best bicycle brand website?

[bicycletricycle]

what brand do you think has the most successful web presence? i vote weigle flickr account

[Ahneida Ride]

www.handlebra.com


:banana:

[54ny77]

http://i.walmart.com/i/c//00/13/30/73/00133073-435920_806X335.jpg

:D

[nighthawk]

i vote weigle flickr account

+1, a personal favorite of mine.

I like Rivendell's site, I find it informative, and fairly simple to navigate. Circle A, because they are my friends, and I like reading the blog posts, and seeing not only the bikes they build, but the cool frame's they get to repaint.

Those are my top three, i guess.

[MattTuck]

I don't think there is one 'right' way to build a site.

I like Crumpton and Landshark's sites. I like Dave Kirk's site, namely because you can see most (all?) of the frames he's built. I think that kind of Catalogue raisonné is great.

Zanc's site is good too, but it is sort of awkwardly paired with a blog of his latest work. I like the prose on Hamsten's site. IMO, the solo builders have a different standard than the Seven, Serotta, IF, Moots of the world, which are more like small manufacturers than one man shops.

If I were designing a site, I think I'd want simple but provocative descriptions of the bikes, a very good gallery showing not just one or two bikes, but a real spectrum of what type of quality you'd get from the painter.

Most people aren't going to buy JUST based on the website, so that's why I say provacative descriptions, all you need to do is pique the buyer's interest enough to have an email or phone conversation.

[eippo1]

2 of my favorites for very different reasons are Firefly and Richard Sach's websites. Firefly for the bombardment of eye candy and Sachs because it's fun to just get lost in some of his walls of text.

[Keith A]

I always thought that IF's site was pretty decent (ifbikes.com) and have been impressed with Firefly's site too...especially given that have just recently started this new company.

[bicycletricycle]

being able to see every kirk ever made is awesome, also, the ellis sight has very nice photos.

[shortribs]

+1, a personal favorite of mine.

I like Rivendell's site, I find it informative, and fairly simple to navigate. Circle A, because they are my friends, and I like reading the blog posts, and seeing not only the bikes they build, but the cool frame's they get to repaint.

Those are my top three, i guess.

+1 for JP Weigle’s flickr feed, for the occasional, but always amazing glimpse into a master builder’s process.

I frequent Rivendell’s site too, though find myself in favor of their former site. The new look seems a touch less polished, a bit more plain.

Other daily reads: Jan’s Off The Beaten Path, and Mitch Pryor’s MAP flickr feed…

[Joachim]

Baum

www.baumcycles.com

plus they always update their Flickr site.

[bicycletricycle]

i think that a constantly updated flickr feed is really important for high end custom based companies.

[Tyler Evans]

"i think that a constantly updated flickr feed is really important for high end custom based companies." – agreed.

I check out the Baum (http://www.baumcycles.com/) stuff frequently and like it a lot. I also like Carl Strong's site (and blog (http://www.strongframes.com/blog/) in particular). The Parlee (http://www.parleecycles.com/) site is also pretty good. What draws me to a lot of these sites is that there is always something new to look at. Stale sites bore me.

...oh yeah, and the Speedvagen/Vanilla (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42587323@N08/) flickr.

Also, thanks for the love for our site(s)! We work pretty hard at it (it's just Jamie, Kevin and myself). We do all of the photography, all of the text and all of the updates.

We try to attack from all angles; hourly, daily, weekly and monthly:

Website: http://fireflybicycles.com/

Tumblr Blog: http://fireflybicycles.tumblr.com/

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Firefly-Bicycles/126838920723087

twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/fireflybicycles

[Climb01742]

"i think that a constantly updated flickr feed is really important for high end custom based companies." – agreed.

I check out the Baum (http://www.baumcycles.com/) stuff frequently and like it a lot. I also like Carl Strong's site (and blog (http://www.strongframes.com/blog/) in particular). The Parlee (http://www.parleecycles.com/) site is also pretty good. What draws me to a lot of these sites is that there is always something new to look at. Stale sites bore me.

Also, thanks for the love for our site(s)! We work pretty hard at it (it's just Jamie, Kevin and myself). We do all of the photography, all of the text and all of the updates.

We try to attack from all angles; hourly, daily, weekly and monthly:

Website: http://fireflybicycles.com/

Tumblr Blog: http://fireflybicycles.tumblr.com/

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Firefly-Bicycles/126838920723087

twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/fireflybicycles

the dudes at firefly are killing it. their bikes are some of the most visually stunning being made anywhere. and their site and their tumblr are creating a distinct personality in a very short time. bravo.

[rpm]

A second for Carl Strong's site. He shows every bike he builds. For a larger company I like Seven--it's a really functional site that includes estimated lead times right up front.

And Firefly is just knocking it out of the park. Not just with the site, but with the distinctive graphics on their frames, and their whole selection of a market niche. Tyler and company look like they're doing everything right.

[Lorenz]

"i think that a constantly updated flickr feed is really important for high end custom based companies." – agreed.

We try to attack from all angles; hourly, daily, weekly and monthly:

Website: http://fireflybicycles.com/

Tumblr Blog: http://fireflybicycles.tumblr.com/

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fireflybicycles/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Firefly-Bicycles/126838920723087

twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/fireflybicycles

Not to forget this fancy USB-stick that comes attached to each frame and features some very, very nice pics of the frame/bike itself plus the building process. And yes - includes pictures seen nowhere else on the web (despite they multi-channel-approach). This is pure for-your-eyes-only communication to the customer and just a little detail. BUT this shows passion to details.

Cheers, Lorenz

[geoffkaplan]

i second (or third) www.fireflybicycles.com and www.baumcycles.com
has anyone seen seven's print catalogue? yikes. they are competing with serotta's new site for bottom of the design barrel.

also, rapha has great web presence ... maybe a little drift from what bicycletricycle is asking.

[bicycletricycle]

i just downloaded that seven print catalogue, it is really bad

[split]

Baum is definitley the best for web presence out there right now. Functional and simple site, BEAUTIFUL photos of halo bikes, and constantly updated twitter, tumblr, and Flickr accounts.

Hint: follow them or Above Category on twitter and get frequent twitpic updates! I've seen some pretty cool NAHBS teasers builders like to capture and post on their phone without having to do an actual post, like this:

http://db.tt/1hR2SIyT

Baum

www.baumcycles.com

plus they always update their Flickr site.

[AgilisMerlin]

surly
http://surlybikes.com/uploads/front_page_images/hp_trailer.jpg
http://surlybikes.com/

[Elefantino]

Help! I'm lost under a WAY TOO HUGE PHOTO!!!!!

That said, it's hard to beat Natalie Ramsland's site. (http://www.sweetpeabicycles.com/)

Makes you a) want to ride and b) do it on one of her bikes.

That's the general idea.

[Climb01742]

Help! I'm lost under a WAY TOO HUGE PHOTO!!!!!

That said, it's hard to beat Natalie Ramsland's site. (http://www.sweetpeabicycles.com/)

Makes you a) want to ride and b) do it on one of her bikes.

That's the general idea.

thanks for the link. she has a great vibe.

[maximus]

Baum, Firefly and Natalie Ramsland's sites are on Wordpress.

WP is a hugely powerful platform for managing your own content without the need of a developer. Relatively easy to set up and potentially inexpensive depending on your needs.

What really matters is what they do with the platform.

Firefly does a kickass job of updating their content and marketing themselves across various social channels like tumblr with lots of bike porn and process shots. It's not a just marketing BS either - it bleeds of passion. People fall in love with the experience before they even pick up the phone.

Wordpress enables them to easily manage that content, and when appropriate, spread it across their social properties. You can go full custom, purchase a template or use a free one. Then it's down to content creation.

I really hope Serotta read that ;)

[charliedid]

MOOTS - http://moots.com/

M*A*P - http://www.mapbicycles.com/

In my opinion these are both very successful sites because they have very effectively captured the spirit and identity of the companies. MOOTS is high ZOOT aas it should be and MAP is homespun and personal as it should be. In other words you know where you are. Both very different but both get you to the important stuff in a way that is not 3 clicks behind some veil of secrecy, wordy verbiage and quotes by the famous owner...

All about the bikes...and getting a customer on one.

[Earl Gray]

I have always found the Trek Website easy to use and informative. That says a lot considering how many models they have.

[Keith A]

I have always found the Trek Website easy to use and informative. That says a lot considering how many models they have.Very true.

[Tony T]

Not to forget this fancy USB-stick that comes attached to each frame and features some very, very nice pics of the frame/bike itself plus the building process.

Wow, nice! (Ti or SS USB?? :) )

[pitonpat]

I like the Van Nicholas site. vannicholas.com

[jr59]

Retro tec

[FlashUNC]

Ritte Racing and Hampsten are pretty tough to beat, for my money.

[rwsaunders]

In no particular order with many more favorites that aren't listed....I had to throw Rapha in there, as the video and photo content alone are enough to motivate one to get out and ride.

www.crisptitanium.com
www.vanillabicycles.com
www.bilenky.com
www.fireflybicycles.com
www.luxewheelworks.com
www.engincycles.com
www.strongframes.com
www.rapha.cc

[Keith A]

How about these guys that are selling complete single speeds for around $429 shipped?
http://www.statebicycle.com/

If only Serotta's new website was a good as this one.