Laidback prices

[belgiangoth]

It's all over the place! I remember thinking a couple years back that prices were converging with DFs, but it seems like there's been a bump in prices.

[n0ct0]

Problem is that there's very little for sale. And the new prices, especially from HP Velotechnik, are getting crazy if you add a few options. The trike that I bought second hand on eBay would cost over £5000 if you ordered one today. That's getting on for velomobile money. Or at least I thought it was until I checked the prices out again. €8000 for a Quest Strada!

[belgiangoth]

Very much this. I'm sure a couple years ago a laidback was 1-2k, trike was 2-3 and a velomobile was 5. Now it seems that a new laidback will set you back 3k+ and trikes are 5k!
It will get worse when we brexit and everything from the EU goes up by 20% - I had best talk to HR about the bike to work scheme and if they do exceed the 1k limit buy before December (despite not having the funds or knowing what I want).

[PDQ Mobile]

According to the Bank of England and the Govt inflation is only 2 or 3 percent!!

My house insurance (claim free) attempted a 30% hike.

[Shreds]

Its a niche market, as such prices reflect that and the differing components can influence prices of different models.

[pwa]

According to the Bank of England and the Govt inflation is only 2 or 3 percent!!

My house insurance (claim free) attempted a 30% hike.

We use Admiral and, amazingly, they kept the premium the same this year so we didn't have to play the tedious and silly game of receiving a request for a raised amount, calling them to complain, then getting a lower offer. Perhaps they have finally realised how much this annoys potentially loyal customers.

Is it just me, or are there fewer bents around these days? I haven't seen one in ages.

[Marc]

Did you compare shop prices to prices stated on the manufacturers websites? Some manufacturers raised prices considerably in recent years.

Take Velomobiel.NL (Quest, Strada, Quattrovelo) for instance. The story goes: When Velomobiel.RO (where most velomobile models are build these days) raised prices for the manufacturers last year, Velomobiel.NL for the first time sat down an did a proper cost calculation. Before, they didn't raise prices for 10-15 years!
Also, they stopped offering the cheaper GFK versions of their velomobiles. All models are build in CFK these days (CFK was a €1-1.5k upgrade option in the past).

[Marc]

According to the Bank of England and the Govt inflation is only 2 or 3 percent!!

You miss the exponential growth function of "only" a 2-3% price hike per year!
Check-out this video:

https://youtu.be/F-QA2rkpBSY

2-3% inflation per year. Lets take the medium of 2.5% inflation per year and prices will have to double in 28 years*. As described in the video, an annual growth of only 7% of any figure (prices, economy, crime, whatever) will result in doubling that figure in only 10 years.


*did your salary double in the past 28 years? Mine didn't, hence I'm noticeably poorer than 25 years ago...

[belgiangoth]

Its a niche market, as such prices reflect that and the differing components can influence prices of different models.

It is crazy though. A set of mudguards for a DF is £20-30, for a laidback is £40 and for a trike it's ~£150 for the front wheels and £40 for the rear. I realise you have setup costs and all that, but £100+ for a headrest? It can't cost £20 to make and even at £60 there's a profit to be had.

At these prices no wonder it remains a niche product.

[Marc]

I realise you have setup costs and all that, but £100+ for a headrest? It can't cost £20 to make and even at £60 there's a profit to be had.

Barely. I was self employed for a couple of years and know a thing or two about unsustainable price calculations.
Its very easy to forget, that the cost of manufacturing an item is usually the least expensive part of a price calculation. You have to include all "hidden costs" of your business (rent, electricity, marketing, tax, shipping, handling, etc, etc) as well. Otherwise you pay the guy who handles the items for shipping to the customer out of your own pocket, for instance. That wouldn't be a sustainable cost calculation.
Guess, why I had to find a job in my original profession.

[belgiangoth]

While I get that, other bike parts (saddles, handlebars, mudguards for DFs) are no-where near that price. As there is a bun-fight over the latest saddle prices stay low, even for niche manufacturers.
There is a subjectivity to this though, which I accept. the cost of making the seats are not inordinately higher than the headrests - I'm not surprised or shocked at the price of a seat*, but I do think headrests and mudguards are overpriced to the point of gouging.

(* Okay, I still think they are a little too expensive).

[Cyril Haearn]

Prices are high because they are special products in small quantities

[belgiangoth]

Generally the way that market forces work you create something and look to sell enough of it to make a profit. In this case the manufacturers increase the price to make a profit.
Yes, I understand that they can't live on love alone.
But they have made the choice to sell for a high price in smaller quantities. If you sell a trike for 5k i would have thought you could sell the mudguards and headrest at a minimal profit (and if the headrest gets good reviews then the owners of other brands will buy your headrests, proving small profit x lots as opposed to large profit x not many).

You pays your money you makes your choice - though if you price yourself out of the market for most potential sales.

[UpWrong]

Prices of all bikes manufactured outside mainland China have increased markedly in the last few years. Partly this is due to transport and fuel costs and partly the weaker pound of course. i think there are still 'bent bargains to be had if you shop carefully. Take a look at Nazca framesets for example.

[nigelnightmare]

Front mudguard on a trike cost a lot because Most of the price is for the mounts.
Last year I bought two replacement front mudguard blades with mudflaps fitted from ICE for around £16 incl P&P

Edit.
Bought in 2018 according to the postmark.
I got them for the XL but the hole drillings are for the later type bracket so I haven't fitted them yet to my 2007 Qnt which still has the original one's on it 13yrs later.