Spirit Cycling launches Giro d'Italia-inspired jersey

crikey wrote:

You're applauding a cycle clothing company for making a cycling jersey?

Do you clap outside the bakers when you see the bread?

If my local baker baked topical Grand Tour inspired loafs and pastries then not only might i put on a few pounds, I would certainly clap my hands and possibly throw in a Chapeau too!

ojbutterwick wrote:

Cynical, perhaps, but looks like a company lacking ideas and keen to profit out of cycling fans. Give me Santini Giro jerseys any day.

...in Breaking News: Company Seeks to Make Profits from its Target Market

...and later, we will hear about the farmer looking to sell milk from his cows for money, and the airline pilot looking to take off and land safely in return for cash payments (salary)

brackley88 wrote:

ojbutterwick wrote:

Cynical, perhaps, but looks like a company lacking ideas and keen to profit out of cycling fans. Give me Santini Giro jerseys any day.

...in Breaking News: Company Seeks to Make Profits from its Target Market

...and later, we will hear about the farmer looking to sell milk from his cows for money, and the airline pilot looking to take off and land safely in return for cash payments (salary)

There's plenty of companies seeking to make profit from their target market but there's a difference between those who offer something unique like Castelli or who you might associate with the Giro i.e Santini and simple market exploitation or band wagon jumping which is what this is.

stenmeister wrote:

brackley88 wrote:

ojbutterwick wrote:

Cynical, perhaps, but looks like a company lacking ideas and keen to profit out of cycling fans. Give me Santini Giro jerseys any day.

...in Breaking News: Company Seeks to Make Profits from its Target Market

...and later, we will hear about the farmer looking to sell milk from his cows for money, and the airline pilot looking to take off and land safely in return for cash payments (salary)

There's plenty of companies seeking to make profit from their target market but there's a difference between those who offer something unique like Castelli or who you might associate with the Giro i.e Santini and simple market exploitation or band wagon jumping which is what this is.

Well said. Seems @brackley88 really likes it, though.

ojbutterwick wrote:

stenmeister wrote:

brackley88 wrote:

ojbutterwick wrote:

Cynical, perhaps, but looks like a company lacking ideas and keen to profit out of cycling fans. Give me Santini Giro jerseys any day.

...in Breaking News: Company Seeks to Make Profits from its Target Market

...and later, we will hear about the farmer looking to sell milk from his cows for money, and the airline pilot looking to take off and land safely in return for cash payments (salary)

There's plenty of companies seeking to make profit from their target market but there's a difference between those who offer something unique like Castelli or who you might associate with the Giro i.e Santini and simple market exploitation or band wagon jumping which is what this is.

Well said. Seems @brackley88 really likes it, though.

Companies other than Santini and Castelli who make Giro inspired Jerseys include:

Morvelo
Telegraph Road
Raphia
De Marchi
Capo
Campagnolo
Twin Six
etc., etc.,

In all industries there are the innovators and the followers...and as we can see from the list above sometimes companies are the innovator; sometimes the follower. Twas always thus and thus will always be. I would not want the innovators to either rest on their laurels or be able to have excessive price control through a monopoly forced by a lack of competition. The interesting question for the innovators is the extent to which they can produce products sooner and better, and build a brand around that, that enables them to capture disproportionate share from the market. I do personally tend to try and reward the innovators where I can, but just look at how many people are delighted to have companies competing on price and quality where Rapha has led. I have to believe that this is a good thing.

That said, it amuses me no end that anyone could be bothered that a cycle jersey company chose to produce a pink jersey to try and make money, when there are similar Giro inspired products in nearly every product range (including bar tape, helmets, gloves etc etc)...and its a tiny company that probably barely makes enough money for the founders to have a decent holiday.

Isn't life interesting, aren't people different. Love it.