A top end bike is too expensive nowadays...

[JohnO]

The high end bikes only cost this much because there are people willing to pay for them. IMO, any "$9K" bike is overpriced in terms of value for money. At this price point, it's way beyond function and all about the bling. Lot's of great bikes are available for $3K or less.

And how about the price of sport cars? I just looked at a Porsche Carrera this morning with a sticker of $96K. Can you believe they cost so much now? I remember when a 911 was $6K.....and I still thought it was overpriced

Don't even get started on cars... in my youth, I saw some real bargains. Once was offered an AC Ace for $4000, and later found a Fiat OSCA for $1500. (This was mid 70's) About the same time, a distant cousin sold her dad's old Corvette for $800 because 'it only had a six cylinder engine'. (was a '54) Also saw an Aston Martin DB7 for $6k, in decent but not pristine condition. A friend was about to buy a 71 Olds 442 convertible for $1800, but his dad said that it was a little too powerful.

Of course, I was making $8/hour as a bicycle mechanic back then. Bought my road bike, a Falcon San Remo 76, for $400 slightly used. Good price, 531 butted frame, all Campy SR, came with cotton Clement tubies and a Brooks Team Pro saddle. Recently bought a clean example of the same bike out of nostalgia, for... $400.

 

[alienator]

For those that whine about the cost of bikes....uhm, you don't have to buy the top end bike. There are plenty of perfectly functional bikes at or below $2000. Hell, there are enough below $1000-$1500. If $3000-$4000 is too much, then it's your own damned fault for looking in that price range.

Try doing this: determine how much you want to or are willing to spend, then look for bikes in that range. Here's the key point: don't spend more than you want to or are willing to spend.

See how easy that is?

 

[sogood]

With the current subprime crisis and fed's money printing, the value of your buck has just dropped significantly. So that price tag you saw is now cheaper.

 

[Gus Riley]

High end bikes are just too expensive! I saw a Trek Madone 5.5 at the bike shop and for $4000 it only had Race Lite wheels. I thought that was bad but then when I looked at a $4200 Giant TCR (?) it had only Ksyrium Elite wheels.

And now components are so expensive too! I'm glad I'm not in the market for a high end bike anymore!

$4,000 is becoming the mean in near top-end bicycles nowadays isn't it? I agree, that is sinfully expensive...too expensive.

 

[Powerful Pete]

But, like Alienator said, why does everyone need a full record/mega ultra carbon fiber handlebars/CF frame lovingly made by Italian virgins working Japanese CF?

I ride with, and regularly get toasted by, guys riding 1200 Euro bikes.

 

[bobbyOCR]

Always with the BMC with you. You know, I hope you realize that it's ok to love your bike, but you shouldn't love your bike.

OK. I'd rather buy an Orbea. Or a Parlee. Because they are the three nice brands that we sell. (Giant is great, but not special)

 

[Lionfish]

I agree to the original post. Even (to some extent) agreeing with other posts & their opinions it's still a just a frame & some low-tech (compared to cars, computers ect...) components with no powersystem. I won't knock anyone who spends many thousands on a bike but personally I find prices all considering, to be completely outrageous.

 

[alienator]

I agree to the original post. Even (to some extent) agreeing with other posts & their opinions it's still a just a frame & some low-tech (compared to cars, computers ect...) components with no powersystem. I won't knock anyone who spends many thousands on a bike but personally I find prices all considering, to be completely outrageous.

Low tech, no tech, whatever tech has very little to do with it. It's all a matter of what the market will bear. My bike is much more valuable than any Gates Crate. My bike is much more valuable than any IC powered car. And lest anyone forget, the beautiful thing about a bike is that it's one of the very few things that improves it's power system the more it's used. Frankly, I value my bike's power system very much

Once again, to everyone who can't grab hold of the point: you aint gots to buy an expensive bike. If you did and you're upset about it, tough titty. It's your own damned fault. Go find a cheaper hobby, I guess. Sorry, but there's no entitlement to be found here.

 

[oldbobcat]

Yes, our sad little dollar doesn't pedal very far these days. I think the increase in bike cost has alot to do with the timely convergence of new ten speed groups and the increased popularity of expensive carbon frames . . .

Not to mention the proliferation of exotic designs and materials in all components, including saddles, cranks, rims, hubs, bars and stems, and even brake levers. For example, in the early 1980s when new technology first started to supplant what had been used since the 1960s, a Columbus or Reynolds steel bike spec'd with Dura-Ace or Super Record cost around $1200-$1600. If you wanted more, your choices were titanium spindles and freewheels, titanium saddle rails, hard-anodized rims, and silk tires. These were usually added on by the dealer to bring the price up another couple of hundred.

Nowadays stock bikes are spec'd with the extras, and there are more of them, usually made from carbon fiber--bars and stems, brake levers, seat posts, cranks, and even handlebar plugs.

 

[sogood]

The other way to look at the issue is the cost differential b/n those hybrid/MTB and road bikes. The entry point for road bikes is just that much higher in comparison. Although I can understand the effect of market forces here, but it's just unfortunate for those who are looking for a roadie.

 

[Camilo]

The high end bikes only cost this much because there are people willing to pay for them. IMO, any "$9K" bike is overpriced in terms of value for money. At this price point, it's way beyond function and all about the bling. Lot's of great bikes are available for $3K or less.

And how about the price of sport cars? I just looked at a Porsche Carrera this morning with a sticker of $96K. Can you believe they cost so much now? I remember when a 911 was $6K.....and I still thought it was overpriced

Also very similar to the world of acoustic guitars which I think is definitely impacted by the economic affluence of the middle aged affectionado.

One can find a guitar for $2-3K that will sound and play as well as anything available. In fact, one can find one for around $1-2K that is excellent and if not "pro" quality, very nearly so. Many pros play and record with relatively modestly priced instruments.

But if you can afford it and want it, you can quite easily buy a guitar for $10K (or $20K for super-sought after boutique instruments, or $30 if you play classic... or the sky's the limit for collectables). Professionals may or may not go there depending on their inclinations and financial status.

Amateur affectionados will definitely go there if they can afford it... why not?

There can be a point by point arguement made that the $10k guitar is objectively better than the $2500 one, but the factors are very subtle and only significant as they add up - if even that.

And, just like a bike, some of this stuff is strictly personal preference, not objectively "better."

But the really high cost guitars, like bikes, are not better in the sense that anyone would ever be dissatisfied with the $3K guitar if that's what they could afford. They would never be limited by it. If that makes sense.

 

[alienator]

The other way to look at the issue is the cost differential b/n those hybrid/MTB and road bikes. The entry point for road bikes is just that much higher in comparison. Although I can understand the effect of market forces here, but it's just unfortunate for those who are looking for a roadie.

Again, there are plenty of cheap road bikes out there.

 

[Yojimbo_]

I'm in the market for a new road bike. I'm thinking I'd like carbon with Ultegra components and decent wheels. I don't want to spend more than $4K.

For my budget, my LBS has only two choices for me. A 2006 LOOK 565 for $3k (with Mavic wheels but he didn't specify which ones - nice eh) and a 2006 Masi 3VC for $2500. They have nothing else halfways decent for under $4K.

I've also looked (at other locations) at the new Madone 5.2, some Specialized (I don't like that curvy top bar) and some Cannondale. For me, it seems impossible to find something that appeals to me esthetically in my price range.

I mean, for $4,000, I can buy a used car.

 

[oldbobcat]

For me, it seems impossible to find something that appeals to me esthetically in my price range.

Fussy, aren't you?

 

[alienator]

I'm in the market for a new road bike. I'm thinking I'd like carbon with Ultegra components and decent wheels. I don't want to spend more than $4K.

For my budget, my LBS has only two choices for me. A 2006 LOOK 565 for $3k (with Mavic wheels but he didn't specify which ones - nice eh) and a 2006 Masi 3VC for $2500. They have nothing else halfways decent for under $4K.

I've also looked (at other locations) at the new Madone 5.2, some Specialized (I don't like that curvy top bar) and some Cannondale. For me, it seems impossible to find something that appeals to me esthetically in my price range.

I mean, for $4,000, I can buy a used car.

Well, then look harder. It's pretty obvious that a fair number of LBSs don't stock a big variety. You wouldn't either if you knew the margins on bikes. There's mail order, eBay, internet stores, and bike stores elsewhere.

As for the $4000 and the used car, what a completely pointless statement. I can get a used bike off eBay for $300. Christ, people act as if there is supposed to be some correlation between different sorts of products.

If you want to know what the Look 565 has for wheels, go to the Look website. It's that easy. If you want the bike, but not the wheels, ebay the wheels or ask the LBS if he'll upgrade the wheels.

Is everyone here incapable of finding a bike or doing things by themselves?

 

[Powerful Pete]

Is everyone here incapable of finding a bike or doing things by themselves?

Of course they are not. Check the bike purchasing forum. How was anyone able to purchase a bike before the internet, LOL.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Fussy, aren't you?

For $4k he's got 4000 reasons to be fussy.

Go look at the motorcycle $4k buys. Like he said, and I agree, $4k buys me a decent used car or truck.

I have the same issue with a very limited range of brand choices in my area. If I want a selection improvement i have to drive 100 miles and this drive adds two brands to the mix.

Add arrogant and/or ignorant shops into the formula and most of the time I end up going the mail order route.

 

[Lionfish]

Alienator....lighten up. If peoples opinion differs from yours get over it. Don't bash those that don't agree with you. If you don't like this thread than go to another one. Why would you continue to argue with everyones posts once you said your peice? Why would you suggest I quit riding over pricing issues? Better yet, start one about what a bargan it is to drop 10k on a bicycle & how your life is now complete by doing so. Seriously, that kind of controling mentality is why I don't ride in groups anymore. There's always one goof in the pack that's gotta thrash another fellow rider cause he's on "junk". If you got picked on in school & bullied than resolve it alone or with a therapist. Don't take it out on others safely hiding behind a computer screen.

..not trying to make an enemy with ya' Alienator but sometime you gotta agree to disagree.

 

[bobbyOCR]

/\ true, but what Yojimbo said read like 'I want a nice bike, but I don't like the way they look'

 

[Yojimbo_]

Yes...I did partly say that.

For $4K, I also want a bike that I like to look at. That means colour and shape, as well as performance. Something wrong with that? Some of you seem to be saying that there is.

And for this kind of money, I expect the LBS to ask questions about the type of riding I do and the sort of stuff I'm interested in, and then be able to explain something about the components on the bikes they show me. I should not have to do all the research on the web myself and be then embarassed to ask questions because I don't have an experts knowledge about all the wheels and components, else what's the point in going to a store in the first place.

I also expect the LBS to help me decide what I want, and to order it if they don't have it in stock. And before they try to sell me on a frame, I'd like to be convinced that it's the right size. They should be convincing me, not vice versa.

Perhaps I am expecting too much.