Sdjclevland

Ok to get to the point here. I feel a lot of what we buy especially clothing wise we are paying top dollar for nothing. I feel a lot of what we buy comes from either the same factory maybe or region of the world but with huge markup.

I am guessing to make a jersey say cost
is maybe 10 to 30 bucks depending. But yet we pay 40 which is reasonable to 150 for something hardly any nicer.

I feel the biggest example of this is carbon wheels. China carbon. 300 -700 bucks. Name brand. 1000- 3000 and again I bet not much better

I'm just using this as a example brand wise but I would not be shocked at all if the same factory that makes a nashbar jersey makes a castelli jersey say. Or the same factory that makes a mavic wheel makes a performance brand wheel with the same quality. But yet we are paying huge money for spandex and so one that is all pretty much the same.

Someone that actually knows something fill me in here. Again if I am guessing I would assume the mark up on bikes is not too big but parts wise, appeal and so on we talking bigger mark up? I just feel this sport is a big rip.

RollCNY

Simple solution would be not to buy carbon wheels at all, and only buy $40 jerseys. No one is forcing anyone to buy anything, so sorry, I don't see how any of its a rip off.

Bob Dopolina 

Yes, the man is ripping you off and everyone in the industry has a private helicopter and gold plated toilets.

lazyeye

You can stop buying stuff. Just sayin'. I mean, unless you're dialing it up to 400watts every day, quads busting out of your shorts, and blowing up CF bits on every climb, a frame or wheelset or shorts is a once in a while investment.

and yeah, its expensive because its an equipment intense sport. Check out SCUBA diving or motorcycling. Does it need to be that much? No. But theres a lot of engineering, marketing, sponsorships, and execs to pay for.

rjones28 

I knew it.

Homebrew01

Dang-nabbit .... I want some of that !! I'm going to get my sewing machine out & get rich !

RISKDR1

every step in the manufacturing process and the distribution and marketing process adds its costs to an item's ultimate price. When a vendor is able to make "too much" a competitor always comes in and is willing to accept less till every dollar of profit is competed out of that product. The consumer has choices and votes with his dollars. It is a great system and beats the alternative (wage and price controls) and is how the free enterprise system works.

Bacciagalupe

Translation: "I don't know anything about apparel, manufacturing or retail, but I know this stuff costs too much anyway."

Cycling is the same as any other sport. Try shopping for tennis or golf or running or anything, and the prices run the same gamut. Or, you can go to Target, and get a decent athletic shirt (without rear pockets) for $15.


...except that the no-name/counterfeit stuff has no QC, no customer support, and lots of caveat emptor.


It probably isn't. But even if it is, that's no guarantee that they are the same quality, use the same fabrics, use the same QC and so forth. They certainly don't have the same management, same distributors, same marketing, and so forth.

Also, some items are more quality-sensitive than others. I've noticed that typically, more expensive shorts and bibs are in fact higher quality.


As already noted, no one makes you spend a single thin dime that you don't want to. If you want to buy cheap jerseys from Nashbar, go for it. No one is forcing you to buy a $250 Assos jersey.

And if you want to get jacked for a sport, try golf. Or sailing. Or anything with a motor.

So what are you kvetching about?

nastystang

That's why I am perfecting my carbon layup under the garage. Easy money.

Nick94804

You've never owned a sailboat...which is a word that means "ass **** me while taking my wallet".

hueyhoolihan

well... there IS a lot to be saved by shopping around, and avoiding big-ticket name-brand items. but you have to know what you are doing, and it takes some time and work.

DrPete 

It's all still cheaper than a couch-bound death of diabetes and heart disease. And quite a bit more fun. Spend what you want, know that you don't need the expensive stuff to have fun, and go ride.

gc3

Who makes the money? All the profits are in the industry are split evenly by Sinyard and Armstrong. Well known fact. Keep up, man!

Silvercivic27

Maybe not everybody, but I have heard a rumor that Phil White of the former Cervelo now Pon has 3 porsche GT3s?!

https://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Cerve...cial_4476.html

Read through the comments: Porsche owner for years, eh?! I've never owned a Porsche.

kc4sox

Cycling like Scuba and other hobbies I enjoy is certainly pricey to get into. But if you invest in quality ( Not Nesc. expensive ) gear it will last for years. I ride with guys that are still riding frames they bought in the 90's upgraded and still going strong. Spend your money wisely and nobody gets ripped off. As for me I always remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to quality. JMHO FWIW

DrPete 

Yeah, Phil should just cut his salary back until everyone on BF who wants one can afford his bikes.

Silvercivic27

No silly goose, my point is that poor people don't own and race GT3s with their wives. There ARE in fact some people in the industry that are making a good bit of $$.

2702

Motorcycling is getting cheaper, have you seen the Honda CBR500 line of bikes, or the new Yamaha FZ7 or FZ9. Adjusted for inflation prices are at or below year 2000 prices when I got into the sport.
I do think carbon bikes are outrageous in costs.
The red Honda on the left was $5,999 MSRP in 2013 which is the bike I have. Now look at those fancy Sworks bikes and all those 10k bikes and tell me which has one rip off margins.

bikefoo

I don't think cycling is over priced at all, especially considering it is a mode of transportation, a hobby, exercise, competitive sport, technologically advanced, attire driven and an art form.

2702

True, its those bicycles or race bike that costs more than a modern sportbike that makes me question just how high the margins are. I don't see how a 15-16pd bike can be worth 8k vs a new 400 pound motorcycle. Someone in the industry needs to chime in here.

DrPete 

You forgot the detail of economy of scale, and the fact that an S-works bike is not equivalent to a low-end Honda.

What does a high-end Honda that's ready for world-class competition cost? A bit more. https://www.gizmag.com/honda-million-...orcycle/27670/

bikefoo

If you are to compare apples to apples a $6k motorcycle in terms of technology is about a $900 bicycle. But that $12k S-Works is about the equivelant of a $160k MTT turbine streetfighter

2702

Have you guys ridden the bikes that the Japanese makers are putting out for 6k,7k,8k, go to a demo ride and test ride a Ninja 300, FZ9 or CBR500 line. Its is hardly low end and anywhere near bottom end stuff. I use to ride a ZX9 and GSXR600 and while the CBR500 is slower, in terms of that " feel " its right up there unless all you are looking for is speeding tickets.

That motor in all those bikes are outstanding and I stand by my statement that dollar for dollar the motorcycle world is getting cheaper practically every year, well Japanese that is, I don't do that Italian and Harley thing.

DrPete 

The fact that cheap bikes are getting better has nothing to do with your argument.

jimincalif

Compared to my other hobby of sailing, I'm actually pretty amazed at where I am for a relatively modest investment so far. Bought a used Specialized Roubaix Comp, decent shoes, a few shorts and jerseys and miscellaneous stuff. I did splurge on a very nice set of new wheels, but my total is probably just over three "boat bucks". BOAT stands for Break Out Another Thousand.