? Hey' date=' looks like Tikki was clever enough to see that Raleigh is not the same as Orbea, but he obviously doesn't read my blog. http://www.raleigh.co.za/blogs.php?blogId=247&authorId=5 There is a big difference between copying a design and sharing a design. Copying is what TokenFreak is trying by selling a non branded?carbon frame for R 3950 and telling everyone it's the same as a Raleigh - in fact it is a carbon frame and it?has a toptube, downtube etc, but I really hope that non of you guys are?so blind that you don't see the difference. Listen to Sean, he mentioned just a few things that make the difference. What we do with Trenga DE is called "sharing" a design. So we put our ideas and thoughts together, and we share the costs for the development and the molds. We operate on different continents, so why not working together? Developing a frame like this - just to give you an idea - costs about USD 80,000. And then you have your very first prototype. After that you start with different frames tests (each test costs ca. EUR 3,000), you have to modify the frame, if you have bad luck you have to pay for some new molds etc. As Probike and Trenga DE both are no global players selling many thousands of bikes of the same design, the costs per frame become very high. Sharing the design for us means only 50% of the development costs and means being competitive to global players like Trek or Scott. This partnership helps both brands on the financial and the technical side, and at the end it reduces the retail price of the bike, which is very important for a local brand like Raleigh. I didn't move to South Africa to forget all I learned about bicycles and just copy other people's ideas. Raleigh is a brand focused on high value for money, and this is the way for us to offer a super high quality suspension bike and still being cheaper than others - wait until we've launched the 2009 prices! Raleigh is not a brand like Scott, so even if we have the ability now to build a super high end carbon frame, we still don't have the image?to sell?it. If we'd offer a bike like the Scott Spark, one of the most successful bikes of the year, we'd end up selling ZERO bikes. But let's see what the future brings, maybe in a few years?we'll find a way . What we do is also not really a new idea. 50% of a Porche Cayenne is a VW Touareg.?Citroen, Peugeot and Mitsubishi sell the same SUV (made by Mitsubishi)?while Opel and Chevrolet also?sell nearly the same SUV, made in South Korea. I think noone would really complain about this, as it makes the cars more affordable for all of us. So what's the problem if Raleigh does the same? ? By the way, Mampara, we'll have a red version of the road bike?as well, but unfortunately this will be the women's version.?If you want one, I can offer you yellow, blue?(with white line)?or white (with red line) ? Jan ?[/quote'] Hi ,I do read you blogs and many others all over the world!Well call it a partnership a copy,what eva!Just would be nice to see something totally fresh ,something that make old bikers like me, Say Wow i think id like one of those! These are my own thoughts!!!!
