When did bikes get so expensive...and why?

[Horace Goes Skiing]

I'm looking for a nice new commuter bike that might double up as a winter trainer. Nothing fancy: just an aluminium frame, triple chainset and Tiagra/105 Shimano components.

I'm stunned, stunned! at the price of road bikes at the moment. I was going to push the boat out and spend £400 on a nice machine but as far as I can see, bikes start at £500 these days!

When did they become so bloomin' expensive and more to the point, why? I can't see that bike technology has advanced that much recently. Is it the price of raw materials?

*shakes fist impotently at Gordon Brown*

 

[Rob S]

Why don't you get a full suspension gentleman's bike for £99 from the back of the 'News' Of The World colour supplement!?

 

[Milo]

Got a dawes giro 300 for 240 on sale.
Good bike love it.

 

[Horace Goes Skiing]

Why don't you get a full suspension gentleman's bike for £99 from the back of the 'News' Of The World colour supplement!?

Never again. I was on the turbo trainer and my NOTW polyester gentleman's trousers burst into flames and burnt down my NOTW self-erecting shed. The smell of burning hair still lingers in my NOTW conservatory.

 

[Noodley]

Ribble usually have a decent enough bike for #400

 

[Horace Goes Skiing]

Ribble usually have a decent enough bike for #400

Thanks for the tip Noodley - they seem to have a good training bike for £399 at the moment. Website isn't working for me though, so I'll need to check it out at work tomorrow.

I notice it's got Campagnolo bits and that scares me. Do they tend to be cheaper than Shimano?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Bikes are cheaper than they've ever been in real terms, like most consumer goods.

 

[Noodley]

Thanks for the tip Noodley - they seem to have a good training bike for £399 at the moment. Website isn't working for me though, so I'll need to check it out at work tomorrow.

I notice it's got Campagnolo bits and that scares me. Do they tend to be cheaper than Shimano?

Campag and Shimano both have different "levels", there will be a campag equivalent of shimano.

 

[Rob S]

I notice it's got Campagnolo bits and that scares me.

Pfft...there speaks a 'News' Of The World reader!!

 

[Milo]

Campag is ten speed I think.
Which is allegedly prone to chain problems.
And campag is rubbish though others will think differently.

 

[Noodley]

Campag is ten speed I think.
Which is allegedly prone to chain problems.
And campag is rubbish though others will think differently.

Has your body been taken over by bonj?!

 

[mondobongo]

Horace have a look at Giant SCR 3.0 nice frame for the money with decent spec.

If you dont mind a previous years model quite often its only a different colour amd minor component changes then Pauls Cycles have plenty of bang for your buck.

Miloat nice to see constructive criticism.

 

[Chuffy]

I thought decent road bikes started at around the £350 mark. Spesh Allez, Focus etc.

Wouldn't want one with that Italian rubbish on it though.

 

[Dave5N]

Why is the cost of a bicycle Gordon Brown's fault, exactly?

 

[ufkacbln]

Why is the cost of a bicycle Gordon Brown's fault, exactly?

Bit like petrol - if the price goes up it's the government's fault and they should decrease the tax....