>>1726574Heine - makes the money Riv would get if Grant catered to retrogrouch, Europhiliac status-sluts
Crust - makes the money Riv would get if they added disk to their standard frames and marketed to millennials (to be fair, they took it further with fatter tires and insane handlebar setups).
VO - making the Riv money grant would have if he directly targeted hipster zoymales with a cold focus on profit margins
Blue Lug - making riv money in that way only the Japanese can so you can't really hate on them
Entire fucking industry - moved to fat tires after years of Grant (and subsequently Heine) ranting about them
Surly - built half their early business with the Long Haul Trucker, which is a direct knock-off of the Riv Atlantis
I'm sure there are others. The way I see it is that grant could have a Surly sized empire if he would have compromised. Instead he is sticking to his guns and will die, not monetarily rich, but rich in integrity and honor
The depressing lesson from the Riv story is that you cannot simply ignore the market. If you do, someone more cynical will simply steal your ideas. It is a never ending race to the bottom. "perceived value" is what wins. selling the cheapest shit for the highest price possible through marketing hype. There is no way to participate in the game and win without compromising.
Tom Ritchey slipped in an interview and implied that disc is bad, and that 1 1/8 head tubes are too stiff. But he is the opposite of Grant. He knew he had to give the people what they wanted, even if it was worse.
Grant wants everyone on Lifted bars and not riding hard because he knows that slow long term cardio in the "fuck my ass" position is terrible for your posture and body composition.. For that reason he won't even sell bikes capable of providing this. That's integrity, and these days integrity means you get fucked.
Anyways I'll never buy a nubike. Fuck the entire industry. One day I might buy a Riv though
