2015 Yo Eddy Frames on Kickstarter!

[G-Dog]

Look what I just found (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...t-chance-frame). Looks like Fat Chance is selling stuff on KickStarter! I just grabbed a frame. Let’s all kick in and help get Fat Chance going again.

[franktrottajr]

Up to 95k out of 116k. The campaign ends in 20 days.

He's got to average approx 1k/day between now and then.

Might need some help from all of us to meet his goal.

Frank

[Stingercut]

A demo bike or prototype with a few pics would massively help.

[fat-tony]

I opted for the $250 route to help out. He currently doesn't offer what I am looking for, but figure he will in due time. Cheers!

[franktrottajr]

I am not wealthy, and I made a rather meager donation.
I too am frustrated that info is lacking, and little is being volunteered.
The kickstarter campaign does not provide us all with what we want right off the bat.

I also appreciate that Chris is old school, and has made it a point not to accept money from anyone or any one entity that might force him to compromise in any way on quality or vision. I think we would all agree that, that is the thing about him that has brought us all together in the first place.

If we all stand together as a group that knows and appreciates what he is capable of producing, we can ensure that he reaches his funding goal. It seems like it may be close, and as many have stated, the funding goal may be a bit lofty.

Cheers,
Frank

[jpicard616]

Yeah, he should have built a frame or two just to showcase to all of the investors and potential clients. The guy has an amazing reputation and is a cycling legend, but he's been out of the industry for well over a decade, and I'd like to see what I'm buying before I buy it.

[Stingercut]

If it gets tight raising the funds towards the end then Chris should consider a trade option on $2500 frame sets, maybe with forks Sure some of the more upmarket businesses in Europe would be delighted to have some new exclusive Fats to offer and pay up front. It could even make a nice investment but they would need to be built fast.

[I-ROBOT]

As long as the Somerville Community Development Corporation stays away, he should be OK!!

I'm sure he learned a hard lesson after dealing with those f#$%@s

I wish him well
Scott

[tvcreative]

I agree that seeing something produced would make me more interested…

but to be honest, this just feels like someone is lending a brand name only - to another manufacturer's work.

What will be his involvement?

Why will it be different?

Why would principals not directly respond/interact personally on this site?

This feels like it's nothing about a grass roots original builder with a vision getting back in the game, and more like a cash the name in, gauge the level of interest from fanatical enthusiasts like myself, and let other people do the work kinda thing

I don't mean to sound harsh, but what is going on seems so a$$backwards.

[Stingercut]

We all love his incredible past creations. His bikes have soul. There is no doubt he is testing our faith in the brand and comeback. Having been involved in founding and seed funding a Dot Com back in the day, I can appreciate the issues about retaining autonomy and control of the business. He's grabbed all the low hanging fruit, let's just hope we can all shake the tree hard for the remaining fruit needed.

[fat-tony]

I have no doubt it will be quality. I don't think he would do it any other way. Here is a message back to me through Kickstarter and I hope maybe this clears up some things (I hope he doesn't mind me sharing). I am strictly sharing this so that folks here can make up their mind and hope it causes some Fatcoggers to pull the trigger on what I think will be a great FAT frame.

We are currently in “start up” mode, so we don't have our own manufacturing facility yet. Because of this, I am partnering with a third party shop to help me manufacture the first few batches of frames.
It's not locked down, but it's looking like I will be working with Sherwood Gibson at Ventana in Nor Cal. It's ultimately going to come down to how many frames come from this first push in Kickstarter.
As I always have, I will be heavily involved in manufacturing the frames from beginning to end, so rest assured, these frames will have quality level and characteristics you expect from Fat Chance.
Thank you for your support,
Chris

[jpicard616]

Chris just posted that all $5000-$6000 pledges will get a new rigid fork with their frames, and all $2500 pledges will get the option to purchase one after the Kickstarter drive is over. That's pretty exciting, but they still need about seventeen grand. I just pledged $250 for some shirts and stickers and would encourage more folks to add their support!

Oh, and there's custom paint available as well.

[zonq]

If he allowed people to pre-order the fatbike frames, even with the strict understanding that they're not shipping til next winter, that last 20k would materialize pretty quickly.

[aron]

I jumped in for the 6k on 2nd day of kickstarter. Not saying this because I'm cool. just showing support. I don't understand how there can be over 2k people who are a member of fatcogs community but only a few hundred throw up a couple bucks to see it continue. What's up w that.
P.s. I don't care if people say I'm stupid or insinuate it. I know different. Thanks

[mainlyfats]

Originally Posted by aron

I jumped in for the 6k on 2nd day of kickstarter. Not saying this because I'm cool. just showing support. I don't understand how there can be over 2k people who are a member of fatcogs community but only a few hundred throw up a couple bucks to see it continue. What's up w that.
P.s. I don't care if people say I'm stupid or insinuate it. I know different. Thanks

From my perspective, I feel like I'm one of the people who helped keep the brand alive all this time so that there would be something to return to. Without a doubt, I'd feel differently if Chris had been a part of Fatcogs.

The bike he's making out of the gate isn't one that interests me at all.

I'd have put money on the table if the return was founded on 25 or 50 "factory" Yo singlespeeds with forks and headbadges, for example - a bike they never made, but one I wished they had.

YMMV Interested to see the first builds.

[zonq]

Originally Posted by aron

I jumped in for the 6k on 2nd day of kickstarter. Not saying this because I'm cool. just showing support. I don't understand how there can be over 2k people who are a member of fatcogs community but only a few hundred throw up a couple bucks to see it continue. What's up w that.
P.s. I don't care if people say I'm stupid or insinuate it. I know different. Thanks

Certainly not. I definitely understand, and if my back could handle another skinny-tired hardtail, I'd seriously consider spending it too. But more importantly, while I too am surprised that only 132 people so far have made a financial commitment, it's only somewhat, because the short fundraising duration (4 weeks) and timing of it (in the middle of the winter off season) certainly can't be helping.

Especially the timing... I know of no one thinking about bikes around here right now. Everyone's just blown all their seasonal play money on skiing and the holidays. Even the LBS's have their bike stock in their basements and the snowboards and ski's are out instead.

I'd even bet a large portion of Fatcogs members are only active on here in the summer & fall, and are going to be really disappointed 6 months from now when they log in and discover this whole thing went on without them.


Then again, that's how a lot of these Kickstarter things seem to go. Big flurry of activity up front, then it plateaus and sits, & then picks up again at the end.

[tvcreative]

Who in the heck has that kind of tall cash sitting around?

Buy something sight unseen?

my old fats are still intrinsically more valuable than thin air…and will have a better ROI

if everyone is so set on buying something sight unseen i have some swamp land in jersey.

If you are gonna spend 6K on a mountain bike - pick up an Eriksen, or a Moots. Pure titanium sex on wheels.

3K for steel?

i'll let you guys pay the freight first, and pick one up on the BAY at 2/3s that….

Finally, if this operation is so short on cash - perhaps they aren't really ready to go back into business...

[zonq]

Originally Posted by tvcreative

Who in the heck

lol TV... mr positivity...

If it's extravagant that a few people would have 6k available to spend helping get their favorite bike company back up & running, how is it presumed perfectly normal that Chris should somehow have 116k in cash laying around to restart it out of his own pocket?

It's not like he made off with Fat Chance's secret stash of gold bullion when the market imploded from under him and he wound up in divorce court.

If every potential company just sat around waiting for the magical money tree to poop cashfruit out of the sky instead of borrowing first, we wouldn't have companies, or banks, or a million people funding a million things on kickstarter. This is how it works.

[tvcreative]

okay you win…

ALL OF YOU OUT THERE WITH A FAT get off your purse strings - give 6K or you are not a "real" fat lover…give something - it's the new way in which our economy works

[mainlyfats]

Here's the thing I don't get - and fnck, not to pile on... - but I could buy a FTW Joe Friday bike and have straight line that runs through my nostalgia, world champs and a present day design-builder who has always been able to maintain a creditable position in the industry.

I could buy a Tranny 29'er and have, pretty-much, the absolute height of everything I could ever want in a modern hardtail, aligned to a brand that has tons of cred. I like carbon.

I could buy a WaltWorks that incorporates almost every Fat design cue, but makes it fully custom and has the advantage of builder-supplied.

All for what, half price? third of the price?

My argument when this started (again) was that as a Fat owner from the 80's, a restorer, modifier of bikes and accumulator of Fat lore: if you can't sell to me, THEN WHO IS YOUR MARKET?

I watch and weep - tiny, not real tears - at how the folks who are now quietly reviving the Koski bike brand are doing everything right. If you're not over on MTBR - VRC, you might miss it.

In my eyes, no one has done more to maintain this brand to the people who really care than Scott. I know that he's moved on professionally, but I'd buy one of his off-shoot bikes before I bought something labelled Fat just because Chris decided the time was right.

[Retro Dude]

redacted

[aron]

I'm Def not saying everyone should buy 6k or even 2500. What about a t shirt? That's all. I'm just really surprised after hearing many many people say they wish he would build again or if he dont come back after this he is crazy and that not many people showing support. That's all. Don't misjudge what I am saying. What about a sticker pack? If anyone feels attacked by my words it was not my intent. What it comes down to is I am surprised by the number of people who kicked in so far. Has NOTHING to do with spending thousands at all. If it were 100 000 people who gave a dollar and not 2 or 3 hundred who gave more than a dollar I would have never said anything. Understand? I hope you guys/gals do

[laffeaux]

And just to put things in perspective, the new Eddy Merckx 70th birthday special edition goes on sale tomorrow. The price is supposed to be $17,500. Reserve yours here: http://www.eddy70.com/

Pics here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/...7Ut8EXSb8ud.01

Suddenly a $6,000 Fat seems like a killer deal!!

[Stingercut]

Originally Posted by laffeaux

And just to put things in perspective, the new Eddy Merckx 70th birthday special edition goes on sale tomorrow. The price is supposed to be $17,500. Reserve yours here: http://www.eddy70.com/

Pics here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/...7Ut8EXSb8ud.01

Suddenly a $6,000 Fat seems like a killer deal!!

And you won't see Eddy wielding a torch for the 17.5k !

[chefmiguel]

Or Chris at $5k...just saying.

[aron]

Or me. Just saying. -

[yo-Nate-y]

Ok, I'm skint and don't have an extra $6k for funsies. BUT I would have been a lot more likely to get in on this if there were actually a sample bike. They just went at it backwards and with seems like not much planning.

Get yourselves a custom frame made by Ventana and use that as the showpiece. That will get buy in and not 'hope in.' Even the initial survey was silly. Have a vision, don't publicly poll-test.

That said, they're pretty close to the goal and really do I hope it succeeds. If they make it to year two, who knows? Maybe I'll buy a modern MTB. In the meantime, in the last year I got a Team Comp and an '84 Fat for about what their frame only price would have got me....I'm happy

[Stingercut]

I'd be surprised if Chris doesn't fire up the ol torch on these new babies. Im not saying he will build the lot or even be the *star welder* but he will get his hands dirty. It would be nice to have an interview on Fatcogs with lead welder when they are finally appointed. Amazingly design and signature welds were a massive reason why I got into Fats in the first place.

[yo-Nate-y]

I'd be surprised if he ends up welding any of these (in any way). It would be nice to think that Chris will actually make them (I love my road bike he made in '81), but it appears pretty clear he is not welding: Ventana will be making them. Good, since Ventana is a very capable shop that hasn't been out of the bike biz for a decade +.

And on 'his signature welds'.... as you know, there were a lot of welders at Fat City. Just because the frames had a signature sticker doesn't mean he was the one welding. Scott could illuminate more here.

[zonq]

People are still getting these new Fats. We're only one away from the tipping point now.



This can only mean one thing...

[Stingercut]

Great to see the Eagle has landed

[zonq]

YEEEEAAAAAA

[fat-tony]

I think Zonq said it best.

[Gift]

Originally Posted by laffeaux

and just to put things in perspective, the new eddy merckx 70th birthday special edition goes on sale tomorrow. The price is supposed to be $17,500.
Suddenly a $6,000 fat seems like a killer deal!!

lol!!

[Stingercut]

Frik that goat gif has Zonq'd me out There is a lot of love for this brand and a whole lot more lovin to come. Roll on the new SAB at some point. In a perfect world IROBOT would be back in the team. Maybe he can do the 'specials' some day.

[DocChill]

Originally Posted by Stingercut

...in a perfect world I-ROBOT would be back in the team. Maybe he can do the 'specials' some day.

...I spoke out your wish when I send back the "Tell Us What You Want" questionary" to Chris .

Cheers,
Daniel

[zonq]

Blimey. Lost one.



Fatbike, Chris.

[Stingercut]

It's a nail biter

[Stingercut]

Does anybody smell some corporate sabotage going on ? Might just be me, conspiracy theorist. It's a rhetorical question, no need to vilify me Last minute pull out investments, strangle the comeback at birth I'm ready to step into the breech for $250 for some fresh 'right size' clothing.

We all have our differences granted and some of us love our originals best but surely its time to support our favourite brand and bring the total back up clearly over threshold ?

[yo-Nate-y]

Yeah, no.

More like an initial 'sure, that sounds great!' being confronted by actually having your payment accepted if it succeeds.