Why is the bike market so limited, as a means of a lot of mountain bikes between £700 and a £1000 come in a basic rockshox fork and alu frame. granted there maybe one or two mail order eg. on one that come in a pretty decent spec. then looking at maybe a urban/hybrid bike they seem like all alu frame/fork, surely steel would be better. maybe a little too niche? as i thought i found a nice urban bike – scott sub 10, belt drive and alfine but alu frame and fork and the green colour. i suppose this all what they could do at a certain price point. Its all rather a bit meh and boring whats out there

Because parts cost a certain figure… therefore a budget bike requires budget components or the company makes no profit ?

I know that and parts have come more expensive. but when a company is making thousands of bikes the parts become cheaper and still turn a profit

Maybe they can produce a large number of ‘meh’ bikes for less money than if they produced lots of niche-r, less ‘meh’, bikes for people to choose from?

Because every time someone asks what new bike under a grand the answer is buy second hand and get more for your money .

I know I can get better second hand but no money means bike to work scheme

to the layman – steel is heavier and rusts .

most 700-1000 pound bikes esp with cycle to work now being so popular are sold to the lay man.

your trying to sell the most bikes you can – try selling a steel frame against an alu frame to the layman who focus’s on weight and having it look good – esp when the bike(genisis) is noticably heavier than its alu counter part for the same cash “you will be sooo niche on your comfy steel frame” doesnt cut it.

so remind me again why as a sales focus’d bike manufacturer i would sell steel bikes ?

Surely it is supply and demand? Suppliers make things that the maximum number of people will buy. If they wont sell a lot of units or make a lot of profit on an item, there is no point them going to the effort.