the TRVTH 'bout the Atlantis, and other topics

August 20, 2009

There's no great need to read rumors about disappearing Atlantis frames. All we can say now (not all we "will" say, but all we CAN say) is that the Atlantis out of Japan won't be re-happening until several things change, and we have no control over dem tangs.

If the exchange rate changes, THAT would push us back toward Japan.

If the minimums decreased, THAT would, also.

If the lead time decrease, that, too.

It's a combo-of-factors that will push us away or pull us back, and these are things we have no control over.

We like the Atlantis. It is the longest-lived bike in our line, and we're sentimental fools here. We can't predict the future other than to say we'd rather kill the Atlantis than kill ourselves, and right now, it would make no sense to order more Japanese-built Atlantis frames. Your iPod isn't made in Japan; your camera isn't (mine is!); and your other-things-that-used-to-be aren't anymore. Same way with the Atlantis.

So, we are staying flexible for the future.

Right now we have most sizes through 61 in stock. If you need bigger, get a Bombadil--we can paint it Atlantis colors if you like, but we'll put Bomba-stickers on it, because that's what it is.

It's kind of sad all around. Japanese makers created the bike boom, or at least allowed it to happen at the level and success that it did, way back in the '70s. Falling dollars and rising Yen and the ramping up of Taiwan and now China have shut down almost all of Japan's production in the past fifteen years. We've been the Stalwart Ones, and I'm proud of that, even immensely proud of it, and to every possible extent we're still stalwart. I'm going to get another Atlantis (I've been riding the first prototype for 11 years now, and rode it home last night and up in the hills the night before, and will ride it home and in the hills after work tonite, and it's my main camping bike, and so on). But I will get another one before the Toyo-built ones go away.

We're getting some basket bags in about a month. There will be two bags to fit the the med and huge Wald baskets, and we'll post pictures and info on the home page, and there will be an early buyer price (order before we get them in, we charge your card the day they arrive and we ship), and a normal price. In things like this, it's really the only/best way to go. We have a minimum order, and with no guaranteed sales, it's just too daunting. We've been using the prototypes (five variations now) for a month or two, and the finals will be just right.

The Nigel Smythe bags are sticking in tweed, but going away in tan, except for the Big Boxy. For the Big and Little Loafers, just get the Sackville Trunksack S and Trunksack L--same function, same size and shape, basically same bag.

We WILL have panniers and a messenger bag (<------maybe on that) in the Spring. There are still some mounting details to work out for the panniers. The big companies use plastic hardware that their in-house industrial designers design, then they order millions of them to get the per-piece cost down, and that's not in the cards for us. If we can work out a dumbed-down version that works 95 percent as well, we'll go that way. We're about 75 percent of the way there now, but it's not on the front-burner right now.

The Roadeo bike is evolving still, but it doesn't have far to go. We're shooting for a sub 4lb 55cm frame that's totally safe and reasonably rugged. If after all the reasonable trimming it ends up at four pounds two ounces, then that's where it'll be, and you'll just have to pee before riding it. BUT we think it'll be 3.999999, and we'll know in a month.

The Quickbeam is gone now except in the smaller sizes. The smaller sizes are always by far the last to sell. We sell more 68s than 50s, which surprises all of us here, but that's what's happening. We're working on a QB replacement for this fall---and it will start at 54 and go to 64. Still steel and lugged, but this time Made In Taiwan. It will be made just as well, and the design is the same, and the price will be lower.

We're trying for a 64 Sam Hillborne for super tall guys, but there are lug challenges with that. New molds, more cost.....same old stuff, and we always do it, but it always happens.

Wasn't a quickie, but....sorry.
G