What's this I'm hearing about IF?

mainlyfats

Member
The money-man is forcing IF out of Somerville and into a shop in New Hampshire? Only one employee is making the move?

Can anyone confirm or deny?

Sounds like Fat City all over again...
 

Dhphat

New member
I've heard the same from a bunch of people in the area. I've also heard that a new brand is being born from it consisting of a lot of former employees. Sounds very similar.
 

45Ronin

New member
better product for less money

We can only hope it means a better product (less volume) for less money. I've owned two early model IF bikes (Deluxe and Crown Jewel) and there was a distinct change in customer interaction with the end user and price once success was attained.

Last I checked there was only one plank owner (Mr. Graves) still on the books from the early day's of IF.

We shall see. Would someone start a TMZ for the bike industry please?
 

stepchild

New member
I heard the same thing about the move. from what I've been hearing, a few guys are going up north. Something about costs are too high and the location is bullocks.

Time will tell with what happens, but I'm positive that the brand will do well. Money man has a lot of dinero, but he is not stupid. He's the one that gave birth to the corvid and Ti Factory Lightweight (idea).
 

45Ronin

New member
Brand may do well

The IF brand may do well but who can afford one now? Surely not me.

Indy Fab started out offering high quality steel frames (granted not custom sizing standard) in the wake of the FC demise. Now their prices are in the stratospheric range and the only people I know that own one bought them used on Ebay (if it's a Deluxe then guaranteed to have a dented tube).

The company has evolved well. If I'm not mistaken, Bracken pushed for titanium and someone else (consumers) pushed for CF frames.

I'm not hating on the IF clan but given the economy, you would think pricing would be accessible to more people.

The riders in my circle can't keep up with the inflationary pricing of frames/forks as made by IF and other uber boutique makers.

My New Years Eve .02.
 

IF52

New member
Wow, I hadn't looked in a while, almst $1900.00 for a Steel Deluxe? That is crazy! I think when I bought #52 in 1995 it was $850.00, which is like $1200.00 today.
 

tvcreative

New member
Sorry to hear this is the case...

I have 2 IFs

Phil Piss OFF
Steel Deluxe SS

and I paid the freight on each...

....but no one is really offering a good cheap frame now days....

In my opinion there are too many obstacles in the way of making a well crafted cheap frame...

Tubes, Materials, Labor, and Finishing are double from back in the day

Whatever price they (IF) is/are asking, Seven, Moots, Eriksen, and the like - are still asking more...and people are willing to wait and pay for it...

I am sure those who are leaving, and those who will sprout another company will succeed if they keep the QUALITY, stay innovative, and can market the product correctly.

Change is the only sure thing in life...

Maybe that is why I am drawn to the past and the efforts of you guys in the classic age of bikes...

Jim
 

stepchild

New member
^^tvcreative

I agree 100% with you in your inference about the situation. The problem with a "cheap frame" is there is absolutely no way to have it made in the USA. Everyone wants the best but won't pay extra for it. Last time I checked, if you run/own/work at a company there are a lot of extra costs associated with a good. I.e. pay, insurance (employee/business/liability), rent, tool, supplies, talent, and all of this comes at a steep price.

So if the price is too high, go get it from China where there are no restrictions on manufacturing. Sad but true. I'd rather sacrifice and get what I want which has an amazing ride quality over something less.

I don't know, that's just me.
 

IF52

New member
^^tvcreative

I agree 100% with you in your inference about the situation. The problem with a "cheap frame" is there is absolutely no way to have it made in the USA. Everyone wants the best but won't pay extra for it. Last time I checked, if you run/own/work at a company there are a lot of extra costs associated with a good. I.e. pay, insurance (employee/business/liability), rent, tool, supplies, talent, and all of this comes at a steep price.

So if the price is too high, go get it from China where there are no restrictions on manufacturing. Sad but true. I'd rather sacrifice and get what I want which has an amazing ride quality over something less.

I don't know, that's just me.

Quiring sells the US made Q-ball for what, like $500.00. I get what you are saying, but you would thing IF being a bit higher volume they would benefit from a certain economy of scale. A stock steel Deluxe is almost $1900.00, while a custom steel Groovy starts at $1500.00, a custom steel Quiring from almost $1300.00, $1200.00 for a custom Waltworks, a Wojcik for $1500.00, a Ventana fully for $1900.00...

I think after a certain point it becomes what the market will bear.
 

stepchild

New member
^^ I get what you're saying. Everything IF makes is 100% custom. Plus the quality and paint is eons ahead. What they're going through is natural progression. The employees who are staying to start their own thing will fill the less $ frames.

Just mho
 

IF52

New member
Everything IF makes is 100% custom.

Not really. The have 'stock' frames with a few options like cable routing and colors, and they have fully custom frames. Fat was the same way.

I almost forgot to list Gunnar, with stock frames starting around $800.00
 

stepchild

New member
IF designs the frame around the rider, they stopped doing stock sizes a couple of years ago....13"/16"/18" etc. Thanks for the link, I see. I'm not starting a pissing match here. It sucks that its next to impossible to get a "good" USA build frame. It can be done cheaply, powder coating, stock sizes etc. I'm pretty sure Spooky sells frames well under a G which is good. Mickey is an awesome dude!
 

stepchild

New member
^^ Frank the Welder still welds the Spooky frames. So if this is not a motivational factor for one, I don't know what is. The Darkside was and I feel still is the sickest Al. frame out there.
 

tvcreative

New member
Sorry i must sound like a real bike snobber....

my bad....jeers to me.

The Q-ball looks like a Gary Littlejohn I had in 1980.

Great BMX Cruiser...the paint flaked off in a day, won a few races on it, and I didn't care what it looked like...

Even if you check down the list of most affordable North American builders, most can't build them efficiently for $500. In fact I have seen very few less than $1000, let alone get them done under a year...

retrotec
sycip
soulcraft
pereira
walt
groovy

I think that's why Monster and Buck were so special...dialed in at a reasonable price.

Good for Q-ball...maybe something to check into down the line.

Maybe these North American Handmade Bike Shows should have more focus on - build it better for less, vs builder it better for people who can't afford to ever have one
 

stepchild

New member
^^Tvcreative, Awesome point. It would be cool to "force" the manufacturers to build a great frame for under a grand. Wow I like it. Whenever I go to the shows, it's all about excess. It's just a bike after all.
 

IF52

New member
I'm not saying that frames should be under a grand, merely that high quality US built frames are available for under a grand. What I am getting at is that after a certain point it's just conspicuous consumption. I realize IF may have more overhead than some of the smaller shops, but I think to a certain point their pricing is driven by what people are willing to pay. I think the same applies across the industry actually. I think, no, I know people like to talk about how much they pay for things.

Frankly I don't have a problem with paying $1500.00 for a Groovy or some other small builder's frame. It's knowing that there are guys out there like Rody, Walt, etc. that can crank out frames of equal or higher quality than an IF for hundreds less than what IF charges now that gives me pause
 
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