John Burke: the Al Gore of the bike trade?

[pacofuckhead]

It'd be nice to see the presentation, Burke is not all that interesting to watch. Geez.

[ThunderAppeal]

I'm an avid cyclist, but al gore is the biggest douche bag in the world.

[killedagb]

Biking is NOT an INDUSTRY. It is a Culture, a lifestyle, a means for being, and being free. People power. 

[rbombard]

Well said, but you're preaching to the choir. Get the message out to the hostile audience.

[stopglobalswarming]

Does this guy ride a bike to work, or is he like Al Gore, riding around in big SUV's and jets?

[stopglobalswarming]

Al Gore is a lying moron.

[ubrayj02]

An excellent message, but a boring presentation. He also misses what I think is a key conclusion for anyone trying this stuff out in the industry: we need the right bikes! Big bike brands US "commuter" and "city" bikes are garbage. They have no amenities and sacrifice useful features for weight savings and sporty component sets. Look to the Dutch and others like them for inspiration!

[AnotherAlexChannel]

AL WHORE

[cyclenut]

I moved to Minneapolis because of the the bicycle culture. I use to live just south of Chattanooga, where even the police chief terrorized me (documented). I wish the US would build more paths. SInce living in a (more) bicycle friendly city I have more than trippled what I spend on the bicycle-lifesyle.

Oh yeah, now I spend $0.00 a year on the car-culture! The rest of the saved money goes on outdoor gear.... : )

Hear that bicycle manufactures! There are millions more like me!!!!!

[andemannen1]

why can you have viseos over the limit?

[twowheelterror]

he probably put the video on Google vids - which youtube pulls videos from.

[allgoo19]

Why no mention of Japanese bicycle situation? It wasn't even in the graph he showed.

People ride bicycle all over and it's not a bicycle friendly country, land is not flat, streets are narrow.

Why nobody looks into it?

[Nomorewarworldpeace]

Hello,

This is Jeff Fisher posting.

Just Google Al Gore Jeff Fisher HBO

Contact is AlGoreJeffFisher(at)Live(dot)c om

I love top bike also.

I want to have a biking marathon in 2009 to raise money for thousands of causes.

[motocrosser]

hey you still planing on having a bike marathon because if its in the nj nyc pa de area i could join

[BayAreaBiker2001]

I have been biking for 20 years and have traveled some pretty big distances, 70 km to San Francisco, 100 km to Hollister, 70 km to Oakland. I have even biked to Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay.

[newwavenewrave]

from where?

i started biking this month, my winter break in college, for fun though... can't really communite because my city isn't that bike friendly... lots of traffic sometimes and lots of pissed off cars honking at me because i have to squeeze between parked cars and their lanes...

[BayAreaBiker2001]

From Sunnyvale, CA. One thing that would get me excited is a bike path along I-80, which extends from San Francisco to New York City. Maybe another next to 101, 280, 680, and 880. This would give bikers the range of mobility that motorists enjoy.

[DJtaka86]

Also from Sunnyvale.. Just moved back from Chico which has a great bike culture.

All i can say is that if you do not want to drive - bike its nearly as fast for anything within 5 miles.

If people got up 30-60 minutes earlier and rode to work, thy would feel energized and relaxed about the rest of their day. not angry and worn out with from the morning traffic.

[sofabike]

Hey Folks this Dudy talks about obisity.

I am strugling in amerika shops. Food has no caloories and without fat.

I do ride my Denaly-sport bicycle for daly transportation. Averaraging month ODO ~500miles.

[Subutubiata]

I use a bike for basic transportation - commuting and shopping. I bought it new from a local, small scale bike repair\retail business. I try to avoid buying new, but sometimes it's more economical to do so: I've spent ridiculous amounts getting second hand bikes into shape. However, vferdman is right: marketeers and corporate producers are primarily interested in selling bikes as sports accessories or lifestyle statements.

[catguyone]

I live in a small town in northern Alberta, Canada, i don't own a car, I ride my bike all the time, and this year I will be putting on studed tires for the winter, and riding when possable.

This past week, i just installed a CRYSTALYTE

Ebike conversion kit (model 407, 36 volt systerm with a 35 amp controler). My bike is a mid 90's Giant chrome moly frame (everything else has been updated).

"Ebikes are the way of the future"

[austincyclist]

Great presentation! Gas prices will help force this issue. Folks that have been thinking about commuting by bike get that little extra nudge..

[Leafygent]

By the way, if someone doesn't buy them new, then where will you get your second hand bike?

[vferdman]

There are enough second hand bikes out there to stop new bike production for quite some time and not run out. Again, I am not against the special racing machines, etc. But making people buy more and more new bikes as a business model (which is what we are talking about in the video) only contributes to more land fill space and more pollution due to production of said new bikes. An industrial business can not survive by acting otherwise. This is just a spin to make you feel better about spending.

[Leafygent]

there are 6 billion people on this planet and growing. there's no point in arguing this any longer.

[KrunchyJD]

Thats true, but it is till better that someone buys a new bike and rides it then a new car and drives it. A bike is always better for the environment, health, lower pollution etc.

[vferdman]

I must call corporate BS. Corporations manufacturing new bikes cater to people who put them on their SUVs and drive to a place to ride. People who use a bike as basic transportation get used bikes or bikes thrown away but still in perfect order (I have a few of these). This shpiel is pure corporate BS. Big business is NOT interested in being green. Neither is Al Gore and the inconvenient truth is that he runs a household that uses enough resources to feed a medium sized village in Thailand.

[Leafygent]

Give me proof fuckhead, find the stats and show me that al gore uses that much energy. It was pure smear tactics you piece of shit. Not all people put their bikes on their suv's. Some do. Some live for fast bikes, like myself. Obviously you just have a very different passion than i do, as do every other bicycle racing enthusiasts. Don't categorize.

[drew0mckinney]

@vferdman

That may be true, but they are producing bike's; not cars. The people who use those bikes may be using as an alternative to a car or motorbike. No, the people purchasing bikes for transport are likely not purchasing new, top-end bikes, but those old bikes come from somewhere.

The burden of proof is on you to show that there is absolutely no need for companies to produce new bicycles. Otherwise, what you're saying is nothing but hearsay.

[AtheistCitizen]

testimonial: In season dictated by the sun and daylight savings time, need to drop&pick-up kids , etc I commute 20miles+ each way on a campy equipped racing bike as many times a week as I can fit, here in northern New Jersey, thanks to a work place shower & relaxed schedule.

Just do it. No excuses.

[KrunchyJD]

Thats not completely true, I bought a new bike, and I use if for transportation!

[stopglobalswarming]

@vferdman AL GORE flew in an Airliner jet to preach about "global warming" on the coldest day on record. Al GORE told the mexicans he invented the internet to try to get votes.

There's plenty of gas if the BIg 3 will make better carburetors/injection systems and quit selling hummers to China. Fuck SUVs. Stop Global SWARMING.

[yankeepedaler]

The bicycle is the answer to so many of the problems that face society, but people laugh and say the same things. "What do you want it to be like China?" or "Your crazy isn't it easier to drive?" Wanna bring the oil companies to their knees? Ride your bike! If you live within 15 miles of where you work you can easily ride your bike to work. Get out and ride!

[mikedtn]

Yankeepedaler I am totally with you. I live in Tennessee and I have heard so many here say "I am too lazy to ride a bike I would rather get in my big SUV, burn gas, and bitch about how much it cost to fill up my gas hog on the way to McDonalds at lunch. I myself love riding my bike. The freedom feel is immeasurable.

[swagner27]

this guy took this from a presentation from 2006 this is not new information glad to see that like most CEO's he is too sheltered to spend time with dealers/retail to know what is the future.

You cannot ask dealers to do more when they make less per unit.

[BruceLeeRacing]

I've been a dealer for 13 years and Burke is totally making sense. I've witnessed trends in our community set entirely by myself and staff. We see the need and niche and start doing it and suddenly people take notice. He may be a bit sheltered, but I give him props for stepping outside the "technology will drive the industry" mindset. Although we sell a good amount of racing rigs, most of OUR customers want basic bikes. With fuel now approaching $4 a gallon, non-cyclists will be coming.

[ellydozer]

BIKES CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

[muer22]

Its strange that if you go down South bikes "are for poor people or tri-athletes" if you go up north they are for the self-righteous and/or wealthy. New Orleans and maybe New York are probably the only cities in America where a diversity of people ride. It will be great when cyclists don't get pigeon holed as "those people." It will probably make cycling seem more realistic to motorists, people who are obese, lawmakers, etc.

[carltonreid]

Trek and Specialized make utility bikes, too. For sure it's a growth area. Trek and Specialized - and the other 'niche' bike companies - have great distribution into key IBDs and so can make this category work. Electra is a great brand, too. The market needs all of these brands: horses for courses.

[Cosmoline]

They make some commuter bikes and cruisers, but not utility bikes. As it stands most outfits assume the customer is either into high performance sport or putzing around on the weekend. Carlton also mentioned how big people are getting--how many bikes will cope with a big rider? Real utility bikes will, but there's very little on par with those in the US. Most bikes are made for riders under 200 lbs.

[Cosmoline]

Excellent ideas. But the industry has been making increasingly specialized bikes that are totally impractical as utility bikes. The future is not with Trek, but Electra. Three speed cruisers, diamond frame classics. Not stump jumpers or Lance Armstrong wanabee bikes, but BASKETS, FENDERS AND BELLS!

[jojo808]

ELECTRIC ASSIST/HUMAN POWER...

[Makorow]

I'm glad somebody gets it! Cycling is still a tiny speck on the radar, but it will get bigger. Not much other choice.

[pdxktv]

This is good news for cycling advocates! Thanks for putting the extra time into Carlton.

[cafedelgol]

Thank you for posting Carlton !

[cyclenaut]

Thanks for posting this, Carlton. Hope the Biz is treating you well.

[wix99]

Great presentation and it's good to know people at the top of the bike industry are thinking that way. Positive change is bound to happen if others follow John Burke's lead.