Bowman cycles goes into liquidation

[Dov]

It looks a lot like Bowman were trying to operate a business model with margins that were too tight and this forced them to use a manufacturer for their goods that was cheap, inexperienced, and downright shoddy. Then the global supply chian crisis added further margin pressures which eventually compunded with the losses in products failures to equal insolvency.

It reminds me of the old cycling adage: Strong, Light, Cheap - Pick two!

I have no first hand expereince of Bowman but I doubt they were in it to make bad products - even though that is what eventually happened - and I can only imagine they are as unhappy about the situation as all the customers riding death-traps who will lose money if they're lucky and teeth if they're not. Hambini does shed a light on this and I'm sure what he's saying is accurate and representative of the issues but his methods and style are unnecessarily obtuse and in all the videos I have watched it seems that he could have done a better job of 'exposing' stuff if he was jsut a bit nicer. But maybe this is just the world now?

I can't help but feel a better result for all would have been Hambini doing his expose in conjunction with the cycling press to orchestrate a wider PSA so those unknowingly riding a dangerous frame could have a better chance of being alerted before a disaster happens.

[RimClencher]

I can't help but feel a better result for all would have been Hambini doing his expose in conjunction with the cycling press to orchestrate a wider PSA so those unknowingly riding a dangerous frame could have a better chance of being alerted before a disaster happens.

Given that Bowman is the cycling media this comes off as incredibly naive.

[RDY]

I can't help but feel a better result for all would have been Hambini doing his expose in conjunction with the cycling press to orchestrate a wider PSA so those unknowingly riding a dangerous frame could have a better chance of being alerted before a disaster happens.

Given that Bowman is the cycling media this comes off as incredibly naive.

^

It would be like establishing a war crimes tribunal for Ukraine with Putin as its chair and Kadyrov as a special investigator.

[cjm]

You don't have to watch many David Arthur's videos to see that he is basically doing freelance PR for the bike brands, his videos are good if you want to see nice images of a new bike, see the specification, and hear the on trend industry buzz words, but he isn't making objective, independent, critical bike reviews.

The CyclingTips 2021 Field Test reviews are some of the few that come across reasonably well balanced.

[Dov]

Given that Bowman is the cycling media this comes off as incredibly naive.

I didn't know this was the case. What do you mean by he is the cycling media?

[bobones]

If you watch Hambini's video, you'll see from Webb's LinkedIn profile that his background is marketing and cycling journalism, not product design or engineering. Cynics may conclude that he resold cheaply produced aluminium frames and used his journalist pals to convice the cycling media readership that they were buying something premium.

[Vespasianus]

I can't remember anyone until this point giving Bowman a hard time, the cycling press ran out of superlatives for the bikes!

I know that they are now out of business but if Hambini's video saves someone buying a potential disaster from ebay etc. then that is surely a good thing.

FWIW. I generally like his videos, this one was more considered than usual and even gave the former owner/designer the right to reply, not taken up!

This. Everyone, from Bike Radar to CC to Arthur rides bikes gushed over these bikes. And they are crap. People don’t like Hambini because he is a crass and a bit of a jackass but can’t say he has been wrong too many times. I mean, he gets tons more crap from people than Peak torque who is in my mind, much worse.

[Singular]

Nah, I don't think they were crap bikes. Both the original Palace and the Palace R were hugely popular among end-users too and the 3(C) was a very, very nice ride.

But holy sheet, the 3s were made badly! And now I'm a grand out of my own pocket. Rather part with that than my teeth.

[mgrl]

This. Everyone, from Bike Radar to CC to Arthur rides bikes gushed over these bikes. And they are crap. People don’t like Hambini because he is a crass and a bit of a jackass but can’t say he has been wrong too many times. I mean, he gets tons more crap from people than Peak torque who is in my mind, much worse.

Have you ridden a bowman? Not going to defend the company's recent actions, but the older models were very highly regarded by end users as well as the cycling press - I know a few people with one, and they're all fans.

[CampagYOLO]

Nah, I don't think they were crap bikes. Both the original Palace and the Palace R were hugely popular among end-users too and the 3(C) was a very, very nice ride.

But holy sheet, the 3s were made badly! And now I'm a grand out of my own pocket. Rather part with that than my teeth.

Another ex owner of a Palace and can also confirm that it was a lovely bike to ride, honestly I preferred it to a CAAD 10 or 12.

[DHG01]

It looks a lot like Bowman were trying to operate a business model with margins that were too tight and this forced them to use a manufacturer for their goods that was cheap, inexperienced, and downright shoddy. Then the global supply chian crisis added further margin pressures which eventually compunded with the losses in products failures to equal insolvency.

It reminds me of the old cycling adage: Strong, Light, Cheap - Pick two!

I have no first hand expereince of Bowman but I doubt they were in it to make bad products - even though that is what eventually happened - and I can only imagine they are as unhappy about the situation as all the customers riding death-traps who will lose money if they're lucky and teeth if they're not. Hambini does shed a light on this and I'm sure what he's saying is accurate and representative of the issues but his methods and style are unnecessarily obtuse and in all the videos I have watched it seems that he could have done a better job of 'exposing' stuff if he was jsut a bit nicer. But maybe this is just the world now?

I can't help but feel a better result for all would have been Hambini doing his expose in conjunction with the cycling press to orchestrate a wider PSA so those unknowingly riding a dangerous frame could have a better chance of being alerted before a disaster happens.

This is the third time you've made your point in a clear and concise manner. Why do you still bother in clarifying the obvious to people with a preconceived idea and unwilling to change their minds?

Hambini's video, at least the first 2/3, is hilarious; if it were fiction. Towards the end, inevitably, he starts running out of adjectives.

The video is illustrative and useful; but not fiction and unnecessarily cruel - precisely because of the major f*ck up. Amusing his comments on "you know what I think about journalists....". Imagine that comment made over a different group of individuals.

[Singular]

Well, that's the point - for the good and bad for it. Hambini's an engineer, looking into the materials and manufacturing for the sake of it. Neil Webb is/was a journo, defining what is/was a great bike on how it rode/handled/felt/looked. For what it's worth, I'm pretty deep in the latter camp (and I've written quite a few words for payment, so my bias might weigh heavily...). Most likely, Webb and the others had an assumption that their contract manufacturer would do their part in the making of the Palace 3 and that it would fulfill at least fulfill basic safety and quality standards. As a bike, it was and is great, offering a stellar ride - but unfortunately, both the manufacturing and (as I have mentioned above) the QC was nothing but shite. The Bowman crew is not without fault in this, but I'm not sure that it was the cynic conspiracy of selling knowingly subpar goods that some posters claim.

It was a good ride, and I did very much enjoy it. It's too bad that the company is not around to rectify it, because I'd happily let them.

[nekokatsu]

Can't even imagine the possibility of THAT being a pre-virus/pre-pandemic frame...

So many good reviews, happy owners over the years..

[StiffWeenies]

The vast majority of the blame should be proportioned on Webb. No excuses.

[robertbb]

Ok. Hambini is a stand up guy. His intentions are pure and his methods are first class. When he woke that morning his only concern was for the safety or Bowman owners. He left no stone unturned in finding and warning the owners of Bowman frames about the potential issues in their bikes. He has tirelessly and repeatedly campaigned for better products using his knowledge as an aerospace engineer to help and educate the industry.

He's a really wonderful chap and I subscribe and like all his videos.

In psychology, this is called "splitting" and it's when someone responds to situations or people as either good or bad, idealised or devalued. It's an emotional coping mechanism.

First he's "all bad" and then when you're challenged on that, you (sarcastically) respond that if he isn't "all bad" he must therefore be "all good".

Congratulations, based on the above and on other posts in different threads, I've saved you months (or even years) of hard work with a therapist. Cluster B, borderline personality. You're welcome.