Articles about $10,000 bikes - What's the point?

[Gaear Grimsrud]

I'm always baffled by the amazement some people have that high-end luxury goods still sell well in a lousy economy. It's as if they haven't read a newspaper for 20 years.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/124xx/doc12485/10-25-HouseholdIncome.pdf

 

[Boeing]

I saw a bum looking through trash cans for plastic bottles with a martin guitar strapped to his back.

I see guys pull up to crits in their 1980's subaru and a peanut butter sandwich with top tier bikes

last 24 hour race there was a team of college kids in a vw van cooking beans and ramen noodles but on Ti frames.

even the broke and poor will find a way

and it doesnt matter either way imho

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I'm always baffled by the amazement some people have that high-end luxury goods still sell well in a lousy economy. It's as if they haven't read a newspaper for 20 years.

And the crazy thing is that not too long ago top tier, pro caliber bikes were very attainable for the masses when they were made of metal, carbon totally changed the demographics of cycling. While attending college in 1996 from the money I saved during my summer job landscaping I bought a Colnago MasterXLight with a Record grouppo and I think there were no less than 3 entire teams riding the same exact bike, most of them with stock geometry too. Currently the only way a college aged kid could even consider a pro level bike is if their parents are loaded. Bummer.

 

[hfer07]

About the CN article:
the reason why those pricey bikes are being bought during tough economic times without any difficulty is simply because they are premium items marketed for customers with the economical means to acquire them.

apart from that-I have some points about the article:
1-) If I had 12k to spend on a bike-I definitively wouldn't buy the brands they mentioned. I'd go with the Italian ones-because they're really worth every penny & you're buying-apart from quality-an item with tradition & aesthetics-which is an important element that the American brands lack.
2-) If you really know about race bicycles-you know you can get a "great" and most importantly-a "reliable" one for less money than the 12k mark.
3-) most people buying those pricey bikes are fanboys with good income & within this movement to be "en vogue" with the latest toys from the market-even if they only use them a couple times just to brag about them.

 

[BroDeal]

apart from that-I have some points about the article:
1-) If I had 12k to spend on a bike-I definitively wouldn't buy the brands they mentioned. I'd go with the Italian ones-because they're really worth every penny & you're buying-apart from quality-an item with tradition & aesthetics-which is an important element that the American brands lack.

It looks like a test for intelligence and discrimination of goods to me. It's like someone buying a $500K Yugo instead of a Ferrari. You can buy custom made, custom sized, and custom painted carbon from Serotta, Cyfac, Crumpton, Parlee, et cetera, yet some people are stupid enough to pay more money for a stock frame popped out of a mold in China. Heck, for about 4K you can get a custom stainless steel frame made by Dario Pegoretti, one of the last great master framebuilders. The pricing of this junk from Specialized et al. makes no sense. It's for people with no taste.

 

[42x16ss]

It looks like a test for intelligence and discriminatin to me. For the same money you can buy custom made, custom sized, and custom painted carbon from Serotta, Cyfac, Crumpton, Parlee, et cetera, yet some people are stupid enough to pay more money for a stock frame popped out of a mold in China. Heck, for about 4K you can get a custom stainless steel frame made by Dario Pegoretti, one of the last great masters. The pricing of this junk from Specialized et al. makes no sense. It's for people with no taste.

Some people just want to ride the same bike as their favorite pro or team, so I can kind of understand why the super top end bikes from the ProTeam sponsors sell so well.

However, like you, if I could afford (and justify) a 5-figure bike I'd be going full custom Ti - from Baum Cycles with Super Record. Their workmanship is something else!

 

[BroDeal]

Some people just want to ride the same bike as their favorite pro or team, so I can kind of understand why the super top end bikes from the ProTeam sponsors sell so well.

However, like you, if I could afford (and justify) a 5-figure bike I'd be going full custom Ti - from Baum Cycles with Super Record. Their workmanship is something else!

Baum makes a sweet ride. If I buy another ti frame then I am getting an Eriksen, but Baum, Strong, and Kish are right up there. I like the orange and blue with exposed sections of ti paintjobs that I have seen Baum use.

 

[hfer07]

However, like you, if I could afford (and justify) a 5-figure bike I'd be going full custom Ti - from Baum Cycles with Super Record. Their workmanship is something else!

That's what I'm talking about those machines are hot indeed!!!!

 

[Master50]

It looks like a test for intelligence and discrimination of goods to me. It's like someone buying a $500K Yugo instead of a Ferrari. You can buy custom made, custom sized, and custom painted carbon from Serotta, Cyfac, Crumpton, Parlee, et cetera, yet some people are stupid enough to pay more money for a stock frame popped out of a mold in China. Heck, for about 4K you can get a custom stainless steel frame made by Dario Pegoretti, one of the last great master framebuilders. The pricing of this junk from Specialized et al. makes no sense. It's for people with no taste.

BD it could just be hubris on your part. Maybe poor taste, but why should we all share your lust for a Stainless Pegoretti. Not a general criticism of his work just I have owned a very high end steel bike and prefer the acetic and ride of the plastic 1. I do regret selling it as it was so very beautiful.

 

[BroDeal]

BD it could just be hubris on your part. Maybe poor taste, but why should we all share your lust for a Stainless Pegoretti. Not a general criticism of his work just I have owned a very high end steel bike and prefer the acetic and ride of the plastic 1. I do regret selling it as it was so very beautiful.

It makes no sense that a frame custom made to your exact desires and manufactured in a first world country costs less than a stock plastic frame made by the cheapest labor the major bike companies can find.

If you want plastic, fine. Custom carbon made in the U.S, can be bought for less money than the big bike company's "halo" frames. Again that makes no sense.

My point is not that you should go buy a Pegoretti Responsorium. It is that the big bike companies offer incredibly poor value when compared to what you can get for the same or less money. The nominal value is irrelevant.

Even the nominal values make my eyes roll. A $13K Felt? Really? A Felt?

 

[42x16ss]

It makes no sense that a frame custom made to your exact desires and manufactured in a first world country costs less than a stock plastic frame made by the cheapest labor the major bike companies can find.

If you want plastic, fine. Custom carbon made in the U.S, can be bought for less money than the big bike company's "halo" frames. Again that makes no sense.

My point is not that you should go buy a Pegoretti Responsorium. It is that the big bike companies offer incredibly poor value when compared to what you can get for the same or less money. The nominal value is irrelevant.

Even the nominal values make my eyes roll. A $13K Felt? Really? A Felt?

$13K for a Felt is insulting IMHO. There are only a few "halo" bikes from the big manufacturers that I would consider and they are ones that have been trying something a little different the last few years.

I wouldn't mind trying the Super 6 EVO, Dogma 60.1, C59, Triestina Cento Uno and the R5ca but there is no way I could ever justify $10k + for a Giant, Specialized, Trek, Scott, Focus, Ridley etc. Not with the custom options available for the same or less money.

 

[hfer07]

$13K for a Felt is insulting IMHO. There are only a few "halo" bikes from the big manufacturers that I would consider and they are ones that have been trying something a little different the last few years.

I wouldn't mind trying the Super 6 EVO, Dogma 60.1, C59, Triestina Cento Uno and the R5ca but there is no way I could ever justify $10k + for a Giant, Specialized, Trek, Scott, Focus, Ridley etc. Not with the custom options available for the same or less money.

The current problem with the bicycle manufacturing is their unjustified-at least IMHO-necessity to update their models every single damn year-which it might work for the Pro's but for a regular buyer it becomes a non-sense issue. I happen to own a 2010 Pinarello Price-I didn't buy it new but from a friend & got a hell of a deal for it-when i compare it to the Dogma-whose design is from the Prince- I honestly don't find the "urgency" to update it-simply because this newer version has a funky "curve" and its carbon has improved a bit on stiffness-I already have a great ride on mine -and when the time comes to replace it- I'm going back to metal simply because It won't be possible to keep up with the constant updates the companies are forcing the people to buy on. overall- you reach a point where carbon loses its appeal & as you get older- the memories of good old days come back & if you're lucky to have good savings-you'll be able to customize your ride with long lasting materials-and mostly-the truly & unique feeling of riding a bicycle well crafted & made at your specifications-totally away from the "halo" theme..

 

[Benotti69]

i suppose the halo bikes sold to punters go some way to cover the cost providing frames to the pros.

 

[badboygolf16v]

How Cervelo can justify a carbon frame costing nearly $10k is something I cannot get my head around.

"There absolutely needs to be halo bikes in order to push the limits of what's possible," insisted Cervélo media liaison Mark Riedy. "One thing that might be getting lost these days is the sense of how special a carbon frame is," Riedy added. "We make very few R5ca ... They're handmade and are as cutting edge as anything you'd see in F1 or Moto GP racing."

What a load of BS, cycling is full of it. It's a carbon bike frame FFS, a mass produced commodity item. The difference in design input and material costs between a low end carbon frame and a high end cannot be much. They are not so very different. Labour cost to custom build compared to mass produce may be more, sure. But 1000% difference??

And to compare a bike frame to F1... Whatever. It's got more in common with a tennis racket.

These top end frames are a scam.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

And the crazy thing is that not too long ago top tier, pro caliber bikes were very attainable for the masses when they were made of metal, carbon totally changed the demographics of cycling. While attending college in 1996 from the money I saved during my summer job landscaping I bought a Colnago MasterXLight with a Record grouppo and I think there were no less than 3 entire teams riding the same exact bike, most of them with stock geometry too. Currently the only way a college aged kid could even consider a pro level bike is if their parents are loaded. Bummer.

Worked on a Merckx yesterday, the guys first race bike, and it came with a 50th anniversary group on it.

The only true thing in the article is the point that a $10,000 bike isn't twice as good/fast as a $5000 bike. No surprise that a cycling e-rag then says , 'so what'?

Same technology as F1 and Moto GP, balderdash. It's a farging bicycle frame that 'may' go 20 mph on the flats. NOT 200 MPH++ They say that kinda garbage to justify their gigantic margins for this junque. Punters indeed, those who look for coffee shop points on their twice per month 20 mile Sunday rides.

Cycling is getting more and more expensive, in case this rag or others haven't noticed, golf is growing faster than cycling. When it is priced out of the hands of the masses, they will turn to another leisure time activity.

For an Asian carbon frame, bicycle to be priced at these levels means mr trekspecializedgiant is making HUGE margins, nothing more.

 

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Some people just want to ride the same bike as their favorite pro or team, so I can kind of understand why the super top end bikes from the ProTeam sponsors sell so well.

I can understand (though don't agree) with that motivation, but to be like the pros the freds should put ballast on their $10K bike to get it to 6.8kg.

The line from Cervelo that R5Ca bike tech trickles down to consumers is suspicious. If that were the case, you wouldn't see so many R3 bottom bracket failures. Maybe it's the other way around -- the mid-range models are testing beds for the halo models.

 

[Gaear Grimsrud]

Some people just want to ride the same bike as their favorite pro or team, so I can kind of understand why the super top end bikes from the ProTeam sponsors sell so well.

I can understand (though don't agree) with that motivation, but to be like the pros the freds should put ballast on their $10K bike to get it to 6.8kg.

The line from Cervelo that R5Ca bike tech trickles down to consumers is suspicious. If that were the case, you wouldn't see so many R3 bottom bracket failures. Maybe it's the other way around -- the mid-range models are testing beds for the halo models.

 

[Parera]

What's funny, where technology really matters, in mountain biking, most rigs cost under $4k; nothing to sneeze at but we're talking US welded frames with xtr and great wheels. Unless of course you WANT carbon, which is suspect to me simply because you really don't gain much. Even weight saving are minimally important except for serious XC racers. My giant anthem 29er came with SLX, sunk less than $1200 into if now have xtr w/xt brakes, better wheels, more robust cockpit and a1x10 drivetrain w/ 4 different mrp chainrings. Oh and put a selle italia saddle on it that I got for nothing.

Basically top tier tech for about the third of a halo road bike.

And for what it's worth, lower specced frames from pretty much every brand are universally good bikes and not obscene. Cannondale caad10, giant tcr/defy composite, etc. With the right parts you can build up these frames and have decently light bikes. My Tcx came in at 19 lbs 8 oz and that's with heavy, robust 105/a23. Giants $6800 tcx advanced sl has same geometry, but using Adam craigs bike as reference it saves a a couple pounds, most if which is probably in the wheels.

Bike industry is just silly. Find a frame that fits, slap some campy or shimano bits on the damn thing, build some wheels and just ride.

 

[Parera]

http://youtu.be/VzZkKE9Z35g

Just a reminder as to how much technology has changed mountain biking in the past 20 years.

Road cycling, has what, integrated brake/shift levers? Hahaha.

 

[DirtyWorks]

It looks like a test for intelligence and discrimination of goods to me. It's like someone buying a $500K Yugo instead of a Ferrari. You can buy custom made, custom sized, and custom painted carbon from Serotta, Cyfac, Crumpton, Parlee, et cetera, yet some people are stupid enough to pay more money for a stock frame popped out of a mold in China. Heck, for about 4K you can get a custom stainless steel frame made by Dario Pegoretti, one of the last great master framebuilders. The pricing of this junk from Specialized et al. makes no sense. It's for people with no taste.

I half-way agree with you. I disagree that there's a limited supply of 'master' frame builders. The 'limited supply of master frame builders' thinking is exploiting the human trait of keeping maybe three ranked brands in memory for any given niche.

Welding is absolutely a craft, but beyond mastering puurty metal joints, bicycle manufacturing isn't that special. Carbon product is even less special. Carbon is harder to work with for sure! But after the first one, it's stamp em out time!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Since the move to Colorado I've seen a few of these "halo" bikes, seems like it's the same people that drive around in 80k worth of automobile as well. But I'll tell you what, the vast majority of these bikes are being bought by 30-40 something women that are recently divorced from their millionaire husbands and settled for a chunk of their change. If you're looking for a super fit sugar momma cougar, move here. You'll find them all over the place in Denver and Boulder.

 

[usedtobefast]

Since the move to Colorado I've seen a few of these "halo" bikes, seems like it's the same people that drive around in 80k worth of automobile as well. But I'll tell you what, the vast majority of these bikes are being bought by 30-40 something women that are recently divorced from their millionaire husbands and settled for a chunk of their change. If you're looking for a super fit sugar momma cougar, move here. You'll find them all over the place in Denver and Boulder.

that is a tempting. i am way too old sadly...

 

[42x16ss]

that is a tempting. i am way too old sadly...

Funnily enough, the "halo" bikes bought over here seem to mostly belong to exec-type males going through the mid life crisis phase, or have figured out that cycling keeps you fitter than golf.

I'd happily trade the Brisbane cycling scene for the Colorado one from the sound of things!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I half-way agree with you. I disagree that there's a limited supply of 'master' frame builders. The 'limited supply of master frame builders' thinking is exploiting the human trait of keeping maybe three ranked brands in memory for any given niche.

Welding is absolutely a craft, but beyond mastering puurty metal joints, bicycle manufacturing isn't that special. Carbon product is even less special. Carbon is harder to work with for sure! But after the first one, it's stamp em out time!

I think you misinterpreted BroDeal's statement. Didn't say there's a limited supply of master frame builders, he just said that Pegoretti is one of the last of the great masters. But how many of these so called 'master' builders claim a 1st of something? Dario, who basically is the Godfather of TIG welding light weight steel. You would be hard pressed to even count on one hand the number of frame builders out there who have made contributions as significant as what Dario Pegoretti has.

 

[Rrrrrr]

What does 'halo' mean?

can you provide a definition or link
I don't think you built an article around Christian head gear, a video game or type of parachute jump
urban dictionary defines halo as an electronic circle jerk
maybe that's what you mean - a bunch of bike geeks getting off looking at expensive bike porn on the internet?