Why are Modern Bikes So Expensive?
#51
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No, actually. Quite the opposite. But I understand that someone who likes to GO slow while FEELING like he's going fast would not get that.
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#52
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I'm 60 y/o with 3 usable bikes and no cars with zero plans on buying another bike or vehicle the rest of my life.
With one exception: a cargo e-bike for my 80th birthday that can burn rubber on the MUP.
Aim low, spend less.
With one exception: a cargo e-bike for my 80th birthday that can burn rubber on the MUP.
Aim low, spend less.
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#54
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Sure, we sold higher-end bikes. Even the Schwinn shop sold a Paramount to a college student working minimum wage at Radio Shack (me) and at the high end shop I worked at. Not so much at the college town shop.
(Did I mention I was able to get a Paramount on a part-time retail salary? How many kids can do that today?)
Oh, and in America 40 years ago, pretty much every family had two cars. At least. It wasn’t unusual at all.
(Did I mention I was able to get a Paramount on a part-time retail salary? How many kids can do that today?)
Oh, and in America 40 years ago, pretty much every family had two cars. At least. It wasn’t unusual at all.
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#55
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It's not a personal attack. It's exactly what you told us multiple times. You like skinny tires at high pressure because you say it makes you FEEL fast, and you don't care if it's slow. Don't blame me for correctly characterizing you based on your own posts.
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#56
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Those are objectively measurable things. They're not ALL of what a bike is, or what it means to the cyclist.
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Why are Modern Bikes So Expensive?
.
...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
CR tests include 71 products from 24 brands, ranging in price from 58 cents to more than $26 per ounce.
https://www.consumerreports.org/heal...
https://www.consumerreports.org/heal...
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Oh right. NOTHING.
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What I said was that a midrange bike of today is better than the halo bike of 35 years ago in every OBJECTIVELY MEASURABLE way - they're lighter. They're more aerodynamic. Their wider gear ranges allow more cyclists to climb steeper grades without exploding knees. Their brakes are more powerful. Their wider rims and tires allow a more comfortable ride.
Those are objectively measurable things. ...
Those are objectively measurable things. ...
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#60
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I'm saving my 80s bikes for when the roads are reliably dry. And I'm really looking forward to when my 1989 Schwinn Circuit back with its new (to it) fork, and I can build it all up with some late 80's goodness - full Shimano Sante kit. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.......
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#61
So you should be happy that you can buy a relatively cheap modern bike with much better objective performance. No need to worry about $17k pro bikes
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#63
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#64
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...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
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#67
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Thread Starter
.
...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
...because the people that make and sell them have targeted an income demographic that is happy to pay whatever the going price seems to be. As has already been state, not all modern bikes are expensive. Only the ones marketed to a certain, relatively small, user demographic. That small segment of the marketplace has followed the economics of all luxury products. I can find sunscreen that costs quite a bit, too, relative to the regular stuff.
Your suncream example is silly and not relevant as this is not a performance based product but rather just a branding exercise. It would be best not to discuss what era of cycling was heavily based on branding alone.
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Not to put too fine a point on it, what I like personally—or you, even—has nothing to do with the thread topic.
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Well, first off, that was in answer to a different question - what's the cheapest, rideable road bike you can get today? But, yeah - comparing two bikes of that level makes more sense than comparing "halo bikes" from different eras, because that's where most cyclists will start.
To be fair for the OP, they only seem to mention "top tier" bikes. My point was just pontificating on the subject on the side.
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#70
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Sure, we sold higher-end bikes. Even the Schwinn shop sold a Paramount to a college student working minimum wage at Radio Shack (me) and at the high end shop I worked at. Not so much at the college town shop.
(Did I mention I was able to get a Paramount on a part-time retail salary? How many kids can do that today?)
Oh, and in America 40 years ago, pretty much every family had two cars. At least. It wasn’t unusual at all.
(Did I mention I was able to get a Paramount on a part-time retail salary? How many kids can do that today?)
Oh, and in America 40 years ago, pretty much every family had two cars. At least. It wasn’t unusual at all.
But are the two bike comparable andI would say not. Both are effectively batch made however the Raleigh was made with non proprietary materials and techniques and very simple components. Reynolds tubing, standard off the shelf lugs and dropouts and existing manufacturing jigs. The S-Works on the other hand is basically fully custom build unique to this brand and model with hundreds of thousands of development and tooling costs which need to be amortized into the bike.
Now add to this was entry level bikes such as the Peugeots and Gitanes of the 70’s these were reliable durable bikes which could be used for decades. Try that with the Walmart and Costco entry bikes of today, they are junk.
Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 03-20-24 at 07:33 PM.
#71
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#72
I was just addressing your previous flippant post about liking “pro” bikes. Pro level gear in all sports inevitably becomes more expensive as things progress. Bikes are no exception. Chasing cutting edge marginal gains is expensive.
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#73
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I agree times have changed. I too purchased my first top end bike from money earned delivering newspapers it was a Raleigh Professional for $580, you couldn’t do that today for a S-Works Tarmac for example.
But are the two bike comparable andI would say not. Both are effectively batch made however the Raleigh was made with non proprietary materials and techniques and very simple components. Reynolds tubing, standard off the shelf lugs and dropouts and existing manufacturing jigs. The S-Works on the other hand is basically fully custom build unique to this brand and model with hundreds of thousands of development and tooling costs which need to be amortized into the bike.
Now add to this was entry level bikes such as the Peugeots and Gitanes of the 70’s these were reliable durable bikes which could be used for decades. Try that with the Walmart and Costco entry bikes of today, they are junk.
But are the two bike comparable andI would say not. Both are effectively batch made however the Raleigh was made with non proprietary materials and techniques and very simple components. Reynolds tubing, standard off the shelf lugs and dropouts and existing manufacturing jigs. The S-Works on the other hand is basically fully custom build unique to this brand and model with hundreds of thousands of development and tooling costs which need to be amortized into the bike.
Now add to this was entry level bikes such as the Peugeots and Gitanes of the 70’s these were reliable durable bikes which could be used for decades. Try that with the Walmart and Costco entry bikes of today, they are junk.
So, another way of looking at it is, "Why Are Modern Bikes So Cheap?".
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#74
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My understanding is that some carmakers enter into multi-year deals with parts supplies where the cost per part keeps dropping.a few percent each year. The logic is that the supplies will surely find some efficiencies each year as they are making all these parts.
Buying a new bike is a combination of three things - a frame you like, a good deal (negotiated by the manufacturer) on a complete set of parts chosen, and a bunch of non-factory service (assembly, etc) that gets done at your local shop.
I continue to feel like people in the "good old days" could build highly affordable bikes themselves by shopping for deals on parts. Over the years, the manufacturers wised up to this and designed bikes that can accept fewer and fewer parts.
Buying a new bike is a combination of three things - a frame you like, a good deal (negotiated by the manufacturer) on a complete set of parts chosen, and a bunch of non-factory service (assembly, etc) that gets done at your local shop.
I continue to feel like people in the "good old days" could build highly affordable bikes themselves by shopping for deals on parts. Over the years, the manufacturers wised up to this and designed bikes that can accept fewer and fewer parts.
Nope. They wrote it that way to compete in the marketplace.
And bike companies don't do what they do to make it hard for us to put bikes together from the frame up. That's not remotely on their radar. They do what they do to try to stay a step ahead of their competition. They're certainly not stopping any of us from buying a frame from QBP or Rivendell and building it up with friction down tube shifters.
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#75
Peak bike occurred just before the pandemic, the metric being most bang for the buck. For around $2,200 you could get a Giant TCR KOM with Shimano 105 and a full (good) carbon frame and adequate wheels. Weight: under 17 pounds. Double that and you could have got Ultegra Di2 and better wheels, and drop a pound.
The pandemic caused supply chain issues which spawned price increases. And for the first time in 50 years, general shortages helped the bike industry exercise some market power, because at every level of the industry you could simply charge more with no negative customer backlash or price elasticity response.
Post pandemic, disc brakes have added at least $500 to the cost of every road bike, as have aero features. Neither of which are a worthwhile tradeoff to most road riders. The extra 2 pounds of ballast and extra cost just isn't worth it.
The pandemic caused supply chain issues which spawned price increases. And for the first time in 50 years, general shortages helped the bike industry exercise some market power, because at every level of the industry you could simply charge more with no negative customer backlash or price elasticity response.
Post pandemic, disc brakes have added at least $500 to the cost of every road bike, as have aero features. Neither of which are a worthwhile tradeoff to most road riders. The extra 2 pounds of ballast and extra cost just isn't worth it.