Re: [CR]Avocet Question + history lesson?

(Example: Bike Shops)

From: "J.Dunn" <bikehunter@icehouse.net>
To: <Bill_Bryant@prodigy.net>, "feldman" <feldmanbike@yahoo.com>
Cc: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <200201260941.g0Q9ffj91774@winery.garlic.com> <4.2.2.20020126164245.00c321b0@ftp.hubbub.com> <000b01c1a6b5$5fc32340$17bbe10c@attbi.com> <3C5337E9.D6DA2F6A@prodigy.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Avocet Question + history lesson?
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 20:18:26 -0900


"Funny, there have been some reliability issues with various Avocet cyclometers over the years (and especially in the first version, hence the lengthy delivery delays), but I ended up with two of that first batch and they worked fine for many years. Am still using one on my "beater". From a first-run production, no problems! Go figure...."

Bill Bryant still raining in Santa Cruz, CA

FWIW, I still have my first computer, an Avocet 30. and for around 15 years it has been the simplest, most reliable of any I've used (probably 5 others of different types and brands). I've called them over the years with complaints about lost parts and instruction manuals and I always received a replacement in the mail in less than a week. My 2 cents

John Dunn in Boise, who has recently thrown all computers in a drawer, as their batteries wore out, because they supply information I no longer require.


----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Bryant
To: feldman
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 2:13 PM
Subject: Re: [CR]Avocet Question + history lesson?



> Well, sort of...
> I was working as mechanic for Greg LeMond's winter training camps here in the
> States in the early '80s, and we did indeed get some Avocet cyclometers about
> the time they were (prematurely) announced to the public in full-page ads in
> Bicycling, Winning, and other mags of the era. But actual delivery to stores
> was indeed quite another thing as you write, David--and perhaps that is the
> reality we need to concern ourselves with here. An R&D idea isn't really an
> actual product until the first one is ~sold~, not advertised or put on a some
> guy's bike as part of an endorsement deal. BTW, I also helped install his first
> pair of Look pedals/cleats too; that was pretty weird stuff for a traditional
> "toe-clip guy" like me. When I asked Greg about whether or not he liked going
> clipless, he replied he got $1.50 for every pair of Looks sold in the US as
> part of his deal, so he liked 'em just fine! ;-)
>
> Funny, there have been some reliability issues with various Avocet cyclometers
> over the years (and especially in the first version, hence the lengthy delivery
> delays), but I ended up with two of that first batch and they worked fine for
> many years. Am still using one on my "beater". From a first-run production, no
> problems! Go figure....
>
> Bill Bryant
> still raining in Santa Cruz, CA
>
>
>
> feldman wrote:
>
> > Avocet holds the "vaporware" record for the bike business with that
> > computer--they advertised the original one for two solid years before it
> > actually existed.
> >
> > David Feldman