This has been bothering me for a while. £2.5-3k for a bike seems commonplance these days. That’s a lot of cash. Anyway, my gripe is that bikes in this price range and above are actually that light. As I shelled out money to make my bike lighter it dawned on me that in total I’ve spent about £2,500 on my 5 Spot – it weighs 25.9lbs, with pedals, mud and a bottlecage. I got the frame 2nd hand for £500 – so add £1k and I’d be at £3,500, buying stuff retail, bit by bit. If I’m paying retail and can build a bike at 26lbs for £3.5k just how much mark up is going on in the bike business? Does anyone know?

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nice bike, but oh my god what is going on with that lawn!?!

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/stumpjumper-fsr-expert-carbon-2011-mountain-bike-ec024992

Stumpjumper carbon, £3549 and 26lbs.

twin ring at the front but no bashguard?! – you maverick!

think of the children!

etc.

oh, and i have no idea what it is you’re trying to say in your opening post.

sorry.

maybe people would rather have some strength than the lightest bike these days, I wouldn’t trust a 26lb full suspension bike on anything much more than smooth singletrack.

and it looks like f’all

twin ring at the front but no bashguard?! – you maverick!

guaranteed that came off to get him under 26lbs 😆

That’s my point; the mark up must be massive if you can build a bike from scratch bit by bit retail for the same price as Spesh sell them given their buying power.

And how many of those bits did you pay RRP for? Or did you get them in the sales?

]£2068; my prophet is less than 27lb and no second hand shenanigans. Same forks as your’s but I’ve stuck with Thomson for stem and post and a non carbon bar. Full XTR mind you.

er, you can buy a stumpjumper for about £1800 that’s about the same weight as your bike…

edit, sorry stuey – i din’t see your post, great minds etc.

Um, this post isn’t going as planned. I removed the outer ring as I couldn’t remember the last time I used it; maybe I don’t move that fast. Any road, mark up on new bikes anyone?

I’d say if you wanted a lighter bike, best start with a lighter frame. My old 5 Spot started at 29lbs and finished about 31lbs I think.

cos most bikes aren’t built to be xc whippets?
this was under 28lbs when built i could of gone lighter for the same amount of cash, but i’d rather a stronger build. it probably weighs nearer 30lbs now i have changed the shock and fork, but rides better imo
weight isn’t everything…

mark up is (was) of the order 20-30% I think on complete bikes. More on components. So not that much when you have expensive rates staffing e.t.c.

Any road, mark up on new bikes anyone?

erm… i guess its quite good as it allows bike manufactures and shops to make a profit and therefore exist so we can keep buying stuff.

My old FS was just over 27lbs with nothing too posh – XT & SLX bits, Thomson Post & stem, Carbon bars, Hope Hoops and 130mm QR Revs

My new one is 29lbs with XT/Deus, bigger Elixir Brakes, Joplin 3, EA70 Monkeylites and the same wheels.

You knows whats, it climbs just as well by descends a whole lot better and is way better on fast single track.

Sure it could be lighter by a pound instantly by swapping the post, bars & stem to Thomson and Carbon Bars, but hey. Who really cares

I wouldn’t trust a 26lb full suspension bike on anything much more than smooth singletrack.

You’re kidding, right? What about a light bike? My 21lb FS doesn’t fall apart at the sight of bumps!

Tbf the turner isn’t the lightest frame out there.

As for not trusting a trail bike which is sub 26lbs, what a load of bollox. My epiphany is prob sub 25lbs now, supposedly one of the best full sus frames out there, with 150mm forks up front, certainly not designed for towpaths…

I didn’t say it would fall apart, i said i wouldn’t trust it, going down on technical terrain, a heavier bike feels better in my opinion.

Dealer retained margins can vary from 30-60% depending on the product, and most importantly, the size (buying power) of the shop.

£4,500 and 40lbs.

I’m happy with the weight actually. I don’t get the point of the post? Since when did more money = lighter weight (other perhaps in respect of Russian brides)?

I wouldn’t trust a 26lb full suspension bike on anything much more than smooth singletrack.

Ha ha ha ahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, oh my.

Yes, it was a rubbish post really. Now, where’s that lawnmower…

KINGTUT – Member

“I wouldn’t trust a 26lb full suspension bike on anything much more than smooth singletrack”

Ha ha ha ahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, oh my.

i reckon he’s got a point akshully. i find light bikes feel really sketchy on anything difficult, especially if there’s wheels-off-the-ground action, or rock-tech.

if i know i’ll be pissing around on jumps or tricky rocks i’ll put my heavy wheels on. not because they’re stronger, but the extra weight helps make the bike less nervous.

I have to agree – now those wheels on my Turner are very light and beautiful; but they are flexy and don’t suit my inelegant riding style. Now, for those dissing sub 26lbs bikes for big boings go to the Ibis site and see Brian Lopes doing some mad things on a Mojo. I don’t know if that bike he’s riding is 26lbs, but the frame sure looks up to the job.