In the custom bicycle business, KGS Bikes plays by different rules than the rest of the industry. Educating consumers so they can make objective decisions about the right bicycle to buy or whether their current bike is right or wrong for them is remarkably difficult. It seems that people aren’t really very good at listening and the bias that the big brands exert can cause one to make a much different choice than if they just had to assess the facts.
An article in the British Medical Journal explains how we do in fact have cognitive bias. Whether it is a discussion about the Democrats vs the Republicans, or one between a Cervelo and a custom KGS Bicycle, the way the facts will be interpreted are heavily biased towards one’s preferences prior to seeing those facts.
No wonder the owners of bicycles with huge brand loyalty such as Cervelo and Pinarello almost never choose a custom bike. I have found that many of these riders in fact feel that the discomfort of riding one of these machines increases their allure. It is as if one has to measure up to be a (fill in blank here) owner.
At the end of the day, it is comforting to see why people do the things we do. I am even more impressed that despite this David and Goliath relationship KGS Bikes has with the industry, the people who are willing to try are overwhelmingly happy that they chose to try a custom bicycle designed at the level we do. Thanks to all of you who have given us a chance to make you a better rider.
