Overpricing…

[lechatnoir]

53 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I wouldn't call Total Energies a "supermarket chain" even if they sell kitkat on their forecourts through the la Boutique 😄

friday afternoon brain fade.

[esCape-ist]

Again, to bring this back to bikes. How much of the insane increase in the cost of cycling is being driven by cyclists ourselves. there are obviously macro economic forces at play, like the shipping backlog, covid, war in Ukraine, fuel crisis etc etc. But surely the fact that cyclists seem to believe they need to be using the most expensive bikes in order to enjoy riding, and then going out and financing these buys at silly interest rates, must also play a role in the steep rise in pricing.

 

I don’t think there is any other recreational sport on earth, where joe public and weekend warriors are so often using the same equipment as the top professionals - and that kit comes at a price. 

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, Duane_Bosch said:

I used to do stocktaking as a student job for Shoprite way back. Once the aircons are switched off and the nice smelling people leave those places KLUNK! And siff does not even begin to describe the dairy fridges. I still struggle with yoghurt and it took me a long time to eat bacon again after a particularly bad olfactory assault.

I did work at two prominent fish factories measuring up the sites ........... let me just say that I get what you are saying.

[MTBRIDER1234]

26 minutes ago, esCape-ist said:

Again, to bring this back to bikes. How much of the insane increase in the cost of cycling is being driven by cyclists ourselves. there are obviously macro economic forces at play, like the shipping backlog, covid, war in Ukraine, fuel crisis etc etc. But surely the fact that cyclists seem to believe they need to be using the most expensive bikes in order to enjoy riding, and then going out and financing these buys at silly interest rates, must also play a role in the steep rise in pricing.

 

I don’t think there is any other recreational sport on earth, where joe public and weekend warriors are so often using the same equipment as the top professionals - and that kit comes at a price. 

I often say that MTB is the new golf, people spend stupid money on the same gear the professionals have and often have really no idea how to use it. 

Everything is extremely expensive and the markups are huge. If you have ever worked on a shifter, then you can't say with a straight face that paying 4K for a SRAM XX1 12 speed shifter is not ridiculous. Same goes for a brake system, if you have ever rebuilt brakes, then you will see why paying 5 grand for a code RSC lever and caliper is just stupid. (not as bad as an XX1 shifter though...)

A lot of people think that having XX1 or grip2 will make them a better rider or increase their enjoyment. Sorry to break it to you but it doesn't. 

Also don't even get me started on fox's Kashima coat...

 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, Duane_Bosch said:

I used to do stocktaking as a student job for Shoprite way back. Once the aircons are switched off and the nice smelling people leave those places KLUNK! And siff does not even begin to describe the dairy fridges. I still struggle with yoghurt and it took me a long time to eat bacon again after a particularly bad olfactory assault.

 

I did inspections of shops, restaurants and kitchens during shopping centre revamps ....

 

Upmarket address .... mostly decent.  But that one fish restaurant   You could barely walk on the layer of gunk on the floor.  This over a period of about 6 months for this particular kitchen.  Jip, owner never on site, trusting "managers" ....  Those restaurants where the owner was in store a couple of days a week were consistently clean.

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

I often say that MTB is the new golf, people spend stupid money on the same gear the professionals have and often have really no idea how to use it. 

Everything is extremely expensive and the markups are huge. If you have ever worked on a shifter, then you can't say with a straight face that paying 4K for a SRAM XX1 12 speed shifter is not ridiculous. Same goes for a brake system, if you have ever rebuilt brakes, then you will see why paying 5 grand for a code RSC lever and caliper is just stupid. (not as bad as an XX1 shifter though...)

A lot of people think that having XX1 or grip2 will make them a better rider or increase their enjoyment. Sorry to break it to you but it doesn't. 

Also don't even get me started on fox's Kashima coat...

 

A few years ago I tested a alloy giant Anthem 3. It had SLX parts. A few weeks later I tried the advanced version which had an alloy rear triangle and carbon front end and had XT components. Both had fox  performance level suspension. I couldn’t tell the difference and the alloy bike was only half a kilo heavier mostly die to the wheels and a bit in the frame. There was R25k differing price. I remember stating in a review that id take the alloy bike and upgrade it as parts wore out. I’d still spend less than the advanced version whichever way the diced landed . I then asked the distributor about a more highly specced alloy bike and they said “nope can’t do that.” The alloy frame isn’t available on its own either. Many people could use a well made alloy frame and better parts spec. Carbon frames don’t add value, just cost. But like good little golfers we’re all looking for that extra 0.01% and bike manufacturers like drug dealers are only too happy to comply

[Hairy]

8 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

A few years ago I tested a alloy giant Anthem 3. It had SLX parts. A few weeks later I tried the advanced version which had an alloy rear triangle and carbon front end and had XT components. Both had fox  performance level suspension. I couldn’t tell the difference and the alloy bike was only half a kilo heavier mostly die to the wheels and a bit in the frame. There was R25k differing price. I remember stating in a review that id take the alloy bike and upgrade it as parts wore out. I’d still spend less than the advanced version whichever way the diced landed . I then asked the distributor about a more highly specced alloy bike and they said “nope can’t do that.” The alloy frame isn’t available on its own either. Many people could use a well made alloy frame and better parts spec. Carbon frames don’t add value, just cost. But like good little golfers we’re all looking for that extra 0.01% and bike manufacturers like drug dealers are only too happy to comply

JA, but carbon gives you bragging rights in the parking lot.

[DieselnDust]

1 minute ago, Hairy said:

JA, but carbon gives you bragging rights in the parking lot.

Eggxagerry

[MTBRIDER1234]

24 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

A few years ago I tested a alloy giant Anthem 3. It had SLX parts. A few weeks later I tried the advanced version which had an alloy rear triangle and carbon front end and had XT components. Both had fox  performance level suspension. I couldn’t tell the difference and the alloy bike was only half a kilo heavier mostly die to the wheels and a bit in the frame. There was R25k differing price. I remember stating in a review that id take the alloy bike and upgrade it as parts wore out. I’d still spend less than the advanced version whichever way the diced landed . I then asked the distributor about a more highly specced alloy bike and they said “nope can’t do that.” The alloy frame isn’t available on its own either. Many people could use a well made alloy frame and better parts spec. Carbon frames don’t add value, just cost. But like good little golfers we’re all looking for that extra 0.01% and bike manufacturers like drug dealers are only too happy to comply

I made that decision with my bike build, I chose ally over carbon because on a 16 kilo bike I don't care about weight - and I find aluminium to be stronger. Also, when it is handmade, it looks far better than mass-produced carbon (excluding my carbon rear seatstays lol).

I have owned aluminium, steel and carbon hardtails and if you asked me to tell the difference between ride quality and stiffness of the alu xc hardtail vs the carbon xc hardtail, I would notice little to no change. Tire pressure and tire volume has a far more drastic effect than frame material. 

I am a gravity focused rider, so while I acknowledge the benefits of carbon bars, wheels etc. they offer little benefit when they are built to be tough enough for DH. There is a negligible weight difference between them and their aluminium counterparts - but they are far, far more expensive.

Also carbon bikes ain't faster because the quickest 2 riders at the Witfontein enduro were on aluminium PYGA slaklines...

[Hairy]

17 minutes ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

I made that decision with my bike build, I chose ally over carbon because on a 16 kilo bike I don't care about weight - and I find aluminium to be stronger. Also, when it is handmade, it looks far better than mass-produced carbon (excluding my carbon rear seatstays lol).

I have owned aluminium, steel and carbon hardtails and if you asked me to tell the difference between ride quality and stiffness of the alu xc hardtail vs the carbon xc hardtail, I would notice little to no change. Tire pressure and tire volume has a far more drastic effect than frame material. 

I am a gravity focused rider, so while I acknowledge the benefits of carbon bars, wheels etc. they offer little benefit when they are built to be tough enough for DH. There is a negligible weight difference between them and their aluminium counterparts - but they are far, far more expensive.

Also carbon bikes ain't faster because the quickest 2 riders at the Witfontein enduro were on aluminium PYGA slaklines...

Might I suggest a nice steel HT for you sir.

['Dale]

Brand power, baby yeahhh

[MTBRIDER1234]

4 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Might I suggest a nice steel HT for you sir.

Well... I am actually selling my beloved Mercer hungry monkey - sad to see that bike go but I need the money and having 2 bikes just isn't working for me unfortunately.

But when I have the ronds, I wanna get a 170mm hardtail frame built up with Dave

[MTBRIDER1234]

3 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Brand power, baby yeahhh

They forgot to add yeti and santa cruz - if someone has one of them, then somehow they will always slip that info into your conversation... you could be talking about literally anything and they always find some way haha

[Hairy]

7 minutes ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

They forgot to add yeti and santa cruz - if someone has one of them, then somehow they will always slip that info into your conversation... you could be talking about literally anything and they always find some way haha

All things aside, I would love a SC!

EDIT:  a good many years ago when 26" was king, I got to ride a SC Blur for a few days, and that bike was just so awesome.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Hairy

[MTBRIDER1234]

5 minutes ago, Hairy said:

All things aside, I would love a SC!

EDIT:  a good many years ago when 26" was king, I got to ride a SC Blur for a few days, and that bike was just so awesome.

Yeah I do like Santa Cruz but I think by now I have probably made it clear that I am a PYGA fanboy 😛

All jokes aside, I think the VPP looks very interesting and I am curious how it compares to a horst link or similar. I am also inquisitive about the yeti switch infinity; because that looks even more interesting than VPP. 

It is always funny when people think the switch infinity is extra suspension or something and they are super confused by it haha

[justinafrika]

3 hours ago, MTBRIDER1234 said:

if you have ever rebuilt brakes, then you will see why paying 5 grand for a code RSC lever and caliper is just stupid.

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