We're being ripped off!

I went and bought some Conti GP3000's yesterday and paid R400 each! Holy cow poo!<br /><br />I also bought some cars tyres the other day @ R1,200 each (my car has lekker mags on china!).<br /><br />I get about 3,000km from a Conti GP3000 - at R400 each that's 13.3c/km. The car tyres are only 4c/km.<br /><br />Am I totally anal with a calculator or are top end racing tyres a rip off?

 

I get them for less, but yes they are expensive. I have yet to find a tyre with a similar ride quality. But until then, I suppose I'll bleed.

 

A few comments on this one:<br /><br />Car tyres = 2 bar<br />Bike tyres = 8 bar...<br /><br />So thats 4 times tougher..<br /><br />BUT<br /><br />Car tyres = max 240 kph (I'd guess if you got &quot;lekker&quot; mags you got &quot;lekker&quot; tyres)<br /><br />Bike tyres = max 120 kph <br /><br />So thats half as tough...<br /><br />Where to next...<br /><br />Ahh, how much is a gearbox for a larny car vs a top end Campag or Dura Ace drive train. I can't think of many cars that would cost R16 000 for a gearbox (not including labour)... Well, I can, but they are all made in Italy and a few places in Germany....<br /><br />I think bike parts have to be likened to parts for a true sports car rather than a normal car. Tyres at 8 bars, components as light as possible etc. If one looks at an el-cheapo bike and its parts you're looking at R40-R50 for tyres which last for thousands of km's, albeit at much lower pressures than racing tyres.

 

Agreed,<br /><br />I imagine that the economies of scale come into play a bit, as well as a dodgy Rand/Dollar exchange rate and of course, some profiteering.<br /><br />Which is why I'm looking to import my next bike myself.<br /><br />But, if the market is willing to pay the price, the sellers are able to charge it.<br /><br />Bummer.

 

Don't get me started on mtb forks Vs motorbike forks.<br />You could buy a whole motorbike for the price of a pair of RockShox Boxxers!!<br />That's a freakin' rip!

 

I use to buy Conti GP3000 but because if it's price turned to Continental GatorSkin. That's halve the price. Don't take R275 as the real price as most shops are willing to sell them for R200 just ask.

 

you are comparing cycling 'racing' tyres with automobile 'street' tyres<br /><br />consider that a good quality car racing tyre costs around $500 each and cycle tyres won't seem so expensive anymore<br /><br />Also: I can go to the shop and pick up a cheap 27&quot; cycle tyre that will cost $5-10 each<br /><br />apples and oranges my friend<br /><br /><br />

 

i hear ebay is good for forks though

 

How many millions of car tyres do they sell , how many thousand of cycle tyres .
German tyres ,made in Germany ; they´re never going to be cheap . The Vittoria Rubino Pro is economic because it´s made in the far east , Thailand I think .( good tyre though )