COVID has increased price of carbon road bikes
#1
6-4 Titanium
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 330
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 36 Times
in
31 Posts
COVID has increased price of carbon road bikes
I am seeing a general price increase in road bikes, from entry level aluminum, to pro level carbon, to master class titanium road bikes. Essentially, prices have increased across the board and they are becoming more ridiculous with the heightened demand, as gyms remain closed. A carbon synapse road bike with full ultegra just a year ago you could find on a closeout sale for $1500. Fast forward to today and you are easily spending $3700 plus tax at the same LBS. Road bikes in general have become more expensive year after year. And I would say most carbon road bikes are quite overpriced. Aero road carbon bikes, have become the most recent trend offering miniscule performance over a standard carbon road bike with the same geometry.
Likes For Greiselman:
#3
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,922
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4495 Post(s)
Liked 4,177 Times
in
2,797 Posts
Yes prices are increasing as costs are increasing as well. This is a different world and some normal shipping channels are down, getting everything is harder (except the 'rona that you can get easily) so things have got to change.
Yes a closeout bike is going to be a lot cheaper than a new bike not on sale that is always the case the pandemic hasn't changed that. Also the price of gas is different than it was in 1949 as well as a loaf of bread. Prices don't generally stay the same as things go up in price as time moves on as inflation changes and all of that. Certainly the pandemic has maybe elevated things a bit more but not for all bikes.
Yes a closeout bike is going to be a lot cheaper than a new bike not on sale that is always the case the pandemic hasn't changed that. Also the price of gas is different than it was in 1949 as well as a loaf of bread. Prices don't generally stay the same as things go up in price as time moves on as inflation changes and all of that. Certainly the pandemic has maybe elevated things a bit more but not for all bikes.
Likes For veganbikes:
#4
Newbie
Look at Lumber if you want to see price increase, ouch
Likes For HenryK:
#5
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,734
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11067 Post(s)
Liked 7,634 Times
in
4,256 Posts
Your quote is basically comparing a heavily discounted season ending bike during a time of low demand to a preseason/inseason bike during a time of higher demand.
Thats a pretty bad comparison.
Many of the major brands have announced over the last few months that prices would increase due to coats increasing. Labor costs, materials costs, transportation costs, etc.
Likes For mstateglfr:
#6
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
Propane went up 70% due to its use to heat outdoor dining areas.
#7
Zoom zoom zoom zoom bonk
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 4,636
Bikes: Giant Defy, Trek 1.7c, BMC GF02, Fuji Tahoe, Scott Sub 35, Kona Rove, Trek Verve+2
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Liked 729 Times
in
370 Posts
I need titanium to be master class level?
#8
Advocatus Diaboli
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,698
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4795 Post(s)
Liked 1,547 Times
in
1,014 Posts
A closeout sale ultegra carbon synapse for $1500 would have been a steal and is a distant exception on the pricing spectrum.
Your quote is basically comparing a heavily discounted season ending bike during a time of low demand to a preseason/inseason bike during a time of higher demand.
Thats a pretty bad comparison.
.
Your quote is basically comparing a heavily discounted season ending bike during a time of low demand to a preseason/inseason bike during a time of higher demand.
Thats a pretty bad comparison.
.
#9
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,734
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11067 Post(s)
Liked 7,634 Times
in
4,256 Posts
I am seeing a general price increase in road bikes, from entry level aluminum, to pro level carbon, to master class titanium road bikes. Essentially, prices have increased across the board and they are becoming more ridiculous with the heightened demand, as gyms remain closed.
Road bikes in general have become more expensive year after year. And I would say most carbon road bikes are quite overpriced.
Road bikes in general have become more expensive year after year. And I would say most carbon road bikes are quite overpriced.
Likes For noodle soup:
#11
FLIR Kitten to 0.05C
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 5,331
Bikes: Roadie: Seven Axiom Race Ti w/Chorus 11s. CX/Adventure: Carver Gravel Grinder w/ Di2
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2349 Post(s)
Liked 406 Times
in
254 Posts
Prices have been rising for years and years. Even without demand; and they never go down. During the gas price hikes last decade where there weren't even fuel shortages, retail prices practically doubled. When fuel prices returned to their 'normal' values, guess what? Old Normal retail prices never resumed.
Last edited by Marcus_Ti; 02-19-21 at 08:12 AM.
#12
Expired Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,865
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3787 Post(s)
Liked 5,780 Times
in
2,916 Posts
Price of toilet paper went up about March of last year....
Likes For shelbyfv:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,520
Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo
Mentioned: 354 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20810 Post(s)
Liked 9,456 Times
in
4,672 Posts
The OP is a thinly veiled excuse to shake a fist and tell the kids (on their carbon bikes) to get off his lawn.
Likes For WhyFi:
#14
VFL For Life
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 51,535
Bikes: Velo Volmobile
Mentioned: 781 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28889 Post(s)
Liked 1,913 Times
in
1,353 Posts
Likes For Velo Vol:
#15
Senior Member
#16
Senior Member
Your quote is basically comparing a heavily discounted season ending bike during a time of low demand to a preseason/inseason bike during a time of higher demand.
Thats a pretty bad comparison.
Thats a pretty bad comparison.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,520
Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo
Mentioned: 354 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20810 Post(s)
Liked 9,456 Times
in
4,672 Posts
Likes For WhyFi:
#18
Senior Member
#19
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,734
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11067 Post(s)
Liked 7,634 Times
in
4,256 Posts
I pretty much buy everything on sale, so for me, discounts are a baseline. Winter 2020 has finally going to be the time I was going to get a second bike, so not only cannot I not find a bike, but to go from discount to increased price is shocking. My current bike was 54% off at Competitive Cyclist.
Discounted bikes and frames at the same place you bought your current bike from.
#20
Senior Member
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/c...t.html?fl=true
Discounted bikes and frames at the same place you bought your current bike from.
Discounted bikes and frames at the same place you bought your current bike from.
#21
Senior Member
I never buy a complete bike. I buy frames and build them up with the parts I want. My latest Cinelli superstars would cost about $4300 each with force axs disc and Fulcrum racing 3 wheels and high level post,bars and saddle. The $1700 MSRP frames cost $1030 each, with free shipping and no sales tax. 2021 frames are just over $2000.
Last edited by DaveSSS; 02-28-21 at 11:11 AM.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Hollister, CA (not the surf town)
Posts: 1,753
Bikes: 2019 Specialized Roubaix Comp Di2, 2009 Roubaix, early 90's Giant Iguana
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 648 Post(s)
Liked 1,576 Times
in
564 Posts
People seem to forget that products are generally not priced based on their cost to produce. They are priced based on what the market will pay. This is why we have marketing as a profession; to understand what the customer wants (and will pay a lot for) and to drive what the customer wants. If we priced things based on costs, a can of Red Bull would probably cost 10 cents.
The pandemic is fueling a demand for a lot of things that people can enjoy while staying safe and not breaking any rules. Bikes, RV's, classic cars, backyard recreation projects, etc.
At some point the pandemic related demand will subside and the year-end deals and sales will return.
The pandemic is fueling a demand for a lot of things that people can enjoy while staying safe and not breaking any rules. Bikes, RV's, classic cars, backyard recreation projects, etc.
At some point the pandemic related demand will subside and the year-end deals and sales will return.
#23
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Looney Tunes, IL
Posts: 7,398
Bikes: Wabi Special FG, Raleigh Roper, Nashbar AL-1, Miyata One Hundred, '70 Schwinn Lemonator and More!!
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1549 Post(s)
Liked 942 Times
in
504 Posts
COVID has increased price of carbon road bikes
Thanks for the update, I still don't want one.
Likes For AlmostTrick:
#24
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,734
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11067 Post(s)
Liked 7,634 Times
in
4,256 Posts
It is unfortunate that you are unable to find the bike you want in the size you want for the price you want.