No more Vredestein recumbent tires?

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 23:35:33 +0000, Zamfoo the Magnificent wrote:

I was talking to Bill Cook (of Barcroft fame) this morning. He told me
that Vredestein has given up on the recumbent tire market (at least in
the US).

Anyone else heard this?

S-licks are still on the Vredestein website in both 559 and 406 varieties,
and are still being adverstised by dealers in the uk, so perhaps it's just
in the USA?

ref:
http://www.vredestein.com/fietsbanden/ (under products/ligfietsen)
http://www.settlecycles.co.uk/shop/

If you're prepared to pay the markup that we in 'ripoff Britain' usually
have to pay, then you could order them from over here!

L

--
http://www.redshift.uklinux.net/
Windcheetah No.176
Linux Counter No. 275325
*Remove Spamcatcher and x for email reply

In article VCJIb.24531$xX.91578@attbi_s02,
"Mark Leuck" wrote:

I wasn't aware there was a recumbent tire market, I thought it was all just
bicycle tires


Well, you should start paying attention then.

In article VCJIb.24531$xX.91578@attbi_s02,
"Mark Leuck" wrote:

I wasn't aware there was a recumbent tire market, I thought it was all just
bicycle tires


Well, you should start paying attention then.

I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

(Christopher Jordan) wrote in message om...
Another Happy New Year or what???!!! After all the "hoops" I went
through, that is very sad news if it is true. I looked everywhere for
Vredestein tyres and found them at last, at Zach Kaplans. If anyone
might know about truth to this rumor; he might!

Anyone interested in buying an Optima Rider with 3 two month old
Vredestein tyres on it?

Chris Jordan
Santa Cruz, CA.

Zamfoo the Magnificent wrote in message ...
I was talking to Bill Cook (of Barcroft fame) this morning. He told me
that Vredestein has given up on the recumbent tire market (at least in
the US).

Anyone else heard this?

I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

(Christopher Jordan) wrote in message om...
Another Happy New Year or what???!!! After all the "hoops" I went
through, that is very sad news if it is true. I looked everywhere for
Vredestein tyres and found them at last, at Zach Kaplans. If anyone
might know about truth to this rumor; he might!

Anyone interested in buying an Optima Rider with 3 two month old
Vredestein tyres on it?

Chris Jordan
Santa Cruz, CA.

Zamfoo the Magnificent wrote in message ...
I was talking to Bill Cook (of Barcroft fame) this morning. He told me
that Vredestein has given up on the recumbent tire market (at least in
the US).

Anyone else heard this?

In article ,
says...
I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

Will these be available with the customary 'Zach Kaplan' surcharge?

--
Cletus D. Lee
Bacchetta Giro
Lightning Voyager
http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

In article ,
says...
I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

Will these be available with the customary 'Zach Kaplan' surcharge?

--
Cletus D. Lee
Bacchetta Giro
Lightning Voyager
http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Cletus D. Lee wrote in message ET...
In article ,
says...
I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

Will these be available with the customary 'Zach Kaplan' surcharge?

What in the hell are you talking about Cletus? I charge fair prices
for everything I sell and in fact have a price matching policy where I
will match any advertised price on any parts currently in production
if you can find it for lower than my quoted price.

Zach Kaplan

In article ,
says...
Cletus D. Lee wrote in message ET...
In article ,
says...
I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

Will these be available with the customary 'Zach Kaplan' surcharge?

What in the hell are you talking about Cletus? I charge fair prices
for everything I sell and in fact have a price matching policy where I
will match any advertised price on any parts currently in production
if you can find it for lower than my quoted price.

Zach Kaplan

I recall a that when certain Asian tire mfg stopped making their tire
and took production elsewhere, that you jacked up the price of your
remaining stock. Have you forgotten?
--
Cletus D. Lee
Bacchetta Giro
Lightning Voyager
http://www.clee.org
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Cletus D. Lee wrote in message ET...
In article ,
says...
Cletus D. Lee wrote in message ET...
In article ,
says...
I have both the 406mm and 559mm Vredestein S-Licks in stock. About a
month ago I tried to order some 406mm S-Licks from the US Vredestein
distributor and was told they didn't have any more in that size and
weren't sure if they'd be getting more. So I ordered some from one of
the European recumbent manufacturers I deal with who has 406mm S-Licks
listed in their 2004 parts catalogue.

Zach Kaplan

Will these be available with the customary 'Zach Kaplan' surcharge?

What in the hell are you talking about Cletus? I charge fair prices
for everything I sell and in fact have a price matching policy where I
will match any advertised price on any parts currently in production
if you can find it for lower than my quoted price.

Zach Kaplan

I recall a that when certain Asian tire mfg stopped making their tire
and took production elsewhere, that you jacked up the price of your
remaining stock. Have you forgotten?

Man you sure hold grudges. That was nearly 4 years ago when Tioga
switched production of the Comp Pool from Japan to the Phillipines.
Based on past experience with other tyre production moving from Japan
to lower wage countries I wisely decided to raise the price of my
remaining very limited inventory of 8 Japanese Tioga Comp Pool tyres
from the $30 I had been selling them at to $40 until they were either
sold, I used them up on my own recumbents or the Comp Pools from the
Phillipines were proven to be just as good. At the time Tioga Comp
Pool tyres were my favourite 406mm tyres and I would have been happy
if no one bought my remaining Japanese Comp Pools so I could use them
on my own recumbents, however if someone wanted them they were welcome
to pay the higher price knowing in all probability the next Comp Pools
would not be as good.

Turns out my prediction was correct. The Japanese Comp Pool was a very
reliable and low rolling resistance tyre, an unusual combination. The
new Comp Pools from the Phillipines have a very high rate of premature
failure. They are prone to having casing seperation resulting in
anything from a bulge to the tyre catastrophically blowing apart. I've
heard of quite a few failing in this way including seeing it happen
first hand at a recumbent race and have also had a number of failed
Comp Pools from the Phillipines returned. In fact the failure rate has
been so high that I am no longer keeping the Comp Pool in stock and am
only special ordering it for people who really want it and have been
made aware of the high failure rate.

Also Greenspeed tested the new Comp Pools and found them to have
higher rolling resistance than the original Japanese Comp Pools. Also
the samples of the Comp Pools from the Phillipines I have weighed are
heavier than the Comp Pools from Japan were. At autocross slalom race
at the Portland HPV Challenge last year Mark Mueller remarked to me
that he finds the new Comp Pools don't have as good traction as the
ones from Japan.

Anyways raising the prices on the Comp Pools was a one time special
thing while the remaining inventory lasted. I was simultaneously
selling the Comp Pools from the Phillipines for $20, passing on the
lower cost I was able to get them at.

I pride myself on being totally fair and honest and providing
excellent service with competitive pricing. As I mentioned above if
you can find something currently in production advertised for a lower
price than I quote I will match that price. I have been selling
recumbents and parts for them since 1995 and do this as a labour of
love. Relatively speaking I am not making much money doing this and
personally I find it highly offensive when you accuse me of gouging.
If you want to discuss this further or order some Vredestein S-Licks
please take this to private e-mail (zakaplan at earthlink dot net) or
phone me at 510-522-2368. I don't believe the general readership of
A.R.B.R. wants to continue to see your continued unfounded personal
attacks on me.

Zach Kaplan