Why are MTB/cycle parts so expensive?

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Why are MTB/cycle parts so expensive?

28 posts & 24 voices | Started 1 year ago by DrP | Latest reply from BigJohn

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inflation happens

DrP - Member

I know this has been done before (to death!), but to put things in comparison...

I'm building JuniorP a little ride on car thing (like Toylander..) and wanted a disc brake (cable) calliper.

On the good ol'Bay/CRC etc, and couldn't find a MTB one for less than "too much"!. Then someone suggested mini moto parts:
-calliper £4.50
-120mm disc £2.20

Bargain!

I would say the calliper IS lower quality than, say, a BB7, but that IS cheap for a proper metal part, no?!

Not sure where I'm heading, but I do feel better for that grumble!

DrP

Posted 1 year ago #
mmb - Member

it's a con, i'm a manufacturing engineer and the prices are unjustifiable especially when you think that car parts are cheaper ffs!.

Posted 1 year ago #
peterfile - Member

luxury product market where a higher price tag seems to indicate higher quality and more "boutique".

when people are willing to spend £4k on a "push bike" you open yourself up to all sorts of clever marketing designed to steal your cash!

Posted 1 year ago #
bigpole - Member

As long as we pay the prices they will charge what they want!!

Posted 1 year ago #
MidlandTrailquestsGraham - Member

There must be an opening for someone to make good quality parts at a sensible price with viral marketing.
Why does no one do it ?

Posted 1 year ago #
njee20 - Member

Isnt that what Superstar (and arguably On One/Planet X) do?

Posted 1 year ago #
Gnnr - Member

Sod that - I WANT TO SE THE CAR!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
Ambrose - Member

As Gnnr- this thread is no good without pics

Posted 1 year ago #
PJM1974 - Member

Agreed. This time 2 years ago you could buy SLX cranks for under £80. Now they're double that.

To be fair a lot of this has to do with the UK importers buying stock a year in advance based on a falling pound, however and awful lot of it has to do with the fact that Shimano, Avid et al seem to want to up asking price for components that haven't seen a meaningful revamp since 2008.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mackem - Member

Hardtail frame prices seem reasonable but component prices have gone mental.

Posted 1 year ago #
Woody - Member

I've tried to rationalise the cost of bike parts against other everyday things and the truth is, you can't. Some bike parts are a rip-off but if people are willing to pay there is not a lot which can be done.

I don't think I'll ever get my head around the price of some forks......and yes I did buy a car for the same price as THESE and it only needs serviced every 7000 miles!

Posted 1 year ago #
PJM1974 - Member

This time six years ago you could buy top of the line Fox Vanilla forks for £439...

Posted 1 year ago #
druidh - Member

It's those LBS owners inflating the prices so they can keep their fuel-guzzling Porsches on the road.

Posted 1 year ago #
Woody - Member

Outside TBC yesterday

Dammit can't link image. It's HERE

Posted 1 year ago #
avdave2 - Member

25 years ago I paid £400 for a rigid 15 speed Specialized Rockhopper with friction gears and cantilever brakes.
A couple of weeks ago I bought a Boardman Hardtail pro for £900 with Reba Race forks 27 speed X9 XO gears and avid elixir disk brakes.

That is a price rise of £20 a year.

So while bikes may be expensive it's nothing new. And when I bought that Rockhopper I was going in to the Muddy Fox shop in London looking at bikes that cost £1000 even then.

And you could always resort to buying the bike you need rather than the one you want.

Posted 1 year ago #
PJM1974 - Member

It's the cost of replacement components that grates though...

Back in 2008, I bought an XT cassette for £30, now the cheapest I can find is £48. Likewise shifters, rear mechs and jockey wheels have all gone through the roof.

Posted 1 year ago #
thebikechain - Member

Woody - everyone knows an RS4 is my preffered planet terminator.

Posted 1 year ago #
dandelionandmurdoch - Member

Twenty years ago the cost of a Sherbet Dip Dab was 10p, now I can't find one for cheaper then 34p online.

It's a swizz.

Posted 1 year ago #
Woody - Member

everyone knows an RS4 is my preffered planet terminator.
Yeh - but you try finding a pic of one with a bike and bloody great chain parked next to it !

Posted 1 year ago #
didnothingfatal - Member

Disk pads are a real rip off to me, £20 a set in LBS!! WTF!

njee20 - Member
Isnt that what Superstar (and arguably On One/Planet X) do?

Yeah, and then the bike snobbery kicks in.
The 'feel good' factor of ownership is the real price being paid for.

'You are not what you own' (Fugazi - Merchandise)

Posted 1 year ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

I spy a gap in the market..........

More of a bling image than on-one

Less of the f*** you attitude of superstar's 'customer service'

Posted 1 year ago #
yunki - Member

becuase the demographic contains a high proportion of immature middle aged men.. (I include myself in that)

shooting fish in a barrel is an expression that springs to mind..

Posted 1 year ago #
james-o - Member

exchange rates and cost of labour / shipping etc.
think things are pricey now? wait another 3 years and they may seem cheap - things ain't getting cheaper anytime soon unless there's a change in routes to market. since we need the LBS in all of this, and they're a good thing, parts aren't cheap anymore unless you buy from a huge company like crc, or a sell direct re-brander like superstar.

Posted 1 year ago #
shmuk - Member

supply and demand?

if cycle parts were bought at the rate of car parts they'd probly be a lot cheaper...

Just a thought.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mr Woppit - Member

Market forces...

Posted 1 year ago #
hillsplease - Member

Also most of the kit is getting better is it not? Smaller lighter but more effective, so it should cost more?

I do feel slightly sick just looking at new fork prices, mind.

Posted 1 year ago #
ftr1873 - Member

Those downhill teams can't be cheap to run!!

Posted 1 year ago #
BigJohn - Member

KB says "Light Strong Cheap - choose 2"

Posted 1 year ago #

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