The business plan: how to make consumers aware of differences

Frame and Wheel appreciates that the best way to make the market aware of any bicycle brand is to get out there and ride it. Even better is to have a whole group of people get out there and ride it. That will work in the immediate neighborhood perhaps, but that's about it. Nevertheless, other riders will see that the brand is classic and Euro and they will learn that it was acquired through the Internet and assembled by the local IBS by word of mouth.
Frame and Wheel is considering the sale of the frames using eBay. The infrastructure is already there, the company has built up a track record from the operation of its selling service for cyclists and bike shops and the potential audience is huge: each time a customer types in "carbon road frame" there is a chance he will stumble across the company's offerings. Even nostalgia bike shoppers will find out about the Austro-Daimler brand as they are looking for old decals or old Austro-Daimler frames. These consumers will perhaps take a look at the website and learn about the business model.
Although Frame and Wheel appreciates the benefits of keeping the ecommerce in house for control purposes, the idea of eBay remains compelling: not only is it already in place, the auction method of selling avoids the year end discounting tradition and it is a useful way to train consumers to purchase their bikes in the off season. It will also help the company gauge demand in the market and thus more accurately match supply with demand.

Customer testing

Frame and Wheel read an interesting article about how the recession has changed the way companies operate. This article is titled Recession Spurs Overdue Repairs and describes how Furniture Brand, a furniture company, decided to let its customers choose what designs of furniture it should produce rather than letting a select group of overfed dealers at a trade show in Las Vegas make the decision. This technique is called "consumer testing" and is actually pretty common in manufacturing.  Management made this change (a very radical change for the furniture industry) because some of the company's product designs favored by dealers were in fact not favored by consumers. Consequently, the company could not sell a large part of its production and thus suffered losses.
The idea of customer testing resonates with Frame and Wheel; it seems like a good way to match supply with demand and to learn more about consumers. For the furniture company, customer testing worked like this: in on line surveys, consumers who purchased a line of the company's furniture or who planned to purchase it in the future, were asked to rate proposed designs based on renderings, prices and dimensions. The designs, prices and styles the consumers liked were the ones that were produced. That simple.
Using this technique, Frame and Wheel could learn if consumers really wanted internal cabling or integrated seat posts or BB 30 or whatever the latest detail is; customers would provide a lot information about what is important to them and Frame and Wheel would get a sense about market demand. It could be complicated to implement or maintain, but it would probably be worth the effort.

Frame and Wheel and the rider of the future

Frame and Wheel was out on a ride on Saturday afternoon and caught up with a dedicated local rider on a route that is very pleasant and quiet, but for some reason not frequented by cyclists. Seeing another cyclist on this route was unusual; seeing another cyclist on this route riding the finest bicycle Frame and Wheel has seen so far this year was downright strange. The rider was on a carbon fiber Colnago EPS with Campagnola Bora deep dish carbon tubulars. Frame and Wheel is pretty sure that the components were Campagnola Record or Super Record. The rider, who is fifty-three years old and the CEO of a local start up, was clearly not the sort one is likely to encounter in Central Park on a Saturday morning. The pace picked up and after a few miles of conversation, Frame and Wheel learned that this rider spent a portion of his youth racing bicycles professionally in the 80s. This helped Frame and Wheel understand why he was riding a modern incarnation of a classic racing bicycle.

It was interesting to learn that this rider had obtained the frame in New York from a contact and had it built up at his favorite local bike shop in Maine. He said that the whole process had taken a while, but that he was happy to wait. The rider said that he considered himself a dedicated "Euro" brand buyer and noted that local bike shops did not carry the brands he wanted to buy. Not too surprisingly, the rider remembers the Austro-Daimler brand given that the Team, Ultima and Superleicht were in the market in the 80s. 

Frame and Wheel recognizes that this rider is perhaps the only cyclist in the entire state of Maine (or perhaps New England) with such a refined and classic taste in racing bicycles; it is a stark reminder that the number of people who seek classic brands and obtain their bicycles in this manner are the exception rather than the rule (most consumers are "ride it now" consumers and are happy with the Big Three). Nevertheless, Frame and Wheel believes that as Internet literacy increases, bicycle consumers will change their buying habits even more and this will put pressure on the existing push model of bicycle distribution to change. No independent bike store can carry every brand that the Internet carries, but the one thing the IBS carries that the Internet does not is the mechanic and the community. As Frame and Wheel and this rider parted ways, the rider mentioned that he was bringing his bike to the local bike store for a tune up, convincing Frame and Wheel that this rider is the Rider of the Future, rather than the Rider of the Apocalypse.

The business plan: how will customers view the brand vs. the Big Three

Frame and Wheel believes that most consumers will view the Austro-Daimler brand as something classic, nostalgic, European and very much different from the Big Three (Trek, Specialized and Giant). One reason is that the name is hyphenated and has words that are clearly not of Anglo Saxon origin. Meanwhile, the history of the brand is in Austria and Germany and the actual company that used the name is long gone. Meanwhile, the availability of the frame is going to be very limited, relative to the availability of the Big Three brands. This creates the impression of a boutique brand, which suggests premium pricing. The Euroland name also suggests an imported product, something that is not allied with the "buy local" movement, at least at first inspection. The IBS may view the brand as a requisite "Euro" offering for the customers out there who are either from Europe or prefer to embrance the European roots of the sport. Some customers may view the brand sentimentally: it is a name that had its moment in the late 70s and 80s, but has faded from view. The restoration of the brand is very similar to the Mini Cooper restoration by BMW, and some consumers may make the association. After all of these first impressions have been made, the consumer will notice that the company is doing something different: it is using the Internet to innovate how bicycles are sold so that all stakeholders in the industry (the IBS, the rider and the manufacturer) are beneficiaries. It is creating a model where consumers can obtain the selection, price and convenience of the Intenet with the support, service and community of the IBS. This is the mission statement of the company and in simplest terms, it means creating a model that allows the consumer to buy a frame on line and then have their favorite IBS recommend and provide components, assemble it and provide the follow up service. All the stakeholders stand to benefit using this approach, and Frame and Wheel beleives that this is how the consumer will ultimately view the brand relative to the Big Three.

Fashion Week and the Bicycle Industry

Frame and Wheel agrees that the bike business has an element of fashion to it. Consumers watch what the pros ride and they say to themselves: I want to ride that bike. Same is true with fashion: consumers see what a celebrity wears to the Oscars and they say: I want to wear the same thing.  Both bicycle and fashion consumers are happy to settle for slightly different versions once they find out the cost of the versions they see in the magazines and on television.

The frames Frame and Wheel will obtain from Asia can be delivered with all the latest details that are currently in fashion: internal cabling for the brakes and the derailleuers; integrated seat posts; BB30, etc. These are additions that the industry has added to the basic bike frame and convinced the market as being the next necessary thing. Frame and Wheel wants to keep it simple: the demo frames that have been ordered are pretty basic when it comes to features: BSA bottom bracket, external cabling, traditional seat post (Frame and Wheel did go for braze on front derailleur rather than the traditional version and internal rear cabling, because these innovations are pretty simple). Frame and Wheel even kept the paint job to a single color: white. The reasoning is this: internal cabling can be a real pain for the mechanic, especially if the system is new and not proven; integrated seat posts save some weight and look cool, but they make it very difficult to travel with the frame (not to mention higher shipping costs), and it requires taking a hacksaw to the frame. Once it is cut, its resale potential is limited because the frame can only fit a person who is the same height as the original owner.

Frame and Wheel's intention of keeping things simple complements the Austro-Daimler brand: in the early 80s, there was not a planned obsolescense strategy by bike companies; a series of models were introduced and that was it; the frames were not repainted and tweaked each year, and then thrust upon the dealer. The significance is that the bike industry resembles in many ways the fashion industry. Indeed, Fashion Week in New York conicides with Euro Bike in Europe and the big trade show in Nevada next week. Frame and Wheel believes that it is useful to look at the fashion industry to get a better understanding about the bike industry and the consumer.

Frame and Wheel found two interesting article in the Wall Street Journal that describe what designers think about their markets. Luxury-Goods Firms Turn Up Volume on Value refers to a Bain & Co. study that concludes that the luxury consumers "want styles with longevity" and the "new watchword in luxury is value, in the form of quality and staying power." One retail executive is optimistic about the core luxury shopper, but identifies the "middle territory" as the biggest problem. The middle territory are consumers who are aspirational shoppers, consumers who stretched their budgets to obtain the latest, trendy thing (a $1,500 handbag without a point of view). Elsewhere, one designers says she is ready for "real clothes, things that I wnat to buy and keep for years" or real clothing and value. Respondents to the the Bain & Co. study say that two thirds of their purchases this year have been weighted towards "classic" styles; and about 80% of shoppers say that they are willing to pay for apparel that lasts more than one season. Designers Reclaim Individual Voices notes that designers are going "classic and risk-free"

Frame and Wheel reads about these sentiments when perusing the website of titanium and steel frame manufacturers. Indeed, Rob Penn, the author of It's All about the Bike, says very clearly that he wants a bike that he can grow old with, and that would last forever;  he dismisses carbon frames and reveals himself as a purisit. Regardless, Mr. Penn purchases a custom steel O'Rourke frame and he is happy with it.

Frame and Wheel agrees that there is great joy in having a bicycle that will last longer than a season, and that will not be obsolete within two seasons. Frame and Wheel tried Mr. Penn's approach years ago and ended up with a very heavy Moots mountain bike (which is in the attic). The reality is that the bicycle industry has adopted the car industry's planned obsolescence strategy. This is a classic "push strategy" that results in huge investments in manufacturing, distribution and sales infrastructure (in the pursuit of ecnomies of scale); the bikes are built and pushed into the market. Although planned obsolescence results in new innovations coming to the market, it also means that the forever bike is going to become obsolete pretty quickly given that the technology is changing so rapidly. The bigger problem is that planned obsolescence creates a lot of waste and exasperation with waste and rapidly changing fashions is clearly identifiable in the fashion industry.
Frame and Wheel suspects that consumers of bicycles feel the same way and thus remains committed to developing a sustainability strategy that address the frailties of carbon. The timing then is perhaps right for a classic brand that offers quality and longevity to the consumer through the use of a pull model and the principles of frugal innovation as well as a sustainability strategy. Frame and Wheel notes that with control of a classic brand in hand, the company could very well retain a local steel frame builder to develop reissue frames. A topic for another post.

Austro-Daimler trademark

Frame and Wheel applied for the rights to the Austro-Daimler trademark in the United States. The company has retained counsel on this matter and applied to the USPTO in August to obtain the rights for the lettering and the logo. The rights to the logo expired in the United States back in the 80s when Steyr-Daimler-Puch USA stopped importing the frames in the wake of that company's breakup. The rights to the lettering are a little bit more complex given that the name Daimler is a reference to Gottleib Daimler, the founder of the company that produces Mercedez-Benz (and which is now known as Daimler AG). However, the trademark is not being used in commerce and the application states that it will be used in the distribution and marketing of bicycles, rather than automobiles. Most people of Frame and Wheel's generation have never heard of Austro-Daimler (but then again many were not racing in the early 80s).

Frame and Wheel decided on this strategy for a number of reasons. First, there are no barriers to entry in the bicycle industry. Anyone can retain a manufacturer in China to make open mold or custom frames for them and anyone can put any components or wheels they wish on to that frame. The only thing that is needed to differentiate one bike form the next is a brand name. What is in a name is the next question. Given that Frame and Wheel is not doing anything innovative with the actual frame or components (leave that to the experts in Asia), Frame and Wheel believes that it is pretty cheeky to name the frame after the founder of the company. So what are the other options?

How about restoring an old brand, the way BMW restored Mini Cooper? Frame and Wheel raced on an Austro-Daimler Superleicht in the 80s in New England, Colorado and France; the name has special significance for Frame and Wheel. You can see the old frame on this blog. Frame and Wheel knew the company went bankrupt years ago but realized that rights to the trademark had not been renewed with the USPTO. Frame and Wheel recognizes that to develop a brand from the ground up is probably a better route, but the fact is that there are greater chances of success if the company tries to improve something that has been mismanaged or fallen by the wayside than invest huge amounts of time and capital in building something up from the ground up. This is especially true given that Frame and Wheel is not a bike builder and cannot innovate the actual manufacture of the bicycle (Frame and Wheel however can innovate how bicycles are sold). 

Second, the Austro-Daimler trademark is certainly more recognized in the market than anything Frame and Wheel could conjure up. For some people (particularly for older riders) it will be noticed immediately and remembered for what it was: a premium racing bicycle trademark. This is important. Frame and Wheel is convinced that consumers want to be sure that their brand is noticed as either good value for money or worth the money they paid for it. This gets back to the intangible factors about brand perception etc. If a consumer spends thousands of dollars on something, they want other people to know that what they spent their money on is worth it or that it has cache or that it is a fine product. Much of this is signaled in the brand. Frame and Wheel believes that a good quality carbon frame coupled with a restored premium brand is a better market position than the same frame with a new but unknown brand. 

Finally, Frame and Wheel notes that there are few German trademarks in the bicycle industry outside of Stevens and Canyon. However, there are plenty of legendary German cyclists: Jens Voigt, Jan Ulrich, Erik Zabel, etc. Frame and Wheel appreciates that everything has been tried before and on the darkest days, Frame and Wheel recognizes that someone might have tried this before only to be rebuffed by corporate lawyers. Indeed, Frame and Wheel approached General Dynamics, the owner of one of the remains of Styer-Daimler-Puch and enquired about the trademark: they kindly said they had no information outside of some existing legal issues related to the trademark (probably the Daimler question). Frame and Wheel also enquired with Daimler AG: they never replied. Frame and Wheel enquired with IVM Engineering in Austria: they believe that they still own the trademark and did not want to entertain any ideas about restoring it. Perhaps that is why there are no Austro-Daimler bicycles in the market today.

However, there are compelling arguments supporting the application and Frame and Wheel will let his counsel make them, but the last thing Frame and Wheel wants is a long drawn out dispute as there are no resources for fighting corporate lawyers that have deep pockets. The timing for this application will take a long time, at least a year, and during this time Frame and Wheel will assemble some frames using the Austro-Daimler trademark to demonstrate that the company is not a trademark "squatter" and using the trademark in commerce. This is an important consideration for the USPTO. 

More images of Austro-Daimler Olympian

Here are some more pictures of the Austro-Daimler Olympian. Some more close ups of the it has Wienmann brakes and Huret drive drain. The blue lettering is nice on the cream colored frame. It is not the "Champagne" color used on the SuperLiecht.

The business plan: perceived benefits

The perceived benefits of the frame include its performance characteristics (light weight, racing geometry, full carbon features, high quality, etc), its brand (recognized in the market), the company's support for the frame (warranty, crash replacement, sustainability program), the use of the auction model on eBay to derive value for consumer, its crossover brand positioning, which means that frame can be found in the IBS as well as on the Internet, and the company's intention of working with the IBS to establish the brand rather than cutting out the IBS. 

Customers will see the benefit of the auction model in purchasing their frames: it means that they will have the opportunity to obtain value if they buy their frames in the off season when everyone else is not thinking about buying frames. It also means that consumers will have the chance to obtain value if market demand for their particular size is not strong. The auction model also gives the consumer the opportunity to choose components or use the components they have at hand; this will be seen as a cost savings, an efficient use of existing resources and materials and as opportunity to customize. Also, using eBay and Pay Pal infrastructure is increasingly easy for many people: the consumer is increasingly Internet literate and eBay accounts and Pay Pal accounts are increasingly common. 

Customers will see the benefit of the brand. It is a high end brand that is recognized with older cyclists. The brand was used by professional racing teams in the 80s and Davis Phinney among others. It taps into the Mini Cooper business model and it makes a statement about the person who rides it: older generation, good taste, etc. Perception is important and with racing bikes as much as it is with cars. Customers will also see the benefit of the company's commitment to providing its customers standard benefits such as warranty, crash replacement and safety certification (EN testing and USPC standards): the brand will not enter the market without all of those features in place. Customers will see the benefits of the sustainability program which will take the form of a deposit arrangement or a return.

Finally, consumers will see the benefit of the brand positioning as a crossover brand, one where it can be obtained directly from the manufacturer through an auction model as well as from the independent bicycle store using an agency model. The consumer will learn that the business model benefits the IBS, which is important for many consumers, and is convenient and good value for the consumer. The real benefit of the brand is that shows that the Internet and the IBS can thrive together.

The business plan: customer priorities

Frame and Wheel brought the car into the brand  new Toyota dealer for its 35k service and cannot help noticing the increased emphasis the dealer places on the environment. On the floor of the assistant service manager's fishbowl office is a placard proclaiming the dealers committment to proper disposal or recycling of oil, transmission fluid, tires,brake bads, drums and other parts of the car. The placard explains that proper disposal and recycling cost the dealer extra and these fees are thus passed on to me the customer. Tough luck, but better than dumping the stuff in the water table. On the wall in the hallway, there are signs stating environmental improvements: a curtain over the garage door that keeps the heat in during the winter and the cool in during the summer; the use of water efficient machinery and appliances; the green bathrooms. Indeed, the bathroom is a model of environmental enlightenment: water that activates only when your hand passes under the faucet, soap dispensers that push out just enough soap, paper towel dispensers that automatically spit out a shred of recycled paper towel; the strong smell of pine in the bathroom, etc. Clearly, autmobile dealerships have a strong interest in being seen as green: automobiles still create a lot of pollution and dealers trade in the busienss. Anything they can do to improve perception helps.

The point is that Frame and Wheel recognizes that there has to be a sustainability strategy for any bicycle brand. Sustainability is increasingly a priority for many consumers (in addition to the value, quality, safety, support, prestige, etc.) and there is no reason why it cannot be one for a bicycle company. Currently, most manufacturers do not seem to have a strategy especially when it comes to carbon frames and wheels. Where do all those crashed carbon frames and wheels end up? Frame and Wheel learned that this material is recyclable: BMW will soon introduce cars that have carbon bodies, and it points out that carbon can be recycled back into a raw material and used to make a carbon product that requires less strength. Frame and Wheel beleives that a sustainability strategy will become an other reason for the customer to buy the frame. This strategy could take the shape of a deposit policy: the customer pays $2,500 of which $500 is a deposit that gets credited to the customer when they are tired of the frame or when it becomes damaged, obsolete etc. The customer brings the frame to the agent or sends it directly to the manufacturer and the deposit is returned. The company then takes the frame and brings it to its recycling partner and uses it to make other components or simply sells it. Alternatively, it can take the shape of an exchange program through a regional composite organziation or a recycling center: return your old composite frame to these facilities and receive a credit or a discount towards your frame. Frame and Wheel, with control over its brand, could simply establish and OEM arrangement with a local steel framebuilder and have steel biccyles in the market at a lower price point. Steel is not the most competitive material for racing long distances, but for many it is good enough for many.

One last thing:  Ira, the owner of the dealership is raoming aboutout saying hello to everyone, including Frame and Wheel, in the waiting room. He asks if I am being treated well. I mentioned that the mechanic was a bit behind schedule, but other than that, the waiting room is excellent, which it is as far as car dealership waiting rooms go, and I am pleased. He says thank you and moves on. It did make an impression though: Frame and Wheel will send the president of the company to check on its IBS dealers when the time comes, and for that matter, to check on its customers. There is no substitute for recognition from the top, and that too is likey to become a customer priority

The business plan: persuading the IBS and customer

Frame and Wheel recognizes that it will be difficult to persuade an IBS owner to take on yet another brand. Most IBS have at least four brands already and they are hard pressed for additional space and capital to accomodate another set of bicycles. Additionally, with too many brands on site, the customer gets confused and the IBS becomes tempted to push the brands that are in favor with the market at the expense of other brands. This becomes a loss making proposition for the IBS and it reflects badly on the IBS eventually. Too much choice or selection undermines the IBS marketing efforts, confuses the customer and creates additional expense for the IBS. Having too many bicycles on the floor also makes the IBS appear like a dumping ground for bicycles and creates the risk of inventory obsolecense. Some manufacturers are aware of this and perhaps do not permit their dealers to carry their competitor's brands.  The only reason an IBS will take on yet another brand is if the manufacturer allows the IBS to fill a market niche and requires no additional financial or inventory risk. The only models that can deliver this to the IBS is the pull model or just in time model, where inventory is delivered as an when there is demand, and the agency model, where the IBS orders a frame on behalf of a customer and receives a commission on the order.

This model does not require an upfront payment by the IBS in order to buy "slots" to become an authorized dealer. Trying to convince an IBS to carry a new brand where they have to pay up in order to be an aauthorized dealer is a very hard sell in a weak economy. Frame and Wheel beleives that the greater difficulty will be persuading the IBS that the company can stand behind the brand. This means that the IBS has to see that the company has all the support features offered by other brands: warranty program, safety certification, crash replacement, immediate access to the company. The IBS does not want to be associated with a bad brand.

Frame and Wheel understands that a big part of the marketing effort for a brand comes from the dealer. A good word from the dealer on the floor can make all the difference to the customer. This is why Frame and Wheel believes that the IBS is still part of the future of the bicycle industry. Beyond this, the product has to be safe, good quality and good value, exactly what the customer wants and distinctive from other brands, such that the customer wants to be seen on the bicycle . It also has to have a sustainability strategy: the customer cannot help but wonder where all that crashed carbon goes and where it all comes from.

Focus group

Frame and Wheel had a good race in Vermont over the weekend, winning the time trial and spending the second day basking in the yellow, before losing the jersey to the competition, and then flatting on day three. Day four was the best criterium for Frame and Wheel in a long time, so there can be no complaints.

Frame and Wheel and the team spent one morning discussing bike shops, the team and the club: one team mate noted that shopping on line for components was very convenient and efficient: when you know what you want, it is easy to order right on line. Price is part of it but so is convenience. Other team members noted the hassle of going to the local IBS, asking them to order the part or the good, and then waiting and hoping that they in fact remember to put in the order. If the item does get ordered, it means another trip to the IBS to retrieve it. If it does not, it is a delay and an irritation. Clearly, the team members demonstrated their increased comfort with shopping for their gear on line. However, all noted the importance of the community and support of the local IBS, but acknowledged that it is hard to pay higher prices for things that can be found on line for less and sent directly to the residence. This confirms the view that it hard to have one without the other.

The business plan: prospective customer

Frame and Wheel reads in the NBDA "statpak"that the number of independent bicycle stores (IBS) shrank 1.5% y-y to 4,256 in 2009. This is part of a trend: the number of IBS has shrunk 30% from 6,195 in 2000. Although the number of stores are decreasing, the same number of bicycles are being sold through them (3m). The conclusion is that this channel is consolidating and fewer IBS are selling more of the bicycles. The reasons for the shrinking number of IBS is most certainly high labor costs and overheads combined with keen competition on the bicycle prices themselves. Internet retailers are no doubt making things more competitive for the IBS. One interesting result of consolidation is that the IBS has the opportunity to carry more brands. This can result in too many brands and at the very least can become expensive or cumbersome for the IBS. Indeed, the IBS is being encouraged to carry fewer brands. 

Frame and Wheel will have to target the owners of the IBS: these are the people who decide which brands to carry. They look for customer service from the manufacturer, reasonable terms of authorized dealership and the reputation of the brand in the market. Frame and Wheel believes that the "slot free" business model and the niche market appeal of the frames will make the frames a compelling choice for an IBS. The customer service, the warranty programs, safety certification and crash replacement programs will have to be strong too in order to help make the sale. Frame and Wheel recognizes that it will have to have all of this in place long before the first pitch to an IBS.

It's all about a sustainable bike

Frame and Wheel is spending the long weekend in Vermont at the Green Mountain Stage Race doing research on the market and suffering on the climbs in search of glory. This morning Frame and Wheel listened to an interview by the BBC with Ellen MacArthur, a woman who sailed around the world singlehanded. This woman is a strong advocate of sustainability, and has established a foundation called the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Frame and Wheel has linked to this blog and will spend more time exploring the notion of bicycle manufacturing and sustainability: indeed, this is one way the company plans to differentiate itself from the market. 

Frame and Wheel is reading It's All About the Bike by Robert Penn. This is a book about a man who sets out to build his dream bike: he has a frame custom made from steel, he goes to Seattle to get a Chris King headset, he goes to Italy to get a Cinelli handle bar and a Campagnola Record group and to other parts of the world to build up this bike. It is a good read and he explains a lot about the history of the bicycle, which is fascinating. In the early 90s, Frame and Wheel retired from competitive and did what Mr. Penn did: purchased a "dream" bicycle. This was a custom made steel Moots Mountain bike: at the time I thought I would keep it forever. I still have it, but it spent a good ten years in the attic, before being returned to use. When Frame and Wheel started riding it again, bicycle technology had changed so much that the bicycle was really more of an antique than anything else, and despite great charm, it was difficult to service and difficult to obtain replacement parts. Frame and Wheel appreciates the desire to have a bike that will last (this is indeed the pitch made by Seven, the titanium frame manufacturer), but the fact is that they do not even if they are made of steel. This lesson is why Frame and Wheel will have a sustainability strategy for its frames. As Ellen MacArthur notes, "A carpet is a carpet is a carpet" This could mean that a bike is a bike and then its a bike again or something useful or something that reflects the awareness that there is not an infinite supply of oil, plastic and other raw materials out there for use in making bicycles.