Cycling jerseys -- why so expensive?

[dabac]

Quote:Originally Posted by nickiula .I understand why shorts are expensive; they have padding and are manufactured to be extra durable. But, I can't figure out why jerseys cost so much? Aren't they basically polyester? I recently saw a lightweight wool jersey somewhere on the internet for about $25. Would wool provide similar "wick - moisture" removing properties as a polyester jersey. After all, serious campers always use wool socks to keep their feet dry (not polyester).

I agree with what you are saying, overall, Froze. It's weird...a bike with a frame/fork built in China with very simple mechanical components sourced from the cheapest labor on the planet costs $5,000-$10,000 when an econobox car only fetches $15,000-$20,000. The economics of scale, I guess. Perhaps some liability costs tossed into the mix (priced a 'cheap' civil aviation market aircraft lately?)? I know of very few execs in my AO that ride. Of course, I'm half a continent from Silicon Valley!

Nah, it's the consequence of luxury consumerism. Riding a bike is a deliberate choice, it's not something we have to do. All thoughts on utility values and cost/benefit analyses goes out the window. If someone wants it and can afford it, they'll buy it. Cars, not quite that simple. At least not for those in daily use. For cars, at least a smidgen of common sense is often applied. If brand A is 30 % more expensive, then it darn better have something more than bragging rights to show for it.

 

[spdntrxi]

I can say for certainty that after 50-60 miles my bum is better in rapha or assos then the cheaper stuff. Now for a quick 1-2 hour ride it does not matter much for me... I'll use the cheaper stuff

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quitcherbitchin'!

Cheap jerseys and shorts. Get ready to shop and...GO! http://www.theclymb.com/all/13205/cycling-gear?page=4

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quote by dabac:
"If brand A is 30 % more expensive, then it darn better have something more than bragging rights to show for it."

Guess the brand of car that does this:


Pro hint: It wasn't a Miata.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Quote by mpre53:
"...or those rich guys who buy more airplane than they can handle (Thurman Munson)."

Thurman burned in just a few miles from one of my previous residences.

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
Quote by Froze:
"...we run and buy it because Lance Armstrong (or some such person) all endorse it as the newest and greatest thing we all should have if we want to be true cyclists."

I'll be the first in line to buy 'Lance's One-A-Day EPO' pills.

Regardless of the price tag!

Not to debate general aviation liability costs in a jersey thread (CF jumps the shark debates have seen much more imaginative leaps, for sure), but...

"I recall something in the order of 1/3rd the price of a new aircraft was for liability cost to cover the airplane over the lifetime expected."

From: http://www.get-aviation.com/blog/airplanes-business-use-productivity/general-aviation-piston-aircraft-decline

Between the costs of product liability, industry insurance requiements and .gov regulation the most quoted figure I hear around the local airports is somewhere around 1/2 to 2/3rds the price tag of a new piston-powered non-LSA plane.

Cheap jerseys, shorts and tights? Shop Bike Nashbar! I just snagged two pairs of the Mansfield II tights for $47 delivered...no liability costs built in to those winter wear goodies!

That is the cost of the liability WE have to pay to insure in case we crash the plane into something. The 3% I was speaking of is the cost that is tacked onto the cost of a new aircraft due to liability costs that all airplane manufactures have experienced.

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
Quote by Froze:
"...we run and buy it because Lance Armstrong (or some such person) all endorse it as the newest and greatest thing we all should have if we want to be true cyclists."

I'll be the first in line to buy 'Lance's One-A-Day EPO' pills.

Regardless of the price tag!

Not to debate general aviation liability costs in a jersey thread (CF jumps the shark debates have seen much more imaginative leaps, for sure), but...

"I recall something in the order of 1/3rd the price of a new aircraft was for liability cost to cover the airplane over the lifetime expected."

From: http://www.get-aviation.com/blog/airplanes-business-use-productivity/general-aviation-piston-aircraft-decline

Between the costs of product liability, industry insurance requiements and .gov regulation the most quoted figure I hear around the local airports is somewhere around 1/2 to 2/3rds the price tag of a new piston-powered non-LSA plane.

Cheap jerseys, shorts and tights? Shop Bike Nashbar! I just snagged two pairs of the Mansfield II tights for $47 delivered...no liability costs built in to those winter wear goodies!

Hmm, well here's info about the 3% thing I was attempting to say: http://www.meyersaircraft.com/Common/Market%20&%20Liability%20Analysis.html

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
Quote by mpre53:
"...or those rich guys who buy more airplane than they can handle (Thurman Munson)."

Thurman burned in just a few miles from one of my previous residences.

Also John F Kennedy Jr died as of a result of too much airplane for him to handle. This situation happens with cars and motorcycles too.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I thought JFK Jr. died due to flying VFR in borderline VFR conditions. IOW, it was his own inexperience and dis-orientation in dark/hazy conditions that got him and his passenger deaded, not the 300 HP Piper. It's easy to get in over your head with both the equipment and the skills/maturity needed to use the equipment.

High performance motorbikes do seem to find more than enough guys that think they can pilot like Alonso, only to find 140-160 MPH is covering asphalt faster than they can realize they can't.

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
I thought JFK Jr. died due to flying VFR in borderline VFR conditions. IOW, it was his own inexperience and dis-orientation in dark/hazy conditions that got him and his passenger deaded, not the 300 HP Piper. It's easy to get in over your head with both the equipment and the skills/maturity needed to use the equipment.

High performance motorbikes do seem to find more than enough guys that think they can pilot like Alonso, only to find 140-160 MPH is covering asphalt faster than they can realize they can't.

My understanding was it was a combination of not being instrument rated though he did take the written exam and unfamiliarity flying at night with those instruments may have been a minor cause however what led to the actual crash was the performance of the craft and his cognitive abilities meaning the craft exceeded his abilities; see this for details on rate of descent and turn etc. http://www.airsafe.com/events/celebs/jfk_jr.htm

 

[CAMPYBOB]

"The NTSB determined that the probable causes of this accident were the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were haze, and the dark night."

He lost the horizon. Would being in a Piper Cub, Cessna 150 or a Beech Kingair 200 have made any difference (other than the Beech might have saved his butt if he had kicked on the auto-pilot)? The artificial horizon ball would have been ignored in either case, I would think. My father's flight instructor flew his Taylorcraft smack into hill side and killed himself. Same situation as Jr. Except the plane was one step above the Great Pyramid of Giza in complexity and the pilot had hundreds and hundreds of hours in the type. No reference plane...no fly right.

Thurman was in way over his head when he failed at adult Lawn Darts.

I just stopped at a not-so-LBS and boy was it pathetic in there. No selection. High prices. Old stock on the floor and on the shelves. And not a single piece of Campagnolo in the joint.

 

[Froze]

Did you read the story? The plane was too fast and turned and dived too fast for his experience level and found himself in trouble fast, had it been a low performance aircraft he may have been able to find his way out...note I said may because all of this is just guessing and since we can't replay history with him using a different aircraft to see how things would have turned out. In the end it all came down to the experience of the pilot anyways.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Yes, I read it.

I saw nothing the report that stated the performance level of the aircraft was at fault or a contributing factor in the crash. I did read that spatial disorientation resulted in the loss of control of the aircraft and the failure to effect a recovery during the descent, climb and second descent.

He had no clue what was 'up' or what was 'down'.

No reference plane...no fly right.

OTOH, the Clymb has some great deals today. Helps if you are a small dude or a really big dude, but there's some stuff available in the full range of sizes: http://www.theclymb.com/shop/cycle/men-s-road-apparel/362

 

[531Aussie]

I still don't know why decent quality bibs are the only product left on Earth that aren't made in Asia.

By the way, here's another one: Graham "Shirley" Strachan, Aus tv personality and former lead singer of the '70s band Skyhooks, died during one of his solo flights. I think he was still a relative rookie

http://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/2001/release/2001_21.aspx

"
The pilot was on a training navigation flight and had not been briefed on the weather conditions by the flight training school before departure from Maroochydore. In addition, the pilot's flight planning notes did not take into account the forecast winds.
Encounters with mountain waves have led to catastrophic events in the past and pilots needed to be highly aware of their potentially deadly effects when interpreting weather forecasts and planning flight over mountainous terrain."

 

[ambal]

Originally Posted by 531Aussie
I still don't know why decent quality bibs are the only product left on Earth that aren't made in Asia.

Yeah they are, if you did a blind test you probably couldn't pick the difference.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Yeah, I've got a couple/three pairs of chicom bibs and they all have comfortable chamois. Seams are holding up after a couple of seasons in the clothing rotation.

The only drawback to bibs, in general (maybe chicom in particular?), is that the straps are cut more for the 5' 10" rider than the 6' 1" rider.

Quote by 531Aussie:
"By the way, here's another one: Graham "Shirley" Strachan, Aus tv personality and former lead singer of the '70s band Skyhooks, died during one of his solo flights. I think he was still a relative rookie"

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots.
There are no old bold pilots.

 

[Froze]

I know this will sound bizarre to this younger generation but I have this weird (who would have thunk that!) cultural thing dating back to the 70's when gay guys wore bibs with suspenders, and so to this day I think they look gay, thus I just can't be caught dead wearing something like that!

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
Yes, I read it.

I saw nothing the report that stated the performance level of the aircraft was at fault or a contributing factor in the crash. I did read that spatial disorientation resulted in the loss of control of the aircraft and the failure to effect a recovery during the descent, climb and second descent.

He had no clue what was 'up' or what was 'down'.

No reference plane...no fly right.

OTOH, the Clymb has some great deals today. Helps if you are a small dude or a really big dude, but there's some stuff available in the full range of sizes: http://www.theclymb.com/shop/cycle/men-s-road-apparel/362

AGAIN, I said the plane was too much for his experience level which contributed the cause of the crash. Look, the Porsche Carrera GT that killed Paul Walker was too much of a car for the driver Roger Rodas to handle. The car isn't at fault, the driver was because he got in over his head, the same is true with Kennedy.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

If only JFK Jr. had been in a Piper J3! He would have found the horizon in the deep, dark night, recovered from his lawn dart approach pattern and been nominated instead of Obongo.

 

[531Aussie]

Originally Posted by ambal

Yeah they are, if you did a blind test you probably couldn't pick the difference.

Really? I've read stories about the cheap knock-offs falling apart.

 

[mpre53]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB
If only JFK Jr. had been in a Piper J3! He would have found the horizon in the deep, dark night, recovered from his lawn dart approach pattern and been nominated instead of Obongo.

The plane itself was only a factor due to his inexperience in type. 3 solo hours, 0.8 solo hours at night. At the end of the day, it's just a 300 hp single engine, retractable gear plane. Nothing he couldn't have handled with 310 total hours under favorable weather conditions. Or, even under the existing conditions if he was properly rated.

Damn. Cruise and max speed isn't all that much higher than a Cessna 172.

Performance

• Maximum speed: 190 mph (306 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 160 mph (258 km/h)
• Range: 1000 miles (1600 km)
• Service ceiling: 14600 ft (4450 m)
• Rate of climb: 1050 ft/min (5.3 m/s)

Performance

• Cruise speed: 122 kn (140 mph; 226 km/h)
• Stall speed: 47 kn (54 mph; 87 km/h) (power off, flaps down)[73]
• Never exceed speed: 163 kn (188 mph; 302 km/h) (IAS)[8]
• Range: 696 nmi (801 mi; 1,289 km) with 45 minute reserve, 55% Power, at 12,000 ft
• Service ceiling: 13,500 ft (4,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 721 ft/min (3.66 m/s)
• Wing loading: 14.1 lb/sq ft (68.6 kg/m2)