I am sure current frustomer's® and people who know you and the brand just get it.
For the new ones, why not embrace what you have been doing with the Starda Bianca for such a very long time and make that part of your marketing....you have earned that right.
The Il-Mostro is an evolution of that idea which has it's place but the original is no less important.
I say, Go BIG! Use the website to tell people why you are great, why the brand is great, and why your models (nay your platforms) are amazing.
Originally Posted by hampco
I initially had some self-serving claptrap on Il Mostro page about how we started building gravel road bikes back in 2000 - fortunately a frustomer® talked me out of it. But it is a good idea and it's been around for a while.
Originally Posted by Moke
It ain't claptrap if it is a fact Jack. You guys have had gravel/white road bikes for a long time. But then again all road bikes in the day could fit bigger tires and fenders if they had mounts. So nothing really new, except the forks and disco and the modern engineering that makes the new ones ride so much better. I am just happy as a clam that more and more people are getting off the pave and exploring the wonderful backroads of the world. I am a reluctant disco fanboy, but I must admit they do stop you in a hurry. Happy Holidays
You beat me to it. Whisky Fork, Max tubes, Strada Bianca platform, 35mm tire (maybe a 32 with fenders).
Just when you thought the SB could not get any better, HampCo takes it up a notch (apologies to Emeril).
Earlier this year, Steve made me exactly that: Max tubes, Strada Bianca geometry, easily fits 33.3mm with still a bit more clearance (so I'm assuming 35mm is possible). I ordered it with both a beautifully brazed steel fork (modern Columbus SL, straight blades, sloping crown) and a Whiskey. I like the sweet ride quality of a slim, steel fork and it's what I've been riding most of the year. The Whiskey is noticeably lighter and goes on for the summer, when I try to keep up with the whippet thin, younger riders at my local cycling club.
It ain't claptrap if it is a fact Jack. You guys have had gravel/white road bikes for a long time. But then again all road bikes in the day could fit bigger tires and fenders if they had mounts. So nothing really new, except the forks and disco and the modern engineering that makes the new ones ride so much better. I am just happy as a clam that more and more people are getting off the pave and exploring the wonderful backroads of the world. I am a reluctant disco fanboy, but I must admit they do stop you in a hurry. Happy Holidays
I still love my Hampco's with 57mm brakes. The aforementioned MAX SB I got this year, I asked Steve for TRP 57mm rather than discs.
But I'm in line with you regarding being a "reluctant disco fanboy". I have a cheap, 30 lbs fully built up Surly (heavy racks, heavy wheels, fenders, etc) for the city. Most of the parts on it are hand-me-downs from friends, except I splurged for high quality Hylex hydro discs, since this is my all-weather, city commuter. For sure, those discs work superbly.
Just a little more gushing here then I'll shut up. I have a good number of pals and customers - and I try not to draw a line between the two - who are/have been generous with their thoughts and comments on the bikes, the website, my writing, etc. And it's greatly appreciated, so I'm simply saying thank you and I listen and make changes when they fit. Based on some back-and-forth lately, today brings us:
In attempting to focus the disc model by eliminating references to other models (we know who they are) and some other housekeeping:
Il Mostro versions (losing the word Strada helped):
Tranquillo - People understand the word and it’s a bit of an in-joke for me: when Italian pros get busted for taking drugs they always say they’re “tranquillo” - calm in regards to the accusations. But it should imply a smooth road.
Sterrato - means a dirt or gravel road, I used the phrase for a short-lived model years ago
Brutta - ugly!
Travelissimo is gone and we have coupler options on two welded models and the lugged models. Couplers used to be a huge part of our business here but much less so in the past few years. I suspect it’s more difficult to travel with a bike and rentals have gotten better and are more prevalent.
There was some other random tweaking and I'll be looking at some of the more text-intensive pages shortly. Thanks!
Steve Hampsten www.hampsten.blogspot.com
“Maybe chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. At some point, you want your guests to leave.”
Sometimes when I sell a bike or frame to a customer we end up with a correspondence, even a friendship; other times maybe a word of thanks and little or nothing is heard again. Should I make an effort to stay in touch, to ask “How’s the bike?” - and what if there’s something they’re unhappy with only they’re too nice to tell me? This one sorta fell into the second category: a good amount (relatively speaking) of time spent with the customer, some quick initial feedback, then silence. We’re all busy, we have things to do, places to go, etc. So getting this from Ben felt like finding money in the couch first thing on a Wednesday morning.
I do want to touch on a couple of things he says - not in a defensive way, I hope - but simply because he brings up some good points and leaves the door open for me to yammer a reply.
“Slight condescension” - moi? Oh well, busted.
“Even the blog is old.” Yeah. I’m torn: I get way more feedback and feel I reach a much wider yet more targeted audience by engaging both here at V-Salon (and somewhat at Paceline) and on Facebook. With the blog I feel I throw the work out there and it just disappears into the aether, never to be read or acknowledged. But looking through that blog recently: dang, son - there’s some good shit there! Some of my best work, and it lasts, and it’s presented just as I want it to be - but there’s no feedback, none of that back-and-forth that engages the writer with the audience. So what say you, Salonists: start adding to the blog again or get with the times and focus on social media?
“I even went so far as to want to know who specifically would be welding my frame together since the internet said that HampCo’s welder [Max/333fab, ed.] had left to form his own brand.” I think at this point I had recently started working with R & E Cycles (aka Rodriguez) here in Seattle and I realize that I really haven’t talked (written) much about them in the three years (this month!) that they’ve been building my welded steel frames. In a nutshell: they’re awesome. Dan, Dan, Scott, Teresa - the whole gang - are a pleasure to work with and love bicycles, riding, and ephemera easily as much as I do. They happen to excel in areas that I don’t: tandems, commuters, tourers, small-wheeled travelers, probably unicycles if you asked, along with road bikes of all sorts. Dan and Willy (ex-Moots) can weld, braze, machine, and fabricate with the best of them - one would be hard-pressed to distinguish one of their Hampsten frames from a frame from Max or any of my previous builders - they’re that good - and Teresa’s paint rocks. R & E has been around as a business since 1973, they’ve built thousands of frames, and they pretty much fly under much of the custom-bike radar. If you get a chance you should go to their shop and chat them up. Having the fabrication and paint done well and quickly, under one roof, just a couple of miles from my house, is great and I couldn't ask for more.
“I also thought about how Pegoretti was reported to have balked as being called an artist and insisted he was, “just a blacksmith”.” No, he’s an artist.
“Beyond the obvious homage to Andy and Steve’s past the paint has also come to be a sort of reminder to the part of me that wanted a sexy name on the downtube that I should just shut up and ride the damn bike.” Good advice to all, including yours truly.
Thanks for reading.
Steve Hampsten www.hampsten.blogspot.com
“Maybe chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. At some point, you want your guests to leave.”
i used to look forward to you blog postings personally. it kinda artificially felt like it gave me an idea of who hampsten is and how you think about things. i don't think it has to the blog but your point wrt archives and being able to look back is good one. i don't really get that from fb or ig though i guess i could. i do miss it and i think it's a selling point as well for those of us who aren't local and can't just pop over for a visit . i realize it takes grey cells and worse, time so i get that.
i used to look forward to you blog postings personally. it kinda artificially felt like it gave me an idea of who hampsten is and how you think about things. i don't think it has to the blog but your point wrt archives and being able to look back is good one. i don't really get that from fb or ig though i guess i could. i do miss it and i think it's a selling point as well for those of us who aren't local and can't just pop over for a visit . i realize it takes grey cells and worse, time so i get that.
Hey- this helps! I'll see about bringing the blog back along with endless links to whatever social media I'm fixated on for the moment. Gray cells I still have and time is negotiable.
Steve Hampsten www.hampsten.blogspot.com
“Maybe chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. At some point, you want your guests to leave.”
Now this is nice: a good piece from our pals at Handbuilt Bicycle News, offering a slightly different take on my day job and putting me in some pretty darn illustrious company! I'll take it!
Steve Hampsten www.hampsten.blogspot.com
“Maybe chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. At some point, you want your guests to leave.”
Yes. I must stay there when I go up now for some of the ride events.
Btw, on the blog, perfect example.. I'm heading up to Seattle and remembered you had a rec for good Italian food. Couldn't remember if I saw that here or on your blog. Found it! Il Corvo.. looks like they only do pasta :( I'm traveling with someone who's GF. Oh well. Anyway, great example of your blog being useful.. Ok it's food related but hey, I'm food motivated.
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Re: Hampsten Cycles
Originally Posted by hampco
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