What do we think will happen to the bike market post lockdown?

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MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
My experience of providing company cars is that PCP is actually cheaper monthly but you couldn't claim any of the VAT back (that may have changed now) so we always leased cars, usually 3x36 so 3 months down and a three year lease.

Maintenance is not automatically included with a lease, in fact most leases don't include maintenance.

I have never done a personal lease, but I can understand why people do it, all you're paying for is the depreciation and you get on a cycle of having a brand new car every three years, so maintenance is minimal and costs are fixed.

Personally I prefer to run slightly older cars and own them outright, but it's probably not a particularly economical way of doing it.

Leasing is something we will be looking at for the next car, I bought my own car on HP and I`m not sure I would do that again neither. Albeit I buy my own cars and keep them a long time.
 

JPBoothy

Veteran
Location
Cheshire
My check list when buying a used car is (1) can I get a bike in without dismantling it (2) can I flip the seats down to take rubbish to the tip and collect building materials, (3) has it got a good stereo and heater, and (4) is it good on fuel.. I have had new cars in the past, but now I have old cars (10+ yrs on average) with my one only piece of 'snobbery :laugh:' being that they have to be in good clean condition inside and out. It's amazing what nice cars you can pick up for relatively little money if you are patient. The plus points IMO of running older cars 'in addition to the obvious low purchase cost' are the low maintenance cost of not having to get a dealer service, cheap parts/tyres, not worry too much (although still annoying) if the tosser next to you dings your door at the shops and, if you do end up with a big repair cost you can just scrap it and start again..
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Prices of new bikes will rise. Demand is up, yet the factories have by and large been closed. Increased demand + reduced supply = elevated prices. Indeed, this phenomenon looks set to seriously spank new car prices as well.
I would like to see us go back to building bicycles in the States. They were mediocre bicycles, but safe machines, for the most part. I think current use of aluminum and improved accessories would make them quite better. I also think people are much more likely to opt for their buying to benefit local factories instead of overseas operators. It may cost a bit more. It may not. It all depends on who is willing to be sensible about these things. For a while, in the 1980's, we made some stellar cycling products over here. Great Britain made even better bicycles. I liked British cars as well, just not the engines. Well, maybe the cylinder heads.
 
Location
London
London mayor has announced that he is going to increase cycling by a factor of ten.
That must have some effect.
Much as I approve of cycling (of course) must admit to being a bit alarmed - there are some right nobbers on bikes.
Getting round London could become interesting.
 
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Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
This is quite common, back in 2005 I bought Mrs Gunk a new Golf GTi, the only way I could get a chunk off the list price was to take the VW finance and then after I took delivery pay the lot off, bloody madness!

It still happens, it was the only way i could get the deal i wanted on the new car i bought 5 yrs ago. The dealership and the salesman get a kickback from the finance company. I did the same and paid it off within a month.
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I do not know any either come to think of it.
I am not sure I do either and I live in an affluent area in the south east
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
Shocking stereotyping there! Even if there isan element of truth in it. :laugh:
? A gross assumption on your part Skip, I walk/ ride past them while they're messing about having a laugh - they do not live locally and there are up to ten dressed identically- black hoodies- with similar type of modified cars who meet up in different locations presumably pre-arranged by text or social media- not stereo-typing at all. You may claim they're having a bit of harmless fun but the speeds they get up to on narrow back roads while they show off means something will inevitably happen eventually.

At least you can hear them coming...
 
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MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I hope so, as I gave up buying new bikes years ago and have had some great ones from Ebay/Gumtree for a fraction of what they originally cost. A lot of cyclists want the latest spec/tech but, if that is not your thing (like me) there can be some crackers to be had.

Not at the moment there isn't, these past few days I've widened my search for a canal bike. Anything half decent at a normal price is snapped up by traders/dealers and immediately re-listed at 2 or 3 times the purchase cost. Found a hybrid in Leeds yesterday, sent an email and voice message, the Gumtree advert said offers accepted but I said I'd pay the asking price and collect, no reply, today it's for sale in York...............I've given up.
 
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Location
London
Not at the moment there isn't, these past few days I've widened my search for a canal bike. Anything half decent at a normal price is snapped up by traders/dealers and immediately re-listed at 2 or 3 times the purchase cost. Found a hybrid in Leeds yesterday, sent an email and voice message, the Gumtree advert said offers accepted but I said I'd pay the asking price and collect, no reply, today it's for sale in York...............I've given up.
What"s a canal bike?
Never really undestood why you sold that fine ridgeback you had.
Would have been ok along canalbanks?
I have also seen prices of old steel appear to go up.
Luckily i don"t really need any more at the mo, a wonder i got for £21 is in the topfloor back bedroom waiting to be built.
 
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