Why are bikes so expensive…

[al_yrpal]

Any bling draped Mamils here who have the answer? Or are CTC Forum members more pragmatic?

What would be your maximum sensible spend?

http://bit.ly/1mXvmR5

Al

[Mark1978]

Cycling is the same as any other marketplace, if there are people with money products are created to take advantage of that.

[honesty]

Why are cars so expensive? look car use has exploded and this Ferrari is 200k...

[Merry_Wanderer]

Can't read the link at work but bikes aren't that expensive compared to some other products. If you want a good spec bike built in the UK / The West it will cost more than a cheap and cheerful one built in China or the Far East because wages, raw materials, shop space, factory space, taxes, VAT etc cost more in the UK.

A colleague asked me how much my bike cost and when I gave him the answer he gave me his opinion that it was expensive. I replied that his BMW when new cost probably £40,000 whereas a Dacia Duster which does the same job costs less than £10,000.

[OnYourRight]

The maximum sensible spend is around a grand, in my opinion (but it’s only one opinion!). Anything above that has diminishing or even negative returns.

I’m not saying I’d be sensible if I had three grand in my pocket.

[honesty]

Basically the article is saying bikes have got really expensive, as top end, professional level racing bikes cost 12k. Its very like saying cars have got really expensive because hypercars cost over 200,000. its a ridiculous argument. it then conflates a lot of statistics about increased bike use to the increase in the price of bikes, not once mentioning that you can get a sensible decent bike for well under 1k. The best bit I like is that is states the average spend on a cycle to work scheme is 1.1k, when for almost everyone the maximum is 1,000....

[tatanab]

The maximum sensible spend is around a grand, in my opinion (but it’s only one opinion!). Anything above that has diminishing or even negative returns. I’m not saying I’d be sensible if I had three grand in my pocket.

True, unless you are into the specialist cycles rather than stock. I do not buy stock machines. I tend to have custom built frames and build them up to suit what I want not what some factory wants. My most expensive was about £4k, which is pretty modest compared to what could be spent. This is my "best" touring machine.

Cycling is the same as any other marketplace, if there are people with money products are created to take advantage of that.

And you spend your money on what interests you. I have a cheap camera because I have no interest in photography. I have a simple car because it is just a tool for a job.

When people say that my £4000 machine is expensive I point out that the average smoker will spend that much in 2 years. After 2 years my investment continues to give me pleasure.

[townbikemark]

If people want to ride the same bike as a TDF competitor due to the UK's success in recent years; it's going to cost similar in no small part to the use of exotic materials and premium quality components. You get what you pay for and anything extremely cheap for what it is should come under more scrutiny as to whether it's fit for purpose...

Taking an overview, a bike suitable for everyday transport ie the Dutch & German urban bikes with everything you could want for urban convenience will cost between £500-£1000 and you should be able to get at least 10 years with reasonable maintenance. Using them for all the short distances over which you would otherwise use your car, you may see your bank balance inflate...

[Dave W]

At what price does a bike become expensive?

[al_yrpal]

Thats got you all going… Newspaper headlines have to be eye catching. I think my top bike budget would be £1500, self or ready built. If I was not limited with money I think I might up the budget to Mercian level, up to £3000. But, I have no desire for the £12000 job, or a Ferrari, a Rolex or 'designer' clothes either. I always like to feel that what I purchased was good value too, overpriced stuff grates with me.

Al

[Bicycler]

Ask around family and friends and somebody will have a perfectly serviceable bike sat in a shed or garage. Failing that recycling projects, local tips, Freecycle, Ebay, Gumtree and you can get a bike for very little. Choose wisely and it may just need a chain or cables replacing. Realistically all of us could go out, get ourselves bikes and tailor them to our needs for under £100 and we could go about our cycling. Sometimes even the most level headed of us get caught up in the cycle industry's marketing.

As for the article, I don't like the way it implies that those megabucks wonderbikes are the norm.

[pete75]

Basically the article is saying bikes have got really expensive, as top end, professional level racing bikes cost 12k.

Yes and the true car price comparison is surely with an F1 car - now how many millions do they cost.......

[pete75]

Ask around family and friends and somebody will have a perfectly serviceable bike sat in a shed or garage. Failing that recycling projects, local tips, Freecycle, Ebay, Gumtree and you can get a bike for very little. Choose wisely and it may just need a chain or cables replacing. Realistically all of us could go out, get ourselves bikes and tailor them to our needs for under £100 and we could go about our cycling. Sometimes even the most level headed of us get caught up in the cycle industry's marketing.

As for the article, I don't like the way it implies that those megabucks wonderbikes are the norm.

Very true. This perfectly serviceable 26" wheel tourer cost me £130 to build as it stands...

[Bicycler]

Now that looks great. Thorn would take well over a grand from you to provide something similar

[Mick F]

Bikes expensive?
Have you costed a career in golf?

Cycling on roads is free; golf courses cost hundreds of quids a year ................... every single year.