LeMond Composites

[LegendRider]

I'm a huge LeMond fan, but I've learned to be skeptical about his efforts in the bike business. I'm hopeful this actually happens.

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/27...-tech-suggests

[dbnm]

um, yeah. No.

He closed his last bike company (US made steel bikes) to go into carbon fiber making for planes. or something like that.

This new company will be gone in 2-3 years.

[charliedid]

You just never know.

[fignon's barber]

Solution to a problem that doesn't exist. The big brands buy their $8k msrp frames for $250 from their suppliers.

[oldpotatoe]

and the LeMond website has been updated revealing that new bikes will be launched in spring 2020 through a direct-to-consumer platform.

Without a dealer network to hype his frames? Not sure the "Lemond' name is such that he will be that successful, particularly in this 'all carbon, all the time', way cheap, made in Asia, era. Well made, good riding, inexpensive carbon bikes already exists..not sure how a 'Lemond' name will break out in this very crowded field.

[eddief]

let us beat him into submission cuz it's so much fun.

[coachboyd]

This is more for mass produced carbon parts (think automotive vs bicycle industry). It's not the high modulus stuff that is needed for bike parts.

The Oak Ridge lab is pretty amazing and he's basically working with them. I doubt the cycling industry will hear much about the products they are wanting to do beyond just hearing LeMond's name associated with it.

[572cv]

Originally Posted by coachboyd

This is more for mass produced carbon parts (think automotive vs bicycle industry). It's not the high modulus stuff that is needed for bike parts.

The Oak Ridge lab is pretty amazing and he's basically working with them. I doubt the cycling industry will hear much about the products they are wanting to do beyond just hearing LeMond's name associated with it.

That the business is at Oak Ridge is a key factor here. I agree that it will not necessarily be focused on cycling. May Greg enjoy success with his ideas for this enterprise.

[Elefantino]

Originally Posted by eddief

let us beat him into submission cuz it's so much fun.

Don't understand it, either.

[false_Aest]

Originally Posted by fignon's barber

Solution to a problem that doesn't exist. The big brands buy their $8k msrp frames for $250 from their suppliers.

You're ignoring the $35-$50k per mold.
4 molds per size. 6 sizes.
$840,000 at the low end.

+18 month development time and a team of 6+ engineers.
+wind tunnel time at $250 - $1000/hr
+ super computer rental (unless you're Specialized)


I'll just be quiet now so folks can have more room to excrete on stuff they don't know that much about.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by false_Aest

You're ignoring the $35-$50k per mold.
4 molds per size. 6 sizes.
$840,000 at the low end.

+18 month development time and a team of 6+ engineers.
+wind tunnel time at $250 - $1000/hr
+ super computer rental (unless you're Specialized)


I'll just be quiet now so folks can have more room to excrete on stuff they don't know that much about.

Or buy a $250 frame from an open mold vendor and brand it and sell if for $5000. At some point the $250/frame accounts for the capital costs once you sell enough units. Even at a $1,000,000 capital cost you need only sell 4000 frames at $250 to recoup your startup costs. The take home is that there is a huge margin after most capital and overhead costs are factored in.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Don't understand it, either.

Me too. Winter sport around these parts it seems.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Or buy a $250 frame from an open mold vendor and brand it and sell if for $5000. At some point the $250/frame accounts for the capital costs once you sell enough units. Even at a $1,000,000 capital cost you need only sell 4000 frames at $250 to recoup your startup costs. The take home is that there is a huge margin after most capital and overhead costs are factored in.

Ummm…. don't you mean $250 in profit on each frame to pay for the $1M startup cost? If you're selling the frame for $250 total, you're not going to be in business long enough to recoup your investment.

Greg

[GregL]

Originally Posted by eddief

let us beat him into submission cuz it's so much fun.

Not beating him into submission, just acknowledging that his past business ventures have not always been successful. The best bike racer in modern US history and by all accounts a nice guy. His independent business ventures have not done as well. Time will tell on this one. Hope he does well this time!

Greg

[fignon's barber]

Originally Posted by false_Aest

You're ignoring the $35-$50k per mold.
4 molds per size. 6 sizes.
$840,000 at the low end.

+18 month development time and a team of 6+ engineers.
+wind tunnel time at $250 - $1000/hr
+ super computer rental (unless you're Specialized)


I'll just be quiet now so folks can have more room to excrete on stuff they don't know that much about.

I ignored nothing. A few years ago I did some work for a midsized European bikemaker and had access to the discussions with the suppliers in Asia. So I have a pretty good idea about what the unit price is. Those development costs you stated would be incurred regardless, along with marketing/promo costs,etc. The point was that lowering the production cost isn't really important, as actual cost to produce a frame is already quite low , and a small piece of the overall cost. I know this is over your head, so please do be quiet.