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High End - Low End...Does'nt it make you Sad


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When I was young(20 years ago), names like Eddy Merckx, Cannondale, Bianchi, De Rosa etc, these bikes were the Ferarri, Lamborghini, 911 Porsche of the times. Now a days you get these bikes at the low end of the bicycle food chain selling for R3999.00 and its sad for me personally to see. I know the recession and bad economy must have had something to do with it where these guys had to come up with a stratergy or run the risk of closing down but its still sad. Now that carbon fibre is widely available it seems every Tom Dick and Harry is producing top end bikes. For instance when I went to go watch the TDF this year there are thousands of cyclists cycling up the mountains before the stage starts and there were so many bike manufacturers coming past, most of which I have not even heard of but they are all good looking bikes with carbon frames and Ultegra or Dura Ace components that you have to ask yourself "is there a bad carbon bike out there?"

 

So going back to the years of 531,753 & SLX frames and Alluminium frames(older cyclists will know what I am talking about...kids dont look so confused) these were the days when only the best bikes were out there because hand built frames was a art and only a handfull of skilled frame builders were able to build them and so you were left to oogle and drool at these machines. Now ofcourse most bikes are made with a "Made in China" sticker at the bottom of your BB. So the question I have is exactly this: Why buy a Dogma worth R85,000.00 when you can buy a Fuji carbon for instance with the same components at R39,999.00? What is in a name anymore?

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When I was young(20 years ago), names like Eddy Merckx, Cannondale, Bianchi, De Rosa etc, these bikes were the Ferarri, Lamborghini, 911 Porsche of the times. Now a days you get these bikes at the low end of the bicycle food chain selling for R3999.00 and its sad for me personally to see. I know the recession and bad economy must have had something to do with it where these guys had to come up with a stratergy or run the risk of closing down but its still sad. Now that carbon fibre is widely available it seems every Tom Dick and Harry is producing top end bikes. For instance when I went to go watch the TDF this year there are thousands of cyclists cycling up the mountains before the stage starts and there were so many bike manufacturers coming past, most of which I have not even heard of but they are all good looking bikes with carbon frames and Ultegra or Dura Ace components that you have to ask yourself "is there a bad carbon bike out there?"

 

So going back to the years of 531,753 & SLX frames and Alluminium frames(older cyclists will know what I am talking about...kids dont look so confused) these were the days when only the best bikes were out there because hand built frames was a art and only a handfull of skilled frame builders were able to build them and so you were left to oogle and drool at these machines. Now ofcourse most bikes are made with a "Made in China" sticker at the bottom of your BB. So the question I have is exactly this: Why buy a Dogma worth R85,000.00 when you can buy a Fuji carbon for instance with the same components at R39,999.00? What is in a name anymore?

 

 

I hear you. I also read something by Giovanni Pinarello saying that it was only right that they spec their bikes with Campagnolo, now their frames are made in Taiwan and happily sporting shimano. Its likely that if they didn't go this route they might not have survived, so I guess we shouldn't complain in that sense. As far as the pricing goes, its disgusting that the frames cost what they do. You cant tell me that the cookie cutter moulded frames need to cost that much, when you can buy a complete motorbike for the same price as just the frame.

Edited by velo
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Finally the world is waking up to the fact that uber expensive bikes are no better than the Raleighs, Silverback and Meridas of this world.

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It is all supply and demand. If no one wants expensive stuff, then no one will make it. It's like that with everything. Somebody walked into a car show room and said "I want better safety". So they came up with the airbag and are charging accordingly. Why do we need titanium framed specs? Because their is a market for it. I've decided not to be influenced by gimmicks anymore. I will buy what I need and nothing more. It's a case of wanting the stuff you have more then wanting more stuff.

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Where did Reynolds and Columbus tubing fall in? Or was that just a type of tubing?

 

Reynolds is a British tube manufacturer and their various grades of steel tubing were designated by numbers: 501, 531, 753 etc.

 

Columbus is an Italian company whose grades of tube were designated by letters and names: SL, SLX, Cromor etc.

 

Each manufacturer used whatever tubing they either preferred or had been specified by the client or team.

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Reynolds is a British tube manufacturer and their various grades of steel tubing were designated by numbers: 501, 531, 753 etc.

 

Columbus is an Italian company whose grades of tube were designated by letters and names: SL, SLX, Cromor etc.

 

Each manufacturer used whatever tubing they either preferred or had been specified by the client or team.

 

Ah, makes sense. Thanks :thumbup:

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it seems there are still some brands out there that don't sell 'low end' bikes.

 

Santa Cruz

Morewood

Yeti

Intense

Evil

Cove

 

...to name a few.

 

Sure these are mountain bikes (OP was about road bikes) and yes, they may not cost over 100k like a Pinarello... but they also don't make mass produced R4999.95 bikes.

 

So yeah... even with market demand, they seem to survive. Sure they're not in the same league (financially) as Giant (the worlds largest bicycle manufacturer, although I may be wrong)... but people still want one! And the company still gets by.

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it seems there are still some brands out there that don't sell 'low end' bikes.

 

Santa Cruz

Morewood

Yeti

Intense

Evil

Cove

 

...to name a few.

 

Sure these are mountain bikes (OP was about road bikes) and yes, they may not cost over 100k like a Pinarello... but they also don't make mass produced R4999.95 bikes.

 

So yeah... even with market demand, they seem to survive. Sure they're not in the same league (financially) as Giant (the worlds largest bicycle manufacturer, although I may be wrong)... but people still want one! And the company still gets by.

 

In this day and age, what puts these frames above others? Is it just a brand name or something else?

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