mentor interview-Matt Giaraffa
DP: How did you come up with the design for the Megatrail (GG's newest bike model)
MG: After we launched the GG/DH (Their first bike model), we were only riding downhill for a while to promote it, to spread the word locally. After we started considering our next move, which was going to be a high alpine/trail bike, we rented some high end bikes of the same category and went out and tested them. What we found was that the bikes we rode compromised too much in one area to excel in another. For example, some bikes climbed really well and were agile, but were too unstable going downhill at speed, while others were sluggish on the climbs but smooth and stable on the descents. What we wanted for the Megatrail was a bike that any rider could take on any ride and not wish for a different bike. After about three months of grappling with this idea of making one bike for any trail, I came up with Trail and Gravity modes. Basically Trail mode is good for slower, tighter, smoother trails or trails with lots of climbing. Gravity mode is more suited to trails that are faster, steeper, and rougher, or trails that are predominately downhill. Trail mode has a steeper head/seat angle and a higher bottom bracket, and a stiffer leverage curve. Gravity mode slackens the bike out and lowers the bottom bracket a half inch, which makes it more suited to riding downhill, and the leverage curve is tuned for more traction. All this can be changed in about 30 seconds with just one Allen wrench.
DP: How did you learn about the developmental steps of a product?
MG: I was part of my college's Formula SAE team, which is basically a program where students design and create a miniature formula one car to race against other colleges. That basically made all of this possible, because I learned so much about suspension design, welding, materials and their applications, and in general the whole design process during my time there.
DP: What has been a challenge of starting your own small business?
MG: Finding a good location has been a huge challenge. We started out in a garage, with three weld fixtures, and eventually we got the volume of orders to necessitate a move into a real facility. It needed to be inexpensive, centrally located in the Denver area, and have enough space for a storefront and a workshop. This location here (GG is currently located very near the I-70/I-25 intersection, which makes it easily accessible to the whole Denver area) is pretty ideal, but unfortunately the landowner has decided to develop this parcel of land, so we are being forced to move again.
DP: How do you differentiate GG from other bicycle companies?
MG: From the start, we have been branding GG as a company by riders, for riders, and have made it clear that we are more about enriching the cycling community than selling huge volumes of bikes. Even now, when we are in our infancy as a company, we have partnered with multiple trail organizations to fund more trails and give their members discounts on bikes. Additionally, we try to get more youth into the sport by offering them reduced pricing whenever we can. Another thing we do is be loyal to our customers. If a GG rider breaks a shock, we will loan them one until theirs is warrantied, and we offer them discounts on subsequent purchases from us. As a whole, we just want to help the gravity biking community grow, and I think that is what sets us apart from other bicycle manufacturers.
MG: After we launched the GG/DH (Their first bike model), we were only riding downhill for a while to promote it, to spread the word locally. After we started considering our next move, which was going to be a high alpine/trail bike, we rented some high end bikes of the same category and went out and tested them. What we found was that the bikes we rode compromised too much in one area to excel in another. For example, some bikes climbed really well and were agile, but were too unstable going downhill at speed, while others were sluggish on the climbs but smooth and stable on the descents. What we wanted for the Megatrail was a bike that any rider could take on any ride and not wish for a different bike. After about three months of grappling with this idea of making one bike for any trail, I came up with Trail and Gravity modes. Basically Trail mode is good for slower, tighter, smoother trails or trails with lots of climbing. Gravity mode is more suited to trails that are faster, steeper, and rougher, or trails that are predominately downhill. Trail mode has a steeper head/seat angle and a higher bottom bracket, and a stiffer leverage curve. Gravity mode slackens the bike out and lowers the bottom bracket a half inch, which makes it more suited to riding downhill, and the leverage curve is tuned for more traction. All this can be changed in about 30 seconds with just one Allen wrench.
DP: How did you learn about the developmental steps of a product?
MG: I was part of my college's Formula SAE team, which is basically a program where students design and create a miniature formula one car to race against other colleges. That basically made all of this possible, because I learned so much about suspension design, welding, materials and their applications, and in general the whole design process during my time there.
DP: What has been a challenge of starting your own small business?
MG: Finding a good location has been a huge challenge. We started out in a garage, with three weld fixtures, and eventually we got the volume of orders to necessitate a move into a real facility. It needed to be inexpensive, centrally located in the Denver area, and have enough space for a storefront and a workshop. This location here (GG is currently located very near the I-70/I-25 intersection, which makes it easily accessible to the whole Denver area) is pretty ideal, but unfortunately the landowner has decided to develop this parcel of land, so we are being forced to move again.
DP: How do you differentiate GG from other bicycle companies?
MG: From the start, we have been branding GG as a company by riders, for riders, and have made it clear that we are more about enriching the cycling community than selling huge volumes of bikes. Even now, when we are in our infancy as a company, we have partnered with multiple trail organizations to fund more trails and give their members discounts on bikes. Additionally, we try to get more youth into the sport by offering them reduced pricing whenever we can. Another thing we do is be loyal to our customers. If a GG rider breaks a shock, we will loan them one until theirs is warrantied, and we offer them discounts on subsequent purchases from us. As a whole, we just want to help the gravity biking community grow, and I think that is what sets us apart from other bicycle manufacturers.