The polls

The reality of rising prices for carbon fiber as a result of rising oil prices, rising labor costs in China and demand for carbon fiber from the aerospace and car industry is one of the reasons Frame and Wheel began theorizing about new business models for the company. Frame and Wheel has also noted and been fascinated with the rapid rise of sensors and mobile smart phones and has tried to identify how these clever things could be used to develop a new business model for the industry. The ultimate objective is to develop a business model that replaces existing costs for the IBD with new revenue streams and simultaneously makes high performance road racing bicycles more affordable to the consumer. Frame and Wheel is not sure that this even possible, but if it is, Frame and Wheel is pretty sure that it will involve mobile technology, applications and a willingness on the part of consumers and IBDs to try something new. Frame and Wheel posted the questions below on the blog to explore the appetite for these ideas, and over time, some viewers have responded. Frame and Wheel will elaborate on the ideas behind the questions in broad terms.

Question	Yes	No	Maybe	Please elaborate	Total votes
Would you consider paying for your bike the same way you pay for Netflix	0	1	0	2	3
Would you pay for your bicycle based on the number of hours you used it?	0	3	0	0	3
Would you consider leasing your frame over two years?	1	4	4	0	9
Would you consider ordering your frame six months in advance?	7	2	2	0	11

The idea of paying for your bike like a Netflix subscription received one No and two Please Elaborate responses. This suggests that the market is not interested, but curious. The question about hours of use received a flat out No from all viewers. This suggests that no one wants to think about their bike as a cell phone, or that they do not want to pay extra for the long rides or perhaps the idea is just too complicated to absorb. The question about leasing a frame over two years received one Yes, four Nos and four Maybes. Frame and Wheel is surprised to see four Maybes and one Yes given that a lease implies debt, and debt implies credit checks and more leverage. Frame and Wheel suspects that it is the idea of being able to turn over your frame every two years to get the newer version one is driving the Maybes. Finally, the question about ordering frames six months in advance received seven Yes, two No and two Maybe votes. Clearly, there are many cyclists who are prepared to wait to get what they want and to get it right.