Inspired by a topic on good ol' BMXboard, I'd like to address the mystery that is Cinema Wheel Co. Here is the sum total of what I know about them:
• They have a website.
• They have a killer team.
• Their rims are 36-hole only, welded at the seams, extruded from 6061, feature a concave profile (hey, sort of like these!), and available in all the cool colors.
• Their hubs are sealed, have 3/8" front and hollow 14mm rear axles, and come with a 9t driver.
• They sell t-shirts (or "apparel").
And that's more or less it. A company from nowhere, selling nothing that isn't available already elsewhere, who markets their product by pretty much saying "they're good enough for our awesome team, so they're obviously good enough for you." Nothing on who started the company, who's responsible for product development -- er, picking designs from a Taiwanese catalog -- or even on the origins of the decidedly odd name. Nevermind the fact that guys like DeHart and Martinez would still be killing it if they had to ride these. But, ooh, isn't the packaging neat? And look at all the pretty colors! (Incidentally, this is the same sort of thing that led me to buy white "Mike Buff" Z-Rims in 1985 or so.)
Shouldn't we expect more by now? Don't we deserve more? Hell, I can find out more about the tilapia for sale at my local supermarket than I can about these wheels. If your only reason I should buy your wheels is because of who runs them -- people you PAY to run them -- maybe it's time to re-think your marketing strategy.
Or just stick to "apparel."
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48 comments:
AMEN
kids don't care about that stuff anymore, they just want what their favorite pro-of-the-moment is using. no more concern for who's behind a company, the integrity of the design or where the money goes they simply want what someone else tells them they want.
^^^I imagine there were kids who picked parts based on pros since the beginning, and I imagine there are still kids who care about that integrity today. Maybe the proportion between the two has fluctuated, but it always does.
The most attractive appearance wheel for freestyle. The more wonderful than you can believe it!
I read somewhere the owners are the same 2 guys behind Verde
Already on their twitter:
"If you can't tell the difference between a Cinema rim and a Primo rim then you're fucking retarded."
I once had a professor who defined intelligence as "being able to see the similarities between different things and the differences between similar things"
^^^ They're just pissed cause you called them out on their cash cow
I think your reaching a little. Its fairly well known that this is a sister company to Verde, so there really is no mystery as to who owns the company. You pay good riders to sell your product...that's life. That's what any industry does. Would you by a STA because I rode one? I doubt it, nobody gives two shits what I ride. The only real differences between companies, has and always will be their image. Build quality, innovation, etc. all play a part, but in the end its the image. Everyone rode a Standard BITD because, yes, they were the best built frames around, but a big part had to do with their image. The same reason people at that time rode S&M or Hoffman...they related to their image more than Standard.
And last, the word of the decade is branding. If you don't have it, you don't sell it. I think I'm rambling, but I think you need to form your arguments a little better.
^you mad
Even if the "name of the game" is branding, Cinema isn't doing it very well. Setting aside the fact that starting a "wheel company" that is nothing more than parts from a catalog, Cinema hasn't even bothered to try and claim their hubs or spokes as their own. It seems odd that a wheel company would leave 2/3 of their wheels without any sort explanation or even a logo.
Also, if the guys behind Cinema have such a rich BMX history why not use that as part of this branding scheme? Since when has claiming a company's experience in any industry been a detriment?
I'm not bothered by the fact they seemingly came from no where, I'm bothered by the fact that besides a stacked team, Cinema as an actual company barely seems to be trying.
Wait a minute... Did a guy who just said he was rambling tell someone to make a better argument?
George Dorn, you're reaching a lot. You state that "The only real differences between companies, has and always will be their image."
You honestly think this way?
I've always ridden frames/parts from companies that explain how their parts work and why they use the materials they use. I rode an R Model STA because it was made with a proprietary tubing by a company (Standard) whose frames were made at what is arguably the best frame manufacturer in the U.S. (Waterford Bikes). My bike is now a Sunday Wave with mostly Odyssey and G-Sport parts because these companies give reasons as to why they use a certain material and show you exactly how and why their parts work better than others on the market.
The majority of kids (and, most likely and sadly, the majority of riders in general) will ride parts from companies that have a "cool" image or a team full of their favorite riders.
However, to think that the only major difference between companies is their image is insane. There are still BMXers who want proven frames and parts from companies that give you actual concrete facts as to why they make them.
Anyone have 10k laying around?
new rule for 2011: make purchasing decisions based on how brands react to SPRFLS posts
And of course you have no valid point because you've never heard of Greenhouse. Since everyone and their mother should know about a distro that carries Duo, Cinema, Verde and Cult. 3 of which were started by the same people who own the distro.
So, I did ramble because I didn't explain myself too well. I was just trying to justify why Cinema did what they did. I have no opinion of them one way or other.
Two comments though:
1. They didn't come from nowhere. Verde talked about Cinema wheels and rims 2 or 3 years ago, its just now come to fruition.
2. I stand by my image comment only because I knew people who specifically picked one brand over the other based on personal feelings. As an example, one rider remained loyal to Hoffman bikes because of his relationship with them and his negative feelings towards Moliterno, He refused to acknowledge any progression Standard made in build quality, innovation, etc. He was one of several...small sampling I know, but that was what I based my opinion on, and based on that I am more than happy to admit that I am wrong in that it is not the case with BMX as a whole. But I just think brand image has a much stronger pull than people think. Thanks for the opposing thoughts though.
A company that brings nothing to the table is taking pieces of the pie away from legit companies like Profile and Odyssey. These guys aren't even trying.
i wonder who said this. i'll give you 22 guesses, but it will only take 1
"And of course you have no valid point because you've never heard of Greenhouse. Since everyone and their mother should know about a distro that carries Duo, Cinema, Verde and Cult. 3 of which were started by the same people who own the distro."
i recall a couple of years ago when alienation rims got slated, but they never had such a 'cool' team.
and no-one would think of putting odyssey parts on their bike until they put vic murphy on the team.
I wouldn't exactly lump Profile in with Odyssey...
I'll actually not get any Cinema stuff BECAUSE of their team.
Too many fat people in the pool, no need to toss in another one. Especially not one who is doing nothing towards the advancement in BMX.
The market is flooded so if you're in it for making a bit of money, which is definitely the case, move on already.
Cinema rims are actually pretty stout and many of you are being completly close minded. Cinema is Verde plain and simple and you guys keep knocking them for "coming out of nowhere", when in fact the people behind it have already been in the bmx game for a while. Garrett Reynolds actually rode Cinema wheels before he was even on the team to test out and I doubt he would want to ride anything junk seeing as how big that dude goes. I guess they passed seeing as they have some pretty heavy hitters on the team. Some people just like to bitch about things when they have no clue. And no I'm not involved with Cinema in anyway.
I don't think they are being knocked for coming out of nowhere, it is the fact that they do not specify anything about their hubs and hardly anything about their rims. If you want to buy wheels maybe you'd like to know what type of hub it is, maybe the construction of the rim. These are important to some people, over perhaps that they come in some fancy colors or this pro is riding them.
This is why I love Odyssey and G-Sport so much. Concrete explanations how this or that design is better for this or that application. Hard facts, numbers. Tell me which company has tech articles and spec sheets apart from the Odyssey triad and Profile? I don't know of much.
do you know any sponsored riders? kids will ride whatever they're given; if it breaks, just send 'em more.
The rebranding thing isn't that new. A few years back (also available for one piece cranks!) you get welgo "DX" pedals with a range of names on them (I had some S&M ones!). And the oversized (tubing used in construction, not ability to make kids look like jesus) four piece bars were available with pretty much the company stickers of your choice, and those big foam armchair-like seats. Nevermind seatposts/clamps, etc.
But I don't think anyone actually bothered to base their entire product range on stuff picked from a taiwanese catalogue, but I could be wrong.
And if ya gonna rip off designs, there's gotta be better ones to choose than a hula hoop, they were never that great, surely?
you are right if you project your views on other scenarios.... as for cinema/verde i would kinda put that in the same category as fbm/n!ce.. its just a marketing strategy to get some cheap (affordable) stuff on their completes without damaging the co´s rep. which i think is okay (i wouldnt be able to afford an fbm otherwise haha) exept that that all this aftermarket bullshit is the fucking same (snafu, nice, salt, revenge)
Cory Muth and Steve Buddendeck are the owners of Greenhouse, cinema, verde I think.
I think they are both graphic design dudes who used to work for DK which explains why they are so heavy on the branding
I say I think because i don't for sure, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. It was just annoying to read two pages of comments on this site and bmxboard and no one say these names.
...and also DUO "brand" falls under that ownership.
Russ, you should do an article if you haven't already about heat treated parts snapping rather than bending, the kid that died recently because of it, and the lack of any real testing or engineering behind these light parts kids trust their lives with.
I second that suggestion.^^
Dare I say "dead blog"?
Come on, Russ, retardation abounds in the BMX industry.
It's the same situation with guitar strings. There's only 3 or 4 different manufacturers that actually make them, but lots and lots of different companies spec gauge sets (and in some cases, a coating or particular alloy for the wound strings) and slap them in branded packaging.
Certainly, there's a handful of BMX brands that make frames and a few other parts in-house (or have them made at an American manufacturing facility), but the vast majority of stuff all comes from a few different manufacturing plants in China. It's why we see new brands pop out of nowhere all the time—it's a matter of marketing, not manufacturing.
This doesn't necessarily mean that the Chinese parts are crap. It just means that they're very similar parts with different graphics.
^^^
You mean Taiwan?
You just lost all the credibility you may have had...
Officially the "Blog Comment of the Year" winner. "anonymous" talking about another "anonymous" commentor's "credibility". Oh, the irony...
Get real, and either get some names or get some lives. Some people really are trying to be children again. Reality check- you are probably an adult; act (post) like one...
My lack of a name on a comment for an internet blog doesn't make my statement any less valid, Joe McDouchebag
no more posts? some kind of dejavu...
And to think that I actually put sprfls back on the browser speed dial...
He's gone, he's back, he's gone, he's back, he's gone, (for serious this time), he's back, he's gone. SPRFLS = BRTFRVE.
I'm psyched for the guys at Cinema to be making a living doing something they love. They actually ride BMX bikes, and yes, i know each and every one of them personally, so that is FACT. If you don't like what they're doing, don't buy it. Go buy Primo or Odyssey, which are both owned by Taiwanese business men that don't ride BMX. I'll buy my Cinema wheels and support rider owned. Corey Muth dude!!!! Look him up. Dude kills
And Steve Buddendeck.....2B designs. Some of you may have heard of that company as well.
blogs not dead, he forgot his login/password
I'm a hippopotamus and I got noodles on my back, noodles on my back, noodles on my back
everything was said.
I like posts like that and don't know why kids hates it...oh yeah, I know cuz you are aiming in their idols :]
I propose that you change the tagline of SPRFLS to; "Intermittently saving BMX from itself since 2008".
I WANT MOOORE!!!
http://socyalwork.blogspot.com/
I STILL have this blog in my bookmarks.... What happened?
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