vonfilm 

I was in a bicycle shop the other day when I noticed 3 Specialized Carbon racing bikes hanging in the front window with.$14,000 price tags. I guess they weighed about 16 pounds each.

Listen folks, one can buy a 100 horsepower plus new design water cooled motorcycle for this amount or less.

There is no way that 16 pounds of plastic, aluminum, circuit boards and rubber is worth $14,000.

You might try to tell me that bike racers need this. You can get a top notch KTM racing motorcycle for this price or less.

I doubt these bicycles cost Specialized $3500 to manufacture.

LesterOfPuppets

You can spend $60k on a fairly mainstream motorbike if you want to.

Polaris OBark

$14K is chump change for the intended audience. If people buy them, then they are priced according to perceived value. If they don't sell, then they are over-priced.

Russ Roth

They're not, people have just been suckered into believing it. Was looking at a similar trek and probably the same specialized. Assuming a 3,000 wheelset using Enve or Zipp rims, king, DT, I9, white industry or any other premium hub and nice bladed spokes. Add a sram red build group, easton EC90 for the connections, and toss on a good seat and tape and your up to 7,000. I'm certain I could cut 1,000 from that by bargain hunting for the best prices on everything. Not only would this be as good if not better than what the two bikes had on them, but it means that these two believe their framesets are somehow worth 6-7,000 each. Sorry, but that's a ridiculous chunk of cash for a mass produced carbon frame. Rather drop a couple grand on a nice Lynskey Ti frameset, or go more and get a full custom geometry frame from any one of a dozen builders and pocket the 4,000 price difference. I know its not cheap chinese carbon, but it isn't 7,000 good.

jon c. 

One could make a similar argument for the top pricing tier of any good,

Troul 

this sums it up.

elcruxio

The problem with these sorts of comparisons is mixing tiers. Here one is mixing up entry level dirt bikes with a top tier road racing bicycle.

That $14 000 S-works is essentially the bicycle equivalent for MotoGP bikes. You can't get a pro level racing MotoGP bike for 14 grand. They're a bit more expensive than that.

Economics also doesn't work by adding in the prices of unprocessed raw materials and claiming that should be the value of a product. There's usually some manufacturing and design involved as well. Also calling CF "plastic" or tires "rubber" is such a gross oversimplification. And also incredibly inaccurate and false as well.

As to whether any regular old consumer actually needs a top tier road racing bicycle, MotoGP bike or a formula one car? Well if you can afford it and want it...

mschwett 

the "value" of something is not what the consumer deems the cost of the materials, parts, etc to be. the value is what someone is willing to pay for it, which has a relationship to how much that money is worth to them, and how much satisfaction it brings them. and, of course, the cost is not the initial outlay but the opportunity cost of the money and the depreciation. the day you ride home on a 15k bike, you're not 15k poorer, you're 3-5k poorer. 5 years and 2,000 hours of riding later, the difference in cost between the 15k bike and a (also really nice) 5k bike is a couple bucks per hour of riding.

some people get a couple bucks per hour of satisfaction from having something top tier, or something customized to them, or something they find really aesthetically pleasing, or whatever. and some people don't - that's why manufacturers make a huge range of things. the ongoing fallacy that people who buy these things are being duped is just bizzarre. nobody is forcing anyone to buy a 15k bike, and someone who finds it brings them no pleasure simply sells it for a sizable fraction of the original cost (if they care about the money) and doesn't make the same "mistake" again.

some things i buy, i buy the plainest/cheapest or nearly the cheapest. more often, something in the upper middle. occasionally, something at the very top. i don't drive a six figure car because it's not worth it to me. i enjoy riding a 5 figure bike, and nobody tricked me.

Camilo

There is no way a car is worth more than $25,000. And limiting myself to hobbies that emphasize finesse or skill of some sort: There is no way a guitar is worth more than $500. There is no way a set of golf clubs is worth more than (whatever, I don't know), there is no way a camera is worth anything (because phone cameras), there is no way a piano is worth more than $2,000, etc. etc.

Believe it or not, some people enjoy the finest quality equipment and if they can afford to pay that price, it is by definition "worth it".

You proably have not studied economics at all, but "price" and "worth" are not the same as cost. Price depends on what people think is the value of something, what it's worth. Cost is simply what it costs to make it. Not the same at all.

tomato coupe

How can a $14,000 bicycle possibly be worth the money?

D- for originality.

Jughed

Pick up truck analogy.

base model work truck - 40k.

same truck with 2-3k worth of buttons and gadgets- 85k.

The upgraded truck isn’t worth the extra 45k, but people are happy to pay for them.

PeteHski

So are you going to buy a motorbike instead because you perceive them to be better value for money?

Koyote

It’s still winter, apparently.

kommisar

I don't have a problem with people spending a lot of money on a bicycle. They could spend it on something much more destructive. Plus it keeps driving innovation that eventually improves more modestly priced bicycles.

wolfchild

It's impulse purchasing where people buy things that they don't need, just to try and impress others...Out in the real world nobody is impressed and gives a damn about your expensive bike. It's pointless to spend that much on a bicycle. But as i said before, cycling has become like fashion industry where some people are obsessed with showing off their expensive toys...A $ 14 000 bicycle isn't going to make you a better cyclists or make your cycling more enjoyable,.. A $ 2000 - $ 3000 bicycle is more practical and can do everything and even more than a $ 14 000 bicycle can.

Koyote

You really are great at just making things up.

Jughed

If you really consider it...

I ride a bike that cost $2,250. It's reliable, relatively fast, rides right next to the other bikes that cost 2-3x. Costs less to maintain, consumable parts last longer...

A complete, functional bike for less than the cost of another bikes groupset. He has a point about functionality.

Don't get me wrong, if I had the budget a Time Scylon would be sitting in my garage - but would it be 4x better than what I'm currently riding? Would I want to ride that bike in the winter with salty roads, would I want to ride that bike along the beach with blowing sand and salt, would I want to ride that bike on the occasional gravel section where a rock could damage a frame worth 5k? No.

CAT7RDR

I worked for a MBZ dealer for about five years.
Believe it or not, some people make a great living even during hard times and would not flinch paying full retail in the 1990's for a $100K+ vehicle.
I'm sure the same applies to bikes.

BlazingPedals

Manufacturers charge what the market will bear, not what you or I are willing to pay.

Koyote

If someone pays $14k, then that’s what it’s worth.

I’m glad you understand the motivations of every high-end bike purchaser. That’s quite a talent you’ve got.

You missed the point of my reply to wolfboy.

shelbyfv

I guess it's just human nature that folks become obsessed and defensive about how other folks spend their money. There will always be someone richer, more fit, better looking, smarter, etc, etc. Get over it.

mstateglfr 

This thread needs input from trekmogul

bblair

A guy driving in front of me last week was in a Bentley SUV. Over $300,000! (I looked it up!)

No way is a car worth that, but I can now justify that Specialized or Trek for only $14,000.

Using my wife's logic, I can now say, "Look honey, I saved $286,000!"

wolfchild

Ahh common and get real. It's the same thing with cars. Why would a person purchase a $ 150 000 Mercedes SUV instead of a $ 40 000 Toyota SUV when is reality that Toyota is more practical and will outperform the Mercedes when it comes to long term reliability and cost of maintenance. For some people it's all about status and image...and to be honest with you I don't have anything against that. It's their money and they can spend it in whatever way they want. i am not judging anybody. All I did was to express my own opinion on how I see things..

Kai Winters

blah blah blah...just an opportunity to whine about something and get many others to pile on.
technology and top tier materials cost...