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A bike company in Walnut Creek set prices based on customer's race.


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2020 Oct 6, 12:58pm   873 views  23 comments

by Eric Holder   ➕follow (5)   💰tip   ignore  

As companies grapple with their roles in contributing to racial equality and inequality, diversity and inclusion programs have taken on more importance in the corporate world.

But in retail, one well-regarded bicycle brand led by an industry legend is innovating a more direct approach to address racial inequality: reparations in the form of a 45% discount for Black customers.

Rivendell Bicycle Works, based in Walnut Creek, Calif., is offering the discount not because they are “a nice thing to do, but because they’re owed,” Grant Petersen, Rivendell’s president and founder, wrote in a post explaining the new policy.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/a-bike-company-offers-black-customers-reparations-in-the-form-of-a-discount-192612058.html

Comments 1 - 23 of 23        Search these comments

1   Eric Holder   2020 Oct 6, 12:59pm  

Would they give "race discount" to Rachel Dolezhal?
2   WookieMan   2020 Oct 6, 1:03pm  

Eric Holder says
Rivendell Bicycle Works, based in Walnut Creek, Calif., is offering the discount not because they are “a nice thing to do, but because they’re owed,” Grant Petersen, Rivendell’s president and founder, wrote in a post explaining the new policy.

1,000% illegal. Have fun with that lawsuit Gandolf.
3   Ceffer   2020 Oct 6, 1:07pm  

Better 55 percent than stolen outright.
4   Tenpoundbass   2020 Oct 6, 1:20pm  

I don't see what the hub bub is, black people have been getting free bicycles for years.
5   Eric Holder   2020 Oct 6, 1:25pm  

Tenpoundbass says
I don't see what the hub bub is, black people have been getting free bicycles for years.


So it's even worse: they are being overcharged!
6   joshuatrio   2020 Oct 6, 1:32pm  

Those are pretty shitty looking overpriced bikes on their website.

https://www.rivbike.com/collections/framesets
7   clambo   2020 Oct 6, 2:07pm  

Who ever saw a guy in Walnut Creek who couldn’t afford a bicycle?
Further, ever see a black guy in Walnut Creek riding a bicycle?
It would be funny if a bunch of kids from Oakland rode BART out there to buy a bike.

Oops, but wait! The cheapest bike in the store is probably $2000.
8   richwicks   2020 Oct 6, 3:03pm  

clambo says
Oops, but wait! The cheapest bike in the store is probably $2000.


The bikes are over-priced yuppie/hipster bikes. They are steel frame - something I'd expect to get in the 1980's - maybe even in the 1970s.
10   RC2006   2020 Oct 6, 4:31pm  

Even with dark discount its still overpriced, they know no black person is buying anything they are selling
11   HeadSet   2020 Oct 6, 5:05pm  

richwicks says
clambo says
Oops, but wait! The cheapest bike in the store is probably $2000.


The bikes are over-priced yuppie/hipster bikes. They are steel frame - something I'd expect to get in the 1980's - maybe even in the 1970s.


Steel frame? That is a Walmart low end bike. Even Walmart has some aluminum frame bikes.
12   mell   2020 Oct 6, 5:09pm  

They're actually preying on blacks and hipster doofus white leftoids by selliing 200% or more marked up inferior shit.
13   mostly reader   2020 Oct 6, 5:10pm  

richwicks says
The bikes are over-priced yuppie/hipster bikes. They are steel frame - something I'd expect to get in the 1980's - maybe even in the 1970s.


There's steel and then there's steel. Good modern stainless steel frame may be superior to titanium (in some regards) and to carbon fiber (in some other regards). Lightweight, reliable, nimble, and highly reparable. Don't know about those guys though, overpriced + catering to to yuppie/hipster crowd is not a good sign for a bike shop. This may be Walmart quality with hipster angle.

I personally don't see a problem. Just being consistent: businesses should be able to discriminate at will, and at the end of the day money talks. If someone likes being generous - let them. As long as they are upfront about it with their non-black customers who get to subsidize the program.

However, US doesn't live by my preferred standard (think "baking cake for gay wedding" case) Which is why this also sounds highly illegal.
14   Patrick   2020 Oct 6, 6:20pm  

WookieMan says
1,000% illegal. Have fun with that lawsuit Gandolf.



Can we get the lawsuit rolling?

What is the exact law they are breaking?

Any lawyers about?
15   RWSGFY   2020 Oct 6, 7:40pm  

Patrick says


What is the exact law they are breaking?

Any lawyers about?


The Civil Rights Act of 1964 would be my non-lawyer guess.
16   MAGA   2020 Oct 7, 8:10am  

How about a discount for veterans?
17   Patrick   2020 Oct 7, 8:39am  

FuckCCP89 says
Civil Rights Act of 1964


Title II—public accommodations
Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and all other public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce


Maybe it depend on whether they have interstate commerce.
18   WookieMan   2020 Oct 7, 9:47am  

Patrick says
FuckCCP89 says
Civil Rights Act of 1964


Title II—public accommodations
Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and all other public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce


Maybe it depend on whether they have interstate commerce.

If you cannot refuse to bake a cake for gay people (which was stupid in my opinion) I'm not sure how this would be much different. You simply cannot sell a product based on skin color and change the price for that person. Even if we don't know the law, we know it's wrong. There is a law out there that prevents it, I'm just a lawyer and too lazy to look it up. There will be a lawyer that does and it may BK this bike shop trying to get free publicity.
19   rocketjoe79   2020 Oct 7, 10:02am  

I identify as Black, Bro. Please gimme my discount.
20   Eric Holder   2020 Oct 7, 11:04am  

rocketjoe79 says
I identify as Black, Bro. Please gimme my discount.


They say the proper pigmentation is required.
21   richwicks   2020 Oct 7, 1:40pm  

rocketjoe79 says
I identify as Black, Bro. Please gimme my discount.


I just briefly looked over what they are selling. You don't want to buy a bike from them, even at a 50% discount. Go buy a classic Schwinn made in the 1970's instead.
22   Patrick   2020 Oct 7, 6:48pm  

As marketing, it was probably pretty effective. Just getting people to talk about them.
23   ignoreme   2020 Oct 7, 7:33pm  

WookieMan says
If you cannot refuse to bake a cake for gay people (which was stupid in my opinion) I'm not sure how this would be much different. You simply cannot sell a product based on skin color and change the price for that person.


We’re in animal farm. Some people are just more equal.

I doubt anyone will bother suing, the shop probably doesn’t have enough money to be worth it. But if they do, it will just go to some liberal judge who will dismiss.

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