Foffa Bikes

@tommy -I can see youre point, although if I got stressed about the the amount of bsos that are routinely sold to people who I work for, (parents and kids) i would have a hernia within months simply because of the quality/safety aspect. (far worse rip off merchants in a much bigger scale than this little guys outfit)
This vendor might make a few quid for a few weeks/ months but in the long run, will it really have any effect on the overall picture.
All I can surmise is that lfgss get worked up about it as the supposed arbiters of judgement on the London scene, but really, people have been riding fixed for ever for various reasons, and will continue to do so long after half the readers here wouldnt been seen dead on a 'fixie'.
None of us owns anything.

Ha!

This one's gonna run and run.

Wayno's actually a traffic cop: I could see him in leathers on a 1100cc BMW ... hehe

Not helping Skully.

• still not angry.
  

@tommy -I can see youre point, although if I got stressed about the the amount of bsos that are routinely sold to people who I work for, (parents and kids) i would have a hernia within months simply because of the quality/safety aspect. (far worse rip off merchants in a much bigger scale than this little guys outfit)
This vendor might make a few quid for a few weeks/ months but in the long run, will it really have any effect on the overall picture.
All I can surmise is that lfgss get worked up about it as the supposed arbiters of judgement on the London scene, but really, people have been riding fixed for ever for various reasons, and will continue to do so long after half the readers here wouldnt been seen dead on a 'fixie'.
None of us owns anything.

That part of the argument makes no difference. People are judged on their actions and not in relation to others.

^ I think I follow you, so if one vendor sells an overpriced/ shoddy bike to someone he should be judged on that action?
so then, the benevolent lfgss has already educated anyone reading this thread that they need to be careful what they are buying?
that looks like a win.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic but essentially yes.

@tommy -I can see youre point, although if I got stressed about the the amount of bsos that are routinely sold to people who I work for, (parents and kids) i would have a hernia within months simply because of the quality/safety aspect. (far worse rip off merchants in a much bigger scale than this little guys outfit)
This vendor might make a few quid for a few weeks/ months but in the long run, will it really have any effect on the overall picture.
All I can surmise is that lfgss get worked up about it as the supposed arbiters of judgement on the London scene, but really, people have been riding fixed for ever for various reasons, and will continue to do so long after half the readers here wouldnt been seen dead on a 'fixie'.
None of us owns anything.

True, I think though big or small set up if you are ripping people off you deserve bad press and this thread is effectively bad press for this person.

EDIT: Wibble has all ready done this bit for me.

dont know why people are getting so worked up.
if they want to pay it, dont know what/ who they are buying from then let them carry on.
the whole re- interest in fg has been pushing prices up for track stuff for ages anyway so most of the damage has been done as far as I can make out.

Are people getting worked up? or just stating an opinion?

There's nothing wrong with making a profit, even a huge one. There's nothing wrong with charging overinflated prices for poor quality merchandise (providing it meets safety standards) But if someone is trying to justify his pricing structure by quoting made up prices then clearly he has something to hide, a quick google will show you that even full RRP is nowhere near some of those prices quoted for that ebay auction. Fair enough if he wants to make profit on each part, every bike shop does, but what every bike shop also does is not publish their trade costs at inflated, bullshit prices.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic but essentially yes.

me? sarcastic, on here..........
no seriously this place serves a really useful function,
I'm just sometimes more bothered by stuff like why does the general punter think that £300 is a lot for a bike, when that same punter will have i-phone, home entertainment, car, laptop, rampant rabbit, 300 channels on t.v etc etc,
(another thread entirely)
so a few hipster bikes seem a bit irrelevant.

@ RPM -by extension the ebay bidding frenzy phenomenon has distorted what value people are prepared to place on an item.

@ RPM -by extension the ebay bidding frenzy phenomenon has distorted what value people are prepared to place on an item.

I know, but that's not something I have a problem with. Where it becomes plain untruth then I do have a problem.

Seems that this thread is number two on the search results for "foffa bikes" already..
Link
Hopefully people read our thread before parting with their nuggets.

Seems that this thread is number two on the search results for "foffa bikes" already..
Link
Hopefully people read our thread before parting with their nuggets.

No. 3 now.
bump. ;)

Why don't we see if we can get testimonials, both good and bad as this is surely a good way of seeing whether these bikes are a good idea or not?
I didn't mean to put his company down when I started the thread, but if there are issues with the bikes then people should be aware. But let's settle this once and for all:
Foffa Bikes or previous incarnations, who's bought one, and what are your thoughts/experience with them?

Seems we have our very own testimonial coming up:

Well remembered, Ved! I still have a photo of it on my Flickr.

It's long dead. I still can't believe I spent 300 quid on that piece of junk.

EBay convesation re the one posted above by mrj.

1. Dear foffabikes,
   
   

This is a wind up, right?

• yanuf
  
  

1. *Dear yanuf,
   
   

Why would it be?*

1. Dear foffabikes,
   
   

Average cost of OTP ss as parts = 50% higher then unit cost.Apply same logic and your offering should be £180 - £200.Or for same money buy s better speced (by a very long margin) OTP.QED

• yanuf
  
  

1. *Dear yanuf,
   
   

You might want to speak to the Brick Lane Bikes people to find out how much they charge for custom built bikes.
I think you can appreciate that bespoke bikes will always be more expensive than factory-made OTP + our bikes are made mostly of new components anyway, our frames are powder-coated (only that costs 70 pounds) and come with a 12 months warranty so I don’t really get why people tend to think that we are making a huge margin.*

5.Dear foffabikes,

Not saying that you are making a huge margin, just that your price point for what you offering is way off.

• yanuf
  
  

6.
Dear yanuf,
*If you can get a newly refurbished ss bike for less by all means let me know.
*

1. That's my point: I can get a much (much) better spec OTP for the same as your "newly refurbed".
   

our frames are powder-coated (only that costs 70 pounds) and come with a 12 months warranty .

How can you warranty an old secondhand frame? you won't be able to replace it unless you have a stock of the same model and size.

They're comparing themselves to blb?
??!!
?????!!!!!

rofl I believe is the expression.

EBay convesation re the one posted above by mrj.

1. Dear foffabikes,
   
   

This is a wind up, right?

• yanuf
  
  

1. Dear yanuf,
   
   

Why would it be?

1. Dear foffabikes,
   
   

Average cost of OTP ss as parts = 50% higher then unit cost.Apply same logic and your offering should be £180 - £200.Or for same money buy s better speced (by a very long margin) OTP.QED

• yanuf
  
  

1. Dear yanuf,
   
   

You might want to speak to the Brick Lane Bikes people to find out how much they charge for custom built bikes.
I think you can appreciate that bespoke bikes will always be more expensive than factory-made OTP + our bikes are made mostly of new components anyway, our frames are powder-coated (only that costs 70 pounds) and come with a 12 months warranty so I don’t really get why people tend to think that we are making a huge margin.

5.Dear foffabikes,

Not saying that you are making a huge margin, just that your price point for what you offering is way off.

• yanuf
  
  

6.
Dear yanuf,
If you can get a newly refurbished ss bike for less by all means let me know.

1. That's my point: I can get a much (much) better spec OTP for the same as your "newly refurbed".
   
   

I thought a bespoke bike was one that was made especially for the individual: Frame built to fit, groupset hand picked etc.
These faffo bikes are not that at all.
They appear to be cheaply specced and put together low volume OTP's.

So for £400 wouldn't folks be better off buying a well specced and put together OTP?

It's quite a sad thing that TDV, selling decent things and run by people who actually know what they are talking about have gone, yet these imbeciles are setting up down the road. I don't wish anyone ill, but I think it unfair if this lot prosper.

Unfair for who exactly? Unfair in an ideal world maybe. That's capitalism my friend.

Viva la revoloutione!

Unfair for who exactly? Unfair in an ideal world maybe. That's capitalism my friend.

Pig. You'll be third against the wall, just after the Royal Family and bankers.

Did anyone mention a warrenty on these bikes?

You could buy any of these bikes with a proper wty on the frame for £500 and be perfectly happy, I ride with people on the forum that than more than happy with the good ol' plugs

http://www.chamberlainecycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b24s343p0

Not helping Skully.

• still not angry.
  
  

Oh, Skully didn't mean to help. He's a bit like a graphic designer that way. :)

Charge Plug Grinder now £412 on Wiggle.

Game Over.

Now that's nice, I always like the Grinder as it appeal to the average joe who just want to have a simple transport.

Their entire business idea is flawed.
If it really was financially viable to 'do up' and convert old bikes then sell on for profit wouldn't we all be doing it?
I'd be unsure of whether they will have access to trade price parts although the number of bikes on the site suggests they could be buying in quantities large enough to get them in the door with a few suppliers.
I'm sure many here will have gotten hold of a cheap frame then watched as the spend-o-meter keeps ticking over as you start buying parts to make it into a 'cheap beater'.
Especially where fixed specific parts like wheels are concerned it's very easy to blow a budget.
Surely thats what these guys have done and are now trying to shift the bikes at too high a price to recoup their losses/make as much buck as they can?

On the other hand though there is the argument that if there was no market for bikes like that at that price then they wouldn't be doing it.
Can't really come down any harder on them than you should on supermarkets for selling bso's.

Wonder what the rules are re. safety certification of refurbished bicycles?
There must be companies that churn out new bikes in volumes not too different to the volume of bikes on the Foffa site and i'm sure their bikes would have to be BS certified.