In a message dated 10/1/2003 12:19:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time, CYDYN@aol.com writes:
<< ax about a year, then had the opportunity to head Trek's growing bike building. I remember looking at the Alenax machines at the Long Beach show >>
Whoever was behind Alenax, they had tons of venture capital to play with.
I recall maybe at least three years worth of very extravagant promotions at bike shows before the first production bike was available. I remember at one of the last NYC shows, they had a huge center aisle space with many beautiful women (models) posing on rotating platforms, and giant transparency photo panels showing Alenax bikes revolutionizing the world of cycling. Road Alenax, mountain Alenax, commuting Alenax. At that time, they also hired a top group of bike industry management people away from other companies & all were paid very well indeed (Tim Isaac included.)
Yet year after year, no product to sell.
When bikes finally were being produced, it was almost an anticlimax. The bikes were made in Taiwan (few companies were doing that yet, Japan was the quality supplier then) and of indifferent quality. Plus the Transbar drive gimmick was quick to wear thin in real use. Few were sold and the Alenax company went down like a stone.
I DID hear that a dealer in northern Virginia is sitting on a huge pile of these. Dubious distinction. All are lower priced model, mountain bike configuration.
Collectibilty? I think everyone needs one of these on display with their Facet BioCam, Houdaille PowerCam, Rise-In-Go, Auto-bike and whatever other eccentric drive bikes have emerged (and disappeared!)
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 336-274-5959 fax 336-274-6360 <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com./main.htm">ClassicRendezvous.com</A>