Rivendell Bike of the Week Auctions
Rivendell is undertaking an interesting promotional program where a staff member specs a new bike from their line-up to his/her liking, and the bike is offered up for auction to the highest bidder. From Rivendell:
We’re trying something new.. For the next however-many weeks, if this works, we’ll be auctioning off one bike spec’d by a staff member as his dream bike. The starting bid is a low $2000, for a bike that’s worth over $4,000. Anything over $3,800 goes to SmileTrain.
The first bike up for auction is a Bombadil built up to Keven’s specs and affectionately dubbed “Keven’s Bomber”. Here’s the description:
Lots of lugs, shining silver, beautiful big-tire Bombadil. A mountain-tour-trail-commute bike that can adapt to almost anything rough, and will surely be leading an active life under somebody (maybe you if you’re in your twenties) in half a century..
With the bidding stopping at noon today I’m coming in on this way late, but there will be other bikes to follow.
4 Responses to “Rivendell Bike of the Week Auctions”
I wonder how they determine if this “works”? I suspect it’s if it goes over $4k (or 3800, close enough). This won’t last if they keep getting $2500 out of a $4k bike. So what’s the point? Why not just sell it for $4k, then donate $200 to charity? As a fan, I am excited about the possibility of getting a “deal” on a bike, but I don’t see this lasting long.
“So what’s the point? Why not just sell it for $4k, then donate $200 to charity?”
It’s a promotion. I think the idea is to generate a little buzz and maybe sell a few more bikes by providing the potential to get a nice bike at something under retail. It’s a tough economy out there and small companies have to do what they can to create interest and generate sales.
Alan
Personally, I think what they’re doing goes beyond promotion of a particular bike. IMHO I believe this is not unlike charity auctions where generous folk ante up considerably more than what the item being auctioned is worth just because they see the cause as worthy.
Personally, I love a little risk! So, when the good Riv folks put up a spec’d out Amos or Roadeo,
thenI will bid! Double tubers are not to my tastes.