Nov 2009, and the blog hasn't had any bike news since May 2009 (or any news at all for eight months).

At the end of the day, a new company lives or dies on its reputation. If there's a suggestion that the customer service or quality isn't up to scratch - even if a lot of it may be exaggerated and based on rumour rather than fact - people will just go elsewhere. There are too many other boutique brands around to survive without loyal customers - particularly at this pricepoint. If anything, Evil got a headstart due to the loyalty built up first time around. A lot of people - myself included - have a soft spot for all things Evil. I'm certainly rooting for you guys and hope that you turn things around, but you could be making life easier for yourselves.