A Word about Tracksmith

The parody site to tracksmith is pretty funny.

http://running.teamjva.com/

DenaliLama wrote:

The parody site to tracksmith is pretty funny.

http://running.teamjva.com/

you fool! thou shalt not link to that banned website!

Because making ridiculously overpriced products for the sake of fashion is total BS and does not help advance the sport in any way.

The parody site hits the nail on the head. It isn't about more choices. It's about taking advantage of rich people and hoping you make a lot of money.

That business model will never make running more popular. It will never help out the sport. And they certainly don't provide more choice in the market because most people can't afford such dumb products. They aren't looking to compete with Nike or anyone else. They're just trying to take advantage of a few idiots who will spend a lot of money for potentially inferior products. Like a $65 cotton t-shirt with one word on it.

I'm all for new companies and competition, but companies like this will never make a dent in the Nike, Brooks, Saucony, Adidas, Asics, etc. Bottom line.

They opened like a week ago. They are sold out.

Of course, you probably know better.

OP asked why people on here generally didn't like the site. I answered.

Far better to spend your $$ on some ugy a$$ tattoos and hepatitis c treatment.

herr schiklgruber wrote:

Far better to spend your $$ on some ugy a$$ tattoos and hepatitis c treatment.

Or on food. Yeah, I'll do that.

I agree with everything you said except that the site does come off as more belonging to the cycling or tri culture. Take that for what its worth.

Crazedseepies wrote:

OP asked why people on here generally didn't like the site. I answered.

OP didn't ask you anything. OP made a statement. I agree with his statement. Just because you cannot afford the clothing doesn't mean it's a bad business decision.

I don't think that Crazedseepies said that it was a bad business decision - I think what he/she was taking issue with was the OP's (absurd) claim that criticizing Tracksmith is empowering Nike's stronghold on track and field by removing competitors.

OP Here.

I think I failed to articulate my point clearly.

I kind of feel the same way as Crazedseepies, but I think the company is doing a good thing in widening the market and opening up a new niche. It is definitely more like cycling, but I am not sure that is a bad idea.

Personally, I am more of an old shirt, old shorts and shoes guy.

Just to clarify further... I am not trying to claim that criticizing Tracksmith is going to empower Nike, per se. I am trying to say that it feels like we are creating a barrier of entry for all of the new brands. I think that when we do that, it does give the strongholds more power.

I guess my point is that we should be more open to new brands. Hell, if we don't like it, we don't buy it and they go under. I don't like the vilifying that goes on. I just feel like a lot of these companies get a ton of shit from us and I am not sure I like it.

It's not only Tracksmith. I saw it when Fam had his company and obviously with LuLu and Oiselle.

I wish we had a company that would make simple, high-quality running stuff for a decent price. Shorts for $25. Shirts for $25. Shoes for $50. Good stuff without the gimmicks. Pipe Dream? Maybe it is, but it would be cool for someone to try. Maybe it could have a cool 70s vibe mirroring the road racers of the time.

There seems to be a hostile tone here. I am not trying to be a dick or call anyone out. I was just saying that I think we would all be better off with a wider market.

Obstinate wrote:

If you do not like Tracksmith, don't buy it.

Wise advice. I'm with you.

Obstinate wrote:

Why do you want to limit your choices?

I really don't care to be gouged by ANY apparel company, big or small. I'm kinda funny that way.

I'll agree with the OP - more brands more better

and some people apparently like the new shaped short - if it does sell, then all the big players will steal it and we can get it for $40 instead of $190 or whatever tracksmith is asking.

innovation is good - brings new ideas in and makes everyone better.

we, the consumers, are the winners here even if we don't individually buy tracksmith gear

Obstinate wrote:

So a company comes out with some unique products that hearken back to the glory days of New England running.

If they are all about New England running, why are their products named after a park in the Bronx?

I restored this thread.

I see there was a thread asking why this tracksmith thread and one other on tracksmith got deleted.

I haven't contacted all of our moderators to find out why, but most likely it is because there already is a lengthy thread on tracksmith. We don't need a ton of them.

Some speculated it was because we wouldn't want negativity about potential advertisers.

That isn't the case. If that were the case we wouldn't allow negativity on any shoe companies. If anything I don't see the thread as a negative for tracksmith. It is free publicity. It is getting their name out.

A moderator would be more likely to take the thread down for the free publicity reasons because the point of the boards is not to create free publicity for brands. If they thought a brand was behind a thread trying to create "controversy" in the name of publicity they might take it down.

To that point, when I heard about the tracksmith parody site yesterday my first thought was, "I wonder if they started that themselves." Likely they didn't but I think it's not a bad thing for their brand. It gets their name out there.

I don't know why it was removed, but am restoring it to stop any conspiracy theories.

Full disclosure: Matt Taylor, the CEO of tracksmith, is a good friend and college teammate.

You make a good point but miss the obvious necessary steps of the solution. These small companies will never have much leeway/clout against a multinational corporation which has pulled strings in corporate news media, government, etc. But people are afraid to bite the hand that feeds them, I guess. Which is why shoe company athletes will always maintain willful ignorance about the injustices committed by their patrons... while spouting Jesus jargon and having their cake and eating it.

Thank you, Wejo. I definitely have a lot of fun on LRC and do my fair share of trolling, but this was a real thread that I started b/c I have been thinking a lot about it over the past 24 hours.

Back to the topic:

Think abut Under Armour. What if the football guys had said, "what a bunch of idiots. Who needs a $30 rash guard? No way." That company is rivaling Nike in many sports and is now bigger than Adidas.

Now I am not saying Tracksmith is the next Under Armour, but I would hate to see the next running brand give up before they started because they didn't think it was worth it. I am hoping one of my fellow LRC guys (or girls) has a good idea and takes the plunge to become a disruptor.

might be wejo wrote:

Obstinate wrote:

So a company comes out with some unique products that hearken back to the glory days of New England running.

If they are all about New England running, why are their products named after a park in the Bronx?

The genius copywriter at Wondersauce thought you wouldn't notice.

I agree with the OP on most of what was written except for what seems to be the main premise.

Agree:

1) More brands is better for runners. Good on these guys for giving it a go.

2) Not really what I personally am looking for in apparel. That's okay.

3) So far, their approach seems to have been relatively successful.

Disagree:

1) Complaints on Letsrun about why we don't like X brand is creating a barrier to entry. I don't agree with this sentiment. Any entrepreneur worth a damn is not going to base his/her decision on whether or not to start a company based on people complaining/lauding other brands on Letsrun. They are making decisions based on a myriad of factors yet that is not one of them. The LRC crowd is it's own niche and have the right to voice their opinion on what they are looking for in running apparel and someone can try to decipher that feedback and attempt to meet those demands or go in another direction. They are looking more at what customers are saying with their money, not their anonymous keyboards.

To be so bent out of shape about the criticisms of Oiselle/Tracksmith seems silly to me. The legitimate criticisms are attempts by runners to have something more targeted towards them, and the baseless flaming is not going to be a deterrent to anyone with business acumen. I don't think Under Armour was stymied by people b!tching about their product on messageboards.