Prompted by a comment on the Orange Five29 thread, I was thinking a bit about brand loyalty. I tend to suffer from this. At one point I had three Principia road bikes. Sold one and another may be going soon as I’m more into off-road riding these days. But I really enjoyed those bikes (and the Rex is going nowhere). It was totally irrational. I don’t really believe that they were better than any other bikes. But I felt an affinity for the brand that added pleasure to my riding. It also helped to deal with the bewildering array of options on the market I guess. Anyway, does anybody else suffer from this affliction?

This is why so much money is used building brands based on perception.

Look at any sugared water or energy drink.

Look at Apple… Fan kids everywhere..

But I really enjoyed those bikes (and the Rex is going nowhere).

That’s not an affliction.

not really – Hope perhaps but it not just because it is Hope – those bars wont go near my bike for example

Principia was actually designed and built in Denmark. In northern Jutland. So for us danes it was like riding on a Orange or with Hope bits.

But as everything else in the bike industry the production is now somewhere in Asia. So your loyalty towards Asian factories is price worthy. But at one point they made very nice road frames.

You’d never catch me banging on about a particular bike brand.

On a separate note does any know how you go about changing you name my deed poll? I always liked Nicolai as a name.

*TJ to the thread*

…..

*wipes tear from eye*

Hi Terry,

My Principia bikes all date from around 2002. A Rex eSX, an RS6 (now sold) and an RSL-AS (which may go soon). I lost interest when they basically went out of business and the name was transferred to a new company making bikes in the Far East (as I understood it). Those Denmark built bikes were great though.

And by tear he means ……

But I felt an affinity for the brand that added pleasure to my riding

You’re not the only one otherwise Orange and Hope would have gone down the tubes a long time ago.

I’m commuting on a old alloy bastard principia. Still very light. I remember owning a Rex track frame, sweet jeeebus it was tight and stiff. And light, which is stupid cause I’m a big guy. But screw your loyalty, although its quite noble of you.

The chances of buying something Asian is about 80 percent. They are great craftsmen, and that’s my actual opinion.