[Closed] 13k specialized ebike!!

They did a £16.5k one last time.

It’s possible to spend £13k on a normal bike, without going one off/full custom.

I think the "new" 2.2 motor is actually the same as the "updated" 2.1 motor in the current 2021 bikes and as what is being fitted to the 2019-2020 bikes that experience motor failures.

I ride a 2018 Levo and can't see myself being able to afford an upgrade at any point in the future.

Don't get me wrong, I'm far from shy about spending a few quid on my bikes, but this is just getting out of hand now isn't it... Yes, I'm well aware that Brexit has increased import duties on bikes made outside of the EU (though only 4% on eBikes currently), and I'm acutely aware of the global shipping prices having sky rocketed.

But last year I bought a brand new KTM SuperDuke 1290 GT, semi-active WP suspension, 140Nm and 173bhp, Brembo M50 monobloc calipers with radial master cylinder and 330mm floating rotors and all, for £1500 less (OK it was the previous years model heavily discounted, but still)...

I'm THAT guy who's just put EXT shock and fork on his eBike, and runs Trickstuff Maxima brakes on his trail bike FWIW, and though both are hideously expensive judged in isolation, I can at least attribute some value for money to those items at least when judged against a new S-Works Levo!

I know it's tiresome to get all agitated over these silly halo product prices, but the "cheapest" one is still £8,750.

And there's only a two-year warranty on the motor and battery - which is a bit of a concern when pretty much every ebike seems to break down at some point or other.

And there’s only a two-year warranty on the motor and battery – which is a bit of a concern when pretty much every ebike seems to break down at some point or other.

Rolling 2 years though, which is a bit better, and transferable iirc

Rolling 2 years though

Does that mean it re-starts with each new motor?

Looks nice. I wouldn’t spend that much on one but I’m sure enough people will!

Hope the new motor fits my previous generation one, I’d like to keep riding this bike for a very long time!

Does that mean it re-starts with each new motor?

Yeah. Or battery. And big discounts on replacements if it fails out of that warranty, which then restarts. I have a year left on my 2016 Levos motor and battery, that I got half price

Ridiculous price. Specialized has been caught out before selling whole bikes for more than the frameset and parts would cost separately. Their prices are crazy. I don't think we're really paying much of that price for the product any longer, but to cover big profits, the insane number of sponsorships and all the free gear they give out.

Although I'm actually more horrified by the video, absolutely cringeworthy! Looked expensive as well, so that'll be factored into the price no doubt.

Specialized has been caught out before selling whole bikes for more than the frameset and parts would cost separately

By who? Is that illegal? Does Specialized control all the component prices?

Expensive bikes are par for the course nowadays, all bikes unfortunately, not just ebikes, reality is that we are now in a time where things like C2W and interest free credit means folk see bikes are either tax free and over 12 months to make it a little easier, or 4 years interest free, bit less painful to see it as 200 quid a month rather than 10k all up price.

I used to be quite a Spesh fanboi during the 00's, most recent was a 2015 Tarmac SL4 105 roadbike which I thoroughly enjoyed for a couple of years (bought brand new in end of year sales for £1200, a bargain by today's prices) but their pricing is now stupid.

£4.5k for just an S-Works Athos road bike frame & forks... Plenty will buy them though so I suppose the market dictates.

@tomhoward

Rolling 2 years though, which is a bit better, and transferable iirc

Is that new? Got a link? They don't currently offer a rolling warranty which is why they upped the warranty on 2019/2020 Levos and 2020 Kenevos to 4 years.

AFAIK, Bosch is the only motor producer offering a rolling warranty.

This is price anchoring or something like that isn't it?

If you have a product that costs £6000, but people feel it's pretty expensive, you make a product that costs £12000. Suddenly the other bike seems half as cheap. You sell a few of the 12 grand bikes but you now sell a whole load more of the 6 grand bikes, cause they suddenly seem like a sensible choice compared to the 12 grand one where previously they were seen as an extravagant amount of money.

Something like that anyway.

@doomanic apologies, looks like it’s changed again... I questioned someone on it a while ago and was presented with a link explaining (which I now can’t find). 2nd owner is still covered though.

If the 12k one was available on a 2yr pcp I'd be interested.

Frame only is available (apparently) at £6.5k so where has the other six and a half grand gone?? Even if they are charging full rrp for the parts it seems steep…

Fork is £1300
Wheels £2k? Maybe 2.5k
Group set £1.5 (2k if you include the crank)
Brakes £380 (+90 for the levers 🤔🙄)
Dropper £700
That still leaves about a grand for tyres, bar, stem, headset and grips…

These are retail rices remember, Specialized would be paying trade, more than likely direct from the manufacturer.

By who? Is that illegal? Does Specialized control all the component prices?

It has been mentioned various places, but if you want an example mbr reviewed the current Enduro and found it would be cheaper to buy the frame and parts separately. Think it has come up in Bikeradar reviews as well. Bearing in mind the price of Specialized frames is crazy to begin with. Doesn't need to be illegal to be wrong, or in this case, just plain greedy.

Specialized should have the buying power to get parts at significantly reduced cost to pretty much anyone else bar Trek or Giant. Particularly when many are own brand products. Not to mention cut out several layers of what makes up the retail price and still have a decent profit on parts. Whole bikes should be cheaper than building up, assuming identical parts. The idea that it actually costs more and they're charging above RRP for components is totally backwards. As is the idea that Specialized being overpriced has anything to do paying for the convenience of it being built up.

Let me guess, you're a Specialized retailer?

They list a non ebike mtb for £11500 too.

I think people forgot there are lots of people pulling in £5k+ a month. Not so spendy then. Guess then fun happens when you fly past one on your bossnut.

Guess I’d buy one if I had the money and wanted an Ebike

So specialized have released a 13k ebike…..!!!

They do a road bike for £12,500.
No suspension, no motor, no dropper post...

Seems like every one has glossed over what I clearly see as the most important part of the OP - Specialized are gonna start doing frame only Levo's?

I'll be honest, not bring able to buy an ebike frame only is the msin reason I don't have one so far (maybe not a £6000 S-works though).

Let me guess, you’re a Specialized retailer?

lolZ, no. Specialized (and plenty of others) have realised that customers, at that spend level, don't ferret about looking for the price of every component to see if they are getting good value. They just want the best of the best, without having to buy everything individually (and are reassured that something is expensive). If a customer is happy to pay that, and they can afford it without blinking, where's the harm? Spesh dealers are pretty good for discounts if you ask too, though they don't shout about it on new models for obvious reasons (covid supply issues notwithstanding). if the price is too high, they won't sell. These will fly off the shelves, mostly to company directors using the C2W scheme to get 40% off the RRP.

If you know where all the bargains are, you can get the same bike for less than the loaded customers with less time on their hands, win win.

I think people forgot there are lots of people pulling in £5k+ a month. 

You got any career advice to go with this statement?

Specialized (and plenty of others) have realised that customers, at that spend level, don’t ferret about looking for the price of every component to see if they are getting good value. They just want the best of the best, without having to buy everything individually (and are reassured that something is expensive). If a customer is happy to pay that, and they can afford it without blinking, where’s the harm?

I suspect Specialized do this with lower end models as well, where value for money does count for something. It's just more difficult to work out as those models usually won't have a frame only price and will come with cheap own brand bars, stems, wheels etc that have no retail price.

If you aren't happy to pay the price asked, attempt to get it to a price that you are. If that's not possible, buy something else. Something is only ever worth what someone will pay for it and given how many of these they shift (I assume 'lots'), they've a good idea what to ask, across the various price levels.

It's a weird one this, especially as some of their 2021 range is actually some of the best value for money on the market at the moment. 2021 Stumpy Evo comp comes to mind.

I'm wondering if the pricing is due to scarcity of parts and the price has increased to cover for a reduced number of assembled levos available for 2022MY to maintain margins? Just a thought

“ I’m wondering if the pricing is due to scarcity of parts and the price has increased to cover for a reduced number of assembled levos available for 2022MY to maintain margins? Just a thought”

Not so much maintaining margins but maintaining company profit if component supply problems cause turnover to be reduced?

I don’t think you could buy a Levo frame on its own before. But if they can’t get enough parts for all the frames to sell as complete bikes, they can sell you bare frames to make some money.

Wonder how many of those complaining about the price grumble at the prices whoever they work for charge for their product/service?
If your company could charge more, increase profitability and thus further secure your pay cheque for the next 6 months, would you complain? I doubt it.

Just because it's a bike, it doesn't mean Specialized have to act like a charity. They're a business. If they don't sell enough, they'll discount them, and maybe they won't make a £14k one next time. If they sell them all (which I'd put money on), they'll continue to sell expensive bikes. It's called economics.

Wonder how many threads there are on PistonHeads every time Ferrari releases a new car a bunch of middle-aged blokes can't afford?

FWIW I don't work for Spesh, the new levo is about 7 times my monthly take-home so I sure as hell can't afford one, and TBH, if I could, I probably wouldn't buy one anyway. Other bikes do exist.

I think people forgot there are lots of people pulling in £5k+ a month.

About 8% of UK taxpayers apparently, before tax, or 5% after. That's a lot of people.

I always remind myself of this when I baulk at the cost of whatever gadget, bike, or car. It's not aimed at people like me.

Put it through cycle to work and it'll be a hefty tax saving too, from our generous exchequer.

Something is only ever worth what someone will pay for it

Alternatively something is worth what the going rate is. Specialized seems to be persistently above that. Which could have the effect of artificially inflating what's acceptable for pricing across the board, including cheaper models and even other brands. Maybe that's their intention. Not so cool in my book, because everyone ends up paying more in the long run.

Although I do accept the Stumpy Evo Comp is quite comparable for value. But I imagine the price would jump up like the rest of Specialized's models did if it was actually available right now.

“ Which could have the effect of artificially inflating what’s acceptable for pricing across the board, including cheaper models and even other brands.”

It never works like that because someone always fills the niche of a better value item, if it’s possible to achieve.

The current situation is very weird, so every company will have their own way of trying to survive it.

It's well known in the industry that you pay for 2 bikes when you purchase a Specialized.

They generally say yes straight away when warranty is required because you already own another bike out back!

Their E-bikes have generally been poor for reliability but if you live near a dealer, back up is good.....because you paid for spare bike.

Do you see where this is going?

If you aren’t happy to pay the price asked, attempt to get it to a price that you are. If that’s not possible, buy something else

Whilst this is obviously true, I think socially it's more complex.

The seemingly quite rapid increase in bikes over the last few years has shifted where the "top end" is. Say it's now £13k . That shift also moves the middle of the market, and the bottom end.

I've read multiple reviews state £5k bikes as "good value" and it's common now for £2-3k to be seen as "entry level"

My concern is that many people will be put off the sport because of this. Yes, you might say "there are £1k bikes that are great" and whilst that is true, in the same way as other markets, if it's seen as being the bottom end many people will see it as being rubbish as to get a "good" bike you need to spend £4k+ as that's the centre of the market.

It never works like that because someone always fills the niche of a better value item, if it’s possible to achieve.

It does work though. Even on this forum, now this thread has happened, the bar for how expensive an E-Bike can be has been raised to 13k. If you start a thread about how expensive ebikes are and link to some 7 or 8k bikes, then someone will be along to say "that's nothing remember that 13k spesh we were talking about the other day".

It's good psychology! My bike cost 2.3k which if I tell non-cyclists about they think is insane. I go to Glentress and I feel positively thrifty in my choice, seeing everyone knocking about on expensive e-bikes.

Exactly as @kiksy says it shifts the mid and low end too.

Specialized seems to be persistently above that. Which could have the effect of artificially inflating what’s acceptable for pricing across the board [...] Maybe that’s their intention. Not so cool in my book, because everyone ends up paying more in the long run.

That, right there, is some Daily Mail level self-perceived objectivity.

Maybe (and I'm just guessing) the price and their pretty much "no questions asked" warranty support are somehow linked?

As far as I’m aware, this has been roughly the same price since launch, ‘16 or ‘17 iirc

Levo hardtail

My concern is that many people will be put off the sport because of this

Most people are put off mountain biking because it's hard to do, you can get hurt, and it's often in nasty cold and wet weather and you get covered in mud, and then you have to clean it....blah blah blah. There are a thousand ways people are put off MTB before you get anywhere near the cost.