Who is Silca's Market?

[notsew]

Finally, a chain whip to match your $800 pump.

Like really, who buys this stuff??

Is there a thread for comically over the top bike accessories yet?

[slowpoke]

connoisseurs of veblen goods

[mtechnica]

People must be buying it. I don’t have tools that expensive and I don’t know anyone that does.

[Spaghetti Legs]

My guess is same people buying NFT’s. Are people still buying NFT’s?

[Louis]

Maybe the guy with the microphone:

[bicimechanic]

Makes sense for a traveling mechanic looking for weight savings in the travel box.

[FlashUNC]

If anything they're playing catch up/knock off of what Abbey Tools has been doing for years now.

[zap]

Not me. Goes back to Zipp days.

[bicycletricycle]

I have a pump. It is nice.

As far as the titanium tools go. Well, I have some pretty expensive tools , mostly for woodworking though. I could imagine buying nicer bicycle tools as they took standards for cycling are pretty low, but these ti ones don’t appeal. They are actually worse than their cheaper counterparts. I guess for a traveling mechanic they could make some sense.

[GonaSovereign]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

If anything they're playing catch up/knock off of what Abbey Tools has been doing for years now.

Exactly this. Most of the items were invented and commercialized by Abbey or others. Likewise, the seat bags they sell are incredibly accurate tributes to the Vélocolour bags (with a Boa added so it can break).

The original Silca was good and the people who restarted it had a good history, but somewhere along the line they chose the “let’s copycat, make them offshore and charge multiples” business model.

[jpritchet74]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

If anything they're playing catch up/knock off of what Abbey Tools has been doing for years now.

This, all day long.

For me, I have been bustin' my a$$ for over 20 years supporting my family, and now that the kids are grown (well, 3 of the 4) now I choose to spend some money on nice stuff.

I started buying Abbey tools about 5 years ago and my goodness I have to say that they bring joy to actually using tools. Need to check my derailleur hanger? Oh heck ya I will bring out my HAG because it's just amazing.

Time to shorten a brand new chain? Yes please, because my Decade chain tool is gorgeous and smoother than a knife thru hot butter.

I actually enjoy working on my bikes partly because of the nice tools. Mostly Abbey stuff, but my allen wrenches are Silca.

I do love my Silca pumps though. Floor pump, pocket pump - both are really really nice.

[M_D_S]

Unpopular opinion here, but I have never liked anything from Silca.

I had a floor pump, and I found the hose to be too short (nearly impossible to reach the valve stem with the bike in the stand), and the friction fit was not as secure as the screw on chuck on my Lezyne floor pump.

Their saddle bag/roll was nothing special, their CO2 inflator never worked properly for me (leaking and not filling the tire), and their Imperio Pocket Pump was difficult to use (friction fit over the valve stem, and unwieldy to use). Again, my Lezyne Road Drive is miles better, with a flexible hose, a screw on chuck, and an air release valve.

For my money, Lezyne makes much better products, and their customer service is awesome.

[superbowlpats]

X1000 on the Abbey Tools.

But seriously, people complain about Silca prices - i'm more shocked by $13500 road bikes.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-...ext=97221-0249

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by M_D_S

Unpopular opinion here, but I have never liked anything from Silca.


For my money, Lezyne makes much better products, and their customer service is awesome.

Not controversial. I don't rate Silca products either. My Topeak Master Blaster is eons better than a Silca frame pump and my Lezyne hand pump is eons better than the Silca hand pump. And Abbey make the finest tools I've ever had the pleasure of using. Would buy Abbey all day over these new Silca tools.

[bicycletricycle]

on a side note, I have had a couple very positive customer service experiences with Silca recently.