Anyone going to the Bicycle Expo this weekend down at Magnuson? There is some Vintage Lightweights display Saturday only that looks interesting. Counterbalance has some Gold Sprints races too.
It reads to me more like a book fair, except substitute bikes for books. So lots of people with booths to sell you stuff, people giving talks and demos, some semi-famous people to draw in the crowds, etc.
Oh yeah, and a beer garden.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
jeff
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:03 pm
SOC pussyJoined: 05 May 2006Posts: 4501
With sponsors like Subaru, you know this is for the committed cycling enthusiast.
gsbarnes
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:17 pm
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
jeff wrote:
With sponsors like Subaru, you know this is for the committed cycling enthusiast.
They sell cars so you can transport your pirate team to the races!
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
henry
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:49 pm
somewhat piggishJoined: 05 Aug 2005Posts: 5415Location: on porch with shotgun
jeff wrote:
With sponsors like Subaru, you know this is for the committed cycling enthusiast.
Who's spotted Jeff on a bike in the last three months?
Who's spotted Jeff in a big ass van in the last three months?
With sponsors like Subaru, you know this is for the committed cycling enthusiast.
Who's spotted Jeff on a bike in the last three months?
Who's spotted Jeff in a big ass van in the last three months?
Zing...make it a poll
jeff
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:21 pm
SOC pussyJoined: 05 May 2006Posts: 4501
joeball wrote:
henry wrote:
jeff wrote:
With sponsors like Subaru, you know this is for the committed cycling enthusiast.
Who's spotted Jeff on a bike in the last three months?
Who's spotted Jeff in a big ass van in the last three months?
Zing...make it a poll
I ride every single day. To work and back and then some. I've been too busy to come out for a ride lately, but I know Ben and Lee probably miss me.
I'll be out soon.
joeball
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:55 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
A couple of us will be headed down to the expo at 11 this morning
nail
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:35 pm
Joined: 01 Jul 2006Posts: 86Location: C.D.
If any of you are going to the Expo on Sunday, stop by the Mighty-O booth, get a magic half-doz of sugar-coated mini-O's, whisper "pointy-3" and flash a spoke card to the fellow in the grey Mighty-O Girl t-shirt, and I'll give you a buncha extra donuts...
Other than that, the Expo is ok. The half-pipe cycling demos are fun to watch, there's a dude selling chainless shaft-drive bikes which are interesting, some crackerjack rowed across the Atlantic and brought his small boat to show off, there's a few custom shops with sexy frames on display, and some über-fancy "classic bikes" in a special room (which I didn't get to see today, perhaps photos tomorrow if I'm on it). The people watching is largely mediocre though. Worth the entry price for a look-see? I dunno. Not on my budget.
.
N@il
_________________ crank -- n.1. Small device which causes revolutions. (Shumacher)2. Individual with minority opinions & ideas (cf. "Green Dog", Mondragon)
Aaron
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:03 am
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
I used to exhibit when the expo used to be in a real venue. But for the $500 bones they charge for a space, they need a better venue. At least this year it isn't FREEZING!
How is the lighting? Is the floor still dirty? We used to call it the Ghett-xpo.
joeball
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:44 am
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
The lighting was OK but it mas mostly ambient light coming through the windows. I didn't really look at the floor but if an olive rolled out of my gyro I would not have picked it up and eaten it. The "vintage lightweights" show was only about 20 bikes but was kind of neat to look at.
I am curious who was actually there, like attendees, there were tons of people. Many drove and took the shuttle over but I'm not sure what was inside that was of interest to them.
Davidson's booth had some really nice bikes on display. R+E is making a cantilever break that looks kind of like and Avid Tri-Align or Honza HO but the top of the posts move and it look like you can vary the profile of the brake. It also has the saddle cable running to the bottom of the brake arm, up the side, and then over the top of the brake arm (where traditional saddle cable would attach) That particular detail I am still trying to figure out why it makes a difference in the brake design
Val was showing off his DaVinchi hubbed commuter built from other misc parts laying around the warranty department of SBS. It was interesting. Getting to ride it and try the Selle An-Atomic saddle was actually pretty cool. It wasn't the ostrich skin model though
TrikerTrev
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:38 am
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 2303Location: FOCO, MOFO!!!
Aaron wrote:
I used to exhibit when the expo used to be in a real venue. But for the $500 bones they charge for a space, they need a better venue. At least this year it isn't FREEZING!
How is the lighting? Is the floor still dirty? We used to call it the Ghett-xpo.
Took the boys down to kill a Sat afternoon and get a few miles in. Getto? fuck yeah right! But what in Scabpoint NS isn't ?
Some fairly decent bike pr0n...some stuff (clothes and parts) for sale and the such.
Worth the 8 bucks? Not fucking hardly.
rlotz
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:19 am
Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 311Location: Capitol Hill
joeball wrote:
Davidson's booth had some really nice bikes on display. R+E is making a cantilever break that looks kind of like and Avid Tri-Align or Honza HO but the top of the posts move and it look like you can vary the profile of the brake. It also has the saddle cable running to the bottom of the brake arm, up the side, and then over the top of the brake arm (where traditional saddle cable would attach) That particular detail I am still trying to figure out why it makes a difference in the brake design
R+E covered their new brake design in their <a href="http://www.bushnelltandems.com/archives/09_06_news.pdf"September 06 newsletter. They claim that their new cable attachment lever will prevent the power loss that occurs during braking when the cantilever yoke raises upwards.
If they are able to also reduce squeal as they claim then they could also get a lot of business from people tired of listening to their cross bikes squeal.
Uncle Martha
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:25 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 343Location: Cap. Hill / Madison Valley
I went, it was okay. I wish I'd known about the Mighty-O / Pointy-three deal, I'd have purchased some mini-donuts!
I spent some time talking to the Redline guys (next big thing for the 9-2-5? Fatter tires!...*cough*) and met the Selle An-Atomica guy (who was cranky).
A little Italian man was annoyed by me at the FSA booth, then a little Italian woman was annoyed by me when I was looking at the Serrotta bikes. So I've got Italy covered.
The guy from Moots was nice and said that if I got one of their Ti seat-posts "at least it'll bend instead of breaking if it fails, so it won't be catastrophic." Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but not all bad, either.
The GHY team(?) hucking themselves around on the ramps was fun to watch.
I spent a goodly amount of time talking to the R+E guys, they were very nice and enthusiastic about talking about bikes. By contrast, many of the people in the other booths seemed to be less than interested in talking about anything, most would just shove literature at you as a way of saying, "go away". Of course, if I'd gone either well-dressed (and shaven) or as a spandex parody of myself, I might have been better received.
Anyway, it wasn't a total waste of $8, but I doubt I'll go again.
_________________ Ben (the Uncle Martha one)
Aaron
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:14 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
What does everyone think of the venue itself?
I have not been to the Expo since the first year it was at Sand Point and it was freezing cold. Also the place was filthy, there were not enough bathrooms (also unheated) and the lighting was poor.
Kascade said they moved to save money, but they RAISED the booth rates at the same time!
Do you think it is worth my time to display next year?
Hey, I have an idea! .83 should get a booth. That way we can recruit women for ITO.
zuvembi
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:55 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 942Location: Little Addis Ababa
Aaron wrote:
Hey, I have an idea! .83 should get a booth. That way we can recruit women for ITO.
I don't imagine they'll let us have a keg at our booth...
_________________ When the revolution comes, we're going to need a longer wall
rlotz
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:48 pm
Joined: 23 Jan 2006Posts: 311Location: Capitol Hill
Aaron wrote:
Do you think it is worth my time to display next year?
I didn't go this year but I did last. My opinion last year was that the venue was fine. I didn't take any notice of it being overly cold or horribly dirty. I was shocked (at the time) as the size of the parking lot in relation to the size amount of bike parking. It mostly seemed about people wanting to sell me things I couldn't afford. I did manage to get a nice burly jacket at ~50% off though.
Last year I noticed the lack of promotion for using bikes as transportation and commuting. I'd like to see a booth showing how bikes can be used for needs beyond recreation, maybe something setup like Vanilla's both a NAHBS that tells a story instead of one that just has a bunch of stuff.
If an ABR booth could showoff bikes as tools of fun and transportation then I think you'd have a unique contribution to the expo that isn't met by anyone else. Otherwise you might look like "yet another bike shop." Bring an xtracycle (or big dummy by then) with kegs of rootbeer and soda in the carry bags to show biking can be fun! I assume they wouldn't allow real beer.
PS. I miss my bike and am looking forward to leaving the world of pink and turquoise strip malls.
Oldmesenger82
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 7:40 pm
Joined: 30 Jun 2006Posts: 204Location: Fremont
I got in free "cause I worked the BBTC booth. Triials and BMX shows were cool. Got a $10 pair of gloves. Saw some people I knew, good way to spend a rainy Sunday.
gsbarnes
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:09 pm
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Aaron wrote:
What does everyone think of the venue itself?
Venue was okay. Was it heated, or was it just the warm front? They still only had porta-potties, but there seemed to be enough. Somehow they seemed to fill up not only the parking lot nearby, but lots all the way to the one by the Junior League playground.
I stupidly brought my kid on Sunday to learn to ride, only to find that was Saturday only (someone needs to look that brochure over; this was not at all clear). Fortunately there was the trials rider and the GHY guys. Oh, and some massage therapists put up a Sudoku puzzle; that was entertaining.
I cut out early for an ultimate frisbee game; that was another level of fun in this weather. But I digress. The Expo was strange. I don't know what they were pitching; it seemed like they just wanted anything at all bicycle related. In such an environment, I think you need some kind of hook to really make it worth your while (as a vendor). Hooks this year looked like triathlons, the GHY and trials demos (which drew a good crowd), and otherwise it was a mishmash of vendors, people trying to get you to go on rides, and a few government entities. I guess kids would be another hook, but that was Saturday, and in a different hangar.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
SeditiousCanary
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:40 pm
sorry, can't make it!Joined: 26 Jan 2006Posts: 2315Location: Fremont Troll
I scored 2 Wrench Force Professional 14mm/16mm cone wrenches, 2 sets of Wrench Force ball ended allen wrench sets, and a Wrench Force flat blade screwdriver for $22.00 plus tax. Otherwise, kind of disappointing. I had a good time drinking beer though. Missed out on the Mighty-O schwag though.
the dreaded ben
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm
Grumpy GreebJoined: 20 Aug 2005Posts: 5329Location: flavor country
you want to unload that 2nd set of bondhus allen wrenches?
i was looking for a set and noone stocks them.
and fuck is it annoying not having them.
joeball
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:16 pm
Joined: 24 Jul 2005Posts: 6037Location: Ether
I love my t-handle bondhus set
nail
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:48 pm
Joined: 01 Jul 2006Posts: 86Location: C.D.
Aaron wrote:
What does everyone think of the venue itself?
I worked there both days and it seemed ok to me. It was a hanger, it fulfilled my "event in a hanger" expectations. Seemed normal enough. It would have been cool if they'd been able to actually hang stuff from the rafters, but whatev. Plenty portapotties outside either main door. Decent enough layout inside, large, airy, with boomy noises coming from the GHY team DJ and microphone. I liked the BikeWorks donation bike parking rack outside for the donation part. Rack was full on Saturday, but Sunday's rain kept most riders at bay.
As far as warmth goes, it was fine.. mostly due to mild temps outside. I'm sure it will always be dependant on the outside factor. They do have huge overhead heaters inside that help a little. The donut stand was by an open door, with a heater some 20' above nearby, and I was comfortable in a tshirt all day. (I suppose the hot oil from the fryer plus all the coffee and belly full of donuts helped too. sorry you folks missed 'em tho. )
Worth your time to hold a booth? I dunno. Ask Free Range Cycles, Ms. Emry and co. had a corner stand on the main aisle showing off a few bikes and stuff. Like other folks said, it was mostly vendors hawking high- and mid- class gear... (except for the curious Rowboat Guy)... with some health orgs sponsoring team rides, vacation packages, to a mix of people and kids.
While there wasn't really a booth promoting commuter cycling, there were a few booths with built up commuter/touring/casual cycles.. some Rivendell stuff with bags and metal fenders, fer example.
Apparently the fancy classic bikes were Sat.only also.. sad I missed it. No classic bike pr0n for me. However here is a quick snap of the business end of a shaft-drive cycle. I spun the pedal, felt pretty normal. The rear hub arrangement looked super vulnerable to dirt intrusion though, plus the universality of the chain/cog design makes shaft drive impractical from a maintenance/inventory perspective. Perhaps better suited to speciality HPVs or something.
Here's another webpic of one vendor's idea of his audience at Expo:
Fore! . yeh, right.
/.
N@il
_________________ crank -- n.1. Small device which causes revolutions. (Shumacher)2. Individual with minority opinions & ideas (cf. "Green Dog", Mondragon)
Shaun
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:59 pm
Joined: 23 Oct 2006Posts: 16Location: Cap Hill
The venue was ok - no frills, pretty basic, nasty portable crappers.
The unfortunate thing about having it at Sandpoint, vs a more central location, is that it is relatively difficult to access by mass transit.
While most cyclists really ought to be riding to the venue, families with kids pretty much had to drive unless they wanted to navigate multiple bus transfers on a weekend schedule.
Plenty of bike porn and the donuts rocked....and I do mean rocked...
Aaron
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:22 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
thanks for everyone's input. It sounds like nothing has changed at the Ghetxpo. I can safely say that ABR will NOT be exhibiting there EVAR! Unless of course they move it to a central Seattle location again, then I am on board. It sounds like the expo has been declining every year since their move to Sand Point. The publicity was lax. They didn't even send me posters or flyers like years past. From the sound of it, it is turning into a Cascade members only deal and ride sign-up fest.
Maybe Jeff Job can 'splain it to me better.
gsbarnes
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:41 am
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Aaron wrote:
thanks for everyone's input. It sounds like nothing has changed at the Ghetxpo. I can safely say that ABR will NOT be exhibiting there EVAR! Unless of course they move it to a central Seattle location again, then I am on board. It sounds like the expo has been declining every year since their move to Sand Point. The publicity was lax. They didn't even send me posters or flyers like years past. From the sound of it, it is turning into a Cascade members only deal and ride sign-up fest.
Maybe Jeff Job can 'splain it to me better.
He'll help you out, 'cause you're factually challenged, and Jeff is the captain of the fact-based economy.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
Aaron
Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:28 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
gsbarnes wrote:
Aaron wrote:
thanks for everyone's input. It sounds like nothing has changed at the Ghetxpo. I can safely say that ABR will NOT be exhibiting there EVAR! Unless of course they move it to a central Seattle location again, then I am on board. It sounds like the expo has been declining every year since their move to Sand Point. The publicity was lax. They didn't even send me posters or flyers like years past. From the sound of it, it is turning into a Cascade members only deal and ride sign-up fest.
Maybe Jeff Job can 'splain it to me better.
He'll help you out, 'cause you're factually challenged, and Jeff is the captain of the fact-based economy.
Your MOM, showed me some facts last night!
gsbarnes
Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:51 pm
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Aaron wrote:
gsbarnes wrote:
Aaron wrote:
Maybe Jeff Job can 'splain it to me better.
He'll help you out, 'cause you're factually challenged, and Jeff is the captain of the fact-based economy.
Your MOM, showed me some facts last night!
Dude, I saw who you were with last night, and it wasn't my mom.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
Aaron
Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:29 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 4645
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.......
gsbarnes
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:29 am
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Aaron wrote:
thanks for everyone's input. It sounds like nothing has changed at the Ghetxpo. I can safely say that ABR will NOT be exhibiting there EVAR! Unless of course they move it to a central Seattle location again, then I am on board. It sounds like the expo has been declining every year since their move to Sand Point. The publicity was lax. They didn't even send me posters or flyers like years past. From the sound of it, it is turning into a Cascade members only deal and ride sign-up fest.
Maybe Jeff Job can 'splain it to me better.
The Bike Expo Fairy has granted Aaron 3 wishes.
Cascade Courier August 2007 wrote:
After much searching we found a wonderful venue for the 2008 Expo at the Port of Seattle Terminal 30 facility, about 1/2 mile south of Safeco Field on Alaskan Way.
[...]
While we'll miss Hanger 27's WW2 era charm, we won't miss its lack of indoor plumbing, heating or electricity. The new venue has all the amenities and then some...
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
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sorry, can't make it!
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