Bikeguide.org - Bike maintenance for BMX'ers
The Street => The Lounge => Topic started by: dude... on January 14, 2016, 06:10:23 PM
-
http://www.vitalbmx.com/features/Harry-Main-Explains,5727 (http://www.vitalbmx.com/features/Harry-Main-Explains,5727)
pretty humourous all of this, harry main all upset because the core bmx brands whove been around for years and are in it for the good times wont respect his monster energy fuelled skatepark jockeying and being a billboard for rocker mini bmx, so now hes going to follow the eastern/ezra model cutting out shops and distros. good plan.
might as well just quit riding and get into gym life and body suppliments like spinner and all the other washed up comp jocks, i mean ex pro extreme athletes
-
He goes on and on about how shops are damaging the BMX industry because they are selling expensive parts (which they mark up) and how making online direct sales will get more kids into riding, but at the same time he doesn't mention how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area. Clearly he cares so much about the scene; he takes enough money out of it to buy himself a new R8
-
I'm glad that almost all sections of bmx are still alive. The street shit still seems most prevalent. No one is man enough to ride vert anymore. The tv skatepark shit still lives though if Harry Main can sell bikes through Amazon and eBay.
-
Doesn't he own a r8 or a gtr? Gotta have get the money to pay for those thangs
-
he put his name on those rocker mini bmxes ffs. im sure theyre made by the same people responsible for ukbikeco/amity/mafia bikes. cash in by ripping off kids then fuck off when they realise your parts are shit
-
remember when he used to post on here, before he got his signature khe complete?
(http://p.vitalbmx.com/photos/products/1475/photos/1191/s1600_91894350_1262030566.jpg?1293308816)
-
I remember when he was posting here, some other guy local to his area shut him down saying about how him and his mates had gone around knocking on doors saying they were collecting for charity but keeping all the cash.
edit: I actually read the article, jesus christ. I'm not surprised someone has done the direct sales thing as it is huge in the MTB / Road market (Canyon / Rose / YT etc) but my god he's arrogant about it. Maybe 12 year olds have a different view than me.
-
he doesn't mention how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area.
Still though?.... not convinced.
-
Scrap the entire interview and replace it with "I'll do owt for a fiver" and it's still very much the same.
-
I tend to cringe when I hear about people talking about BMX companies and teams. If the conversation between Vans and Harry went as he said it seems a bit childish. Its just money and sponsorship, why would you have to build a core team and feel used etc, its just business.
If I was a company and had a sponsored riders where one guy is doing his own thing but is still being noticed and showcasing my product while I dont pay him much for it, then what is the problem for me? Can still have a core team and sponsor other riders.
Anyway, let him do his own thing. Ezra and those guys didnt break the industry, are they even still around? Think KHE is somewhat trying to do the same thing. If/when it fails for him in the future he will have a slightly harder time getting new sponsors.
-
he doesn't mention how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area.
Still though?.... not convinced.
I still think bike shops are an important part of the BMX industry, perhaps its an antiquated view and perhaps not the 'hub' but an integral part. I know bike shops which sponsor jams etc. not to mention that from where I am, they sell probably 50% of the completes to kids (which tend to last much longer than the internet brought ones). Maybe we are moving away from this, but I still think it is somewhat important to retain. Certainly more important than jumping on the internet cash cow like Mr. Main has done.
-
cut the shops out and you'll need a credit card
how many youngsters have one?
-
He can do what he wants, the core group of riders see straight through it and complete sales were dropping before Mafia spawned from the Amity Bike Co shit show anyway.
What I find frustrating is his explanation that 'a bike costs probably a third of the price of what they think it costs, that they can buy it from me for that price' - that's fucking bullshit! Mafia are adding their markup onto there and his royalty too. It's almost like he is trying to paint himself as a patron saint of cheap BMX for kids, when they are doing no different than the distros and stores themselves by adding margin on to operate as a business.
I think a better explanation is needed for the kids who read that and think that shops are out to screw them - it's covered pretty well in an article by The Union but I'm not sure that demographic will ever read it.
-
what an incoherent bunch of bollocks. i went into this having respect for harry main's riding, if not for his mark webb-lite image, but it took about two paragraphs for him to prove himself a rambling idiot.
the uk already has the shittiest bmx image there is, if he wants to make it even worse that's on his conscience.
i'd personally rather bmx was a sport of elitist luddites that are down for life than the hallmark of chavs before they can afford their first mopeds.
-
Perfect:
http://youtu.be/ewrkZgWx2Us (http://youtu.be/ewrkZgWx2Us)
-
Amazon and ebay are getting a cut as well
-
how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area
I never bought this. Shops give themselves way too much credit for creating and nurturing scenes. It is like some fucked up guilt trip attempt to create brand loyalty.
Scenes can support shops but shops don't really support a scene. They can sell shit. That's what a retailer does. Sell shit well, compete well.
Harry Main is selling bikes direct to get kids into riding... 'Cos you know, that's a market that knows how to put a bike together from scratch. Skipping steps like retailers and wholesalers means you've got less to cover your ass when your cheap bike comes out of the box fucked.
Fair game to him but I don't see it working out.
-
Has Harry Main ever heard of EMPIRE BMX? He better has. Although they probably didn't hear of him either. Which is cool.
-
Kids are gonna get whatevers cool. If they see Mafia bike complete online cause they're sweating Harry Main, they'll get that. If they're sweating Chase Hawk they'll get a Cult. Bikes are generally handled as a bit of investment compared to something you just go to the store and get.
I wanna say the majority of 'looking for a new bike' consumers still get their parts at bike stores cause it is a bit of an investment. They'd rather directly talk to specialist cause they know lick about bikes and it's not like BMX is friendly for online researching. This one small company will make a lick of difference, I imagine only people specifically seeking out Mafia Bikes would get one. How many times have we bought something at a higher price without knowing a cheaper alternative has existed.
-
i would disagree with this
-
how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area
I never bought this. Shops give themselves way too much credit for creating and nurturing scenes. It is like some fucked up guilt trip attempt to create brand loyalty.
Scenes can support shops but shops don't really support a scene. They can sell shit. That's what a retailer does. Sell shit well, compete well.
Harry Main is selling bikes direct to get kids into riding... 'Cos you know, that's a market that knows how to put a bike together from scratch. Skipping steps like retailers and wholesalers means you've got less to cover your ass when your cheap bike comes out of the box fucked.
Fair game to him but I don't see it working out.
While I agree with you about most shops, its not always the case. A shop can certainly give back,and a good one understands that not only are things about more than money, but building a scene is good for business.
Its an extreme example, but you cannot deny that Empire has built a scene.
-
His 360 inverts are alright but he seems like a bit of a dick.
The quality and value of completes these days is pretty astonishing.
-
We have a special feature that I can't talk about just yet that no other bike brand has ever made before on a frame.
This is going to be awesome, I for one cannot wait. I've already sold all my other BMX frames in anticipation.
-
Can we get a list going to see who guesses the secret feature
Special heat treat like ukbikeco did that made the frame weaker lol
8mm thick hollow bb that's twice as strong but the same weight (borrow Sunday's logic and apply to unnecessary areas
-
Special paint job.
-
Special paint job.
rasta oil slick camo
-
Camo-slick?
-
Integrated rear wheel
-
Toptube and downtube are both the same tube.
-
Pre-snapped head tube
-
Triple bar flair whip button
-
makes you turn into a scouse cunt with shit tattoos..
-
rick thorne comes out of retirement
-
Human sacrifice
Cats and dogs living together
Mass hysteria
-
Rear wheel axle is also the bottom bracket.
-
Thinking that all shops are out to hurt kids and their wallets is a bit harsh. We have albes in Michigan, who in general have created a huge scene in Detroit, and our local shops are pretty helpful as well. They do what they can with the budget their given for bmx.
Harry main also drives an rs3, the lucky prick.
-
1" standover height must be the new special feature
-
how these shops are also a hub for the scene of an area
I never bought this. Shops give themselves way too much credit for creating and nurturing scenes. It is like some fucked up guilt trip attempt to create brand loyalty.
Scenes can support shops but shops don't really support a scene. They can sell shit. That's what a retailer does. Sell shit well, compete well.
Harry Main is selling bikes direct to get kids into riding... 'Cos you know, that's a market that knows how to put a bike together from scratch. Skipping steps like retailers and wholesalers means you've got less to cover your ass when your cheap bike comes out of the box fucked.
Fair game to him but I don't see it working out.
While I agree with you about most shops, its not always the case. A shop can certainly give back,and a good one understands that not only are things about more than money, but building a scene is good for business.
Its an extreme example, but you cannot deny that Empire has built a scene.
You could add Goods in Portland to that list too. Anyone who thinks BMX shops don't help scenes is crazy. Shad has done a lot for the North West scene.
-
I remember many, many years ago when I still had a BMX, the shop in my home town put on a jam at the local dirt jumps and got the Primo team to come out. That was cool. Don't know what they're doing now, but I think they're pushing big bikes a lot over BMX. Adults have money, most kids don't.
-
When I was a grom rider, I really appreciated the "How To's" in the magazine.
Harry Main does How To's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFN5lC9MUBY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFN5lC9MUBY)
Hell, a few years ago, I really appreciated Chase Hawk's "How to Motowhip" https://vimeo.com/34120528 (https://vimeo.com/34120528) and Tom Dugan's "How to Air a Quarter." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6KTGlsrNZ8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6KTGlsrNZ8) Those two guys aren't natural talkers on camera, are they? ;)
-
While I agree with you about most shops, its not always the case. A shop can certainly give back,and a good one understands that not only are things about more than money, but building a scene is good for business.
Its an extreme example, but you cannot deny that Empire has built a scene.
I think you mean that you can't deny that Empire has built a ramp. Empire is great but it isn't 9th St, House Park, several street spots, your favourite and any number of other riders combined with the ridiculous growth of that city. I would say the other points have a lot more to do with a scene than a shop/mailorder. Certainly not saying Empire isn't a great shop. I'm saying it isn't the Austin BMX scene (even if it is that scene's favourite shop).
Being a BMX shop that doesn't have a local presence is retail suicide, as I'm sure we'd all agree. That shop depends on the scene for business, so you can't say whatever support they give is more than money as it is an attempt to create brand loyalty and/or advertise (and there is nothing wrong with that!). The BMX scene doesn't depend on a local shop (unless that shop happens to be one of the only places to ride) it depends on people riding. So as nice as that cool shop is, it isn't the scene.
What I was saying is that the impact of this riders choice to get a Harry Main bike direct over an FBM from that hard working local shop does not hurt BMX. It hurts a local shop and a company which could not compete in this case. That kid is just as likely to be riding his direct Harry main bike as he is to be riding his hard working local shop bike.The riding is the same, so the effect on BMX is the same. Sucks for the local shop and company, but that's retail not BMX.
A while back Vein BMX opened and Solid stopped making frames. Now, both of those things should have been fucking terrible for BMX, right? Shops and core brands are apparently a big part of BMX. Neither did fuck all to BMX. Might've had a small effect on the retail BMX business for a minute there, but no one stopped riding over it.
-
I'm still of the mind that we should support the community in a direct and personal sense. If I buy a pair of Lotek, in a small part of my minds recesses I think I helped Jason Enns keep getting shoes.