[Gary Smith]

Hi Helmut,

Sorry that you've been having trouble contacting us, and I haven't checked in here in awhile (been busy with the move and such).

We've had a number of instances where our decals have ended up on knock-offs, so our policy on new decals is pretty rigid, in that we will only send them to our dealers, or to a recognized bike painter.

Give us a shout at 1-603-292-5673, and we'll work with you to get you bike looking good again.

Regards,

Gary

[Gary Smith]

Cris,

You are the best, and for all that you do for IF, we are happy to build you a new one. Give me a shout and let me know what you want.

Sorry I didn't notice this sooner.

Regards,

Gary

[Gary Smith]

Hi there folks,

Given the seriousness of someone challenging our integrity by accusing us of “lying”, I thought that I’d add some fact to the discussion. The OP is referring to a decision late last year to open up IF sales to University Bicycles in Boulder. We were originally approached by U-Bikes at Interbike in September with a detailed and thoughtful proposal about their plans to expand their offer to include a new custom fit studio. The plan included dedicated space for the new fit studio, dedicated personnel who would be sent to third party fit training, and a significant commitment to the IF brand. They also provided references, including Dr. Andy Pruitt from the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.

Our initial reaction was that we appreciated the interest, but needed to discuss this with our existing Boulder dealer, Pro Peloton, as well as amongst ourselves. Chris Soden at Pro Peloton, has, and continues to be an IF dealer. While none of our dealers appreciate any new competition in what they perceive to be “their” territory, it should be noted that many carry multiple lines, including direct IF competitors, and so it is always a difficult situation when considering opening a new dealer.

In this case it came down to whether or not we wanted to cede one of the largest and most bike crazy markets to a very good, but relatively small, single dealer; and in this case one that clearly positions another competitive brand as their premier custom offer.

While we appreciate the support from Chris and the rest of the team at Pro Peloton, we ultimately decided that it was in IF’s best interest to expand it’s presence in the Boulder/Denver market, even if it meant discord with Pro Peloton. Fortunately, Chris has opted to continue as an IF dealer, and while it remains to be seen, we are comfortable that the two stores will not compete for the same customers.

As for the Andy Pruitt situation, I spoke to him directly by telephone, as did Joe in person at Eurobike, and he enthusiastically endorsed Lester and the U-Bikes team, stating that he wouldn’t hesitate to send his clients there to be fit for an IF. Nothing more. How this gets twisted by the OP into something sinister, well, I have no idea what’s behind that.

As for the OP, Joe let me know that he had received a note from him with contents similar to his post here, and that he had reached out to him and had a conversation that clearly did not satisfy his concerns.

The concerns about IF being sold at dealers alongside “mass market” brands such as Trek and Specialized is pure nonsense. The very first IF dealer way back in 1995 was Belmont Wheelworks, here in Boston, one of the largest Specialized dealers in the country (along with Cannondale, Trek and many other brands), and to this day, one of our best dealers. The vast majority of IF dealers are traditional IBD’s that have committed to a custom offer in addition to their main lines. It’s always been this way, and will likely remain that way.

The bottom line is that we love all of our dealers, as long as they make a commitment to our brand, which means having the means and skills to work with their customers and us to design and deliver a great custom bike experience. That they sell lots of bikes from other brands that some may perceive as less worthy, that’s just a little too judgmental for us. We all started riding on something other than an IF, and that led us to hopefully a long lifetime of cycling and appreciation for all things bike… that’s really what it’s all about.

With all due respect, I’ll ignore the chatter about me personally, and whether or not I’m good for IF. Suffice it to say, my main concerns are the integrity of the brand and the people that work here. Thanks for your patience with the length of this post.

Gary

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