Your input please ..

[royAB]

.. and yes definitely a range of dedicated luggage ranging from 'up the Nile expedition-stylee' to 'just popping over the hill for a beer & sandwich' to fit all those many hanging points / mountings.

[Ben98]

The real test of this contraption would be another tour divide run on it James

[jameso]

The real test of this contraption would be another tour divide run on it James

If you're offering to do so, go for it, I'll supply the frame set. If you mean another run as in me, not likely not now I know how far it actually is!

[Ben98]

The real test of this contraption would be another tour divide run on it James

If you're offering to do so, go for it, I'll supply the frame set. If you mean another run as in me, not likely not now I know how far it actually is!

Give me 2 years and I may take you up on that

[voodoo_simon]

Bit late to the party but don't forget to include small frames into the range.

Genesis seem to insist on making frames starting at 17.5 inch, so when I wanted a rigid 29er, I went with Salsa and not the fortitude. Likewise with my fat bike, wanted a 15 or 16 inch frame but the Caribou starts at 17.5

[Bearbonesnorm]

I saw a bloke today touring on an original Evans 'mountain bike' ... or certainly what appeared to be. Looked straight out of the mid 80s and fantastic

Just like this minus guards.

[jameso]

Nice, love those old ATBs. Makes me feel old.. I have to stop myself breaking into a 'ahh, back when bikes were simple and all about exploring .. etc .. ' ramble.

[Blackhound]

How is the project going James?

[jameso]

See the CX/road bikepacker thread : ) Nothing on MTB yet, or at least not ready to sign off on sample frames but 1 'road' bike built up and a couple more being prepared in TW.

[Mart]

Hi James,
Just going to add my 2p worth into the mix regarding Branding (the area I work closely with in my office)

For me branding its what differentiates similar offerings (think of say Lager and the differences between Carling, Fosters & Carlsberg)
Its all fizzy yellow liquid of very similar quality and taste (and often interchangable in consumers eyes)
What does set them apart is their Brand Itentity: Culture, back ground and what they stand for

Its all well and good bringing back an old bike brand (and dont get me wrong love the retro feel some of these have)
But what will differentiate this FW Evans bike apart from its counterparts? Is there a Culture / History in this name that stands for something, does it already have strong heritage and links to what you want to achieve with the Evans name and style.
As others have pointed out, they already are making connections with the name and the shops (and wider perspectives)

My 2ps worth therefor boils down to 'Be absolutely clear about the brand identity : What you are and what do you stand for'

Sorry for the ramble

[jameso]

Mart, appreciate the input. Thanks. Been thinking about this a lot last few weeks since the first bike proto arrived.
I've seen the 'what is it adding to the market now' comment directed at a few brands, ie Treks fat bikes or a Specialised AWOL. That to me says that some assume by being early to market you claim some kind of IP or moral rights to a genre, or a brand has its limits based on assumptions made on both brand and genres, how they fit etc - I get that but I also think it's a free market where choice is good. The only thing that really should define what you do is what is really 'you' as a brand. In this case, in literal terms we may not offer anything 'new'. Depends how much new is expected. I see a nicely laid out, good-looking bike that handles well as a worthy entry to the market. Branding is such a tricky thing, tbh I'm not over-thinking it now and see a UK bike designer with history (FW Evans himself) and a good distribution model (Evans - ie factory>retail>consumer, a shorter 3-step chain than many distributed brands means better VFM for the rider; also the service of retailer that online direct doesn't have) as an opportunity to make some nice bikes that don't sit well in Pinnacle. They may have similarities to other bikes but they'll always have something different about them. Dunno if that's skewed thinking based on what I do?
Bottom line these days is 'what is a bike brand?' - I know of a small group of factories that make most of the stuff out there. The brand is image, the cynic in me says that's woolly and manipulated stuff at times, or it's based on credible history that comes from the people behind it, they're either 'real' or 'opportunist'. I think the challenge is what image is perceived of a brand like this in that period before longer-term credibility is established. Personally I think the more you try to force that image the more risk you take, people make up their own minds and don't like to be patronised. There's always stuff you can't get past with some people, every brand has detractors or challenges, but if the core product and what drives (ie the people behind it) it is genuine, ie comes form a real understanding and not just based on box-shifting for £££ then I think a brand can be as good as it can be. It just takes time and that's where people in marketing or finance get nervous : )
TBH if this was all abut filling sectors and making money I'd not have been able to spend 2yrs+ trying to get the bikes made in the UK. We could've gone straight to Taiwan and had bikes out there before touring started to become interesting for many. As it is, for the bulk of the range TW-made has been shown to be the only option (for now).

'Be absolutely clear about the brand identity : What you are and what do you stand for'

I can answer that but the tricky bit for us is expressing it, I think that's what you mean.

[Mart]

Bottom line these days is 'what is a bike brand?' - I know of a small group of factories that make most of the stuff out there. The brand is image, the cynic in me says that's woolly and manipulated stuff at times, or it's based on credible history that comes from the people behind it, they're either 'real' or 'opportunist'.
I think the challenge is what image is perceived of a brand like this in that period before longer-term credibility is established. Personally I think the more you try to force that image the more risk you take, people make up their own minds and don't like to be patronised

you sound like you know it already - if you push on the 'opportunist' pedal without delivering on the 'real' then thats when i believe a brand will get found out.
Consumers are a savvy bunch (probably more than we realise) but there must be a balance between letting the world know you exist and getting the credibility for making a nice bike
How will people know you exist without some sort of promotion and noise around the brand (even more so when your small)
Quite how you achieve this balance ? not quite sure??

[Blackhound]

Thanks James, had not spotted those last couple of posts when I asked the q on this thread. Certainly looks interesting.

[alansmout]

how hard would it be to license ritcheys break away frame design? Would love to see that in a reasonably priced tourer. I had to go to the trouble of paying for one to be imported. I expect air line fees will only ever go up for taking a bike so a couple of hundred extra up front would soon be repaid.

[jameso]

^ Not sure but it's an interesting idea, I've always fancied a breakaway road bike. Expensive but worth it for regular travelers, at least in terms of increasing ease of lugging boxes around airports.. Japanese 'Rinko' style tourers are worth look too if the breakaway appeals, not as simple but interesting if you can appreciate of the art of compact bike travel.

[alansmout]

@ jameso

I used to travel with an aluminium folding dahon jack 26 wheel bike but after it took a beating from the baggage handlers resulting in a bent seat stay, started looking for a steel travel bike ( making the assumption that steel seems a little more robust and can be bent back into shape with a good chance if it not cracking welds). Or worst case you can get a new section welded in without too much trouble versus aluminium. Only thing I could find was the ritchey and only from the US so had the ball ache of importing it.

Would be interesting to know how many people actually take their touring bikes abroad, might give you an indication if it is worth the bother.

[drain]

Until some (expletive deleted) stole it from my car, I had a 2005 Dahon Flo which, as well as having a breakaway frame, was just a great (and very light) steel mountain bike. I'd set it up as my preferred off road tourer (rigid and tubeless) - the main triangle was very large and ideal for a frame bag.

I took it abroad to Canada, in the hold in the Airporter case, as well as 'split' in a bike bag on trains in Europe. It travelled very well and was a doddle to reassemble.

There's only a couple of places which sell the 2010/11 versions of the frame, not sure if Dahon has stopped making them / plans to revamp it.