Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

COVID has increased price of carbon road bikes

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

COVID has increased price of carbon road bikes

Old 02-19-21, 12:01 PM
  #26  
Velo Vol 
VFL For Life
 
Velo Vol's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 51,057

Bikes: Velo Volmobile

Mentioned: 780 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28446 Post(s)
Liked 1,832 Times in 1,300 Posts
Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
Thanks for the update, I still don't want one.
Why not?
__________________
Originally Posted by Velo Vol
People here don't get it.
Velo Vol is offline  
Old 02-19-21, 02:34 PM
  #27  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,768
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,875 Times in 4,639 Posts
Originally Posted by MyTi
And I would say most carbon road bikes are quite overpriced. Aero road carbon bikes.
In the past 10 months we have seen many posts complaining that such bikes are almost impossible to find. Which suggests that they’re actually underpriced.
Koyote is offline  
Old 02-19-21, 03:30 PM
  #28  
Seattle Forrest
Senior Member
 
Seattle Forrest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times in 6,054 Posts
I really like this a lot better than not being able to find toilet paper.

Of course I already have a carbon road bike.
Seattle Forrest is offline  
Likes For Seattle Forrest:
Old 02-19-21, 03:39 PM
  #29  
aliasfox
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 625

Bikes: Lynskey R270 Disc, Bianchi Vigorelli

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 298 Post(s)
Liked 154 Times in 129 Posts
If the vaccines get distributed as they plan and no truly vaccine resistant COVID variant surfaces, I expect we’re likely to see a flood of lightly used mid-priced bikes hit the market sometime around fall of 2022. So if you’re in the market for an R7000 equipped entry level carbon or aluminum, I’d keep a tab on my local craigslist...

This is just judging from the huge numbers of new, reasonably nice bikes out on NYC streets this past summer/fall. Lots of Domanes and Roubaix that will be looking for homes as city dwellers try to free up apartment space as life goes back to normal.
aliasfox is offline  
Likes For aliasfox:
Old 02-19-21, 04:19 PM
  #30  
znomit
Zoom zoom zoom zoom bonk
 
znomit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 4,623

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: 549 Post(s)
Liked 721 Times in 365 Posts
I'm still seeing the term "clearance" hereabouts, but they have dropped the word sale, because there isn't any discount. Now it means clearing out the customers wallet.
Best of luck for 2022 bike industry.
znomit is offline  
Likes For znomit:
Old 02-19-21, 08:27 PM
  #31  
Atlas Shrugged
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,629
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1217 Post(s)
Liked 1,281 Times in 653 Posts
It’s hard to determine if Carbon priced bikes are overpriced as it’s an oranges and apples kind of comparison. Steel bikes are usually the cheapest option and by far the most economical to produce requiring low skilled labour, minimal tooling, low materials cost and mass production techniques. Look at any low end bicycle or what is ridden in the third world, steel bikes. Even in the high end custom market steel bikes are the cheapest option, many produced in small shops or garages like the blacksmiths of days gone by. Carbon bikes occupy a completely different segment of the market, high performance materials, expensive tooling requirements, skilled layup techniques and extensive computer modelling yet employing economies of scale to ensure affordability to the masses.

Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 02-19-21 at 08:31 PM.
Atlas Shrugged is offline  
Old 02-20-21, 10:10 AM
  #32  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,768
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,875 Times in 4,639 Posts
Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
It’s hard to determine if Carbon priced bikes are overpriced as it’s an oranges and apples kind of comparison. Steel bikes are usually the cheapest option and by far the most economical to produce requiring low skilled labour, minimal tooling, low materials cost and mass production techniques. Look at any low end bicycle or what is ridden in the third world, steel bikes. Even in the high end custom market steel bikes are the cheapest option, many produced in small shops or garages like the blacksmiths of days gone by. Carbon bikes occupy a completely different segment of the market, high performance materials, expensive tooling requirements, skilled layup techniques and extensive computer modelling yet employing economies of scale to ensure affordability to the masses.
It's actually easy to determine if carbon bikes (or anything else sold in reasonably competitive markets) are overpriced.

When we start seeing posts about cf bikes sitting on dealers' floors for months at a time, and clearance pricing on last year's cf bikes, then we may conclude that they are overpriced. But as long as we keep seeing posts from people who can't find new bikes, and people who are waiting for months (or >1 year, as some have posted), then they are clearly NOT overpriced.

I think the problem here is that some posters are using the word "overpriced" in a subjective sense, as in "more than I want to pay." That renders the word virtually meaningless.
Koyote is offline  
Old 02-20-21, 10:54 AM
  #33  
indyfabz
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,063
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18321 Post(s)
Liked 15,302 Times in 7,232 Posts
Originally Posted by Koyote

I think the problem here is that some posters are using the word "overpriced" in a subjective sense, as in "more than I want to pay." That renders the word virtually meaningless.
Quite common ‘round these parts, pardner.
indyfabz is offline  
Likes For indyfabz:
Old 02-20-21, 01:26 PM
  #34  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Pricing discussions always tend to be subjective. "The price of gas is crazy." "Airline ticket prices are cheap right now." "Bitcoins are priced to sell." or whatever. It would I suppose make sense if within all conversations, everybody just always agreed that the cost of something is exactly as it should be.
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 02-20-21, 01:40 PM
  #35  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,768
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,875 Times in 4,639 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Pricing discussions always tend to be subjective. "The price of gas is crazy." "Airline ticket prices are cheap right now." "Bitcoins are priced to sell." or whatever. It would I suppose make sense if within all conversations, everybody just always agreed that the cost of something is exactly as it should be.
I’m not sure what you mean, since the words “always“ and “tend“ seem to contradict one another. But I will note that my posts above, numbers 28 and 33, show a non-subjective explanation of new bike prices.
Koyote is offline  
Old 02-20-21, 01:47 PM
  #36  
WhyFi
Senior Member
 
WhyFi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505

Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo

Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times in 4,663 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Pricing discussions always tend to be subjective.
No, value is subjective.
WhyFi is offline  
Likes For WhyFi:
Old 02-21-21, 01:25 PM
  #37  
ls01
he said member
 
ls01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: is everything
Posts: 13,752

Bikes: yes please

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2760 Post(s)
Liked 1,929 Times in 1,190 Posts
None of this market is normal. Its all squed due to the pandemic. If the bicycle manufacturers plan for this season based on what happened last year a lot of them will go out of business. Covid caused a lot of this to happen. As things return to normal a lot of this will be undone. Used bikes are going to flood the market with parts and complete bikes as people go back to work and won't have time for recreation. The demand will die off again and prices will come back down as demand wanes.
ls01 is offline  
Old 02-21-21, 06:18 PM
  #38  
Bob Dopolina 
Mr. Dopolina
 
Bob Dopolina's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Taiwan
Posts: 10,217

Bikes: KUUPAS, Simpson VR

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 149 Post(s)
Liked 117 Times in 41 Posts
A few things:
1. The Taiwan Dollar is at near historic highs. This adds about 15% before the bike even gets on the boat.
2. Shipping is screwed. Turnaround times for containers have become weeks, instead of days.
3. As a result, we are already being warned that carbon from Toray will become increasingly hard to get in the very near future.

It's not always 'the man' out to get you.
__________________
BDop Cycling Company Ltd.: bdopcycling.com, facebook, instagram



Bob Dopolina is offline  
Likes For Bob Dopolina:
Old 02-21-21, 06:22 PM
  #39  
WhyFi
Senior Member
 
WhyFi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505

Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo

Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times in 4,663 Posts
Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina
It's not always 'the man' out to get you.
The Carbon Man is a malicious fellow, though. He'll do you dirty, obv.
WhyFi is offline  
Old 02-22-21, 11:52 AM
  #40  
Tycho Brahe 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Amateur Coachsurfer
Posts: 960
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 242 Post(s)
Liked 94 Times in 67 Posts
Originally Posted by aliasfox
If the vaccines get distributed as they plan and no truly vaccine resistant COVID variant surfaces, I expect we’re likely to see a flood of lightly used mid-priced bikes hit the market sometime around fall of 2022. So if you’re in the market for an R7000 equipped entry level carbon or aluminum, I’d keep a tab on my local craigslist...

This is just judging from the huge numbers of new, reasonably nice bikes out on NYC streets this past summer/fall. Lots of Domanes and Roubaix that will be looking for homes as city dwellers try to free up apartment space as life goes back to normal.
This scenario is my "hope" as well. Was considering a lower-end gravel bike before the pandemic started. I do not envision doing a lot of dirt riding, so nothing fancy. It appears that gravel is all the rage, so I am hoping those are precisely the bikes I hope get unloaded. Perhaps I will get a bigger place by Fall 2022.
Tycho Brahe is offline  
Old 02-22-21, 12:06 PM
  #41  
Rides4Beer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: VA
Posts: 1,437

Bikes: SuperSix Evo | Revolt

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 733 Post(s)
Liked 815 Times in 414 Posts
Talked to my LBS, who handles Cannondale, and they said they couldn't guarantee that they could get me anything, so if I could find something to go ahead and grab it. Took about three weeks of searching to find a SuperSix Evo in my size, bought it from a shop in Jersey and had it shipped down. The day I bought it, Cannondale raised the prices on all SuperSix models by $300, so it was good timing. Just the state of the market. There is still a big ripple effect in the supply chain, epspecially for components. I've heard that a lot of manufacturers have frames available, but no components to build them out.

Now that I have a solid road bike, and my gravel bike, I'm pretty much set. Stocking up on some consumable spares as I find them available, just to be safe.
Rides4Beer is offline  
Old 02-23-21, 10:42 AM
  #42  
SpeedyBlueBiker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Redmond, WA & Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 554

Bikes: 1999 Giant ATX MTB, 2002 Lemond Zurich, 2018 Fuji Transonic 2.3, 2019 Specialized Tarmac Disc Expert

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Liked 387 Times in 223 Posts
Originally Posted by aliasfox
If the vaccines get distributed as they plan and no truly vaccine resistant COVID variant surfaces, I expect we’re likely to see a flood of lightly used mid-priced bikes hit the market sometime around fall of 2022. So if you’re in the market for an R7000 equipped entry level carbon or aluminum, I’d keep a tab on my local craigslist...

This is just judging from the huge numbers of new, reasonably nice bikes out on NYC streets this past summer/fall. Lots of Domanes and Roubaix that will be looking for homes as city dwellers try to free up apartment space as life goes back to normal.
Agreed! Once this pandemic comes to an end expect to se a lot of used 2020 bikes posted all over craigslist, offer up, facebook marketplace, and other online sites.
SpeedyBlueBiker is offline  
Old 02-24-21, 05:11 PM
  #43  
scuzzo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Huntsville Alabama
Posts: 556

Bikes: cannondale 2.0,caad3,schwinn Peleton,Felt F35,2007 litespeed Vortex

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Liked 32 Times in 17 Posts
cool, just another good reason for me to never buy a carbon fiber bicycle... thanks... LOL
scuzzo is offline  
Old 02-27-21, 10:51 AM
  #44  
Bald Paul
Senior Member
 
Bald Paul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 1,681
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 806 Post(s)
Liked 1,614 Times in 765 Posts
Originally Posted by DaveSSS
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 would cost about $4300, with high level post,bars and saddle.
Exactly what I just did, but finding the components wasn't easy. Complete groupsets are almost impossible to find. Fortunately, I had a Shimano 11 spd chain on hand, because they seem to be on backorder everywhere, along with Ultegra mechanical front derailleurs. I ended up piecing together an Ultegra crankset, Di2 "upgrade" group, and a set of brakes. Really didn't want to go the Di2 route, but now that I have it, I'm glad I did.

One upside (I think) - when this whole pandemic thing is behind us, there will probably be a lot of really high quality, low mileage bikes on the market at good prices.
Bald Paul is online now  
Old 02-27-21, 11:41 AM
  #45  
Hiro11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,608

Bikes: 2022 Specialized Allez Sprint custom build, 2019 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0, 2018 Seven Mudhoney Pro custom build, 2017 Raleigh Stuntman, various others

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 782 Post(s)
Liked 475 Times in 238 Posts
Setting aside Covid-related supply chain disruptions and demand spiking, I personally don't understand why people are willing to pay $7,800 for an off-the-rack Tarmac with Ultegra Di2. I know people are will to pay that because you can't find one anywhere in stock. I don't get it.

Story time: in 1990 I built up a Tommasini with top end everything for a bit less than $2k, or about $4k in today's dollars. I spent a summer's worth of lawn mowing money on it. That bike was the fanciest bike you would see at any local crit, people used to come over to drool over my bike. Even at the Cat 2 level, most people were on ~$1K bikes. Now, i see entire groups with no one on less than a $5k bike. Shops in my area can't keep $12K+ bikes in stock. Things have changed in road cycling.
Hiro11 is offline  
Old 02-27-21, 12:35 PM
  #46  
Psimet2001 
I eat carbide.
 
Psimet2001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627

Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer

Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times in 560 Posts
Been debating making this my profile pic on facebook...
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels

Psimet2001 is offline  
Likes For Psimet2001:
Old 02-27-21, 04:25 PM
  #47  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,768
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6882 Post(s)
Liked 10,875 Times in 4,639 Posts
Originally Posted by Hiro11
Setting aside Covid-related supply chain disruptions and demand spiking, I personally don't understand why people are willing to pay $7,800 for an off-the-rack Tarmac with Ultegra Di2. I know people are will to pay that because you can't find one anywhere in stock. I don't get it.

Story time: in 1990 I built up a Tommasini with top end everything for a bit less than $2k, or about $4k in today's dollars. I spent a summer's worth of lawn mowing money on it. That bike was the fanciest bike you would see at any local crit, people used to come over to drool over my bike. Even at the Cat 2 level, most people were on ~$1K bikes. Now, i see entire groups with no one on less than a $5k bike. Shops in my area can't keep $12K+ bikes in stock. Things have changed in road cycling.
1. A new Di2 Tarmac will provide significantly higher performance than your 30 year old bike did.

2. Your inability to understand why people would spend so much money on a bike probably stems from your budget constraint versus theirs.
Koyote is offline  
Likes For Koyote:
Old 02-27-21, 06:34 PM
  #48  
shelbyfv
Expired Member
 
shelbyfv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,462
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3638 Post(s)
Liked 5,318 Times in 2,703 Posts
Interesting that OP hasn't been back to poke this pile. IIRC, his position is bikes have gone downhill since early 90s Litespeed.
shelbyfv is offline  
Likes For shelbyfv:
Old 02-27-21, 06:40 PM
  #49  
WhyFi
Senior Member
 
WhyFi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TC, MN
Posts: 39,505

Bikes: R3 Disc, Haanjo

Mentioned: 353 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20791 Post(s)
Liked 9,436 Times in 4,663 Posts
Originally Posted by shelbyfv
IIRC, his position is bikes have gone downhill since his glory days
Fixed to reflect general retrogrouchism.
WhyFi is offline  
Likes For WhyFi:
Old 02-28-21, 09:40 AM
  #50  
Hiro11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,608

Bikes: 2022 Specialized Allez Sprint custom build, 2019 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0, 2018 Seven Mudhoney Pro custom build, 2017 Raleigh Stuntman, various others

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 782 Post(s)
Liked 475 Times in 238 Posts
Originally Posted by Koyote
1. A new Di2 Tarmac will provide significantly higher performance than your 30 year old bike did.
I don't understand this point. Of course modern bikes are better, just like modern computers, modern running shoes and modern cars are all better than offerings from the early nineties. Still, computers, sneakers and cars haven't seen anywhere near the price inflation that big name brand bikes have seen. Bikes are simply far more expensive these days, especially those from big popular brands like Specialized and Trek. Also, your point implies that we're paying purely for performance in paying these prices. No. You can get modern bikes for far less. For example, a Canyon Ultimate is far, far cheaper than a Tarmac but still one of the best bikes you can buy. Smaller brands like Ribble and Vitus make some great road bikes that are far less expensive. The Tarmac is a great bike, but you're paying for more than just performance for it.

2. Your inability to understand why people would spend so much money on a bike probably stems from your budget constraint versus theirs.
Ah, you think my comments are rooted in being a jealous broke guy. Er, no. I fully understand wanting to spend lots of money on bikes, I have done it myself on numerous occasions. A peek in my bike room would disprove your little theory.

My point is that if I were going to spend $12K on a bike, I would go to Firefly or Bishop and have them make something special. Spending that kind of cash opens up some very interesting possibilities. I wouldn't walk down to the local bike shop and buy a Tarmac that four other guys in my group already have and will be just another copy of last year's Tarmac in 2022. That's me, though.
Hiro11 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.