Changes in the Industry

Why is it that when something works, and works well, people have to change it? This happens in everything we do but lately it has been happening a lot in the bike industry. Lets take a look, shall we?

First off we have Banjo Brothers. This is a great company, with some really nice products. Their large messenger bag was very nice when they first produced it, but then they decided to change a few things. The biggest thing they changed was the outside material. It was truck tarp but then they changed it to a normal ballistic nylon with truck tarp on the inside. This is fine, this is great, why not change it if it still works. The thing that they changed that doesn't work anymore is the shoulder strap and the way it all connects.

Here is the old version(which works):

Here is the new version(which I've already broken):

Now, why did they have to change this? Why did they have to make it "new and improved"? I say that they didn't make anything better and just tried to save money.

Another problem is when a company who has made awesome products starts to create products with shoddy construction. This is the same bag that I broke before. I just got it back from warranty replacement about a week to two weeks ago and I found this today:

Other companies have done basically the same thing; taking products and making them "better" when in truth they have made them even worse. Another thing companies do is ride on a great companies name. They take a great companies name and slap it on some of the worst bikes or products I've ever seen. 

Pacific bicycles is known for this. They have taken so many great companies and have made their bicycles into crap. Sure they are cheap, but you cant really replace anything on the bike with something better. Schwinn was a great company that was taken over by Pacific Cycles. Now they are some of the crappiest bikes made today. 

Another couple companies are Motobecane and Mercier which were taken over by Bikes Direct. These two companies were awesome back when they were doing their own thing, but then the business crashed and the name was taken over by another shoddy company later on. 

I am wondering how much longer this can go on. How much longer can we stand these kind of "improvements" or getting something that we think is great for cheap? 

I am tired of things starting as a great item and then becoming something you wouldn't give your worst enemy. 

Remember kids, you get what you pay for.

Just my rant for the day.

-Jono

PS: I just sent the bag's company another email to see about repair or replacement, and this is the message I got back:

"Oh, for for f*&^'s sake. Just send me your address again and I'll send out a fresh bag.."

Seems that someone wasn't too happy that I was unhappy with the craftsmanship and spoke out about it.

Ah Well