Spot the difference...

[funkylyn]

Personally David, as I have said previously....in my opinion.....the inclusion of the flag IS misleading and should be removed.

However, I think you should be justifiably proud of the fact that Surrey police have chosen to buy and use your bikes and are perfectly entitled to publicise that fact and well done you.

In my book I am all about fairness and peoples perception of that, I, and others on this forum, might not be confused about place of origin but there is no doubt at all that the general public would be.

I dont think it is a case of competitors 'having a pop' I think it is all to do with having an even playing field and not taking unfair and unjustified advantages over competitors.

That should be solely down to the quality and spec of the bikes available competing in an open market fairly.

Lynda

 

[funkylyn]

PS....there now follows a " funkylyn blackout" as I watch Lewis Hamilton hopefully steam to victory in Abu Dhabi

And please try to restrain yourself John with the " RedBull/Milton Keynes rules " remarks

Lynda

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks, Lynda.

I genuinely do listen to the voice of the forum and am prepared to make changes if I think I am wrong, although I do sound a bit sycophantic in some of my posts when I read them back..... they are not meant in that way.

The Jury is now out on the use of the flag in our logo. If the discussion had not come up on the Forum, I would have been happy to carry on using it, oblivious to the fact that I may be misleading some people. I must admit now I am now not so certain it was such a good idea and will look into the use of the flag in a lot of detail next week. I am sad though, I am very proud of the fact that we are a British company and wanted to shout it from the roof tops.

All the best

David

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Sorry Lynda, but I am very much a Lotus man!

Although I would like to see Lewis win today.

All the best

David

 

[Jimod]

David Wisper. If you're looking for opinions, mine is that I don't think there should be a union flag on your bikes if they're not made in UK somewhere. It is misleading to people, even the non gullible will assume they're made in UK. I appreciate that you would say they were made in China or soon Germany but the flag shouldn't be there.

Jim

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks Jim!

All the best

David

 

[eddieo]

David you have a whyte bike dont you? as I'm sure the first Daahub I demo'd was on a whyte bike. They use a union jack next to there name on website, as like you they are a BRITISH company....This thread has turned into a small minded and petty witchhunt and is discraceful

 

[Kudoscycles]

I absolutely agree Lynda, it is easy to get upset especially when under fire! It is sometimes difficult not to start firing off nasty posts but I think that in general people here are trying to help despite the occasional barbed comment.

I have been a participant of the forum for years and the advice I have received from discussions such as this have been invaluable to the way Wisper and our bikes have developed. I have often changed and upgraded components etc. after reading comments made by people on this forum, although it has made our bikes a little more expensive! As I have said many times before, I am very grateful and am sure we would not be doing so well without Pedelec members' input, so I for one am delighted that topics discussed here range far and wide. As a small business, Pedelecs is invaluable, almost like having a large group of consultants, steering and shaping the business.

Whether people believe it or not, the flag was included in our logo for the reasons already stated, and the country of origin of our bikes has never been hidden or in question. I suppose that because I spend so many hours every week communicating with our manufactures in China, now in Germany, I have never thought that the flag on our frame was misleading in any way. I am so involved on a daily basis with the manufactures in the countries where Wisper bikes are actually made, maybe I am not seeing the wood for the trees here!

The inclusion of the photograph of the Police in Surrey on their fleet of 20 Wispers (recently made up to 25) was also very innocent and not meant to imply Wisper bikes are made in Britain. It was included to show that Wisper bikes were chosen by another UK police force. The implication was that a buyer like the Police would take a lot of time researching the market and trialing a short list of bikes, despite the price of the Wispers, the police, who are under a lot of pressure to reduce costs, chose the bike that they felt offered the best value for money including back up and support. Nothing more sinister than that.

I still cant make up my mind if people on the forum are genuinely confused or this is more about competitors having a pop. However, if by including the Union Flag in our logo we are either braking the law or genuinely misleading the more gullible, we will as Dave suggests immediately remove it.

All the best,

David

The image below shows are most recent exhibition stand, the image is small but under the Wisper Logo (with flag) is the strap line Made in Germany.

David,nothing wrong with the british police photo-I think that most people would consider that bikes used all day long by the police are reliable machines. Maybe one day one of us will assemble(not just bolting the handlebars on!)bikes back in the UK and can honestly use that Union Jack.
I accept that you used the flag in all innocence and respect your decision to eliminate it-I am sure you underestimated the depth of feeling over use of that symbol.
Lets get back to watching the grand prix.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[RobF]

David,

My position on this is clear, but I think it's far from clear you are breaking the law.

Reluctant as I am to see rich lawyers further enriched, I think you first need to establish the legality or otherwise of your use of the Union Flag.

I would hope a commercial lawyer wouldn't charge more than a few hundred to produce an advice.

You can then make an informed decision.

Cynically, I doubt your use of the flag does you any harm in the marketplace and probably does some good.

The competition - Kudos and Woosh - appear genuinely miffed by its use, but business is business and it may be they will just have to like it or lump it.

On t'other hand, it's always best to have cordial, if distant, relations with the competition because you never know when you might need a favour.

And you did float the prospect of a joint venture with Kudos.

Decisions, decisions....

 

[flecc]

I am sad though, I am very proud of the fact that we are a British company and wanted to shout it from the roof tops.

All the best

David

Try this David, the English flag of St George incorporating the German and Chinese flags. Let's see the critics make something of that!

 

[Jimod]

Try this David, the English flag of St George incorporating the German and Chinese flags. Let's see the critics make something of that!

So, those of us in Scotland are to be left out now????????????????

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Love it, Flecc!

Yes Jim, being a Scot too my partner Douglas would be really miffed!

All the best

David

 

[Jimod]

Love it, Flecc!

Yes Jim, being a Scot too my partner Douglas would be really miffed!

All the best

David

You've got a Scottish partner? Why didn't you say? Of course I'll buy a Wisper bike now.

Fickle? me? noooooo.

 

[flecc]

So, those of us in Scotland are to be left out now????????????????

That doubly amused me for I'd originally considered posting just the unedited flag of St George with the comment that the other British nations would demand to know why they'd been left out!

 

[Jimod]

That doubly amused me for I'd originally considered posting just the unedited flag of St George with the comment that the other British nations would demand to know why they'd been left out!

Well you know us Scots, if there's a fight we're there. We don't need to know the people or the reason, we'll still be there. Of course we'll all go for a pint when it's over.

 

[jazper53]

I understand Scotland will be voting for Independence soon, so the flag will be more than acceptable, but you may need to include welsh, and N.irish, or maybe England should have a referendum as well, and become independent from uk, and europe as well, so yes I think the flag will do.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

David,nothing wrong with the british police photo-I think that most people would consider that bikes used all day long by the police are reliable machines. Maybe one day one of us will assemble(not just bolting the handlebars on!)bikes back in the UK and can honestly use that Union Jack.
I accept that you used the flag in all innocence and respect your decision to eliminate it-I am sure you underestimated the depth of feeling over use of that symbol.
Lets get back to watching the grand prix.
Dave
Kudoscycles

Thanks Dave,

As I am watching it on the BBC it has only just started so please don't give anything away!

Thanks for your kind comments regarding the Police, the bikes have been very successful and as you say reliable. This is only one of many police forces that we are working with. I must say though that this particular order was won buy the dealer who were the most local to the buying office at the time the bikes were ordered.

If you are about on Monday, it would be good to have a chat, would you PM me with the best number for you?

To confirm our position regarding the use of the flag, we have not made a decision yet as I need to talk to my business partner and take some legal advice. But we will certainly look into the subject in a lot more detail, taking all the comments here into account.

All the best

David

 

[funkylyn]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO




(shut UP John lol )

Lynda

 

[flecc]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

(shut UP John lol )

Lynda

Yup, the luck just isn't with him.

 

[eddieo]

just picked up pack of batteries with union jack on label (made in Europe they claim) so that is 2 examples I have spotted without looking this morning. Its just advertising/marketing, whatever....Not for one minute did I think these goods must be made in UK.