[snowskilz]

It's easy to tell a consumer that their are 'manufacturing issues' rather than explaining that the scheduled timeline was too aggressive, or that your engineering department didn't provide properly toleranced drawings with inspection dimensions, or that instead of having some sort of on-site staff overseeing production you hired a liaison that knows diddle about your product. Maybe you didn't setup a prototype production runs that went through rigorous discrete destruction analysis.

QFT

Yeti is a great brand, they do a lot for all sorts of biking.

After this debacle and all the past debacles on bikes and delivery times yeti needs to take a hard look at their model of overseas production. I have heard from a little birdie that yeti is putting its own people overseas to assist in these issues, but timing has always been an issue. That cant be blamed completely on the overseas production management. Maybe they need larger lead times on all frames and need to work with a yearly frame release like its competitors vs a when its available timeline.

Now for the financial side of this. Lets say Yeti's build was 300 frames(from what i have heard this about the right number for frame only)

300 frames at $3000 = $900,000 in total Sales, of which typically means for $300,000 in Gross Profit for the bike shops, $300k in Gross profit to yeti and $300k in hard cost for the frame manufacture. So by yeti missing the boat on this summers dh they could potentially loose $300k... thats doesnt include all the cost they had to R & D this bike as well which along could be $300k

Its always better to over deliver on expectations then over promise and under deliver.

And yes this is a first world problem. Luckily we live in the U S OF A! Team America!!!

 

[norbar]

I agree but you miss a few factors. First tw is not that cheap, they don't really try to go into sky high profits. The main reason I see for going to TW is technology availability. You have all the needed factories and techs in one place. Hell even "us made" intense has to import the tubes from tw and only weld them in Us. In tw you get cnc, hydroforming and all the other stuff done in one place, you have companies that help you organize it.

Unless you are lucky and have a facility like Devinci it may be really hard for you to finalize your designs. It's not even being lazy. To be honest if I ever get the idea of designing my own bike I will go TW only because managing it all will be easier for a small company. QC of course will be harder but that's a trade off some companies have to make. I'm happy to have an awesome frame that uses what Tw offers 100%.

 

[Inclag]

No. I sound like a complete dick at times, and in particular this thread, but it's not Taiwan nor production there that bothers me. It's bottom dollar production and small companies trying to surf their way into sky high profits by going from idea to execution in grand scale. Seems like a lot of failures are caused by companies trying to save oodles of money (while still charging the same price) by shipping production elsewhere but not doing appropriate homework. Doing that homework costs money (plane tickets, meetings, personal inspections, hiring project managers) that a startup can't afford. By going local, they get better oversight into the production process, can stay up to date and change designs faster, and correct issues on time or as they happen. Then, when whatever cracks on the frame, company B can address the issue quickly and on all future products, rather than having a driveway full of broken frames because they all failed in the same area and nothing was done about it until after the production run was complete.

Ahhh, I see what you did there! I misinterpreted your statement, but in my defense it was left somewhat ambiguous.

You interested in hitting up that NH to MA trail-ride Sunday?

 

[Sandwich]

Ahhh, I see what you did there! I misinterpreted your statement, but in my defense it was left somewhat ambiguous.

You interested in hitting up that NH to MA trail-ride Sunday?

The death march trail that's off limits to MTB at 730am an hour drive from my house? Gonna sit that one out, but I'd be up for lemon-ster SF or whatever that other place was.

 

[homepiece]

Is there an option of the Price is Right type bid on this? If so, I say that the bike will never appear in Dirt's hands. Official timeline is released, Dirt does not like it, gets deposit back and buys something else.

So, do I win?

 

[Beef Supreme]

The TR450s are sweet. I would have snapped one up when I bought my Norco if the right deal had come along.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

So, do I win?

I suppose you do. PM me your address, I'll send the goods.

 

[nybike1971]

Tell me again why Taiwan is such a good idea?

This is why:

 

[DirtMcGirk]

This is why:

Looks flexy.

 

[NoUseForAName]

Looks flexy.

At least it doesn't look like a Trek.

 

[Bikael Molton]

Needs moar pivotz

 

[Sandwich]

At least it doesn't look like a Trek.

looks like a specialized with all those extra bits hanging off it.

 

[tacubaya]

 

[homepiece]

I suppose you do. PM me your address, I'll send the goods.

No worries man. Consume my winnings after the first ride.