MEATengines 2022...

Posted by: eriksg

That's basically how I felt about the old Cotic badge you brought up, above:  it was their choice, and I can lament it and think they could have increased their appeal with a change. But that's their choice.

The old badge was an eyesore to me and it was one strike against it in the aesthetics column of my buying spreadsheet. I was happy when they changed it. But I'm sure someone (maybe Cy) loved the old one. And if it represented something authentic to the makers and not just an attempt to appeal to the broadest audience, well small brands can do that and afford to offend some people.

100%. I was going to the buy the frame because I was interested to try the geo and the company had a good reputation for quality & CS. Cy and some customers loved the old logo. If my frame had come with it on the bike I would have just peeled off the headbadge and gone about my business. I happened to get the new logo which I liked better so that worked out.

Cy has a bunch of other design choices that don't really work for me, but if he's stoked on the bikes he makes more power to him. As long as he can sell enough of them to sustain his business that's all that matters. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Cotic to people if the situation was right.

Posted by: Vikb

Whenever I come across an aesthetic or technical choice made by someone who runs a bike company that I don't like [the choice, not the person] I remind myself that's the privilege you get for making something and if I wanted to do something different I could go right ahead and start my own bike company. Usually about then I STFU and move on. ;-)

Having met the GG owners/team they are nice folks who are doing exactly what they want to do. Would I care if their branding/logos were all based on the tallest peaks in CO instead of rock and roll? Nope. I didn't buy my Smash because of the Devil's Horn logo or The Clash reference. But, it does make me smile when I think about how silly it is and I also chuckle when someone reacts like Hepcat. At the end of the day GG keeps expanding its production capacity and they keep selling every bike they make as fast as they make them so they are doing something right.

Yes. But, I still think it's worth mentioning especially in the case of a small brand producing bikes in-house. It would cost essentially nothing extra to give riders a choice between multiple options and it's an extra that companies - big or medium or even small - with bikes in containers can't easily offer without adding another step to their delivery process.

If even a couple of people just "STFU and move on" the choice to offer different badges could more than pay for itself now that they have frames in stock.

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Yes. But, I still think it's worth mentioning especially in the case of a small brand producing bikes in-house. It would cost essentially nothing extra to give riders a choice between multiple options and it's an extra that companies - big or medium or even small - with bikes in containers can't easily offer without adding another step to their delivery process.

If even a couple of people just "STFU and move on" the choice to offer different badges could more than pay for itself now that they have frames in stock.

If making the most money was GG's motive they wouldn't be branded the way they are now. We know that and they know that. Yet they stick with their silliness simply because they want to and it makes them happy. Heck I could probably say the same with the Made in the US part of their business.

My other thought is that if we have people that are so bent out of shape about GG's rock and roll branding that they wouldn't be willing to buy a black on black decal bike and either black out the headbadge or just remove it then enjoy their stealth machine would they really swallow their distaste if they could buy a GG with a different version of the headbadge? Perhaps, but I am not convinced that's a big chunk of the folks that complain about GG's branding. I suspect that the folks that are unhappy with Devil's Horns branding are never going to ride a GG regardless of the headbadge. 

Finally having worked for smaller companies one of they key benefits is getting to do things your own way. You likely won't get rich. You are gong to work a lot of unpaid OT. You'll deal with a lot of complainers or folks that want to back seat drive. So getting to do your thing the way you want matters. People have been telling GG "I'd buy that if you didn't have the juvenile branding!" for as long as I have known about GG and it's made absolutely no difference in terms of the company's interest in appealing to those people.

The GG branding all around is cringey but sure wouldn’t keep me away from buying one ‘cause they’re rad bikes. 

Signed, 

A guy who rides a “Wildcat” from “Rubber Side Down”

I took the badge off my MoXie to get the welds checked for cracks. I'm in the process of finishing the paint, and thinking of re-fitting it upside down.

Not out of any problem I have with Pipedream, but because the constellation Sirius on the badge is the other way up in my sky... If I ever take it to the northern hemisphere I could put it right way up again.

Posted by: Vikb

Whenever I come across an aesthetic or technical choice made by someone who runs a bike company that I don't like [the choice, not the person] I remind myself that's the privilege you get for making something and if I wanted to do something different I could go right ahead and start my own bike company. Usually about then I STFU and move on. ;-)

I would just take it off and make my own sticker to replace it

Posted by: eriksg

On headtube badges, I have to say that BTR's utilitarian choice is a favorite of mine. It's fitting that it is a bit industrial, and I don't know anyone else doing the same thing.

BTR is nice.  I like the Starling one as well - its the only "badge" I have on my Murmur.  I like the Chromag badge as well.  You can't go wrong with a pair of bears grabbing their nuts...

Agree on Cotic old v new.  I didn't like to old one but the new one is nice.

To me a head tube badge speaks about the brand.

My fav branding i've seen recently is the WAO Arrival.  Those who know, know.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

I took the badge off my MoXie to get the welds checked for cracks. I'm in the process of finishing the paint, and thinking of re-fitting it upside down.

Not out of any problem I have with Pipedream, but because the constellation Sirius on the badge is the other way up in my sky... If I ever take it to the northern hemisphere I could put it right way up again.

Makes sense.  Altho everyone is going to ask why it's upside down.

I had a Chris King 1-1/8” headset upside down for a while years ago (because I could) but switched because I grew tired of folks asking why the writing was upside down.

I remember when Indy Fab started doing their head tube badges in cast sterling silver- heck, I think I have a proto-cast-brass one of those around here somewhere.

I have bikes that have decals under the clear coat, bikes with bolted-on metal badges, bikes with aftermarket metal badges stuck on with adhesive- bikes with stickers- I don't much mind, but it's an interesting window into how a builder/brand wants to be viewed: deadly serious and precise (my Seven Cycles reminds me of this), ridiculous and over-the-top (vintage Evil?), classy and low-key (Peter Mooney?).

Anyway.

Marty and Drew, valid point. I'm not sure I feel strongly enough about the inverted badge to deal with the incessant question.

Got the paint as done as it's going to be, time to wrap and rebuild. It doesn't need the badge to be ridden, so I can put the decision off for now.

I noticed this ^^^ "headbadge" recently. One step more committed than a metal badge glued/riveted on! Not being a whiskey drinker this doesn't really resonate with me, but if a Ti Tyaughton fell into my hands I'd ride it! I suppose an appropriately sized decal would go over that just fine if was really not to someone's taste.

have you ever tried to mount/dismount from the right side?

damn, its hard. why does it have to be so hard?