A top end bike is too expensive nowadays...

[desertrat58]

I'm a bicycle and a high end music system (stereo) enthusiast. My 2001 Kestrel 300 EMS speced out at about 5 grand, outfitted piece by piece, exactly like I wanted it. It has close to 20,000 miles on it, and shows no signs of giving out. I've only had to replace the rear shifter/brake lever. The other replacements have been the usual consummables.

My stereo system lists at about $20K, but through the wonders of dealer demos and "new in the box" (but not stolen) on Ebay, I paid about half that. If you explore the world of high end audio, this is hardly expensive. All this stuff is really durable, and should last another 10 years, at least. High end speakers these days can cost more than cars. And I mean Ferraris. Out of my league, but it is nice to dabble on the fringes.

Shop carefully, and expensive items can amortize out to very reasonable purchases. My office stereo system has my original high end stereo purchase, which turned me on to the wonders of a good stereo. These speakers are about 27 years old, with amps that are about 15 years old now. And they were by no means expensive.

High end bikes may be amongst the cheapest of luxuries around.

 

[djconnel]

Forget Ultegra -- SRAM Rival is a lot nicer, much lighter, and no more expensive. See:
http://www-tcad.stanford.edu/~djconnel/cycling/CompetitiveCyclistGroupMassPrice.png

A full group I see on E- Bay for $550. American Cyclery had some really nice Soma frames on sale for $300. A carbon fork is less than $100. I've seen multiple sets of good wheels for sale for $300. Then $50 for a Ritchey stem, $70 for a Thompson seatpost, $75 for a saddle, $50 for handlebars, used pedals for $50. Bar tape, tires, tubes = $100. That's $1650, w/ pedals, for a really top-notch package, probably around 18-19 lb.

Dan

 

[oldbobcat]

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.

So what is your aesthetic? My ideal look is a late-70s Masi Gran Criterium in Baby Aspirin Orange and decked out in Super Record and 32-spoke tubulars, something most readers of this forum would sniff at.

To me most of the current top-end bikes look too industrial. The radically compact frames, except for the Giant TCRs, look like something is seriously missing. To me, Cervelo, Look, Orbea, and Pinarello have weirdly cool aesthetics. I'm not crazy about the paint schemes on Trek, but then you can choose your own for a little more dough. I think my Felt is pretty good looking, but it's hardly a high-end bike.

If I had $4K to burn, though, I'd be looking at a Kuota Kebel or Khan. They come in more sizes and the Italian geometry is a better fit for my proportions.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

My ideal look is a late-70s Masi Gran Criterium in Baby Aspirin Orange and decked out in Super Record and 32-spoke tubulars, something most readers of this forum would sniff at..

My Gran Criterium is in pearlescent white...I do have a Cinelli Super Corsa in a high metallic red/orange though.

Ah! Good old Italian steel! So beautiful they have come framed!

 

[sogood]

This graph I saw on another forum seemed to be relevant here. Interesting how different companies structure their pricing curve. $1000+ price differential on your premium bike just by the groupset alone.

 

[sogood]

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

Well, not as much or low as hybrid/MTBs.

 

[alienator]

So what is your aesthetic?

Here is my aesthetic. It pushes every button, three buttons I didn't know I had, and two buttons I've yet to acquire:

 

[alienator]

This graph I saw on another forum seemed to be relevant here. Interesting how different companies structure their pricing curve. $1000+ price differential on your premium bike just by the groupset alone.

That's weird: I've yet to buy anything based on its cost/weight ratio. Stupid me, I've been buying stuff based on function, quality, and other such things.

 

[alienator]

Well, not as much or low as hybrid/MTBs.

...and there are more low cost alloy rims built up with stainless steel spokes than there are low cost unidirectional CF rims built with CF spokes.

 

[sogood]

That's weird: I've yet to buy anything based on its cost/weight ratio. Stupid me, I've been buying stuff based on function, quality, and other such things.

Well, the chart wasn't aimed to show what you should buy but just illustrates the relationship b/n cost and weight of the various groupsets. I am sure it's a fact that that the marketing people considered in coming up with their pricing structure.

 

[oldbobcat]

My Gran Criterium is in pearlescent white...I do have a Cinelli Super Corsa in a high metallic red/orange though.

Your Masi must be newer than mine, a 1980 (which is still the 70s as far as I'm concerned). They're sweet rides.

 

[LeDomestique]

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.

No, you are not expecting too much and the LBS should give you all that advice, fit and much more regardless of what bike you’re purchasing. Of course, I can perfectly understand that they’ll put a lot more effort into a customer looking at a 4K bike than one looking at a 450$ hybrid. If you don’t feel you’ve been treated properly, walk away (I have a couple of times)

On the original topic, I’m relatively new to the bike scene, so I can’t really remember how much a “high end” bike costed 10 or 15 years ago, but it seems to me that there’s a bigger proportion of people willing to spend big bucks on hobbies. It might be due to the general availability of credit, consumer habit changes, a more “screw it, life is meant to be enjoyed” motto in many people’s lives or simply that people are making more money, I really don’t know.

Also, the bike industry has changed dramatically over the last 15 years, with lots more players in the game, coming up with newer and fancier products every week. Paradoxically, instead of the fierce competition driving the prices down, companies seem to have chosen to go for the premium segment of the market (e.g. SRAM coming up with the RED group now, more expensive than Record). Also, by clever marketing, they are making that segment bigger and bigger, so they are getting a bigger portion of a bigger cake.

Result: we’re getting better technology faster than ever and practically limitless options to please our whims, and we seem to be happy to pay for that premium.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Your Masi must be newer than mine, a 1980 (which is still the 70s as far as I'm concerned). They're sweet rides.

It would take me hours to dig out the paperwork, but I'm gonna guess I picked it up in 1982. It was still in the era of toe clips.

The Cinelli was brought in-country inside a shipping container with a Ferrari. The Ferrari was bought in Italy (imported and converted to USA specs) and the owner filled the container's air space with new Cinelli framesets to resell! I 'think' he sold them for $575 in about 1983 (with Cinelli headset and binder bolt).

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Here is my aesthetic. It pushes every button, three buttons I didn't know I had, and two buttons I've yet to acquire:

It needs more decals. From that angle it's difficult to tell who made it or what model it is.

 

[djconnel]

$5.5k for the "fuselage":
http://rbikes.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=11723

Wow. Even a full-custom Calfee Dragonfly is cheaper than that.

Dan

 

[Crankyfeet]

Here is my aesthetic. It pushes every button, three buttons I didn't know I had, and two buttons I've yet to acquire:

Nice. Hey Alienator - I'm not up there with you on Bike equipment, but does that BB look on the flimsy side to you? Please correct me as I haven't done any research other than looking at your pic.

I suppose it's strong enough to carry 185lb Thor Hushvod to a few sprint victories.

 

[JTE83]

I'm not excited by that Look 595 or Trek. If I was to get a high end round tube bike I'd look at the Cervelo R3 or a BMC.

For me to afford a top end bike it's usually ebay, ebay parts, or a bike shop that will cut me a year end clearance deal.

I guess I have 3 top end bikes anyway -
1 - CF Cervelo Soloist Team Zipp 404 Zero Gravity Selle Aspide Passione CF Seat ceramic bearings ergomo pro
2 - custom Ultegra 9 Polar Power Ksyrium SL ceramic Kestrel Talon FSA Superlight
3 - Dura Ace 9 Polar Power HED 3 FSA Superlight Aluminum Cervelo Soloist Team

 

[alienator]

Nice. Hey Alienator - I'm not up there with you on Bike equipment, but does that BB look on the flimsy side to you? Please correct me as I haven't done any research other than looking at your pic.

I suppose it's strong enough to carry 185lb Thor Hushvod to a few sprint victories.

I test rode one, and part of the test ride was up a 20%+ grade, and the BB felt just fine. Actually, the bike felt better up that road than my Moots. That said, I don't buy into this whole "stiffness" craze, and according to some that were at Eurobike, quite a few manufacturers are realizing the stiffness fetish has gone too far.

Aesthetically, I think the BB looks great. It's got that classic look, with a modern patina. It's much better looking than the BB abortions that Cervelo makes.

 

[alienator]

Wow. Even a full-custom Calfee Dragonfly is cheaper than that.

Dan

Calfees should be cheaper: they're heinously ugly.

 

[alienator]

I'm not excited by that Look 595 or Trek. If I was to get a high end round tube bike I'd look at the Cervelo R3 or a BMC.

Uhm....have you bothered looking closely at a BMC, especially the top tube? Round tube?