Kickstarter

midgemckay

A thread for the occasional Kickstarter projects that are bikey and look good.

For those of you who don't already know Kickstarter, it is a project funding website that allows individuals to fund projects. In their own words:

"Every project creator sets their project's funding goal and deadline. If people like the project, they can pledge money to make it happen. If the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are charged when time expires. If the project falls short, no one is charged. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing."

Some of it is bizarre, some amazing and some is just an existing product with a new colour. But there are sometimes good bikey things on it.

GoodOrdering bags - like you had as a wean. Handlebar bags, pannier bags etc.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jacquima/goodordering-bags

Bicycle Frame Handle - amazed no-one has done this already.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/walnutstudiolo/bicycle-frame-handle

euan

Its a awkward way to carry a bike up stairs is probably why.

midgemckay

Anything's better than the way I look on stairs justnow.

mechanical_vandal

Oh god, so many epic fails on that handle thing.

Dura Ace front hub on a bike with mudguards, coz DA hubs are sooo well sealed.

Dat chain.

Dat small, small chainring.

Both those hip cats are getting their clothes all oily from the drivetrain, should be on tother side of the bikes.

_MG_6725 by Walnut Studiolo, on Flickr

Looks like it'd interfere with both the front mech and anything you wanted to fit on those bottle mounts.

FlyinScot

Is that a great granny ring?

midgemckay

I'd have said that ring was for when you wanted to cycle up stairs... but they've already got that sorted with the carry handle, haha.

Brickman

I have the sugino version (super tourist?) of those cranks, they are quite nice and very £££

theres been some good stuff on Kickstarter, the mdf frame jig for one, and the full windsor ass saver (original one) were launched via that project so yeah some good stuff does come out of there.

And is that DA 10 pitch?

mechanical_vandal

Brickman said:
And is that DA 10 pitch?

It might be pretending to be.

Those chains are Nexus or something, designed for senile people who don't have no watts.

midgemckay

One that was on a while ago.

TiGr, titanium lock.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1051734209/tigr-titanium-lock-as-cool-as-your-bike

islipaway

Looks interesting. But while I don't doubt the strength of the bow, the bit on the end worries me, much easier to get with some bolt cutters. Also the fact it looks so flimsy would probably invite people to have a go if they were that way inclined. Also what sort of shackle did he compare with in the video, I'd like to see it vs a decent lock, not just generic shackle.

Joshvegas

its aweful fucking long how the fuck do you carry it?

dbasser

along your top tube I think

http://tigrlock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/user_guide1.pdf

jambo1

looks like you get wee straps for it wraps round yer head tube along yer top tube.

literallyoverthemoon

I quite like the idea. But I don't trust the clearly non-titanium end.

jambo1

Yeah as it says its made if stainless steel with a ti bow.

Donnie

jambo1

lols

islipaway

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sparse/sparse-bicycle-lights?ref=search

literallyoverthemoon

I've seen those ones; something tells me a light you can't remove isn't a great idea. Maybe for some cyclists it is.

islipaway

I like the idea, Also In our climate in winter (when you need lights on bike all the time) keeping a manky bike inside to charge the lights isn't ideal. They are a bit too designery looking for me. Would look pretty daft on most bikes, perfect on others.

islipaway

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/139160027/griprings-choose-your-length-choose-your-colors?ref=users
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2008278958/orp-smart-horn-smorn?ref=home_popular

midgemckay

Griprings look fun.

The horn - by the looks of it, it would be difficult to use the horn and still have the brakes covered. Haven't watched the video though, I could be wrong.

mashphat

Ooh, I like those. I assume they've figured out a way to stop them from sliding apart? I guess if you make a full length grip that wouldn't be an issue.

islipaway

I guess they are tight enough to not move, that would be a major oversight. I can see individual rings slipping more easily than a full grip. Probably wrap the bar in some cloth tape first for security.
I'd never buy them but they are kinda cool for someone...

mashphat

I'd buy them I think, if I had some colour theme running through my bike. Could see Ally getting some orange/black/yellow going on his polo bike :P

mechanical_vandal

islipaway said:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/139160027/griprings-choose-your-length-choose-your-colors?ref=users

Hardly innovative, flatland grips from the '90s

literallyoverthemoon

Orp; flaw #1. Those noises don't sound like anything you'd expect to be on a bike. (Sounds like a ringtone and a rape alarm). Cars recognise car horns and bike bells, why not make extra loud ones of them; people instinctively know what those mean.

mashphat

Haha, I love how people just move without looking. That's some Moses vs The Sea shit right there!

affinity

living the dream

midgemckay

Bobolink clothing: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1487204405/bobolink-cycling-apparel?ref=live

3/4 length sleeves. Simple design. I like it.

mechanical_vandal

Nice, but Bobolink has to be the worst name ever for a clothing company.

euan

Just what the world needs, another Merino wool jersey. Seriously Kickstarter is full of projects that don't really seem to be worth being on in.

This is basically one to get someone to pay to start their business for them.

midgemckay

Bobolink is definitely a terrible, terrible name.

All of Kickstarter is about getting other people to pay to start your business. But I suppose the idea of crowdfunding is that it doesn't have to make financial sense, as long as there are people who'll pay for it. For example a film about cycling - you're asking for £5,000, and 1,000 people say they'll invest £5 in return for a copy of the film. There's no real business behind it, but if a guy has fun making a cycling film, and a thousand people get a film that they enjoy, then it's all good.

There are so many that are exactly what Euan describes though - typically repeats of old projects or "been done a thousand times" ones, or just zero innovation. Or so much innovation that there's no point in investing, because there's nothing out the other end of it.

Also lots of people/businesses who seem to be using it as a way of testing the waters with new products/ideas.

euan

What it is doing is taking all the risk away from it. Passed it onto the consumer

midgemckay

I can imagine that is very, very attractive. But it does lead to some really bland ideas that bog the site down.

The other day I read one that basically said "I've taken a photograph, and I want to put it on a t-shirt. But I don't want to actually do that incase no-one wants to buy it, so give me the money justnow and then I'll put the photo on the t-shirt". They were looking for something insane like £1,000. Just stick it on the t-shirt and punt it on Etsy/Folksy. Jings.

euan

There are plenty websites that allow you to do that then give you a % of future sales. Kickstarter has jumped the shark and is just full of rubbish now. The genuinely great projects suffer because of it.

midgemckay

Just read over the FAQs, you're not allowed to offer any investment opportunities on Kickstarter.

Also wondered how they make their money. Successful funding has 5% given over to Kickstarter, plus around 5% goes to Amazon fees for the money transfer.

The stats are amazing. Since 2009, there have been 80,500 projects. 40% are successfully funded. But that 40% represents over 85% of the money pledged (suggesting that you're more likely to succeed with a decent project that's looking for more money). 17 projects have successfully raised over $1m.

11% of projects receive not a penny.

£376 million have been invested in successfully funded projects. Meaning it has brought nearly £19m into the Kickstarter and Amazon fundbuckets each.

rusty

midgemckay said:
Just read over the FAQs, you're not allowed to offer any investment opportunities on Kickstarter.

That's what Seedr is for.

midgemckay

Never heard of Seedr. Will have to have a look.

midgemckay

Handlebar Minibar - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/673350631/handlebar-minibar-store-drink-and-cash-in-bicycle?ref=search

rusty

Looking back a few posts -

Kickstarter is {i}changing[/i] business. With platforms like Kickstarter, you no longer need a massive stack of cash to realise the dream you had last night. If you think this is a bad thing, you're sorely mistaken. Should the only dreams that be realised be those had by dreamers with a large amount of money in the bank? I think not.

midgemckay

Bodyfloat - http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/188418586/bodyfloattm-an-evolution-in-bicycle-comfort-and-pe?ref=search

Looks ugly, but I'd like to try it. I've been to Cirrus Cycles, nice guys. Bellingham is a great place for cycling. It's a bit like a rural version of Portland.