One thing I don’t think anyone else mentioned is that they seem to spend a lot on marketing via sending dozens of test bikes out (most seemingly to ST mag) and running a very busy demo programme.

That would need to be budgeted for somewhere, even if it does drive extra sales.

There may be an element of trying to influence perception of their product via pricing, (ie. charge a lot and people will assume it is good), but that’s only guessing.

Wish I had their “problem” though, as Orange seem to me to have a thriving business.

chakaping – Member

Fox Floats – £400
Hope wheels – £250
SLX cranks – £100
Rear XT Front slx mech – £80
SLX Shifters – £60
Elixir 5 brakes – £200
Good Maxxis tyres – £50
Cassette and chain – £40
Finishing kit – £60
Headset £20
Frame – £500

£1760 Costs £1800 off orange

I know you were sort of defending the price, but it’s more usual for complete bikes to work out cheaper than the individual bits at RRP, isn’t it?

I have mentioned this in a previous post. Those prices are NOT RRP, they are WHAT YOU WOULD GET THEM FOR at a good price ,say from merlin, crc. If the prices were RRP it would cost much more than the price of the Bike

Those prices are NOT RRP, they are WHAT YOU WOULD GET THEM FOR at a good price

Ah right, I’d say my point still stands though.

It’s good that some people see that bike as good value though!

Demo bikes sell at cost?

There are some good arguments, pro’s and con’s here, and I won’t try to interject anything new here, except to say :-

My first MTB back in about 1995, was a Claude Butler. Ok, but cumbersome, overbuilt and a bit “hard work”.

Then I got a bonus at work, and went to a bike shop with a budget of £400. I tried Specialised Rockhoppers in both steel (ok) ali (awful) and Various Marins. All looked quite smart. Then I saw a little Clockwork in the corner of the shop. Frankly, it looked “plainer” than the others, but somehow “smarter” too. Not sure why or how, but the paint looked good, and the bike seemed to have “kerb appeal”, it was lower, sleeker than anything else I’d tried.

The guy at the shop was really good, let me try out all the bikes I wanted, (Rayment Cycles Brighton, fwiw) and I thought I could just stretch my budget by £100 or so, and asked to try the Clockwork.

Now, I know all the frames were probably taiwanese, but as soon as I put a leg over the clockwork, that was it – it was a bit fast steering for the first few mins till I got used to it, a bit “bambi on ice”, but for the first time, I realy could feel what the “frame” was doing on the bike, the bike just “zipped” with every pedal stroke – it came alive in my hands – even the seating position, further back, a bit less “shopper bike upright”.

Frankly, it was so much better than the other bikes I tried, even with bargain basement alivio kit, that there was no use trying anything else. If I’d had the cash, I wouldn’t have bought a better bike, just a Clockwork with an upgraded component spec.

It was the first bike I’d had since My Diamond Back Silverstreak BMX that really felt “special”.

Thats why I bought my first Orange. – I haven’t quite managed to capture the magic with subsequent p7’s, but they are great workhorses, similar, but just a bit less “zippy” than the Clockwork.

So I buy Oranges as the just seem to work for me. – The P7 I have is a 99 spec bought in a sale in 01, and the finish is fantastically hard wearing – anything bolts to it I could possibly want – it all works, including the wheels which have never needed trueing from factory.

The only reason I am thinking of a change now, is the Pure 7 interests me as it looks more “lightly fabricated” than the p7, ie more like the Clockwork, whilst giving me a modern suspension length up front.

I have tried more modern rockhoppers and even had a Kona Muni Mula, in aly – all good, but none have the magic that my first clockwork had, and that the p7’s have to a lesser extent. I am a slightly odd shape, and Orange’s just seem to fit me better than the rest.

Thats why I buy Orange’s, even knowing that it’s Taiwanese fabrication. It still works bloody well as a bike, and are well built up by their dealers and at the factory.

Demo bikes sell at cost?

More like trade price I’d say.

But they pay peiople to drive round with all the bikes in a van. And they have to pay for the van. And the petrol. etc.

Let’s just say one demo bike results in 5 sold at each biggish shop?

Pay people to drive them around? You mean people with “worldwide parcel delivery” livered down the sides? 😉

No, staff drive to demo days at bike shops and spend the day out riding with potential buyers.

I went on one, they were nice guys.

Ah “demo days”. Different.

On a general note, how much do you think bike industry workers make? Not much, comparable to bikeshop staff and possibility upto store managers in the likes of Evans for account managers max I.e 20’s NO higher.

I bet staff at on one are mainly casually employed and are storeroom/factory staff type-wages.

I also ‘bet’ that the big distributor(s) employ a lot of kiwi/oz etc transient staff doing the job as its partly their hobby and they are on a working visa etc…..

I also bet marketing managers are on peanuts at most places.

I bet staff at on one are mainly casually employed and are storeroom/factory staff type-wages.

I also ‘bet’ that the big distributor(s) employ a lot of kiwi/oz etc transient staff doing the job as its partly their hobby and they are on a working visa etc…..

I also bet marketing managers are on peanuts at most places.

I have a friend working for a EU importer of a bike brand and I can tell you that you are talking (once again) your ass up. In an office of about 10 people he was the only genuine biker. And none of them was on low wedge or working on a visa.

I was referring to one in the south east in particular.

So you think bike company workforce are particularly well-paid?

Funny as we seem to pay 4 figures for new bikes don’t we?

Bought my P7 frame out here in California for $200 in a closeout sale……..thats £130 !!

Built it up with Spesh Roval, RS Sektor, X-7 (1×9) RF Evolve cranks and Atlas bars and stem and XT M775. Total cost $1500 (£1000)

juan – I have a friend working for a EU importer of a bike brand and I can tell you that you are talking (once again) your ass up. In an office of about 10 people he was the only genuine biker. And none of them was on low wedge or working on a visa.

Hora is very correct on at least one of those points, which is partly why I no longer work in the bike industry.

funny as it’s not what was on order at my friends place or even other brand such as scott or commencal

Shock horror, business A is different to business B

Believe me if I had that much I’d buy a custom 953 roadframe from Vanilla within minutes!

🙂