Ceasing production of the s30 and introducing the s40 then is not so much of a head scratcher but a proven necessary development success story . hopefully making Cruzbike as happy as it’s customers.
I will not dispute that the Silvo line has evolved and the latest iteration, the S40, is the most up to date regarding bicycle component standards and overall construction. Point conceded. However, I don't think that's altogether relevant with respect to the desire expressed for the S30.
By way of example, diamond frame bicycles have for the most part moved away from metal frames to carbon fiber frames. Arguably, this is a technological advancement. The marketing folks have made certain that carbon fiber is synonymous with "superior" and therefore all other materials are perceived as inferior. This makes a carbon fiber bike frame more desirable to consumers.
Yet, there are bike companies that have decided to produce "retro" frames and bikes today alongside their carbon offerings. For example, the
Willier Superleggera is a brand new lugged steel frame and is Willier's tribute to their past. There must have been some indication that there would be a market for a lugged steel framed bike. Of course, there are people who appreciate what this kind of bike has to offer. It's not just one thing, but the formula, the full package offers something that isn't found on modern carbon bicycles.
I believe it's that formula yielding a certain quality which people admire about the S30. It's more compliant than a V20. It's more racy than an S40. There's something distinctive about it that has a "just rightness" for some people.
So while the S40 has appeared to hit the demographic sweet spot for an all-round road bike in the Cruzbike lineup, and has become a best seller, there's still that gap. If the S30 had never existed, maybe we would never have known the gap was there. But did exist, and it has left an indelible impression on a lot of people. It's kind of like that lugged steel frame. Modern carbon bikes represent the technological pinnacle of bike design and performance, but there's still a soft spot for the qualities of that old classic. This is my argument for the S30.