porky

Ah' date=' so someone else has finally cottoned onto this pricing thing that I cannot get my head into. Where is the logic of the suppliers / manufatureres and how can they justify this sort of costing? BTW Porky, Dunlop may be "Name Brand" but IMHO they are not the best tyres around. Even so, it is just illogical that a tiny, skinny little 700 c tyre can cost more than a car tyre. Someone is taking all of us for a "ride".[/quote'] My point was that its a name brand as opposed to the general Tiger Wheel generic brand "Velocity" or something, which by the way were even cheaper. Just re-enforces my point above, we need the manufacturers appointed distributor to come on here and say, Okay guys this is the suggested price, this is the reason we are so expensive / cheap whatever he thinks etc. Bike tyres are not heavy and they are not volumetric, they can be airfreighted in overnight or at least in general consolodations on a weekly or bi-weekly basis which negates the movement of the rand, so they cant use this excuse. Anyway as the rand has now strengthened, can we expect the price to come down?? Lots of questions. As you say, we are been fleeced and the sad part is nobody seems to care, they see us as suckers until they go out of business, and then they cry and wail and blame "us suckers" for importing his own tyres and their consequent woes.

I dont know, RAI has broadcast the Giro for umteen years now, perhaps they wont have full 8 hour live coverage, but I would be surprised if you tell me theres nothing? Not even a highlight package? RAI broadcasts on a few differant schedules depending on area, did you look at all of them? I am too lazy, and will just tune in on Sat. and see - I still live in hope.!

Interesting, I didnt know that, probably because I never read the mag - so would they survive without PPA and Discovery.?

I wonder if Bicycling could survive if they didnt have the Discovery Tie-in? My personal feeling is No, Never,Not a chance, Forget it, I think they bargain on the fact folk will gamble the few bucks on the cheap Discovery tie-in for subscriptions. Here in the local Bedford CNA I usually see piles of them at the begining of the month, and piles of them at the end of the month, I doubt very much people are buying them off the shelf.

Nothing indeed, but you are looking at it from a reailers point of view,now look at it from a consumers and possible "overall" market view. You are right, the fact is (RRP) makes No differance to the shop at all, they can choose to ignore it - however it makes a big differance to the consumer, in that they have a ball park figure of what they will pay, anywhere in the country from an Authorised dealer. In a tiny,tiny, market like cycling its even more important, if I know a Gatorskin has a RRP of R360.00, perhaps I will be more inclined to just drive down to the local shop and buy a set, I am a proactive shopper, so I would look before hand and say, Okay, its fair, Ill support Joes bike shop, BUT, as it stands I dont know the "average" price and I got fleeced, so now I am "once bitten, twice shy" and will import my future requirements, removing my money from local shops. Is this what we need, I dont know maybe.? porky2009-05-07 03:36:08

Yah, R360.00 seems average. I have no issues with a shop making a fair profit, and if R360.00 is average, so be it, of course shops can charge what they like and its "buyer beware" which is another reason I think it would be good to have the manufacturer here on this board (or elsewhere) to say - Suggested retail is RXYZ.00 then we are all in the loop, shops,customers everybody, we know the max suggested price and can feel good about the purchase if we get a discount. Right now I feel skinned, and it just re-enforces the notion of importing myself and cutting out the shop. Thats not a healthy retail scenario.

OTE] porky' date=' i have seen the cost on contis, and it often goes up with every shipment. supply is kinda erratic too.[/quote'] Oh, wouldnt surprise me HR. See my post on the other thread here about Importing from the UK. See if you agree.? What would you sell Gatorskins for over the shelf, no specials, everybody price bud? - I think I read you do some work in a shop,? if I am wrong just ignore it, I have a screaming headache so I cant think too straight.! porky2009-05-06 10:33:30

Personally, I am appaled at the increases in costs. Anyone who read my issue with Continental tyre prices will know, they have probably risen 70% - nobody, but nobody can tell me continental has had a 30 - 40% price increase, Asian and European markets never do, I also import millions of rand in heavy structural equipment out of Europe and Asia, they have increases of 5%, maybe. Anyway, the local market is on its way out in my opinion, there are serious issues with the supply chain of product, distributors and shops are just increasing prices daily to cover a "diminishing daily financial intake", customers are not stupid and realise this, so they have become increasingly militant, and are importing themselves, refusing to support the retailers (as I) - Anytime I buy something in a shop I feel as if I have made a poor purchase, I dont or seldom feel happy, because I know its at a high premium. When I started cycling, I bought from a new shop at full retail, knowing full well I was been fleeced, but I justified it by thinking I was "helping the young lad get started" - he could have just asked me for a nonrefundable loan, it would have been more honest - well anyway, he folded before my tyres had worn down and I was left with a bitter taste of making "a donation" to his business - these days I only make donations when I get a tax deductable - no gifts anymore - retailers need to sharpen up smart, I dont see many retailers lasting winter. porky2009-05-06 09:35:48

Ha,I shaved once, my wife told me she felt like a lesbian.! Never did it again. Real men have hair, young boys and woman dont - its simple.

Thats seems a far more appropriate price Trubie, I had a set about a year ago and they were around R250.00 odd then so R320.00 seems a fair margin for the devaluation of the currancy etc. R800.00 is certainly at a premium, if they wanted an investor, they could have just rather asked, far more honest in my book. Surprised Cajees was more though, usually they are fairly competitive arnt they.?

No man porky I was responding to Eldron (and yes indicating how to coat 'em with silicon). No doubt the wife had your credit card' date=' ay? [/quote'] Ha, Whatcha think man, ..................the only time I even see my credit card is when I go to Woolies with her. ................she always lets me sign it there.!! porky2009-05-05 08:54:07

Yah Jules, I usually do just import 10 tyres and keep em around - but obviously they were finished. I just think its a predatory system, size up your clients wallet when they walk in (its not difficult) and fleece them for what you can. Then when thet go out of business because they ran out of suckers like her, they bleat here about "tough economic conditions, customers importing themselves etc". Anyway, she has them now, nothing to do, but it just irks my goat when this happens. .........and I personally dont even think they are that great either.

Well, thats just a dumb answer Intern, I expected better of you. What must she do??, paint the treads with silicone? Theres two points to my statement, Eldron explained the first one and I agree with him, material costs negate ANY and ALL economies of scale. The second point is, I get the feeling "they saw her coming" - She hardly knows the differance between differant tyres, she asked for tyres, they sold her Gators - at a premium - nobody asked how many Kms you do, are you going to race with them, do you ride daily, nothing, they pulled two Gators and said Here, these are ideal for you.! Yah, great sales tactic, works on quite a few suckers - but sooner or later, you run out of suckers.!

Yah, that was my next point. Maybe she dos 300 kms a month, I think the last set just died of old age, so NO she didnt need Gators, but.............................! I feel a rant coming on indeed!!.

Good Lord.....................!! Lesson three in promoting your brand...................... ........."get three of your best buds to write great things about your product on "the hub". Stand by for the next two.!

Hmrph..........so she got "semi skinned" R80.00 bucks on R800.00 - 10% give or take,! Unbelievable, I put tyres on my delivery Bakkie (Dunlops so even a name brand) the other day, R375.00 each including balancing at Tiger, probably not even the cheapest around.!! Its no wonder cycling here is in the doldrums, Bakkie tyre R375.00 approx 60.000 kms per tyre, - bicycle tyre R400.00 and about 5000 kms per tyre.!!

................were looking a bit worn on the weekends ride and been a woman and impatient took herself off this morning to get two new ones. Calling me from the car, she said she had bought two new "Gatorskins" cos the guy in the shop said they were ideal for her - sounds fine I said, how much were they by the way........................?? R800.00 bucks for two, she said.!!!!!!!!!!! "WHAT".................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I dont know prices, I seldom walk into cycle shops, but is this average? Personally I cant think so I have this sneaky feeling she was "skinned". But before I kick up a stink about predatory shops taking advantage of unknowing consumers,(and I will if need be), I need to ask...................................What is average price,?? - just ball park, give or take, approximate, plus / minus - I want to know, "all welcome to answer".

Personally, I never even bother to look what bike someone else rides, I dont find any justification for it. If your life is justified by riding a brand of bicycle which you deem to be better than another then perhaps you need to re-evaluate your goals.

Excuse my sceptic nature mate, but how long did you spend here? Like a lot of folks I page through this site (and others) after hours, late evening or when its slow at the office and I have 15 / 20 minutes to spare. Cant really say I would be a better cyclist, runner or even more relaxed if I used this time differantly, but thats just my opinion!. I hope theres no ulterior motive, but if not, I guess you have thought about it and made an informed decision,............ in which case I accept your farewell.!! Naaaaaa, just kidding bud, but seriously, take it easy, I hope you find what you are looking for.

Did you ask them for a document with the complete policy wording? When I did a comparison about a year ago' date=' PC and CS had similar policy conditions, while Outsurance had a couple of restrictive clauses (I can't remember what, though) that made me reject them. [/quote'] Common problem with Outsurance, everyone will have horror stories about insurance and non payment of claims, but Outsurance seems to come up far to frequently in this regard for me.