phughes

In your zeal to cry, "corporate greed," I believe you completely disregard the raised costs of doing business since 2015. Shipping costs have gone up, labor compensation costs have gone up, just about every cost for a business has gone up, and yet the cost of a new bike hasn't increased much. The price of new bikes has basically raised according to the rate of inflations, which since 2015 is around 11%. So a bike that cost $1680 then, the CAAD 10 105, would cost. $1864.80 today, and surprise surprise, the cost of the CAAD 13 105 is $1800 today, $64.80 under the inflation rate. So much for corporate greed.

MRT2

The title of my thread was the creeping cost of entry into this sport, or activity. Not the creeping cost of an enthusiast level road bike. And maybe we the public were just spoiled by the cost of entry level bikes going down, or at least below the cost of inflation for a time from the 90s through the mid 2010s. 6 speed, giving way to 7, then 8 speed and 9 speed. For the price I paid for my bike in 1997, $400 retail, I could pretty much get something superior in every way in 2015 for around $600, which was the rate of inflation. Better in terms of better drivetrain, lighter frame, better brakes.
Jump ahead from 2015 to today, and I can't say that is true. Better quality is of course available, but at a higher price.
Edit:
I put corporate greed as a question. Hardly the way a zealot would put it.

afm199

I used a Shimano 105 ten speed left. The throw is the same. It works much better than the stock Sora. However, it's underbar cable so you do have to strip the bar, and mount the new one, then run both cables under the tape. As far as I know, most Shimano double and triple chainrings have the same spacing, regardless of 7,8,9,10

Now I have a bike that has one side clean, one side cabled.

phughes

I just don't think it is quite as bad as you are painting it. I do think though, that beginners are more apt to want to spend less, and are more likely to visit a place like Dick's Sporting Goods to find a bike, than a bike shop, and that has changed the trajectory with respect to entry level bikes. I do think, however, the offerings like the Quick 6 are very good bikes, and well worth the money. It is very comparable to the price you quote from 2015, when adjusted for inflation.

MRT2

It is harder to keep track of Cannondale's old specs because they don't archive it like Trek does. But according to this website, Cannondale has downgraded the Quick 6 from just 2 years ago, when the Quick 6 had a Shimano 9 speed drivetrain, and now it is downgraded to 7 speed, and Microshift 7 speed at that. https://99spokes.com/bikes/cannondale/2019/quick-6

If you wanted to make a point of a brand offering good value, IMO, Kona is a better example. Their Dew plus commuter in 2015 was a 3 x 8, and sold for a little under $700. Today's Dew Plus has 1 x 10 drivetrain, and 650b tires, and through axles instead of quick release. now that is good value for the money. Generic 7 speed freewheel for $650 or Tourney 7 speed for $700 is not.
Even so, that is still a lot of money for entry level.

Wildwood 

I have nothing to add really after 230+ replies.

Only just saw an article (cyclingnews;com) about a new set of wheels from Roval, described as 'affordable'.

'Affordable wheels' now cost £1150UKP or at today's currency conversion rate $1598.50.

Maybe some of us just need to adjust our concept of affordable. But not me.

Also saw 1 pair Kanye West's shoes auctioned for $1.8M USD.

spelger

now that's affordable.

Canada1919

As someone trying to get into the sport it's rather daunting

Germany_chris

I’m having a set of wheels built right now €830 or just a bit over $1000 I cried a little, swore a little, and my wife said it was the last set of wheels for a while. These wheels aren’t affordable in any real sense and their $600 short of what you brought up.

DangerousDanR

I have heard that you can get a Euro Bike EURXC550 21 Speed Road Bike 700C Wheels Road Bicycle Dual Disc Brake Bicycles for around $400

livedarklions

What are you riding now? I think this discussion actually needs the perspective of someone entering the sport.

Troul 

went to the lbs for some tubes. $10 each & only one brand with select sub model/series commonly stocked. Online for the preferred tubes, $5 each shipped. Even though I preferred to have a certain brand, I wasn't buying a thousand tubes, so I picked up the ones that the lbs offered. Tires will be online sourced...

rekmeyata

But what is better quality? High end stuff made in the mid 80's was really durable stuff, this stuff has lasted generations without breaking or failing, I have Superbe components with over 150,000 miles on them and they never broke. Modern components while they may shift better will not come anywhere near that kind of miles before you have to throw the part away and buy a new part, or throw out the whole bike and buy an all new bike. This whole world's economy is based on throw away society, they don't care about global warming and natural resources, they care more about making stuff break so you have to buy it a lot more frequently so that the company and shareholders can make money. The only thing they make that lasts a lot longer than they use to is having gone from incandescent bulbs to LEDs!

livedarklions

Looking back on this thread, what is "our favorite sport?". Recreational bicycling, racing, single-track? Makes a huge difference when you're discussing the "cost of entry.". I'm taking it for granted that commuting isn't a sport.

MRT2

Modern drivetrain components seem to last pretty long. I can't say they last as long as the best of the best from back in the day, but pretty long nonetheless. My current bicycle came with Tiagra level components, and while I have replaced all the wear items on the bike, and the wheels, the shifters, derailleurs, and the chainrings are still going strong.
As far as throwing out the bike itself, well, that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Kapusta

I think the reason we have not seen components from the past 10 years last 30 years should be pretty obvious.

Hint: it is the same reason you never see thirty-something couples celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.

rekmeyata

You sound more practical than other cyclist I've read on forums, I hear all the time somebody buys a bike every 2 to 5 years and the excuse is "I've put on over 8,000 miles on it so it's worn out"!, or the rear derailleur failed so it made "sense" to buy a new bike. I know you read a lot of these kinds of people too. Before I bought my 2013 Lynskey I rode that 84 Trek 660 with over 150,000 miles on it since 1984 when I bought it new a lot right up till I decided it was time to start thinking about getting a new bike in 2013. The other new bike I bought in March of 2020 was only because I crashed the 85 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe I was using for bike camping and needed another bike to fulfill that role. I seriously doubt that I will buy another new bike for as long as I live, well I am 69 so I'm hoping I can get another 20 to 30 years out of ME, not concerned about the bikes lasting that long.

rekmeyata

No, commuting isn't a sport, but it is very effective at keeping a person in shape if they commute far enough, neither is riding for fitness in my opinion, cycling becomes a sport when you are involved in racing at any level, at least that's what I think.

MRT2

I owned an '85 Schwinn LeTour Luxe. 3 x 6 speed friction shifting. Might have started its life as 3 x 5, but I changed the 5 speed to a 6 speed freewheel. Nice bike. I sold it because it was just a little bit big for me, and I really wanted to go back to indexed shifting.
Frankly, I don't think I have ever had a rear derailleur fail on me. I did have my wife's original front derailleur fail on her 1977 Peugeot, but that is it. And there is a reason why nobody buys Simplex components anymore except maybe Francophile bike collectors.
Now, components do fail, or maybe get damaged in a crash. That is of course true.
I think though a lot comes down to want rather than need. People want something new and shiny. Even if 9 speed was the cat's pajamas back in 2008 or 2009, now it is yesterday's news, so you need to go get 11 speed, which is expensive as a standalone upgrade, so maybe in those cases maybe it does make sense to buy a whole new bike.
That said, just replacing what you have usually makes sense. I did the math, and my current 3 x 9 setup still provides as many useful gear combinations as a 2 x 11, and more than a 1 x 11. So as far as I am concerned, if my 9 speed shifters or derailleurs suddenly wore out, all I would need to do is get a suitable 9 speed replacement, which shouldn't be that expensive.

MRT2

It really doesn't matter. I would argue that recreational cycling is a sport even if it isn't a competitive sport like racing. It involves physical exertion, skill, and a certain amount of commitment from the participant. In this regard, it is similar to hiking, rock climbing, running, or swimming.
Even if you disagree, then substitute recreation for sport.

rekmeyata

My Schwinn only had maybe 800 miles on from the time it was new till the crash! so that was not a good thing! Mine was all factory original, and it come with a 3 x 6 speed system. To bad yours didn't fit you well, that was the best year for the Luxe, in fact it was the best year for all Schwinn bike models, they were struggling for sales and went all out that year to smash the competition and it failed. Trek was helping to make a pretty good dent in Schwinn sales in the 80's, and the old heads at Schwinn couldn't think outside the box, they just thought that Schwinn would automatically sell because it was a household name for many years, nope.

I still have the Luxe, just hoping someday I'll run into another Schwinn with the exact paint and I'll buy it and put the fork off the one I buy and put it on the Luxe.

MRT2

The frame was Tenax, which was Columbus brand Cro Moly. Maybe I should have kept the Schwinn and figured out a way to make it work. Maybe a shorter stem, and some new bars might have done the trick. Or kept as it and my son could have grown into it. But that was years ago. Better that someone else got a chance to enjoy it, and I am happy with my Salsa Casserol, which is the best bike I have ever owned, even if the frame is generic Taiwan made Cro Moly instead of Columbus. Even though I wanted to love friction shifting, in the end, I just prefer indexed shifting, and having the controls at my fingertips rather than on the downtube.

rekmeyata

I used downtube shifters since 1976 when I bought a Trek TX 900, I still ride on occasion a downtube shifting bike, I got so use to it I wasn't bothered shifting a loaded bike with downtube shifters, but I was going to change those shifters to bar ends but the crash stopped that from happening.

livedarklions

That clarifies what you meant. I'm taking it to mean any regular cycling activity.

Koyote

I don’t recall reading any posts like this… In fact, quite the opposite: I read posts from people who are trying to figure out how to replace a part and save an old bike.