Prices of bicycles

[mudda]

Hi All,

 

Is it just me or has the prices of bicycles gone wild ?

 

If I had to compare the price of bicycles to motor bikes. Bicycles seem way over priced.

 

 

I had a look on the yamaha web site , and you can get a 175cc DT (dirt bike) for 28k

 

yamaha dt

[Eugene]

Prices came down at the begining of this year by about 20%. But, I agree, bicycles are expensive for what you get.

 

I personally think that we are paying for stuff that the manufacturers want us to believe will make us faster.

 

Be honest, a Shimano 105 groupset does everything that most of us need it to, but we still go out and spend thousands more on Dura Ace in the belief that we will get a better time at the next fun ride.

[Caerus]

I would have to agree, they are ridiculous for what it actually is.When u compare it too a car & motorbike, also the depreciation value is also mental. Why is it, even to service a bicycle costs more then my car(and thats my parts included)

[SL7]

Prices are hectic! The top-end equipment is very nice though....so shiny and so much less weight....nice!

 

 

[stewie911]

They are expensive for sure, but I do think that a lot of technologie goes into there.

 

Saw that car manufacturars are only now looking more into carbon wheels. We've been having it for quite some time now.

[MaxUmis]

Prices came down at the begining of this year by about 20%. But, I agree, bicycles are expensive for what you get.

 

I personally think that we are paying for stuff that the manufacturers want us to believe will make us faster.

 

Be honest, a Shimano 105 groupset does everything that most of us need it to, but we still go out and spend thousands more on Dura Ace in the belief that we will get a better time at the next fun ride.

 

 

Prices did come down in the beginning of the year, BUT have you had a look at what a Deore spec bike will set you back now? It's stupid!

[Samman]

Even Lance says it's not about the bike and yes it doesn’t really make that much difference to the average Joe?

But we not average and we possessed, and they know it so we will continue to fork over the bucks and buy the latest bike and parts.

Yes the need for speed makes us pimp our bikes and they look better

Anyway it does feel faster the with every cent spent

 

Funny the other week Saturday morning ride over Chappies, a youngster on a basic BMX came riding passed us Larnies on our carbon, ha ha ha

makes you realise it’s not the bike but the craze!

[Edge_Design]

Just look at the price of the carbon frames on e-bay for an idea of what you should be paying (and someone is still making a profit off those!)... Carbon is not that expensive, it's just still being marketed as a gimmick even after being around for years (all new 'technologies' are launched at ridiculous prices - look at plasma tv's when they first came out and 3D tv's now).

 

And I really don't believe there is that much development and testing in the bikes - not in a beneficial way at least... Why are there Merida's and Silverback's racing alongside the Look, Time and Pinarello's? Giant also has always been up there, as far as I know they spend more time building bikes than designing them.

 

And do you really think there is more development in a top-end racing bicycle than in a 1000cc super bike capable of 300+kph for the same price?

[mikkelz]

Prices came down at the begining of this year by about 20%. But, I agree, bicycles are expensive for what you get.

 

I personally think that we are paying for stuff that the manufacturers want us to believe will make us faster.

 

Be honest, a Shimano 105 groupset does everything that most of us need it to, but we still go out and spend thousands more on Dura Ace in the belief that we will get a better time at the next fun ride.

 

I'm quite happy with my 105 groupset on my carbon fiber frame.

[Caerus]

South African consumers are from my experiance of world travels the worst. We all moan but dont do anything about it. We just complain ,sit back and take it up the arse. Instead of actually doing anything . My Local Bike store(I now mostly support CWC & CRC anyway) will not get 1c out of me, (not even a valvecap.) We all know what the prices should be, yet still we get taken for a ride(no pun intended). Even after the whole price fixing scandal we still pay the ridiculously inflated prices

[GuyP]

South African consumers are from my experiance of world travels the worst. We all moan but dont do anything about it. We just complain ,sit back and take it up the arse. Instead of actually doing anything . My Local Bike store(I now mostly support CWC & CRC anyway) will not get 1c out of me, (not even a valvecap.) We all know what the prices should be, yet still we get taken for a ride(no pun intended). Even after the whole price fixing scandal we still pay the ridiculously inflated prices

 

as long as people keep willing to pay for the latest bling, the latest and greatest etc. perhaps even to the point of form over function, it's quite possible the upward pressure on prices will remain. Interesting however is the thread on LBS in a recession, which suggests that there are also a lot of drivers working as a moderating force in the pricing game.

 

 

 

 

 

[covie]

Open any MTB mag and look at how many bikes go for 80k new, which is based on the same principles as a 10k bike just more expensive material, I dont beleive for one second they put more R&D in that 80k bike than they do in a small car or motorbike.

 

Why do they charge these prices becuase we are willing to pay for it, why are we willing to pay for those prices, not sure myabe because we beleive all the marketing bull they feed us.

 

Or maybe bikes are now like cars, people look down on others with older or cheaper cars, same applies to bikes. i.e. our culture suck B)

[Caerus]

as long as people keep willing to pay for the latest bling, the latest and greatest etc. perhaps even to the point of form over function, it's quite possible the upward pressure on prices will remain. Interesting however is the thread on LBS in a recession, which suggests that there are also a lot of drivers working as a moderating force in the pricing game.

 

 

 

I think we need to toyi toyi

[Caerus]

Open any MTB mag and look at how many bikes go for 80k new, which is based on the same principles as a 10k bike just more expensive material, I dont beleive for one second they put more R&D in that 80k bike than they do in a small car or motorbike.

 

Why do they charge these prices becuase we are willing to pay for it, why are we willing to pay for those prices, not sure myabe because we beleive all the marketing bull they feed us.

 

Or maybe bikes are now like cars, people look down on others with older or cheaper cars, same applies to bikes. i.e. our culture suck B)

 

Ive found South Africans to have become the most "class" and materialistic obsessed nation in the world

[GuyP]

I think we need to toyi toyi

 

i wonder how many people make up the cycling community in RSA...

[Caerus]

i wonder how many people make up the cycling community in RSA...

 

I would say enough to make a differance, yet we as a community will never make a united stand(Its one thing I really admire about local Aficans, they now how to band together)