Specialized level-up the Levo with new geometry, firmware and a haircut

[Grease_Monkey]

but can you schralp the berms at Tokai on the KTM 450 SX

If you schralp the berms you will get shamed on insta tsk tsk.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Grease_Monkey

[M L]

If the selling point for a R200k Mountain Bike is that it has a 27.5"/29" config then you know the rate of bike-tech development is slowing down.

[lechatnoir]

If the selling point for a R200k Mountain Bike is that it has a 27.5"/29" config then you know the rate of bike-tech development is slowing down.

 

I can barely justify the bikes I have. I'm clearly not who Spez are marketing to. 

[LazyTrailRider]

The dudes and dudettes commenting on this thread are obviously *not* the target market for a R200k bike.

 

Are there enough people who make enough money to make it worth the manufacturers' while? Obviously. If you're earning 5 or 6 bar a year and you love riding, having a Levo S-Werx isn't really a crazy thing at all...

[Grease_Monkey]

The dudes and dudettes commenting on this thread are obviously *not* the target market for a R200k bike.

 

Are there enough people who make enough money to make it worth the manufacturers' while? Obviously. If you're earning 5 or 6 bar a year and you love riding, having a Levo S-Werx isn't really a crazy thing at all...

 

You are right about that. Spez make a 20k carbon balance bike and they sell out. There will be more buyers than there is stock in SA... As long as people pay these prices, they will keep getting more expensive. And people are not going to stop paying...

 

It's just a pity these bikes cost what they do - because I have ridden one and they are super fun. I would love one, but there is no way I can justify that price for an N+1, hell I can't justify paying that for my primary bike. 

[Chadvdw67]

Wow. Only 100k more expensive than a KTM 450 SX.

 

Which produces, you know. 60+ BHP

Has a hydraulic clutch

electric start

WP suspension

Brembo brakes etc.

WP Suspension, nothing to be "bragging" about there dude....

[splat]

The dudes and dudettes commenting on this thread are obviously *not* the target market for a R200k bike.

 

Are there enough people who make enough money to make it worth the manufacturers' while? Obviously. If you're earning 5 or 6 bar a year and you love riding, having a Levo S-Werx isn't really a crazy thing at all...

 

The Constantia Greenbelts are full of them!

[Matt]

The dudes and dudettes commenting on this thread are obviously *not* the target market for a R200k bike.

 

Are there enough people who make enough money to make it worth the manufacturers' while? Obviously. If you're earning 5 or 6 bar a year and you love riding, having a Levo S-Werx isn't really a crazy thing at all...

 

It's all relative and for the folks earning in that league they probably spend more on property rates & levies in a year. 

 

What I never quite understood is that with most of these launches from manufacturers people get whipped up into a frenzy over the top end pricing. 

 

Right now, yes, the two Gen 3 models available are outside the budget consideration of 99% of the market. But, as we've seen in the past, it's likely the lower tier Gen 3 models enter the market later this year/early next (*a personal opinion/speculation).

 

They will still be a lot of money, probably more than most of us would be willing to spend or could afford to, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see models around half the price of the S-works. 

 

It's a bit like bleeting about the the price of a BMW M3 (at R1.8m) when most buyers will be in the market for a mid range model (around R750k). Neither is a small number, but for those in that market segment the mid ranger offers more than enough for their needs. 

[Grease_Monkey]

It's all relative and for the folks earning in that league they probably spend more on property rates & levies in a year. 

 

What I never quite understood is that with most of these launches from manufacturers people get whipped up into a frenzy over the top end pricing. 

 

Right now, yes, the two Gen 3 models available are outside the budget consideration of 99% of the market. But, as we've seen in the past, it's likely the lower tier Gen 3 models enter the market later this year/early next (*a personal opinion/speculation).

 

They will still be a lot of money, probably more than most of us would be willing to spend or could afford to, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see models around half the price of the S-works. 

 

It's a bit like bleeting about the the price of a BMW M3 (at R1.8m) when most buyers will be in the market for a mid range model (around R750k). Neither is a small number, but for those in that market segment the mid ranger offers more than enough for their needs. 

 

 

I think it has more to do with the fact that when top end pricing goes up the whole range goes up proportionately. My old man bought version 1 of the Levo for 60k in 2016 (The Comp). I can't tell you off the top of my head what the equivalent would cost today, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd say north of 120k. That's a 100% increase in 5 years - that is madness. 

 

But that's not unique to Specialized, and it's not unique to e-bikes. And yes, complaining about it is pretty useless and most of the time takes away from the discussion of the bike anyway. But if we get to the point where a 240k bicycle - ie: a toy, is dropped and no one bats an eyelid then we truly have lost the plot. 

[Jewbacca]

hahahahaha

 

Every time Spez release a new bike the price gets thrashed to death.

 

Cannondale release a normal pedal bike at 200k plus and it doesn't gain nearly as much traction as the Spaz.

 

It's a weird environment.

 

This thing looks a hoot to ride. I would love to own one. Hating on it because I can't afford it is far from my thoughts though.

 

Go back to the Epic Evo and Epic Pro thread as well as the last E-bike press release and see who made what comments re price and it's the same protagonists over and over.

 

I get that it's a lot of money, but aren't you expecting these sorts of prices by now? 

[Jewbacca]

I think it has more to do with the fact that when top end pricing goes up the whole range goes up proportionately. My old man bought version 1 of the Levo for 60k in 2016 (The Comp). I can't tell you off the top of my head what the equivalent would cost today, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd say north of 120k. That's a 100% increase in 5 years - that is madness. 

 

But that's not unique to Specialized, and it's not unique to e-bikes. And yes, complaining about it is pretty useless and most of the time takes away from the discussion of the bike anyway. But if we get to the point where a 240k bicycle - ie: a toy, is dropped and no one bats an eyelid then we truly have lost the plot. 

Okes drop 2 to 7 mill on a G-wagen. That's a toy.

 

No one bats an eyelid..... Bikes, cars, moto... football players .... it's a false economy fuelled by the fact that it has a following

[Matt]

I think it has more to do with the fact that when top end pricing goes up the whole range goes up proportionately. My old man bought version 1 of the Levo for 60k in 2016 (The Comp). I can't tell you off the top of my head what the equivalent would cost today, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd say north of 120k. That's a 100% increase in 5 years - that is madness. 

 

But that's not unique to Specialized, and it's not unique to e-bikes. And yes, complaining about it is pretty useless and most of the time takes away from the discussion of the bike anyway. But if we get to the point where a 240k bicycle - ie: a toy, is dropped and no one bats an eyelid then we truly have lost the plot. 

Agreed, the upward trend in pricing across all brands and types is pretty scary. I guess where the outrage comes in is people feel brands are taking the mickey in charging what people are willing to pay. I'm sure there is some degree of that built in, in the same way you'll pay a big premium for an Apple device. But, doing the maths is quite interesting.

 

In 2016 the Sworks Levo was going for R155k.

Apply inflation at 5% per annum and in 2021 you'd be paying R198k for the same bike. 

That still leaves a ~R40k "gap" but keep in mind the 2016 Sworks had an alloy frame, no AXS. Are those worth an extra R40k? Perhaps so if you consider how we'd view it in the context of analogue bikes.

 

It's a scary amount of money however you try to justify it. But the very rough maths above leads me to feel that it's not totally inconceivable to get there given inflation and tech improvements. i.e. not a brand simply loading the price because "hey, people will pay".

 

I get your point on the drag effect on the entry pricing, whether we're talking ebikes or others. It starts to make the sport feel more and more inaccessible. But the capitalist in me believes that if there is opportunity to deliver value at a much lower price point, other brands or new brands will capitalise on that part of the market.

[Baracuda]

I think it has more to do with the fact that when top end pricing goes up the whole range goes up proportionately. My old man bought version 1 of the Levo for 60k in 2016 (The Comp). I can't tell you off the top of my head what the equivalent would cost today, but if I were to hazard a guess I'd say north of 120k. That's a 100% increase in 5 years - that is madness. 

 

But that's not unique to Specialized, and it's not unique to e-bikes. And yes, complaining about it is pretty useless and most of the time takes away from the discussion of the bike anyway. But if we get to the point where a 240k bicycle - ie: a toy, is dropped and no one bats an eyelid then we truly have lost the plot. 

This is the bit I find irritating and absurd. I am fine with the top end model costing a fortune. The top end bikes have become like top end sports cars or whiskey, an expression of what the manufacturer could do if money was no object and aimed at those with silly amount of spare change. Fine and well.

 

But when a normal, non motorized, Epic Evo Comp with standard SLX and sluggish aluminum wheels costs 83k, I think the whole trade is going bananas. And one can't really blame it on the Rand. Motorbikes, kayaks, etc, have not shown these silly levels of inflation.

[lechatnoir]

but can you schralp the berms at Tokai on the KTM 450 SX

 

soon we're going to have a 'do internal combustion engines belong on the mountain?'

[Meezo]

soon we're going to have a 'do internal combustion engines belong on the mountain?'

Everyone every year : What next?

 

 

The following year

 

 

Bicycle industry : ????????????

[rorydewet]

Okes drop 2 to 7 mill on a G-wagen. That's a toy.

 

No one bats an eyelid..... Bikes, cars, moto... football players .... it's a false economy fuelled by the fact that it has a following

why you dissing my lifestyle

 

im proud of my g wagon and my new spez e bike

 

jealousy is very ugly