I’ve stayed out of this so far for a very simple reason.
I’m over it.
Still, it might be worth making a few observations.
I have no problem with deus as a shop, and certainly not with the quality of their motor cycle customizing work.
I haven’t seen a deus fixie in the flesh, so i only have the site, and peoples reports to me on them to go off.
More peoples opinion of the bikes is reasonably good.
Right, that’s the disclaimer part out of the way.
For me, this isn’t “tall poppy syndrome”. It’s simply a case of people who don’t know any better being introduced to fixed wheel cycling by exposure to over-priced, badly specced bikes.
The idea seems to be that you can go to deus, cough up your money and get an instant street cred ride. Something worthy of praise and admiration on velospace.
No effort, no time, no thought. Just money and done.
The idea of using velospace, or fixed gear gallery to source the proper spec for a street cred ride isn’t new, it’s just that this is the first time I’ve seen it so blatantly admitted to.
And it really is a concept designed for the clueless, cashed up trend hoppers.
Using Australian made is a laudable idea, as long as the product is good. The few cycle underground chain rings I’ve seen have been excellent quality, well made, well designed, and absolutely worth the money. I’m buying 3 next pay.
Velocity deep V’s aren’t any of these things. They are simply what is trendy now. More power to the gumdale guys for making and selling them in such huge numbers, but let’s not ever kid ourselves that they should be considered the best rim on the market. Aerohead and razor are much better rims, by the same company. but don’t have that “just seen in MASH” cred to them, so no-one buys them.
People need to remember a few things.
First of all, NJS doesn’t mean it’s better than everything else.
In fact in many cases it means the opposite. All NJS means is that it conforms to the standard needed for Keirin racing. It is designed to be a set standard, creating as level a playing field as possible. You can get much better equipment as far as performance goes, for far less money. But it won’t have that fucking NJS stamp on it costing you 150% over normal cost.
Second, fixed is not the best place to start a person cycling. It is more difficult that free, more dangerous, and will most often turn people away from our little hobby as often as it will impress them.
I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time talking to people who haven’t ridden a bike in 10 years but want to buy a fixie cause they are cool.
I’d much rather build someone a nice single speed with good quality parts that is fitted to the person. Right size, right reach, right bars, right crank length, right bike for the person.
And in a little while, if they want to go fixed, I’ll fit the cog for them for free. But I’d like them to be comfortable first.
And so we return to the deus thing.
No, they aren’t the only place doing it by any means. But they are the most blatant, the most obvious.
There isn’t the same relationship to the buyer, or the same interest in getting the right bike for the right person that you get at a local shop, or local builder…
Deus is a business, and shouldn’t have to apologize for that any more than sportsgirl should have to apologize for selling sweatshop jeans, but it irks me that they are marketing these bikes as the ultimate in hipster, trendy rides, when in reality they are just average fixies, sold through a boutique setting.
I have no doubt that the bikes will sell reasonably well. I have no doubt that the majority of the bikes new owners will happily wobble their way into the sides of cars and collections of pedestrians all over the country. I also have absolutely no doubt that most of the people buying them would have been better served by buying a good singlespeed and graduating to fixed later. it’s easy, just fit the sprocket and lockring…
