Mercedes Bikes

[Kervin]

Not too many specs, but they look nice.

eMercedes (http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Jun09/01_001661_New_Mercedes_Benz_Bike_Sports_Collection _2009_2010_Makes_Its_Debut.html)

[David Kirk]

Do they have electrically adjustable INTERNAL rear view mirrors?


dave

[Kevan]

so too the heated seats.

[C5 Snowboarder]

I believe they have ABS brakes..

[Blue Jays]

Can all the genuine Mercedes bicycles be ordered with the optional kickstand?
On which of the German assembly lines are these Mercedes manufactured?

[PoppaWheelie]

Honest question....

Quite a number of high-end import auto design-shops have bikes in their line-up of "lifestyle" products. What's the deal? Are the designers there just getting their rocks off or is there a revenue stream for this stuff? I've never actually seen a car-branded bike out on the road (BMW, Porsche, etc). Do people buy these things? I've seen the BMW bikes in person at the local dealer...the construction looks average at best, the designs are kooky, and they cost a fortune.

[xjoex]

Many years ago in College I worked at a shop that sold AMP mtn bikes. At that time the mercedes mtn bike was an AMP with a mercedes logo.

We probably had three come in during the course of a year, so I'd say the local mercedes dealership sold 3 that year...

-Joe

[johnnymossville]

Honest question....

Quite a number of high-end import auto design-shops have bikes in their line-up of "lifestyle" products. What's the deal? Are the designers there just getting their rocks off or is there a revenue stream for this stuff? I've never actually seen a car-branded bike out on the road (BMW, Porsche, etc). Do people buy these things? I've seen the BMW bikes in person at the local dealer...the construction looks average at best, the designs are kooky, and they cost a fortune.

Good questions. I really think these things are marketing tools and nothing else. Every time one comes out there are articles all over the media and in blogs. If they do in fact build any, they are probably given to employees or key suppliers as gifts. I doubt they sell any.

[David Kirk]

Honest question....

Quite a number of high-end import auto design-shops have bikes in their line-up of "lifestyle" products. What's the deal? Are the designers there just getting their rocks off or is there a revenue stream for this stuff? I've never actually seen a car-branded bike out on the road (BMW, Porsche, etc). Do people buy these things? I've seen the BMW bikes in person at the local dealer...the construction looks average at best, the designs are kooky, and they cost a fortune.

Brand relation and identification.

The car company, knowing that a certain number of it's owners want others to know they are "Benz People" and they want to show their loyalty to the product will buy other stuff branded the same way. All the better if it's for kids. The hope is that the kids will grow up remembering that their first bike was a Benz and when the time comes will buy a cheap Benz and as they grow older buy a more expensive Benz and so on and so forth.

They want us all to label ourselves as "brand X" people so we stick with "our" brand.

My first bike was a hodge podge out a dumpster.......... so I guess I identify with the dumpster brand.

Dave

[johnnymossville]

...My first bike was a hodge podge out a dumpster.......... so I guess I identify with the dumpster brand.

Dave

LOL!!!! My first bike was a Rollfast, and yeah, I still like to Roll Fast!

[David Kirk]

LOL!!!! My first bike was a Rollfast, and yeah, I still like to Roll Fast!

My first bike was one that used a Rollfast frame and who knows what parts. They were made in Little Falls NY you know.

Cool.

Dave

[johnnymossville]

Oh that's cool, I loved my little rollfast. I paid $14 for it used with some of my First Holy Communion money. And yes, I know about the factory. In fact I have an old Rollfast advertisement somewhere on my computer at home.

It was a nice bike.

[I Want Sachs?]

Honest question....

Quite a number of high-end import auto design-shops have bikes in their line-up of "lifestyle" products. What's the deal? Are the designers there just getting their rocks off or is there a revenue stream for this stuff? I've never actually seen a car-branded bike out on the road (BMW, Porsche, etc). Do people buy these things? I've seen the BMW bikes in person at the local dealer...the construction looks average at best, the designs are kooky, and they cost a fortune.

Back in late 90's, there was a Trek bike that came with each car sold.

It's brand recognition. I think the car brands are better recognized than bike brands, and whoever wants to sell the bike thought having Mercedes name gives sense of quality. Some buyers might actually believe it.

[Ozz]

Back in late 90's, there was a Trek bike that came with each car sold....
Wasn't there a "Trek" edition of a Volkswagen Jetta?

[csm]

Wasn't there a "Trek" edition of a Volkswagen Jetta?

yep it was. iirc the vw dealer gave a coupon to take to the local trek dealer. I thought it was kind of a neat tie-in. I think it came with a roof rack too. so you could give the bike shop and body shop some recurring business when you drove the bike into the garage.

[hokoman]

kona and ford focus also paired up for a bike/car combo....

my favorite is still the mercedes cruiser from the amp era. it was fendered and looked really sweet. i wish i bought one back in the day just because i thought for a city bike, it was classic looking... not because it had a benz badge... i'm too young for one of those.

:)

[Erik.Lazdins]

Brand relation and identification.

The car company, knowing that a certain number of it's owners want others to know they are "Benz People" and they want to show their loyalty to the product will buy other stuff branded the same way. All the better if it's for kids. The hope is that the kids will grow up remembering that their first bike was a Benz and when the time comes will buy a cheap Benz and as they grow older buy a more expensive Benz and so on and so forth.

They want us all to label ourselves as "brand X" people so we stick with "our" brand.

My first bike was a hodge podge out a dumpster.......... so I guess I identify with the dumpster brand.

Dave

So Dave if you start building great cars, you've got the lifestyle bike niche covered rather nicely :) - Erik

[dd74]

Well, Cadillac has its own Bike Store:

http://www.cadillacbikestore.com/road-bikes.htm

Here's one of the models for $1,800.

http://www.abikestore.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000003/cadillac-ert2.jpg

[Charles M]

If you're gonna go car, go horribly over the top...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/charles/veloviebmw.jpg

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/imageBank/l/LAT200901201134311_PV.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3411207137_bc11474358.jpg

Best part on this version is the frane fork and custom paint are barely 2000 bucks all in ;)

[Blue Jays]

I'm only doing it if mine is inscribed "Cadillac Coupe de Ville" in fancy scroll...

[William]

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2008/06/26/ferrari_ESVie_8329.jpg

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.luxist.com/media/2007/05/ferraribike.jpg

http://www.stylis.eu/EN/gallery1/files/page1-1020-full.jpg

http://static.zooomr.com/images/5948818_47b504b723.jpg

http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/images/ducati_hi.jpg

http://www.brittonbikes.com/bikes/bianchi/ducati-corse/images/ducati-bikes-900xr.jpg

http://www.roadbikeaction.com/contentimages/MIL08-Ducate1_1.jpg

[Charles M]

Ducati, check.


http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/kuota/kuduclarge2.jpg

[Ozz]

Ducati, check.


http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/kuota/kuduclarge2.jpg
Smokin'

:rolleyes:

[avalonracing]

Hold out for the Marlboro Light.