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Comments - Thieves, economic bloodletting, and other news from the week
June 26, 2009
Are you really this full of yourself? Do you really think your opinion matters? And who are you?
- Brendan, Arkansas
May 19, 2009
cadence.
bikesnob didn't help it, the NYT didn't help it either, the location--and operating costs all weren't ideal for what it offered--which is a retail experience--the neighborhood already has (if you are being generic about the location) 2 fairly large and established bike shops (don't know the name of one--but its location is just as crappy just above canal on 7th ave--so still in the mess of tunnel traffic, but not however in the side streets of tribeca) and the other (toga) is the NY outpost of a shop that has a second location outside the city in prime cycling territory for the NYC cyclist. If you look at the general cross section of the new york cyclist they are all elitists in their own charming way--and anyone who reads this has full permission to flame away, as that generalization is based on over a decade of riding in and around new york and has seen the full spectrum--but I digress.
A shop that specifically goes out to cater to the elite is by that definition only going to open itself to a negative response from everyone that it should bring in...better to open a mom and pop style place and sell the high end stuff out the back door in unmarked brown paper wrapping also making the place a mommies and strollers coffee shop in tribeca would add to new york's fascination with "secret" places--see PDT/crif dogs if you need to know exactly what I am talking about. bottom line is that it was in an unfriendly retail neighborhood (bobby de niros restaurant around the corner in his hotel is also undergoing a re-vamp, so its not because cadence was a bike shop that led to its demise) that lacks foot traffic out to stroll and shop the streets. at least they have another shop outside the city.
- BFS, NYC
May 19, 2009
Being a NYer and an avid cyclist (I'm reading this aren't I?), I was surprised to hear of Cadence's closing, bu t only because I'd never heard of it opening! I'm not a wall st. financier, but I spend enough bike money that I hit up the shops fairly often, I even ride a Kuota, which was one of their brands that I saw in the pictures. As for the comment of it being in a shady 'hood, nah, that's perfectly safe down there. And saying nobody in NYC drives so the 'sea of cars' doesn't matter, well, let me (mis)quote the great Yogi, 'it's so popular, nobody goes there anymore'.
It just sounds like a bad location and not enough publicity.
- z, brooklyn
May 18, 2009
CC, on a completely different topic, why do old items (i.e. 2007 Park tire levers) appear in the "New Products" list? Are these returned items being put back into inventory?
- C., NYC
May 18, 2009
RE Cadence: I raced for a team who was sponsored by them and have nothing but great things to say about them. However I felt the need to comment about your assessment of the inclement weather 5 months of the year making NYC a poor choice of locations for a place like Cadence. I have to 100% disagree. Cadence bills itself as a training center first and foremost -- offering athletes a place to go to ESCAPE that weather (you should have seen their indoor cycling room -- 3 rows of 8 Computrainers with projector screens for data and movie viewing) is a huge plus in my opinion. Further, I know that a lot of their triathletes do far more work AT Cadence than on the road (I will not get into a debate about training philosophy here, but will leave that as a given). If a training center built itself in a place where the weather is gorgeous 300 days a year, what, then, would they really have to offer their athletes except for coaching? And therefore, why would they need a space? No, I have to say, I think that starting your business in the NE makes much more sense to me for an establishment that is trying to build its business primarily as a Triathlon/Cycling Training Center -- not so much as a bike shop.
- Rob, New York, NY
May 18, 2009
Seeing ANY bicycle store close is bad....
- Tom, Greenwich, CT
May 17, 2009
I just want to know why you feel the need to knock the traditional retail channel - which you've done directly at two different points in this latest posting. Lest you forget, the industry you're hopefully making a living from was built on the backs of those mom-n-pop shops. The view from your high horse must be so good that you've lost sight of the fact that you have a hard time selling anything but the latest and greatest at full price too.
We're all in this together. A rising tide raises all ships; but cutting down your "competition" only means that there's fewer folks around to offer a favor when you need one.
And I'm not afraid to post my contact info either. I'd love a response if you've got the guts. To be so critical of traditional retail, you should be able to offer a good explanation of your stance.
matthewjmagee [at] gmail
- Matt, Portland, OR
May 16, 2009
Sorry John, I'm with r_mutt about the location of Candence. It wasn't any harder to get to than say, Conrad. At least for those of us living on upper west side, we can ride down to Tribeca as easily as to the upper east side! In any case, the author totally miss the point about Candence location. It's a poor location, but not for the reason cited. 1) nobody in NYC drives so the "sea of car" doesn't matter. 2) Anyone who buys a high end bike can google map! 3) The author totally don't get what Wall Street is about: Wall Street still have plenty of power in the financial world but the Wall Street Financier Cadence trying to go after don't LIVE in their office! They live all over the city (some in Tribeca as well).
What's bad about that location is the high rent. It's ok to stay at the fringe of Manhattan. But doing so at high rent?
- at, UWS, NYC
May 15, 2009
r_mutt, nyc:
You must be the genuis amongst us NY'ers as everyone I know has said the same thing- A hard place to get to. Frankly, it is not particularily a safe area. So for those who may have disposable income they may not want to go "slumming" in order to buy their bike and risk getting mugged.
Foot traffic- I have worked in three high end bike shops in NY (none of them Cadence) and I think you would be suprised how much foot traffic equates to bigger sales (and yes even the high end stuff- I worked at shop in the East Village and one day in the summer I sold to four german tourists, who walked off the street, 4 Klein Attitudes). Foot traffice in NY leads to sales from a segment of the market who is not your traditional cyclist- the person who does not ride but wants the toy. There are lots of boys and girls here in the city who have pricey bikes hanging from the ceiling who have only ridden them once or twice.
Cadence was a great shop but they spent too much money being fancy and too little time with the demograpghics of the city- Why has Toga bikes or a Conrads been able to sell high end bikes for over 20 years in the city while no other shops in NYC have have not had a similar track record? Easier access and bikes with lower price points.
- John, LES, NYC
May 15, 2009
i'm not sure what is so hard to find about hudson and vestry street (cadence's address). maybe if you are coming from another part of the city, (uptown) and you don't know your way around the downtown area it might be difficult, but i live downtown on the east side, and i neer had a problem getting there by bike. besides, with today's internet maps, you have to be an idiot to not be able to find any address anywhere. btw- no one drives in nyc- they with take a cab, the subway, walk, ride a bike or a combo of the 4. i don't buy that "the tunnel traffic" was interfering in their business. nyc is probably the easiest city in the world to get around- let's face it- 80% of it is a grid! as for location was part of it's demise- maybe. but really- who just walks in off the street into a bike shop and drops 5-900 dollars on a whim? i don't know about you, but when i spend money at a bike shop, i look around at all the shops in my area, think about who has the best prices, service, and then pick a store and ride there on my bike and go get it. there are 6 bike shops all within 15 minutes ride from me and i'll go to each and every one to buy different things. cadence's problem wasn't location, it was their high rent combined with their narrow focus on the "elite" sector of the market at a time when everyone was tightening their belts.
- r_mutt, nyc
May 14, 2009
I'm popo here in the D/FW area, and unless something's unusual, there's absolutely no need for them to retain the bike as evidence. Their are typically procedures in place whereby you can sign a property release form and have the bike returned to you. This is standard protocol to protect the rights of property owners. You think Wally Mart would be interested in pressing charges if it meant they wouldn't get their tv back for a couple of years? Conversely, the property rooms of police departments would be overflowing with all the stolen good merchanside. They should photograph the bike very well, have you sign the form and return it. Only weird thing might be arranging to have the bike shipped back to you, as the police would not incur that charge, nor be familiar with how to safely ship a bike back.
- Jeff, DFW
May 14, 2009
I was excited when I saw Cadence open in my Tribeca neighborhood. However, even for someone living in the neighborhood, the exact location was hard to get to. And, I wondered then if there were enough ridiculously bankers in NYC to support a bike shop in such a high rent neighborhood? It seemed at the time to be a worrying signal of a top in the financial markets. They were minimally welcoming when I'd visit the store - better than a Chelsea gallery but they certainly didn't make me feel like relaxing and hanging out. Although, maybe it was me. I consider seeing fancy bikes in a store versus seeing them on the road about the same as seeing animals in a zoo versus going on a safari. The only thing I ever bought was a Cadence wind vest. The 70% off regular price was enough motivation to go against my policy of not being a walking (or, in this case, rolling) billboard. I live in the Bay Area now, in part, because of the tremendous riding here and limited options in NYC (although NYC is a much better bike commuting town than SF.) But, I'll be sorry to not be able to stop in at Cadence and get my bike fix on visits to the old neighborhood.
- bag, 2coastal
May 14, 2009
Take the bike back and give me the address of the theif. You will read in the paper what happened and then you can just hook me up with some nifty bike stuff. Let me know.
- DIRTY DEEDS, TUCSON
May 14, 2009
I used to ride for one of teams sponsored by Cadence, and the staff treated all people, whether you bought their stuff or not, equally nice. 1) I would tend to agree that the location was not ideal, but it is hard to find a space in the city that would be receptive to bike traffic vs. car traffic. It would be awesome if a bike shop was steps from Central Park, but that ain't happenin. Maybe Columbus Ave? But you got competition there already. 2) Again your comments about Tribeca not being ideal are generalizations. That location is not ideal, but not necessarily for the reasons that you cite. Actually, that area has very few bikes shops, maybe Battery Park would have been better actually. 3) And lastly as to whether any great bike shop can survive in NYC, the answer is yes it can. There are several right now. The thing is that multiple factors occuring simultaneously caused Cadence to close in my humble opinion: 1) bad economy 2) I think Cadence spent way too much capital in the store itself, from designer food bar, showers, neverending pool, training room; expensive furniture and fixtures. Plus the space was way too big. Like the US Marines, you need to do more with less. Concentrate on what you're good at and stick to it. 3) Even though the staff was very friendly, I think the pricetags on the kinds of bikes and apparel scared a lot of people away. The cycling community in the NYC is not just the elite or wanna be elite rider/triathlete. There are bike messengers, the commuters, the fixies, and what I would call the "indie" bike riders who ride whatever made from whatever bike parts seem to fit or look cool. Not to mention the joe/jane rider. 4) Nothing ever seemed to be on sale there. I know Cadence had this philosophy of keeping prices close to retail, but in this economy, people don't even want pay for things that are 20-25% off. They want to see deep discounts, or at least some sort of freebie. I wonder how the Philly store is doing.
- P, NYC
May 14, 2009
Best. Blog. EVER. F* Simeoni. Go Lance. And yes, more cursing pls.
- Ryan, Leesburg
May 14, 2009
Regarding weather and it's ability to hurt training - see the University of Vermont spanking everyone at collegiate nationals. In April it is still snowing in Burlington.
- Tom, DC
May 14, 2009
I completely agree with you about NYC bike shops. I work in the city but I live in Jersey. I have yet to find a shop in the city that doen't get smoked by all the shops that I frequent in the 'burbs.
- Michael, Ridgewood, NJ
May 14, 2009
Yes, NYC is a true bike town. You should ride over the GW bridge the next time you're here on a weekend morning. Just follow the trail of carbon to Piedmont and Nyack - you don't even need a map. Also, I think you'd be surprised by the number of commuters here (which includes myself).
- Chris, Brooklyn, NY
May 14, 2009
We were quite shocked to have heard about all of the nefarious actions regarding the Pinarello Prince that has now been recovered. The SMU Cycling club is developing initiatives to grow cycling as an activity, a passion and to develop a race program on this campus, but abhor any thievery, and will not tolerate thieves. We are shocked to hear about this, but it cleared up a few questions we had about the casual appearance of this bike at racks across the school.
We have a core group, but always look for more members. The Prince was an anomoly on campus, since (save for one Bianchi C2C) we tried to have all the road bike owners we saw ride with us. We do not see a lot of bling, save for a few faculty and staff! This particular student (who I only met once, a few days before we were chartered as a student organization) had told me he was getting back into riding after having had a bicycle stolen. In all fairness (insert a lot of legal caveats here) he did not seem to grasp what kind of bike that he had. I don't think it had a lot of miles on it either, since he had not ridden with us yet. There is some circumstantial evidence that he was unaware of the value of the bike, so maybe not the original thief? We must either let that play out in a court, or let the return of the bike be compensation enough. Our system of laws is such that you are presumed innocent until proven guilty, so we tread a fine line here. I can assure you (especially since he bought our new kit, that is being put together right now) that if he chooses to ride with us next fall, he will have a lot of explaining to do, (and get a bike, of which we will look at skeptically) and he will have to earn any sort of trust. Be assured that even though you are not persuing legal action, the SMU Cycling Club will not tolerate any behaviour such as this. Faculty Staff advisor, Scot Montague
- Scot, Dallas
May 14, 2009
Hope these scum never put an end to your efforts with customer satisfication programs such as trial before you buy. Its only with these kinds of guarentees that one can solve the "prisoner dilemna" of seperating low quality dealers from high quality dealers.
- Zotted, Melbourne
May 14, 2009
So which wine store in Boston should be avoided, and why? Let's hear that story.
- BP, Cambridge
May 14, 2009
re the Pinarello - Do NOT let the thieving mongrel(s) walk. Do that you are endorsing their actions.
You are out of pocket (a) the profit on your Pinarello and (b) the loss of profits on stock-turn on the value of the Pinarello. In the overall scheme, i.e. as a pecentage of your annual gross, this is a small price to pay for nailing their nuts to the wall.
If you have any nuts, you'll go hard for theirs'.
- Gonzo, , Brisbane, Australia
May 14, 2009
I totally agree with your assessment of Cadence's NYC location. I have lived in Manhattan for 15 years, I know exactly where Cadence is (was), and I still had trouble finding it! It was too bad, because it really was quite a beautiful space. I never experienced any snobbery from the staff, in fact quite the opposite. And I can only think how successful the cafe alone would have been had the shop been closer to a well-traveled bike route (namely, Upper West Side, on the way to 9W)
- Mike, NYC
May 13, 2009
"Used to live in Iowa, and then Kansas City. Both are horrible in comparison". Absolutely agree. Riding in midwest winters can make Hampsten's Gavia Pass ride look like a day at the beach. The Wind alone is enough to make even a blue-steel hard on flahute hang up the bike and take up Tiddlywinks.
- PawleeWalnutz, NYC, Winter Wonderland
May 13, 2009
22. Bradley Wiggins (GBR) Garmin - Slipstream at 1:47 97. Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin - Slipstream at 13:48 98. David Millar (GBR) Garmin - Slipstream at 13:48 168. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream at 16:53 172. Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Slipstream at 16:53 Go Slipstream!
- Luke , Chicago
May 13, 2009
"For 5 months out of the year the weather is at war with your goals." Well, not really. Honestly, the bad months for cycling NYC are Late Dec to Early March. Wouldn't say that close to half the year is bad cycling in NYC. Used to live in Iowa, and then Kansas City. Both are horrible in comparison
- Kevin, Cedar Rapids > Kansas City > NYC
May 13, 2009
There are probably alternatives to having your bike held for a year. I'm sure SMU would expel any student who has used the school network for criminal activity. I'm also sure just the threat of prosecution would bring a lawyer hired by mommy and daddy to work out a settlement. Getting tossed out of school and having to pay for the bike plus legal fees should provide a suitable deterent to other would be crooks.
- Hank, Miami
May 13, 2009
Brendan:
I hope you sent Sarah some flowers!
At the least I'd write SMU and see if they like graduating felons.
- Rob, Charlotte,NC
May 12, 2009
thankfully french is my co-first language so got to watch the entire Gerolsteiner doc and understand it. Some fantastic stuff on there! those treadmill intervals they were doing was some next level jedi shit. it was nice to see the ever elusive crazy swiss and his custom TT rigs that were branded with the big S. they must have had a heart attack in Morgan Hill when they heard about/saw this doc!
- Michael, Vancouver, BC
May 12, 2009
Assos cream used to be my favorite- Sportique was good as well. But I threw out those pretenders to the throne right after I tried for the first time Chomper's "Ballocks" cream. It was the best 18 bucks I have spent for myself at Sid's Bike Shop in NYC. Seriously, it is the difference between Assos and Ballocks is akin to running tubs and clinchers: they both work but tubs (Ballocks) feels so MUCH BETTER. It is the embrocation that makes you feel like you got a "happy ending"
- Georges R, NY
May 12, 2009
Several guys in club have bought LAST years Treks with Dura Ace because they got deal of free parts even if they wear out including chains and cassettes!!! With free service!!! For 3 years!!! I'm a Campy guy, but when you have club guys that put on 5-7000 miles per year, it was a hard deal to pass up.
- Michael , Edina
May 12, 2009
Charlie is right: wrong place to open a shop. I travel out to Queens from mid town Manhattan to get work done on my DH bike (there are only a few places to get reliabel suspension and disc brake work done) and after visiting cadence just once I never went back as it was just a pain in the ass to get to. It is/was not accessible. Great people in the shop and I hope they find jobs quick.
Cadence was doomed from day one with the place they picked. Bike shops in NYC need to be accessible and need the foot traffic (yes, even the high end ones. How else will the newbie with the big wallet know where you are if you are hiding out in the wrong part of town? and newbies seem to be the target of Cadence and SBR here in NYC...Like the fat guy on the 10k Cervelo with Lightweights decked out in SBR kit...what a joke of advertising for SBR). They should have picked their place to open a mueseum based on income levels in various zip codes: 10021 is the wealthiest zip code in NYC. Who wants to travel to an area that is best known in most NYC'ers mind as the place to seek drugs and street walkers?
- freedom fries, NYC
May 12, 2009
What, no comment on the love that Cav sent Garm*ns way before the Stage 1 of the Giro?
- Brian, Philly
May 12, 2009
Ah! Now I get your Garmin (in need of an intervention) counter histrionics. It's all about the hypocrisy you seen in their self aggrandising pontificating. Simeoni on the other hand doesn't deserve you bile unless your a paid up member of the Lance fan club. Unfortunately it is so easy to fall into polarised opinions when in reality the whole thing is a miasma of grey. He never prattled on like a reformed smoker as Millar has. He stood up to Lance when LA wanted to play Godfather. As Italian champion he has fair claim to ride the Giro. Symbolism takes time, substance would have been the other side of the Giro for him.
- peter, sydney
May 12, 2009
I'm pretty sure maillotjaune and koppenberg are either young, or too silly to understand the major style faux pas. It's complicated to change your email address once it has spread; but in certain cases it's definitely worth it. Good on you to point it out. Life is a learning experience, and it's comforting to know that some of the gifted ones are willing to slow down enough to hand out some needed wisdom.
I bought a Yellow Jersey at TdF in '00. It's absolutely fantastic. Superb material, beautifully sown, and supremely comfortable. I've worn it once to irritate a buddy of mine on a training ride we did, and it bugs me still that it's probably the most comfortable jersey I own, and I can only have it on "memento display" at home. Style comes at a high price sometimes...
Spot on regarding 80's pro wrist watches. I've made the same observation many times.
- Andy, Stockholm, Sweden
May 11, 2009
Best one yet. Glad you guys got the d*ckhead who stole the Pinarello.
- Mitch, Newcastle, AUS
May 11, 2009
Well done as always, I would go after the bike thief and press charges. I remember reading about the cadence store in nyc and them talking about the sales guys writing down notes with a montblanc and thinking man how can that last.
- Drew, Louisville Ky.
May 11, 2009
Can u cuss some more? It's so cool that u do that.
- Joe blow , Everywhere usa
May 11, 2009
We've all had or known someone that got their beloved stolen from them and they always say, "If I could get my hands on that sonuva..." Here's your chance to score one for the cycling community and put the boots to a spineless thief.
The Gerolsteiner training clip was sick!
- Brent, Wausau, WI
May 11, 2009
I bought my wife an IPod Touch for Mother's day. It's awesome and I definitely recommend it. As for the bike thief, let Craig tackle him out of the Tahoe, bikeseller.com style.
- Cru Doggy Dogg, Jonesboro
May 11, 2009
Let this thief walk and you make yourself an attractive target. If they get away with it they get a bike and if they get caught there are no consequences as it's to much hassle for you to press charges.
- Hank, Miami
May 11, 2009
Wait till after WWDC 2009 if you can before you buy anything apple / iphone / ipod related. There are always new product releases at the show. Apple does have a 30 day product return when new hardware is released if you just can't wait.
http://developer.apple.com/WWDC/
- J, NLR
May 11, 2009
I have to agree with J, from Brooklyn. Here in DC we have a shop called Cyclelife USA, complete with cafe, and although I am more than willing to assume it is a wonderful bikes shop with great high-end stuff and service, the demographic it is targeting probably is close to non-existent (or certainly not enough to sustain a bike shop with Georgetown rent). I ride by it all the time on my commute, and rarely see anyone inside. There actually are a several shops here in DC that must have been planned in late 2007/early 2008, and opened in late 2008, that seem from a different age. DC is a great biking town, but I've never seen a Parlee or Willier or BMC on the road. Lots of Cervelos recently, however, so maybe they did have the right idea...
- J, DC
May 11, 2009
Insightful as always. Glad to see that you're sponsoring races for those of us who are just starting out. I wish there was something along those lines here, if there is I haven't heard of it. You see, I'm the guy with the 105 shifters AND a triple crank that you've mocked in past "what's new" posts. Yup, I'm that guy. Starting out, already getting made fun of for lacking in budget and direction. But hey, I'd like to see most of your readers tackle the 20 to 30% grade hills that surround me with compact cranks. It ain't easy, but it's a reality for us around here. I can't leave my house without these monsters staring at me. And with my "form" (or lack of) I need that shameful third ring. Hooray for my stupid triple, and good for you for sponsoring a race tailored for us..the lowly newbies. Keep up the great job.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtbphotos.php?id=/photos/2007/diaries/barbarella/barbarella0721/rpcanton
- sleeper, Pittsburgh, PA
May 11, 2009
Contrary to a previous post, I attribute Cadence's failure to the number one rule of real estate - location, location, location. I've been to Cadence a half-dozen times, and was thoroughly impressed by their friendly service staff, high-priced bling, cafe and state-of-the art training center. I considered taking training classes over the winter, but even from my Soho office (no bikes allowed in the building), which is geographically very close to Tribeca, it would require a ten-minute subway ride and a 15-minute walk. Going home would require a 15-minute walk and a 45-minute subway ride to the Upper East Side. This was completely out of the question for me. So I just bought a bunch of winter gear from Competitive Cyclist and rode in Central Park through the winter. As for the viability of this type of high-end store in Manhattan, SBR Multisports is another high-end store. It is conveniently located in midtown (one block from Central Park, which is the training ground for all Manhattan cyclists) and seems to be doing well, based on the number of SBR store jerseys I regularly see on the road and in Central Park. Cadence was always empty when I went in there, and SBR always seems pretty busy. While the super-wealthy may live in Tribeca, the people who live there are a different type of crowd. I think the majority of wealthy avid cyclists live uptown, largely on the Upper East and West Sides, which made going to Cadence extremely inconvenient, even in you worked on Wall Street. And yes, most financial types work in midtown.
In addition,, SBR's website was far superior, which is an important way to make sales and attract people to the store, as all Competitive Cyclist fans know.
My favorite store is still Conrad's. High-end AND mom and pop.
- Charlie, New York, New York
May 11, 2009
A story about Cadence (philly) I went to school right up the road from the Manayunk location. I walked in the shop right when it was having its grand opening. As I drooled over the way over my price range frames and wheels I was greeted by Matt H. Matt could have brushed me off as some kid, but instead conversed with me and asked what type of riding I did. I didn't even have a road bike at this point, I only rode/raced mountain. He must have know right from the beginning he had no chance of making an immediate sale, but never the less he talked to me and showed me a few of the shops offerings. I thanked Matt for showing me around and he responded, "No problem, when you're ready come back and see us and we'll build you up something" My experience at Cadence stuck with me and distinguished the store from several other retailers in the area (or on the same street). I am sorry to hear about C NYC's demise, and can only hope the philly location continues to survive.
- "malliotjaune@yahoo.com", Philly, Pa
May 11, 2009
You should definitely throw the book at the Pinarello thief. If he's a college student, imagine the fun he'll have trying to find a job with a big felony on his record. Pressing charges would be the gift that keeps on giving.
- Doug, Los Angeles
May 11, 2009
In addition to VdV showing off a Cervelo, that is a very visible SRM head unit attached to its bars. So much for supporting Power Tap...
- jamie, toronto
May 11, 2009
"But we want our demo back so we're trending towards just saying nevermind". Wrong move, IMHO. Press charges and make the MFer(s) pay. Send a message that you will not suffer fools nor asswipe thieves lightly. Sure the bike will be held hostage but once you get it back from the evidence vault you can run one of those auction specials on it and probably get some good coin for it (too small for me though).
- PawleeWalnutz, NYC
May 11, 2009
Mariposa in the news
As you likely know Mike Barry is retired. Mariposa as a brand is in the hands of his loyal customers and his still functioning web site. Noah Rosen is still painting in the Toronto location and won best paint job at the NAHBS. Good luck finding a used Mariposa.
Nice to see CVV's Mariposa is close to his heart.
- Avrum, Toronto
May 11, 2009
Random replies to your random comments on Cadence, from a random New Yorker: Yes, the area around the Holland Tunnel approach is most definitely not the best place in the city to cycle. But I don't think any bike shop in NYC (or any specialty shop of any kind in NYC for that matter) expects walk-in traffic, so I really don't think this had much to do with the demise of Cadence. You could have built a Cadence satellite office adjacent to the conference room of Goldmine Sachs when the economy was in full dick swing and I still don't think it would have made any difference in their business. It's a nice and quaint idea that New Yorkers buy their specialty goods by seeing what shops are next door to their home and their office, but it's really not the case. I don't think it was location that prefucked Cadence, I think it was the fact that shops catering to any sub-sub-sub-demographic are prefucked unless they have a sufficient customer base to support their overhead. I think their stumble was not realizing just how select their customer base was. I mean, there are a lot of people who ride crazy milage and/or race in NYC, or at least have recurring fantasies of doing so. But these guys were not even just targeting these folks, they were target the really rich people amongst these folks. That's really not a lot of poeple. How you can do that and only that stay in business if you have $10k a month in rent to add to your overhead is beyond me. And is NYC really a bike town? Who knows? I live here and I ride thousands of miles a year and know lots of great people who do the same. So if lots of cool and dedicated cyclists make a town a bike town, then hell yeah. But then again I just bought a car because I am so god damn sick of riding through miles of insanity and potholes and stoplights before I can just lose myself to the pleasure of pushing hard on a nice road. So by that standard...
- J, Brooklyn, NY
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