What the *#^% is up with modern road bicycles?

[gavroche]

I was asking the salesman why bikes were so expensive these days and his reply was: a lot of it is taxes from different countries until the bike gets into the shop.

 

[november4]

My 'cheap in the scheme of things' rim brake endurance bike takes 30mm tyres, and I would ideally like 32mm next bike for lower again pressures from the original 28mm, which means discs.....and that adds weight unless my wallet loses a lot of weight, which is the OP's point really. It's very expensive to get from my current high 8kg range to low 7kg range, with discs, and means carbon frame.

I have looked at second hand giant defys but they only recently changed the frame to accommodate 32mm tyres so have to wait a few years for these to trickle down

 

[michbike]

Like Keith Bontrager's maxim: 'Strong. Light. Cheap. Pick two'. Unlikely anyone's going to be building a production bike anywhere near the 2.7kg record holder, ever. In practice, and with enough money, you could get a bike like a Specialized Aethos- 5.9kg, even with discs (Storck built a 4.7kg rim brake bike a few years ago) and you could get that weight down a bit, still- IRL, would you even want something that weighs less for regular use? Rim brakes? Maybe. Skinnier tyres (23mm, say…narrower if you can find them)? If you don't have fatter tyres the frame can be lighter too…and surely you only need a frame to take your weight? Do you really need that many spokes on your wheels? What about your gearing. Do you really need those bigger sprockets? If you're running tubeless, do you need sealant?
For most people, most of the time- these are the wrong things entirely to worry about, and in terms of system weight (including the rider) we're firmly into marginal gains. You might think knocking a kilo off will make it much faster, the laws of physics say otherwise.

With regard for the use of tubeless sealant. Trek is now shipping new tubeless bikes to dealers without sealant. As the bikes rest on the sales floor, inflated and without sealant, they go flat in a short time. Which means the sales crew must periodically pump the tires, else the show room slowly fills with flat tire bikes.

 

[stephec]

View attachment 689988

Custom built for me around 8 years ago, less than £3k. Used and abused.

Enough about the rider, what about the bike?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Very important, I had to buy new fancy valve caps when I changed my wheels because the other fancy valve caps no longer matched.

Metallic red are the best:

 

[Fab Foodie]

Enough about the rider, what about the bike?

Well that's a private matter between me and my ride....

 

[T4tomo]

Metallic red are the best:

View attachment 690959

I had to donate my metallic red ones to the OH as she got given the wheels that had matching red nipples (for clarity the wheels not the OH). I also use matching cable crimps. I replaced them with metallic rainbow effect ones, as its very had to match to celeste exactly so better to not try to directly match. They are 0.37mph faster than red though

 

[Dogtrousers]

I had to donate my metallic red ones to the OH as she got given the wheels that had matching red nipples (for clarity the wheels not the OH). I also use matching cable crimps. I replaced them with metallic rainbow effect ones, as its very had to match to celeste exactly so better to not try to directly match. The are 0.37mph faster than red though

But but but ... You're not allowed to sport rainbow cable crimps unless you've won the world cable-crimping championship.

 

[T4tomo]

But but but ... You're not allowed to sport rainbow cable crimps unless you've won the world cable-crimping championship.

Its Ok, relax, they aren't striped, more a swirly pattern.

Plus I had to change my stem bolts to match obviously . Its hard work being a complete tart.

 

[kingrollo]

I was asking the salesman why bikes were so expensive these days and his reply was: a lot of it is taxes from different countries until the bike gets into the shop.

And these taxes have suddenly appeared have they ?

 

[C R]

Metallic red are the best:

View attachment 690959

Even better with matching red qr skewers, headset spacers and bolts and bar end caps.

Oh, and red cable crimps, of course.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was asking the salesman why bikes were so expensive these days and his reply was: a lot of it is taxes from different countries until the bike gets into the shop.

But are bikes so very expensive these days? Go to Decathlon or Halfords and you can pick up a perfectly nice bike for probably around £600. (And you could get a more basic one for less)

Is that really all that expensive compared with other stuff?

 

[vickster]

And these taxes have suddenly appeared have they ?

Some certainly may have done after a certain political event affecting the UK and relationship with immediate neighbours...
GBP to USD and EUR exchange rates are not favourable at the moment either

 

[davidphilips]

Have been told (do not speak from experience) that even clothes @ bikes even if made in the uk can be bought at a much reduced price in the USA, if going on holiday to take a scrap bike and to buy clothes over there, the scrap bike can then be scraped and you buy a bike on holiday that way you avoid paying import duty on your bike that was perhaps made in the uk in the first place?

 

[vickster]

Have been told (do not speak from experience) that even clothes @ bikes even if made in the uk can be bought at a much reduced price in the USA, if going on holiday to take a scrap bike and to buy clothes over there, the scrap bike can then be scraped and you buy a bike on holiday that way you avoid paying import duty on your bike that was perhaps made in the uk in the first place?

Not any more according to my brother and a friend who recently went to the US. Both have travelled extensively in the US and they said everything costs much more than pre Covid, hotels, eating, clothes, car hire, thanks to exchange rates, inflation, sales tax. Also you’ll pay to transport your bike both ways transatlantically. Your own seat will also cost you rather more than it did a few years ago.

You also have to be able to prove all your new purchases over £135 total aren’t new. Our customs peeps are extremely wise to all the ruses!

Also, barely any bikes sold in the US are made in the U.K., indeed barely any bikes are made in the U.K…. maybe a Brompton at a push but unlikely to be cheaper? Bikes the world over are assembled from parts made in the Far East