It feels like it's coming back a bit, however still a lot of sales on, but I've seen more bikes sitting close(ish) to their RRPs. Cycling clothing seems ludicrously priced at the moment, even in the big discount end of summer sales the clothing pricing is insane.
Bike shop here. Still in crisis, prices are too high, margins are too low. Manufacturers sell expensive shit, too expensive shit. If the market doesn't change, people will prefer cars and they will be right because they are more reliable than some bike brands like babboe or giant. The shit storm we had last year is just the beginning. If we don't take care of our customers, they will change their habits again. All of that because of greedy financial morons. F**** them.
Did you watch the video? The expensive shit is keeping the industry alive. Also you can just not buy it. Just means your taste is too expensive for your wallet.
@@wuzihuzi I personally think the biggest issue are the entry level bikes, which have doubled in price in the past 8 years. That's going to hurt their higher end sales down the line.
@@wuzihuziThat isn't entirely true. Volume would be possible if pricing were more reasonable. The expensive stuff just so happens to be available to people not sensitive to pricing and that is where the margins are.
@@inkwizytor1104 to be fair, GCN plays right into this 'you need better tech' thing too, along with all the cycling media. i get innovation but just because you can often doesn't mean you should.
Decathlon have showed that keeping prices more reasonable rather than only catering for the super-rich is key. People need affordable and quality bikes that aren’t filled with latest tech and excessive prices
I'm still riding the same, entry level aluminium Bianchi I bought 10 years ago. A new saddle and routine maintenance are the only expenses I have put into it.
that's exactly why i bough my van rysel edr-af 105 (rim brakes, external cables) for less than 1000 EUR this year and after ~10kkm since purchase I must say I'm pretty happy with what I got for that price.
Decathlon aren't in the business of selling bikes, they make fuck all on bikes. Their margins for bikes suck, their model is that buying a bike there will get you to buy other smaller accessories that they have better margins on.
The Biggest issue is the price of bikes and bike accessories, parts etc. I own two bikes and don't see myself buying another bike anytime soon unless I break a frame or something.
In case you break a frame, chinese stuff really has improved over the years.I wouldn't necessarily buy a full-suspension frame from aliexpress, but the gravel/road bike frames seem pretty decent and cost around 600-800 euros. Taking over the parts from the old bike and it's becoming a reasonable priced replacement
A couple of weeks ago I walked over to cheer on Lael Wilcox as she rode through my neighbourhood in Vancouver, and was surprised by how many of my neighbours were doing the same. It kind of blew my mind how many people are following her progress. Lael had a big grin on her face and about 30 people trailing her as she passed through the city. That evening I received video from Bellingham, WA as another parade of riders had joined her as she rode into the night amidst more cheers. The physical/psychological feat of her circumnavigation is truly inspiring, but it's also remarkable how her ride is connecting people. Go Lael!!
I concur with many posts here. We are being 'fleeced' left, right and centre on everything cycling related. As a result, I have put a blanket ban on myself for anything new unless it is absolutely necessary.
Couldn’t agree more, especially with so many good used options out there. I’ve been staying on rim brakes and 2x10 or 3x9 not just for retro grouch reasons but because the used market is unbeatable for parts on those.
Might just be biased by my interest in hockey where the story dominated the news this week but given the crossover, I'm surprised there was no mention of the Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau incident. Two professional hockey players (one an NHL all-star) were killed by a drunk driver whilst out cycling together...on the eve of their sister's wedding. Heartbreaking stuff.
Biggest issue is prices for majority of cycling kit be it clothing, bikes or spares are just over priced. During Covid lockdown demand went through the roof and bike companies cashed in big time. Now demand has dropped off yet prices still too high.
Tack onto this how expensive bike mechanics are now, and people are being put off from the whole hobby. In my area, you can't get a tuneup for less than $100, and some shops charge more if you have gears. Yes you can spend a bit of time learning how to do simple repairs/adjustments yourself and avoid expensive mechanics (this is what I did), but not everyone wants to/is confident enough to do this.
I love how industry insiders won’t agree with this, yet the ones who have to spend the money all agree. Prices are too high and there is no justification for it. No matter how hard they try to explain it, we all know it’s 100% about greed and almost nothing to do with advancement in tech.
the industry should be thankful docs, dentists and lawyers are still buying top shelf bikes while the bike industry priced themselves out of average customers. Also the lack of innovation in the road cycling side of things, where all frames converges into the same aero shape, there is little point of upgrading. People don't buy in those 2% more compliant and 3% more aero claims anymore, plenty of bikes and components available on 2nd hand market too, at bargain prices compare to new. At least another 30% off on top of current discounts and we will be talking
In the heads of people who don't ride. The last 5 years of not riding since their last bike. made them slower, so it's time for a new Pinerallo to make them faster of course.
The so called bike mechanic and bike shop owner who's always appearing on @cademedia said the exact same thing! A good aluminium bike only lasts 5 years!!! I own 5 aluminium bikes, I ride them all regularly, only 1 is less than 8 years old never mind 5!!! It's sales bollox. Bikes will last a lifetime if you look after them.
I can tell you from a perspective of a huge cycling enthusiast that kept changing equipment quite often that the one and only reason for selling issues are prices - period - if anyone is telling the opposite, that person is either lying or have no idea about the market. People that are not enthusiasts were always riding the same bicycles for a long time and those who buy the most expensive ones do not care about the price as they can afford luxury cars and houses which prices do not even compare to bicycles. Would enthusiasts always find money for they cycling passion - nope - if someone is reasonable... We just refuse to pay 2x more for the same bicycles as a couple of years ago. If something brings no adequate value for the money it costs I will not buy it.
The reason the high end bikes are ‘propping up’ the industry is, in my opinion, because that’s what’s marketed to us as consumers. If bike brands and bike media showed more love for bottom of the range bikes they might have higher demand and subsequently higher sales. Love the show and would love to hear your take
I feel like him trying to down play the increase in cost being a factor into why sales might be down speaks volumes to the whole industry. My take away from this interview is the bike industry royal screwed up when they gambled on a sales forecast and got left with way to much stock which was produced during a time of record high costs.
If prices won’t come down to a price that most people can afford, the cycling industry will remain in a crisis. Prices make it hard to start as it is. Not everyone has sums of money to drop on a bike plus accessories.
There is another angle as well. Because there are high price bikes, there are brand competition so an entry level van rysel or Chinese frame will be ridiculed. So there is a big hurdle for a newbie in cost The other angle is that the high end spenders will keep spending more than others so it’s best to milk them for all they got. Anyway the china market is the growing one so maybe they will drive the decisions
@@SingaporeUntold I’ve been looking at the market in china. I want to start with some aero handlebars. But I commute so the risk of not having handlebars on a 15-20km commute one way is rather scary. But I am looking still.
@@nikaiwolf hmm I’m not sure on the quality of china aero bars. I wouldn’t trust What i meant about the china market is there are plenty of rich Chinese there which are adopting cycling as a premium sport much like golfing. So they are buying high end foreign bikes. I have seen a lot of Chinese brand bikes in china as well for the casuals who do it for recreation and utility.
Along with all the other issues the industry has, the biggest problem I think they have is that anyone who has bought a bike in the last 10yrs already has a brilliant bike. They have absolutely no reason to upgrade.
Get the Sensah or Wheeltop Wireless Shifters and Derailleurs and now you have a Modern bike. This is why Shimano does not want their Di2 crap to reach Rim brake bikes as that means no new sales for Carbon bike manufacturers. Their Di2 105 is a complete joke I can build a 7 kg aluminum bike for that same price, these guys are out to lunch ignoring the millions of rim brake bikes to upgrade over to Electronic Shifting systems. The Chinese beat Shimano to this market and I am laughing my ass off at the ignorance of Shimano to ever allow this to happen but the deals they have with Carbon bike companies means they have to push for Disc Brakes ( so they can rip off people with cheap ass Carbon frames and more important the cheaper Carbon wheels can now be sold to suckers). The entire reason for going to Disc brakes was to remove the safety issues when using cheap carbon wheels with Rim brakes on descents as this creates lawsuits and these are not good for your ""under the table deals" with bike companies who supply free bikes to Bike Racing Teams in order to sell high end bikes ( that cost basically nothing these days to build) to the upper market. All Pro riders all rode Carbon wheels at one time with Rim brakes on descents in Major tours even in the wet, but they did not give them $200 wheels (sold for $2500 to suckers). And now you know why Road bikes went to disc brakes, 1 was to sell new frames and hardware, and number 2 was to bring down the cost of Carbon wheels as now less Carbon is needed as there is no more rim brake surface layers to add and this is where the bike companies pushed Shimano to only start supporting Disc brakes. This move had nothing to do with hiding any cables it was to make bikes safer for the upper end consumer buyers who have money to pay big lawyers to get big settlements.
Yep. I've got a rim brake Tarmac SL6. Have yet to see anything I want more for less than 3 times what I paid for this. It's the same thing in MTB (except a few years behind). Geometry is much better than it was 5 to 10 years ago but in the last few years it seems to have really settled, and pretty well any bike from the last few years is still a great bike. The only upgrade on my list is a gravel bike to get wider tire clearance than my CX bike, but generally speaking, bikes now are great, it's a bit hard to make them that much better, and spending a lot for a very marginal improvement doesn't seem like such a great deal.
I haven't seen any difference in the industry over the last few years. Shoes are $400. Framesets are $10 000. Campag Record e shift is $8 000!!! A new complete bike is $20 000. Seriously?
You don't need Campy Record, just get mechanical Chorus. I have Chorus rim brake for my road and disk for my gravel and for only 1,000d euro and then shop around for a bespoke frameset from an indi fabricator that would include a bike fit.
@@GeraldMueller-ro5di Agreed. I have mechanical Chorus on my road bike. I do still think those in the offices are making it harder for themselves by selling products that the average cyclist can't afford. My examples were the top end of the spectrum, yet it shows the lack of understanding by them.
The fact that he said that high end bikes are selling best doesn’t prove that that that’s what people are demanding. It proves that people are struggling to afford lower to medium priced bikes. I don’t think that’s all on the bike industry. It’s very much on government policies and the overall economic system which creates widening inequality. But I do think the manufacturers could be doing a better job of producing quality bikes that are simple. Single speeds. Coaster brakes. Make sure that there’s always something reliable and durable available for people who can’t spend more than £400 or 500. And it also shows that an economic system based on endless growth doesn’t make sense for cycling (or in general) when bikes are relatively easy to repair, and can be kept going for many decades. There are already so many bikes that exist, are not being ridden, and can be made roadworthy again for not much money. How many more bikes do we really need to manufacture when you consider this?
The level of denial within the industry is staggering. The reason people stopped buying bikes is because the manufacturers tried to force us to buy £2000 carbon one by electronic shifting bikes, and stopped making the £500 3 ring rim brake machines that most riders want. If you're a noob, or just a casual rider, you're not going to drop that sort of cash on a bike that you don't understand and would be too scared to ride to work every day. Telling us that they're that expensive because reasons just reinforces the resentment that a lot of buyers felt, and still feel, towards brands that quite deliberately priced them out of the market.
Those £500 bikes still exist, and you can still buy them. The issue is that no one is. Companies will sell more of what people want to buy, it doesn't work the other way around. To say that an entire industry has missed that people want affordable bikes with triple chainrings is bonkers. If there was a market for it, someone would be exploiting it.
@@gcn Specialized entry level road bikes have literally doubled in cost from about 8 years ago. I bought a Secteur Sport for $900 (not on sale either). The modern equivalent Allez sport is now $1800. So $500 dollar bikes may still exist, but they're not the same quality as they were.
@@gcn no, they dont. what you can get for £500 now is what you could get for £199 three years ago. even bikes that cost £1000 are made up of no name and budget components.
@@gcnthere's an article in that statement. Show us £500 bikes from 5 years ago and compare them with £500 bikes available today in the big sell-off. My suspicion is the spec now is much worse value for money. Same at £1000 or £1500. There may be demand for £10,000 bikes, but in what volume? Doesn't that just prove that a certain proportion of the buying market is, frankly, stupid?
39:40 - What is the difference between oral and rectal thermometers? The flavor. Also, while working at my hospital we had to make the change in our thermometers that we stocked for patient use. We went from Oral (blue in color) and rectal (red in color) to universal (white in color). This saved the hospital $500 a year in supply costs. But increased the usage by $1000 because nurses couldn't mark what they used it for so they kept getting thrown away.
On the bib bodge, the reason sweating cools you is mostly the heat requirements of phase change. It takes a lot of energy to change water from a liquid to a gas (steam) and it's that phase change that gives sweat its cooling properties as it evaporates from your skin. Having a cloth to prevent that phase change, deprives your body of the cooling effect of evaporation. It's also why isopropyl alcohol feels really cold as it rapidly evaporates.
Is the bike industry in turmoil because bike costs as much as motorcycles and used cars? And because the industry does stupid things to get people to buy new bikes like change bottom bracket sizes and try to brainwash people by saying it's 10percent stiffer. And is it because the industry says everyone needs a new bike because disc brakes are so awesome and that your right brakes suck, even though rim brakes were used for more than 50 years. Is it that and because the governments have ruined economies world wide and people are afraid to waste money on a new bike that costs more than their current car.
I bought my Peugeot Cannon Ball Express mountain bike in 1986. It was my commuter, touring & recreational bike in NYC into the ‘90s. Thousands of miles later still riding it, mostly just tires replaced over the years-& brake pads. Also custom build on a Pinarello Gavia frame in 1988, still in great shape. Never raced it, just touring. So-maybe lots of cyclists like me: if it ain’t broke don’t replace it?
If we all have short memories it was almost impossible to buy a bike in late 2020 , so the industry just looked at the numbers and thought the money tree would continue to grow .. nope it was a blip so now is a good time to buy as well I suppose…..
#captioncompetition: There is no Pog in this here fog but he's not too sorely mist For the waiting crowd enveloped in cloud A red Van Rysel tops the GC list! O'Connor's caper - that man in the vapour put minutes into the rest And now they are few, to give Ben his dew, still eyeing his coveted vest But there's much elevation, perhaps more condensation, before they get to the final TT So shrouded in haze, these last few grey days will decide our grand tour number three!
Where have those "massive sales" been!? I've been constantly looking at bikes, but they all are still just f**king expensive here in Switzerland and never really had sales, except of companies that belonged to the Benko group, but there it wasn't clear if you even got the stuff you bought or if you're just financing him...
I've seen a couple of new season/summer sales, but Ribble's the only one I would call a "massive sale". They knocked 30% off a lot of their models. They currently have another sale on at 35% but it's really limited to a few bikes. Apart from that most of the sales have been mediocre at best.
Hi GCN, always great content. I rode the MT Washington Hillclimb event, and it is a great day of torture, pain, adrenaline, lack of oxygen, people are the best, beer, food, and all for charity, Come on out and climb with us! David.
Too expensive the big brands need their comeuppance there killing peoples pockets. i rode a sportive recently and couldn't believe how many rim brake bikes were present. People appeared to be keeping their bikes not spending.
All I'm saying is my first road bike was $1300, and to get a significant upgrade from that would be like $3k, with upgrade components like wheels being $1700 for some nice ones. Bike tires being $60, or even $90 for some top end ones is also ridiculous as you can get a literal car tire for not much more.
When SI and Dan do the show the running times increased by at least 15 minutes. It could be to do with the way they get distracted halfway through some of the topics they're talking about and then go off piste in some bizarre ways? such a lot of fun.
Maybe it was always an over inflated bubble waiting to burst. You can get good condition second hand bikes for less than £50. The roads are getting visibly more dangerous that's probably why people are cycling less. Somebody crashed through my wall a month ago and my mate has just been found guilty of death by dangerous driving, killed a cyclist. Increasing regular street crime is probably a factor too
I got to ride along with Lael for a bit as she pedaled through northwest Washington State, and her pace was very impressive! Best wishes to her on her record attempt!
For a “market expert” he doesn’t seem to understand much about business & economics. Cycling isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels. Basic economics supply & demand. Ramped up supply via poor business decisions & less consumers. 2nd hand market flooded. Big supply with low demand & not helped by high prices. People had more money in their pockets during the pandemic not because of govt schemes but because they couldn’t spend it on holidays etc. so bikes, cars & home improvements went crazy. Bikes too expensive still but companies playing the long game. 🤔
Apocalypse very much still on - for people that want to buy bikes with decent spec. 6,000k for Ultegra, when the prices are still way above inflation? Give over. You should have done his from the buyers perspective and not make it so obvious that your main priority is the brands that give you free gear.
How about a piece on just how much it actually costs to do all this crazy research and development that they can't help but pass on to the consumer? Nobody buys that bs at all. I bought an electric car for the safe price as I paid for my last petrol car -- 10 years ago. Bicycle R&D lol, we're paying to finance the industry's terrible marketing strategies, that's it. I you were to do that video, it would be a puff piece anyway, mainly focussed on why we should buy established Euro brands instead of Chinese lol.
I can say about 8 years ago I bought a Specialized Secteur Sport for 900 dollars. The successor, the Allez sport, is literally double the cost at 1800 dollars (admittedly with disc brakes and a 10 speed drivetrain instead of 9, but still). The low end riders are the ones kind of getting boned, and that absolutely affects things upstream because the riders who get priced out today aren't upgrading to carbon tomorrow.
The higher demand for the more expensive bikes is because we live in a world of finance deals allowing people that cannot afford the lump sum payment to split it into ‘manageable’ chunks. This then allows manufacturers to keep prices high whilst ensuring people still spend their money!
I've been a very avid bicycle rider, owner for 20+ years. The sport has always been expensive but these prices are nothing short of silly. The physics of movement have not changed, bike technology will never overcome basic physics of the sport and therefore innovation will never warrant the price increases because innovation can't make it that much better.
Performance increases have always been diminishing with time, but prices follow the opposite trend, they increase more and more. It gets worst if you consider that the number of consumers is always increasing, so economies of scale tells us prices should go down. The math doesn't add up.
I have a little crisis myself at the moment. I own an old Univega bike which i bought when i was a trainee like 11 years in the past. It took me many thousand of kilometres in my life. But sadly i was young and didn't knew i had to do maintenance from time to time. Now i thought: "Let's overhaul the bike, new chaingroup, new brakes, new wheels and lets get riding with it again".... well i was flabbergasted when i found out i have to pay 1300€ for the parts... even though they are in the low price section. I could easily reach 8k-10k€... Now i dont know what to do. Buying a new one, even though there are like no comfortable 26" bikes out there today or bite the bullet and spend 1300€ for an 11 year old comfortable bike... Its insane how expensive parts are...
During covid cycling was much safer. Now that normal levels of traffic has returned to the roads many new cyclists have been put off from cycling ever again
This can’t be overstated. Infrastructure is key. If i were the brands, i would be lobbying governments to make it easier to cycle or sponsor cycle days where popular beautiful parts of the cities which are normally packed with cars are closed down for pedestrians , scooters, cyclists etc
I can only speak from personal experience but for someone who doesn’t have the disposable cash to buy a high end bike, I purchase a lower end bike, under 3k, then keep it for extended periods because nothing really changes in that price range year on year. At least, the marketing isn’t focused on what changes there, and all the new specs, faster speeds, new tech, etc is always highlighted on the CFRs, S-Works, SLR models. Those with money to buy 10-15k bikes probably make up the largest percentage of people upgrading their bike or frame every year or 2 years. Add to that anyone who saved for a while to skip the mid range and go to the upper range. I worry it’s a bad sign for the industry though. As stated in the video, if the high end bikes are the ones that are selling, companies will not only continue to highlight them, but continue to charge similar or upwards of new motorcycle prices for new bicycles. The sentiment that people have, that bikes are getting too expensive, and bike brands too greedy, won’t get any better. As a fairly new cyclist I’m already feeling jaded and look at the major bike brands with a level of disdain and if I buy one of their bikes in the future, will probably do so very reluctantly, or go entirely second hand to avoid giving them my money personally.
A bit sad that the industry is looking at a return to 2019 sales as the recovery target. If we are building all this bike infrastructure and expect governments to maintain it, we need ridership to increase. That only happens if bikes are affordable for the target audience. We need a lot of $250-500 bikes to be sold and used or you can expect all those bike lanes to disappear.
Lots of industries have found it very tough post covid. The cycling boom during that period, led to huge overstocking in 2022. As a small shop, bike sales have been much better for us this year compared to last (which was dead)…. but as the following article mentions - if you want to increase cycling numbers & therefore sales - cycling infrastructure MUST be improved to make people feel safe.
I think part of the problem is distributors got burned by the problems of big demand during COVID and limited supplies of key components causing weird weird demand signals, as people were going to multiple bike shops looking for the bike they wanted which was often out of stock with predicted delays of 3-6 months, so the already strong demand from people wanting bikes was often being over counted... Then as bikes started to become freely available again (remember that a lot of components come out of China, and various places kept being shut down, causing supply bottlenecks as they attempted to control COVID outbreaks) there was massive over ordering based on perceived demand, that did not entirely eventuate. As a result, you have the resulting mess we are in now, where suppliers are trying to clear stock which often does not match the consumer demand, and holding excess stock is the worst thing you can do as a retailer or distributor. Which is where the real pain is mostly being felt, at the national distributor, and retailer level
Not sure I agree that it’s electronic shifting and the latest tech that is making entry level bikes get more and more expensive by the year… Also, any “cycling brand” piece of clothing being prohibitively expensive for a large majority of people that ride a bike.
When it comes to bike sales, i think the bike industry is stupid for not doing what the car and petrol industry does. They should form organisations that agressively lobby for well made bike and pedestrian infrastructure. If there is good infrastracture, people will use bikes more often and therefor buy more bikes, parts and equipment and visit the local bikeshop more often.
Love this! Suspect the fact that we haven't seen more of this reflects the 'divide' between sport and utility cyclists - often there is a focus on cycling as sport within established manufacturers. Whereas catering to utility cycling, which relies far more on infrastructure, perhaps isn't as focused on as a major priority.
I see that divide in the way gear is designed as well. MTBs in particular, they've all gone 1x with teeny tiny chain wheels, even the hardtails! So if you have to travel to where you ride you often have to drive there. It feels like madness to me that that is the only MTB that's getting any support.
Car and petrol producers/cartels have a lot more money then bike industry and organisations and lobbyist cost money as well. Ever wondered why envelope producers cant form a lobby group to stop Gmail, because envelopes cost pennies.
Omg this for sure. Exactly this. I’m so jealous of china’s cycling infrastructure because people use it for work. It’s completely separate from pedestrians and cars. Meanwhile in Singapore, an 18 year dead run over by a bus, a group of cyclists run over by a drunk driver on the road, the government announcing fines for cyclists who go onto the pedestrian painted side of a shared pathway while pedestrians block the cycling side walking 4 people across haha. Drivers wishing death of “road pests” cyclists who didn’t pay the COE road tax of 100k(right to drive 10 years on your car before it’s scrapped) hey you didn’t pay 100k you paid zero so get off my road haha. Pedestrians , get off the sidewalk you nuisance cyclists , get on the road , the pedestrians path is too narrow for you(true and failed infrastructure planning) It annoys me so much and other cyclists for the government to claim that shared paths (wide sidewalks) are cycling paths where they are not dedicated with runners and families walking on the supposed cycling portion of the path 😅
Bike prices are still nuts, the industry needs to get a grip on reality. I won’t be buying a bike for the price of car! I have good bikes for now, but if prices persist i’ll just give up cycling and focus on running instead. Cost of the hobby is not worth it and can not be justified by any normal person with half a brain.
I bought a carbon Turbo Levo with an extra battery from a guy who purchased it in 2022 on a whim because the price was $3000 at a local Specialized dealer. Retail was $6999 originally. The shop bragged that they sold 200 of the same bike at that price. Those bikes will be good for the people that purchased them or the secondary buyers for years to come. Dumping high-end bikes on the market during the panic will be a problem for a while I imagine.
@@gcn at the beginning of the century one of my colleague invented a pill thermometer to measure the core temperature of triathletes during training and competition doing research with new zealand team at he time
I was at Box Hill at the weekend, not cycling - going for a bit of a hike in the sunny weather (I cycle every day commuting), and there was an incredible amount of very new and shiny looking high-end bikes on display. No shortage of cycling cash in that area of the world. My 12 year old bike would have looked well out of place.
@@timcollins340 Design is not a form of art but a way to get a stake and make money from it today. This is not my approach, but I need to follow guidelines when I get a brief, because the companies need to make money and they have a different vision. If you knew, you could ask before you criticise a product that has a purpose and is aiming at a particular market. Moreover, anything requires R&D even the ugliest product for you, but do not forget something ugly for you is beautiful for others. Or Alfa Romeo looks great but BYD will rule the world and is well deserved because they are thinking ahead. Thank you for your comment :-)
The masses of potential customers who choose not to buy a new bike because of the ludicrous cost can tell you what the problem is. If you need to sell bikes at £5k+ because of “R&D” then just sell normal bikes for reasonable prices. Most of the people buying bikes don’t need to spend 10k to go 0.3kph faster at 45kmp.
Existing cyclists may well indulge their passion with newer expensive bikes, but the cost of entry level bikes (and I consider Sora group set as entry level) are extortionate! My 105 groupset bike cost me under £1000 and now costs closer to £2.5k. Constant cancellation of youth and junior races due to lack of entrants means fewer youngsters can afford to get into the sport; and why bother when a few competitors turn up on £20k bikes and all you can afford is a 300 quid amazon bike. The high end market in the UK may well be strong now with riders who got into the sport post 2012 Olympics but 10 years from now there simply won’t be the new generation there to fill the gap moving forward; they’ll be back on the golf course because suddenly that looks like the more affordable option!!!
I've been willing and actively looking to buy a new bike all summer, but stock is crap everywhere, just odd sizes and no lead times to quote. And yes, prices are absolutely insane.
Only if the bikes arens expensive, i was thinking about getting a new road bike but Walmart is selling thier most affordable bike for almost $200 and when the last time I went into a Walmart it was $120
The Ozark trail gravel bike is insanely affordable for what you get and they just released a solid entry level e-bike for $500 that even other knock offs sell for twice the price. Walmart should receive a medal for getting out affordable bikes.
The majority of riders, no matter the discipline, doesn’t buy the high-end 100k bikes. The sales that you’re on about, sure, but it’s not like the size stock is great… I’m [hopefully] buying a MTB in October and I’m already stressing out about if my local Trek store will be able to get me the model, in my size, when it’s available. They even said as much; “hopefully”.
Also; LOL at Simon saying that the low to mid range models ain’t selling. I know you’re not an idiot Si, but the sponsorship miiiiiight of driven you blind as to what the consumers are buying. Or if you’re considering high-end to be 3000 euro and beyond.
The state of the bike "Industry" is the Chinese companies coming out with Electronic Shifting Groupsets going after the millions of rim bikes out there while Shimano and Sram are sitting on their butts doing nothing to address this massive market.
On the face of it, this sounds plausible. The issue though is that people happy with their rim brake bikes are unlikely to invest in a brand new electronic groupset, no matter who makes it. Very few people actually just buy entire new groupsets.
@@gcn There is no need for the entire Groupset the Wireless Electronic Shifting Rim brake systems work with all hardware already on on 99% of Rim brake bikes. From 3-14 sprockets, from the Chainrings up to 54 tooth. For 700$ Canadian you can now take any bike made in the last 40 years and turn it a modern bike. Shimano is missing the boat on this area they are trying to protect their upper areas of sales with the Disc brake bikes. The entire reason for moving to Disc brakes in road bikes was to get cheaper Carbon frames and wheels into the Market but sell them at a high price, this of course required the move to Disc brakes due to the cheaper carbon wheels leading to many lawsuits with accidents with rim brakes wearing out the rims due to over braking on faster descents by amateurs. I have no preference in Brakes but Shimano is missing a massive market for older Rim brake bikes as all they need is the Shifters and Deraiileurs as everything else is already compatible. I am using the Wheeltop system and for the price I paid for it there is no question it is the upgrade to get this year and now that several systems are out Shimano may have to rethink their pricing strategy as there is not much technology in these systems at all, they are in fact over hyped for what is actually inside them.
The main issue facing the industry is that many of the bikes bought during COVID are now flooding the used market, often in near-new condition. With so many great options available at half the price, there's little incentive to purchase a new bike. Technological advancements haven't made a significant leap either. The only noticeable difference might be an extra gear or the occasional internal cable routing, but these are changes most everyday cyclists won't even notice while riding.
We need to teach the industry a lesson! Pricing is still way too high,fortunately i have 2 identical titanium frames,one as a winter bike and one with Dura Ace and light parts-they will at least last for another 2 decades,so nothing to cash in here
Demand is low because people were frustrated with inventory levels. I just bought a Cannondale but there are hardly any bikes available. I basically had to take whatever I could get rather than lose another year in my fixie. I have to travel almost 2 hours to pick up this friggin bike
I know you know you'll get loads of comments about chain waxing but it's really easy. Hot wax once and then use drip on wax. You can improve it by hot waxing again every 800km but to keep it ready just use drip on, same process as lube then without the filthy cassette, chain and chainring. Easy.
In 2007 I bought a full suspension titanium 26in. MTN bike for $5,000 U.S. I trashed that in a few years and bought a hard tail carbon fiber 29er for $3,000, which I also destroyed. This spring I paid $1350 for a hard tail Specialized Chisel. That aluminum frame cheap bike rides better than my old MTN bikes did at a fraction of the cost.
Interesting comments. I bought a second hand 600cc sport motorcycle recently for £1600. Low mileage excellent condition. I'm also in the process of buying an electric gravel bike new for around £4k. I've had to look around to find what I want. The ebike market seems to be really buoyant.
That the high end of the bike industry is holding it up shouldn't be surprising. People who can afford the most expensive bikes are the least affected by economic conditions. This is true in most industries. Therefore, if those prices drop a little bit, the market increases and yes, they are holding up the rest of the company. High prices for top of the line products aren't surprising anywhere. The grumbling comes mostly from people who want the top of the line bikes but can't afford them. That's the way it goes. I'd like a Lincoln SUV but the bank account doesn't permit it. Not owning the top of the line bike isn't affecting your times as much as your increased gut.
You can say what ever you want. R&D has it weight, as marketing and sponsorship... but production cost are low, low labor cost, low raw material costs. Prices are to high and it is demonstrated by the number at small brands that jumped into the market in the past years. Probably big brands like Trek and Specialized had to many fixed cost, but margins are still high.
12:31 Yes, of course we should appreciate those that choose to spend THIER money on cool shit that we also like. People need to stop reflexively hating.
GCN’s comments about the course record for Mt. Washington are incorrect. While the course was recently reset since they paved the road a couple years ago, the ladies record still belongs to Aimee Vasse at 1:03:32 in 2018. The man’s record is held by Phil Gaimon at 50:03 in 2022.
Cycling has always been an expensive sport. As a council estate kid I had to scrimp and save and work to put my first actual race bike together ..simplex gears, Carlton basic frame, budget and very ugly cotterless chain set, second hand wheels etc..but the gap between it and a Campag throughout bike in terms of weight and performance wasn’t that great so it was still realistic to think I could beat kids on super bikes. Cycling landscape is now v.middle class economically at least - 13 year olds at CX races with 2 bikes, 10/15 k for a bike like the pros use, very little fan fare for mid and low range bikes. All explained by the fact that the bike industry has become like any industry and is driven by profit..this explains the mind bogglingly stupid assumptions the bike industry made during covid powered by greed and the focus now on high end bikes. I’m retired, can’t imagine buying a new bike so I’ve improved my tool selection and do nearly all my own repairs and maintenance with a view to keeping all my bikes going..only one of which was bought in the last 4 years and only that one was bought new at full price. I’m 65 so I know ..old people..rose coloured spectacles- but for millions of potential Poggies the cost of becoming a cyclist against becoming a runner, footballer , netballer, tennis player etc is a positive disincentive - as are the risks you run when cycling on UK roads .
my senses and average knowledge of marketing says many brands are involved in some kind of hunger marketing, where the don't have available stock even though they give discounts. also my personal experience is that the fixed price of the bike is not a measure if you compare it to how expensive the maintenance cost have gotten! specially for high and midrange bikes, where internal routing and disk brakes have became the direction
Bikes are very expensive, especially those on sale. Plus, regarding "previous season" bikes on sale, people already saw long-term reviews on some of them and don't want to pay a lot of money for bikes that have some constructional faults, probably fixed in newer model.
The Decathlon hidden-cleat-mounting shoes are great for the pub, and I challenge anyone wearing any shoe to drink as much as my mate and I do after cycling on a Sunday afternoon.
Nose-blind bike manufacturers have greedily torpedoed their own market (like auto manufacturers) by over-designing and over-pricing their bikes. It's not 2020-2021 anymore. High interest rates and even higher inflation have crippled consumers. Make bikes that can sell in this market/era!
The only way to limit the cost of bikes, would be to limit the amount / type of tech pros can use on their bikes in sanctioned races. I doubt many people are up for that. Since developing race winning tech is the name of the game, and essentially anything goes as far as what's allowed in the development of these bikes, they are ridiculously expensive.
Bike manufacturers seem to be taking a page out of the automobile industry playbook: a shift away from high volume, lower priced offerings towards a low volume, high price strategy. Also like the auto industry: bike brands are doing all they can to add all the hyped but unnecessary bells and whistles to jack the price tags up.
The bike industry (mainly big brands) have been the people who are partly responsible for the current situation. Bike brands have relied on selling consumers bikes every few years with help from the cycle schemes and marketing that categories bikes into the year they were built. So why would you want to ride a bike that is 2 years old? Surely you need a new one? Especially as you have paid off your last cycle scheme payment, you may as well get another one! Customers are rightly more conscious about what they are spending due to other monetary factors. Also, there has been a sharp decline in the quality of bikes so it makes much more sense to invest in the bike you currently have. I work in the bike industry and nothing pains me more when customers complain about the cost of things. Things cost money because there is a cost for them being produced and there is a chain of business’ that need to make money so they can earn a living. Very little people in the bike industry are earning high wages. It is a fun industry and you work in it long term because you love bikes and cycling. Wiggle is a classic example; everyone was loving their low prices but the company was making a loss of almost 2m a week. This is the cost of supplying parts cheap. If the bike industry spent the last 20 years making products with longevity with an aim of making the industry more sustainable I really do think the industry would be in a better place. I would hate to rely on higher earners to prop up the bike industry because these customers are the most fickle out there. Yes they want to spend the money initially but they are very reluctant to use bike shops. As a consumer and small business owner I only spend money with companies and business I want to support. Most of my spending goes towards small business and I know I pay more for their products and services but these are the companies that I want around and I trust them fully. My experience of purchasing from larger companies is that they are not there to support you if things go wrong. I do hope when the industry settles down consumers will be more aware of where they spend their money and the benefits of using local bike shops. Alongside bigger brands creating more sustainable products and building a more sustainable industry. I did say hope!😂
The prices have shot up drastically over the years to finance the warranty claims. Companies make the money to stay in the green and if needed to warranty something, the consumer ends up paying for it
What’s your take on the state of the cycling industry? 🧐
It feels like it's coming back a bit, however still a lot of sales on, but I've seen more bikes sitting close(ish) to their RRPs. Cycling clothing seems ludicrously priced at the moment, even in the big discount end of summer sales the clothing pricing is insane.
The prices of bikes are way too expensive for the average person.
I bought a Santa cruz nomad cc sram xo1 build for $8500 in 2016. Prices today are stalled for the most part and cheaper in many cases.
Bike shop here. Still in crisis, prices are too high, margins are too low. Manufacturers sell expensive shit, too expensive shit.
If the market doesn't change, people will prefer cars and they will be right because they are more reliable than some bike brands like babboe or giant.
The shit storm we had last year is just the beginning.
If we don't take care of our customers, they will change their habits again.
All of that because of greedy financial morons. F**** them.
Where are all these bargain bikes??
The major challenges we're still facing? Overpriced cycling shit.
precisely!
Did you watch the video? The expensive shit is keeping the industry alive. Also you can just not buy it. Just means your taste is too expensive for your wallet.
@@wuzihuzi I personally think the biggest issue are the entry level bikes, which have doubled in price in the past 8 years. That's going to hurt their higher end sales down the line.
@@wuzihuziThat isn't entirely true. Volume would be possible if pricing were more reasonable. The expensive stuff just so happens to be available to people not sensitive to pricing and that is where the margins are.
Hear me out… don’t buy it.
The industry deserves a hard reset for the nonsensical pricing of the last 10 years.
THIS
@@barmouthbridge8772 yea..can't use covid or shipping back ups any more..💸💸💸💸💳
price gouging?
f...em good! and some nonesense "innovations" just to tell us "Bend a little more". Like You really need 12 speed, or 52T in MTB casette.
@@inkwizytor1104 to be fair, GCN plays right into this 'you need better tech' thing too, along with all the cycling media. i get innovation but just because you can often doesn't mean you should.
Decathlon have showed that keeping prices more reasonable rather than only catering for the super-rich is key. People need affordable and quality bikes that aren’t filled with latest tech and excessive prices
Exactly. That's why I bought the van rysel NCR CF with sram rival
I'm still riding the same, entry level aluminium Bianchi I bought 10 years ago. A new saddle and routine maintenance are the only expenses I have put into it.
that's exactly why i bough my van rysel edr-af 105 (rim brakes, external cables) for less than 1000 EUR this year and after ~10kkm since purchase I must say I'm pretty happy with what I got for that price.
Decathlon aren't in the business of selling bikes, they make fuck all on bikes. Their margins for bikes suck, their model is that buying a bike there will get you to buy other smaller accessories that they have better margins on.
@@invisiblescout6335plus servicing.
The Biggest issue is the price of bikes and bike accessories, parts etc. I own two bikes and don't see myself buying another bike anytime soon unless I break a frame or something.
I agree with you. On a side note, can I have your second bike? 😉🤣
Totally agree, I think they should be bankrupt.
@@tonyBobb5209 😂😂
In case you break a frame, chinese stuff really has improved over the years.I wouldn't necessarily buy a full-suspension frame from aliexpress, but the gravel/road bike frames seem pretty decent and cost around 600-800 euros. Taking over the parts from the old bike and it's becoming a reasonable priced replacement
@@e_mtb yes you're right. I almost forgot. There are some really good Taiwanese frames and wheels that are really good and way cheaper too
A couple of weeks ago I walked over to cheer on Lael Wilcox as she rode through my neighbourhood in Vancouver, and was surprised by how many of my neighbours were doing the same. It kind of blew my mind how many people are following her progress.
Lael had a big grin on her face and about 30 people trailing her as she passed through the city. That evening I received video from Bellingham, WA as another parade of riders had joined her as she rode into the night amidst more cheers.
The physical/psychological feat of her circumnavigation is truly inspiring, but it's also remarkable how her ride is connecting people.
Go Lael!!
I concur with many posts here. We are being 'fleeced' left, right and centre on everything cycling related. As a result, I have put a blanket ban on myself for anything new unless it is absolutely necessary.
The first step is admitting that you're a cycleholic.
I’ll still buy shorts and jerseys, but I’m satisfied with my current bike selection.
Couldn’t agree more, especially with so many good used options out there. I’ve been staying on rim brakes and 2x10 or 3x9 not just for retro grouch reasons but because the used market is unbeatable for parts on those.
Might just be biased by my interest in hockey where the story dominated the news this week but given the crossover, I'm surprised there was no mention of the Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau incident. Two professional hockey players (one an NHL all-star) were killed by a drunk driver whilst out cycling together...on the eve of their sister's wedding. Heartbreaking stuff.
Biggest issue is prices for majority of cycling kit be it clothing, bikes or spares are just over priced. During Covid lockdown demand went through the roof and bike companies cashed in big time. Now demand has dropped off yet prices still too high.
The women's bike equipment is more affordable than the men's
@@GaryTurbo because less demand. Way less women cycle than men I'd say. I don't have data for this, just an educated guess
Tack onto this how expensive bike mechanics are now, and people are being put off from the whole hobby. In my area, you can't get a tuneup for less than $100, and some shops charge more if you have gears. Yes you can spend a bit of time learning how to do simple repairs/adjustments yourself and avoid expensive mechanics (this is what I did), but not everyone wants to/is confident enough to do this.
@@mickleman52Cheap labour ain’t skilled, and skilled labour ain’t cheap
@@mikpopiel473And extreme prices don't necessarily equal extreme skill.
Nope..now just high prices..
Yep, they are trying to get us to buy their way out
I love how industry insiders won’t agree with this, yet the ones who have to spend the money all agree. Prices are too high and there is no justification for it. No matter how hard they try to explain it, we all know it’s 100% about greed and almost nothing to do with advancement in tech.
Decathlon is pretty reasonable though! Some great value on mountain and road bikes (I'm not sponsored by them I promise).
@@Judewilkinsonjfk hit and miss :)
@@gavinm717gkm that's just not how things work. Econ 101. It's a function of supply and demand, especially in a competitive marketplace
the industry should be thankful docs, dentists and lawyers are still buying top shelf bikes while the bike industry priced themselves out of average customers. Also the lack of innovation in the road cycling side of things, where all frames converges into the same aero shape, there is little point of upgrading. People don't buy in those 2% more compliant and 3% more aero claims anymore, plenty of bikes and components available on 2nd hand market too, at bargain prices compare to new. At least another 30% off on top of current discounts and we will be talking
We don't need innovation.
Blame UCI for lack of innovation.
The rest of us can be happy that they then sell those top end bikes 3 years later at a fraction of the price and barely used!
You’re right in that so many roadbike frames look almost identical these days.
@@FlatSpinMan you can blame the UCI for that
In what universe does a bike need to be replaced after 5 years?!
In the universe where some must keep up with what the mates have, otherwise they'll just fall behind on those uber important groups rides. 😂
@@nluisa uber like in uber-eats group rides? :)
In the heads of people who don't ride. The last 5 years of not riding since their last bike. made them slower, so it's time for a new Pinerallo to make them faster of course.
The bike doesn’t need replacing, the user wants to replace it
The so called bike mechanic and bike shop owner who's always appearing on @cademedia said the exact same thing! A good aluminium bike only lasts 5 years!!! I own 5 aluminium bikes, I ride them all regularly, only 1 is less than 8 years old never mind 5!!! It's sales bollox. Bikes will last a lifetime if you look after them.
I can tell you from a perspective of a huge cycling enthusiast that kept changing equipment quite often that the one and only reason for selling issues are prices - period - if anyone is telling the opposite, that person is either lying or have no idea about the market. People that are not enthusiasts were always riding the same bicycles for a long time and those who buy the most expensive ones do not care about the price as they can afford luxury cars and houses which prices do not even compare to bicycles.
Would enthusiasts always find money for they cycling passion - nope - if someone is reasonable... We just refuse to pay 2x more for the same bicycles as a couple of years ago. If something brings no adequate value for the money it costs I will not buy it.
The reason the high end bikes are ‘propping up’ the industry is, in my opinion, because that’s what’s marketed to us as consumers. If bike brands and bike media showed more love for bottom of the range bikes they might have higher demand and subsequently higher sales. Love the show and would love to hear your take
I feel like him trying to down play the increase in cost being a factor into why sales might be down speaks volumes to the whole industry. My take away from this interview is the bike industry royal screwed up when they gambled on a sales forecast and got left with way to much stock which was produced during a time of record high costs.
Just ignore that the highend is the best selling...
If prices won’t come down to a price that most people can afford, the cycling industry will remain in a crisis. Prices make it hard to start as it is. Not everyone has sums of money to drop on a bike plus accessories.
Theres always that 85 quid Argos bike
There is another angle as well. Because there are high price bikes, there are brand competition so an entry level van rysel or Chinese frame will be ridiculed. So there is a big hurdle for a newbie in cost
The other angle is that the high end spenders will keep spending more than others so it’s best to milk them for all they got. Anyway the china market is the growing one so maybe they will drive the decisions
@@SingaporeUntold I’ve been looking at the market in china. I want to start with some aero handlebars. But I commute so the risk of not having handlebars on a 15-20km commute one way is rather scary. But I am looking still.
@@nikaiwolf hmm I’m not sure on the quality of china aero bars. I wouldn’t trust
What i meant about the china market is there are plenty of rich Chinese there which are adopting cycling as a premium sport much like golfing. So they are buying high end foreign bikes. I have seen a lot of Chinese brand bikes in china as well for the casuals who do it for recreation and utility.
Vintage Road Bike For The Win 🤙🤙
People have finally figured out that you don’t need half the stuff the bike industry is pushing.
Along with all the other issues the industry has, the biggest problem I think they have is that anyone who has bought a bike in the last 10yrs already has a brilliant bike. They have absolutely no reason to upgrade.
Get the Sensah or Wheeltop Wireless Shifters and Derailleurs and now you have a Modern bike. This is why Shimano does not want their Di2 crap to reach Rim brake bikes as that means no new sales for Carbon bike manufacturers. Their Di2 105 is a complete joke I can build a 7 kg aluminum bike for that same price, these guys are out to lunch ignoring the millions of rim brake bikes to upgrade over to Electronic Shifting systems. The Chinese beat Shimano to this market and I am laughing my ass off at the ignorance of Shimano to ever allow this to happen but the deals they have with Carbon bike companies means they have to push for Disc Brakes ( so they can rip off people with cheap ass Carbon frames and more important the cheaper Carbon wheels can now be sold to suckers). The entire reason for going to Disc brakes was to remove the safety issues when using cheap carbon wheels with Rim brakes on descents as this creates lawsuits and these are not good for your
""under the table deals" with bike companies who supply free bikes to Bike Racing Teams in order to sell high end bikes ( that cost basically nothing these days to build) to the upper market. All Pro riders all rode Carbon wheels at one time with Rim brakes on descents in Major tours even in the wet, but they did not give them $200 wheels (sold for $2500 to suckers). And now you know why Road bikes went to disc brakes, 1 was to sell new frames and hardware, and number 2 was to bring down the cost of Carbon wheels as now less Carbon is needed as there is no more rim brake surface layers to add and this is where the bike companies pushed Shimano to only start supporting Disc brakes. This move had nothing to do with hiding any cables it was to make bikes safer for the upper end consumer buyers who have money to pay big lawyers to get big settlements.
Yep. I've got a rim brake Tarmac SL6. Have yet to see anything I want more for less than 3 times what I paid for this.
It's the same thing in MTB (except a few years behind). Geometry is much better than it was 5 to 10 years ago but in the last few years it seems to have really settled, and pretty well any bike from the last few years is still a great bike.
The only upgrade on my list is a gravel bike to get wider tire clearance than my CX bike, but generally speaking, bikes now are great, it's a bit hard to make them that much better, and spending a lot for a very marginal improvement doesn't seem like such a great deal.
I haven't seen any difference in the industry over the last few years. Shoes are $400. Framesets are $10 000. Campag Record e shift is $8 000!!! A new complete bike is $20 000. Seriously?
How inaccurate did you want to be?
@@peterwillson1355 You're buying lower end equipment.
@@peterwillson1355depends of which countries $. Sounds about right to me!
You don't need Campy Record, just get mechanical Chorus. I have Chorus rim brake for my road and disk for my gravel and for only 1,000d euro and then shop around for a bespoke frameset from an indi fabricator that would include a bike fit.
@@GeraldMueller-ro5di Agreed. I have mechanical Chorus on my road bike. I do still think those in the offices are making it harder for themselves by selling products that the average cyclist can't afford. My examples were the top end of the spectrum, yet it shows the lack of understanding by them.
The fact that he said that high end bikes are selling best doesn’t prove that that that’s what people are demanding. It proves that people are struggling to afford lower to medium priced bikes. I don’t think that’s all on the bike industry. It’s very much on government policies and the overall economic system which creates widening inequality. But I do think the manufacturers could be doing a better job of producing quality bikes that are simple. Single speeds. Coaster brakes. Make sure that there’s always something reliable and durable available for people who can’t spend more than £400 or 500.
And it also shows that an economic system based on endless growth doesn’t make sense for cycling (or in general) when bikes are relatively easy to repair, and can be kept going for many decades. There are already so many bikes that exist, are not being ridden, and can be made roadworthy again for not much money. How many more bikes do we really need to manufacture when you consider this?
That’s very fair. Take your point. I want more people whatever budget to get on bikes.
The level of denial within the industry is staggering. The reason people stopped buying bikes is because the manufacturers tried to force us to buy £2000 carbon one by electronic shifting bikes, and stopped making the £500 3 ring rim brake machines that most riders want. If you're a noob, or just a casual rider, you're not going to drop that sort of cash on a bike that you don't understand and would be too scared to ride to work every day. Telling us that they're that expensive because reasons just reinforces the resentment that a lot of buyers felt, and still feel, towards brands that quite deliberately priced them out of the market.
Those £500 bikes still exist, and you can still buy them. The issue is that no one is. Companies will sell more of what people want to buy, it doesn't work the other way around. To say that an entire industry has missed that people want affordable bikes with triple chainrings is bonkers. If there was a market for it, someone would be exploiting it.
Spot on.👏
@@gcn Specialized entry level road bikes have literally doubled in cost from about 8 years ago. I bought a Secteur Sport for $900 (not on sale either). The modern equivalent Allez sport is now $1800. So $500 dollar bikes may still exist, but they're not the same quality as they were.
@@gcn no, they dont. what you can get for £500 now is what you could get for £199 three years ago. even bikes that cost £1000 are made up of no name and budget components.
@@gcnthere's an article in that statement. Show us £500 bikes from 5 years ago and compare them with £500 bikes available today in the big sell-off. My suspicion is the spec now is much worse value for money. Same at £1000 or £1500. There may be demand for £10,000 bikes, but in what volume? Doesn't that just prove that a certain proportion of the buying market is, frankly, stupid?
39:40 - What is the difference between oral and rectal thermometers? The flavor.
Also, while working at my hospital we had to make the change in our thermometers that we stocked for patient use. We went from Oral (blue in color) and rectal (red in color) to universal (white in color). This saved the hospital $500 a year in supply costs. But increased the usage by $1000 because nurses couldn't mark what they used it for so they kept getting thrown away.
Regards to Simon's question, "Do you have to clean them after use?" Umm...pretty sure the answer is, "OMG, YES!"
On the bib bodge, the reason sweating cools you is mostly the heat requirements of phase change. It takes a lot of energy to change water from a liquid to a gas (steam) and it's that phase change that gives sweat its cooling properties as it evaporates from your skin. Having a cloth to prevent that phase change, deprives your body of the cooling effect of evaporation. It's also why isopropyl alcohol feels really cold as it rapidly evaporates.
Is the bike industry in turmoil because bike costs as much as motorcycles and used cars? And because the industry does stupid things to get people to buy new bikes like change bottom bracket sizes and try to brainwash people by saying it's 10percent stiffer. And is it because the industry says everyone needs a new bike because disc brakes are so awesome and that your right brakes suck, even though rim brakes were used for more than 50 years. Is it that and because the governments have ruined economies world wide and people are afraid to waste money on a new bike that costs more than their current car.
I bought my Peugeot Cannon Ball Express mountain bike in 1986. It was my commuter, touring & recreational bike in NYC into the ‘90s. Thousands of miles later still riding it, mostly just tires replaced over the years-& brake pads. Also custom build on a Pinarello Gavia frame in 1988, still in great shape. Never raced it, just touring. So-maybe lots of cyclists like me: if it ain’t broke don’t replace it?
Until bike prices crash, yeah it’s still in crisis.
If we all have short memories it was almost impossible to buy a bike in late 2020 , so the industry just looked at the numbers and thought the money tree would continue to grow .. nope it was a blip so now is a good time to buy as well I suppose…..
#captioncompetition:
There is no Pog in this here fog
but he's not too sorely mist
For the waiting crowd enveloped in cloud
A red Van Rysel tops the GC list!
O'Connor's caper - that man in the vapour
put minutes into the rest
And now they are few, to give Ben his dew,
still eyeing his coveted vest
But there's much elevation, perhaps more condensation,
before they get to the final TT
So shrouded in haze, these last few grey days
will decide our grand tour number three!
Where have those "massive sales" been!?
I've been constantly looking at bikes, but they all are still just f**king expensive here in Switzerland and never really had sales, except of companies that belonged to the Benko group, but there it wasn't clear if you even got the stuff you bought or if you're just financing him...
I've seen a couple of new season/summer sales, but Ribble's the only one I would call a "massive sale". They knocked 30% off a lot of their models. They currently have another sale on at 35% but it's really limited to a few bikes. Apart from that most of the sales have been mediocre at best.
I'd agree with that; bikes are still expensive, and the discounts are derisory.......Manufacturers need to do better.
There are a lot of sales in germany, up to 40% sometimes, not sure if they would ask for an invoice, if you cross the border with it 😄
EVERYTHING is f**king expensive in Switzerland. Why bikes shouldn't be?
I bought an Émonda alr in spring for $1600 when the sticker was $2300, just got a checkpoint two weeks ago for $1999, sticker $2500
Hi GCN, always great content. I rode the MT Washington Hillclimb event, and it is a great day of torture, pain, adrenaline, lack of oxygen, people are the best, beer, food, and all for charity, Come on out and climb with us!
David.
Too expensive the big brands need their comeuppance there killing peoples pockets. i rode a sportive recently and couldn't believe how many rim brake bikes were present. People appeared to be keeping their bikes not spending.
Maybe it's because rim brakes are superior
@@hcw199 As a rim brake rider, I can say for myself that's not it. It's because I can't afford a new bike.
Oh, gosh! That escalated quickly, rectal thermometers. I can already see a new niche market for bib shorts with built-in thermometers.
All I'm saying is my first road bike was $1300, and to get a significant upgrade from that would be like $3k, with upgrade components like wheels being $1700 for some nice ones. Bike tires being $60, or even $90 for some top end ones is also ridiculous as you can get a literal car tire for not much more.
#captioncompetition: Ben O'Connor in the red jersey. Literally no one could have seen that coming!
When SI and Dan do the show the running times increased by at least 15 minutes. It could be to do with the way they get distracted halfway through some of the topics they're talking about and then go off piste in some bizarre ways? such a lot of fun.
Thanks Wayne for the updated industry outlook.
Maybe it was always an over inflated bubble waiting to burst. You can get good condition second hand bikes for less than £50.
The roads are getting visibly more dangerous that's probably why people are cycling less. Somebody crashed through my wall a month ago and my mate has just been found guilty of death by dangerous driving, killed a cyclist. Increasing regular street crime is probably a factor too
Yes in the UK for sure... Dangerous!
In Asia it's a different story.
Hearing a business person’s insight is the best part. Need more of that, please.
Can't stop looking at those plugs. This always happens when I'm in boring meetings, stare at something and forget everything that is said. lol
I got to ride along with Lael for a bit as she pedaled through northwest Washington State, and her pace was very impressive! Best wishes to her on her record attempt!
For a “market expert” he doesn’t seem to understand much about business & economics. Cycling isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels. Basic economics supply & demand. Ramped up supply via poor business decisions & less consumers. 2nd hand market flooded. Big supply with low demand & not helped by high prices. People had more money in their pockets during the pandemic not because of govt schemes but because they couldn’t spend it on holidays etc. so bikes, cars & home improvements went crazy. Bikes too expensive still but companies playing the long game. 🤔
Apocalypse very much still on - for people that want to buy bikes with decent spec. 6,000k for Ultegra, when the prices are still way above inflation? Give over.
You should have done his from the buyers perspective and not make it so obvious that your main priority is the brands that give you free gear.
How about a piece on just how much it actually costs to do all this crazy research and development that they can't help but pass on to the consumer? Nobody buys that bs at all.
I bought an electric car for the safe price as I paid for my last petrol car -- 10 years ago. Bicycle R&D lol, we're paying to finance the industry's terrible marketing strategies, that's it.
I you were to do that video, it would be a puff piece anyway, mainly focussed on why we should buy established Euro brands instead of Chinese lol.
I can say about 8 years ago I bought a Specialized Secteur Sport for 900 dollars. The successor, the Allez sport, is literally double the cost at 1800 dollars (admittedly with disc brakes and a 10 speed drivetrain instead of 9, but still). The low end riders are the ones kind of getting boned, and that absolutely affects things upstream because the riders who get priced out today aren't upgrading to carbon tomorrow.
The higher demand for the more expensive bikes is because we live in a world of finance deals allowing people that cannot afford the lump sum payment to split it into ‘manageable’ chunks. This then allows manufacturers to keep prices high whilst ensuring people still spend their money!
I've been a very avid bicycle rider, owner for 20+ years. The sport has always been expensive but these prices are nothing short of silly. The physics of movement have not changed, bike technology will never overcome basic physics of the sport and therefore innovation will never warrant the price increases because innovation can't make it that much better.
Performance increases have always been diminishing with time, but prices follow the opposite trend, they increase more and more. It gets worst if you consider that the number of consumers is always increasing, so economies of scale tells us prices should go down. The math doesn't add up.
Just cracked my 1970s road frame, picked up an 80s frame for < $100, should be good for another decade or more
I have a little crisis myself at the moment. I own an old Univega bike which i bought when i was a trainee like 11 years in the past. It took me many thousand of kilometres in my life. But sadly i was young and didn't knew i had to do maintenance from time to time. Now i thought: "Let's overhaul the bike, new chaingroup, new brakes, new wheels and lets get riding with it again".... well i was flabbergasted when i found out i have to pay 1300€ for the parts... even though they are in the low price section. I could easily reach 8k-10k€... Now i dont know what to do. Buying a new one, even though there are like no comfortable 26" bikes out there today or bite the bullet and spend 1300€ for an 11 year old comfortable bike... Its insane how expensive parts are...
During covid cycling was much safer. Now that normal levels of traffic has returned to the roads many new cyclists have been put off from cycling ever again
This can’t be overstated. Infrastructure is key. If i were the brands, i would be lobbying governments to make it easier to cycle or sponsor cycle days where popular beautiful parts of the cities which are normally packed with cars are closed down for pedestrians , scooters, cyclists etc
I can only speak from personal experience but for someone who doesn’t have the disposable cash to buy a high end bike, I purchase a lower end bike, under 3k, then keep it for extended periods because nothing really changes in that price range year on year. At least, the marketing isn’t focused on what changes there, and all the new specs, faster speeds, new tech, etc is always highlighted on the CFRs, S-Works, SLR models. Those with money to buy 10-15k bikes probably make up the largest percentage of people upgrading their bike or frame every year or 2 years. Add to that anyone who saved for a while to skip the mid range and go to the upper range.
I worry it’s a bad sign for the industry though. As stated in the video, if the high end bikes are the ones that are selling, companies will not only continue to highlight them, but continue to charge similar or upwards of new motorcycle prices for new bicycles. The sentiment that people have, that bikes are getting too expensive, and bike brands too greedy, won’t get any better. As a fairly new cyclist I’m already feeling jaded and look at the major bike brands with a level of disdain and if I buy one of their bikes in the future, will probably do so very reluctantly, or go entirely second hand to avoid giving them my money personally.
A bit sad that the industry is looking at a return to 2019 sales as the recovery target. If we are building all this bike infrastructure and expect governments to maintain it, we need ridership to increase. That only happens if bikes are affordable for the target audience. We need a lot of $250-500 bikes to be sold and used or you can expect all those bike lanes to disappear.
Lots of industries have found it very tough post covid. The cycling boom during that period, led to huge overstocking in 2022. As a small shop, bike sales have been much better for us this year compared to last (which was dead)…. but as the following article mentions - if you want to increase cycling numbers & therefore sales - cycling infrastructure MUST be improved to make people feel safe.
Once waxed, the drive chain is essentially maintenance-free (rewaxing aside). Spray off the dirt, etc. and away you go.
I think part of the problem is distributors got burned by the problems of big demand during COVID and limited supplies of key components causing weird weird demand signals, as people were going to multiple bike shops looking for the bike they wanted which was often out of stock with predicted delays of 3-6 months, so the already strong demand from people wanting bikes was often being over counted... Then as bikes started to become freely available again (remember that a lot of components come out of China, and various places kept being shut down, causing supply bottlenecks as they attempted to control COVID outbreaks) there was massive over ordering based on perceived demand, that did not entirely eventuate. As a result, you have the resulting mess we are in now, where suppliers are trying to clear stock which often does not match the consumer demand, and holding excess stock is the worst thing you can do as a retailer or distributor. Which is where the real pain is mostly being felt, at the national distributor, and retailer level
Not sure I agree that it’s electronic shifting and the latest tech that is making entry level bikes get more and more expensive by the year… Also, any “cycling brand” piece of clothing being prohibitively expensive for a large majority of people that ride a bike.
When it comes to bike sales, i think the bike industry is stupid for not doing what the car and petrol industry does. They should form organisations that agressively lobby for well made bike and pedestrian infrastructure. If there is good infrastracture, people will use bikes more often and therefor buy more bikes, parts and equipment and visit the local bikeshop more often.
Love this!
Suspect the fact that we haven't seen more of this reflects the 'divide' between sport and utility cyclists - often there is a focus on cycling as sport within established manufacturers. Whereas catering to utility cycling, which relies far more on infrastructure, perhaps isn't as focused on as a major priority.
I see that divide in the way gear is designed as well. MTBs in particular, they've all gone 1x with teeny tiny chain wheels, even the hardtails! So if you have to travel to where you ride you often have to drive there. It feels like madness to me that that is the only MTB that's getting any support.
Car and petrol producers/cartels have a lot more money then bike industry and organisations and lobbyist cost money as well. Ever wondered why envelope producers cant form a lobby group to stop Gmail, because envelopes cost pennies.
Omg this for sure. Exactly this. I’m so jealous of china’s cycling infrastructure because people use it for work. It’s completely separate from pedestrians and cars. Meanwhile in Singapore, an 18 year dead run over by a bus, a group of cyclists run over by a drunk driver on the road, the government announcing fines for cyclists who go onto the pedestrian painted side of a shared pathway while pedestrians block the cycling side walking 4 people across haha. Drivers wishing death of “road pests” cyclists who didn’t pay the COE road tax of 100k(right to drive 10 years on your car before it’s scrapped) hey you didn’t pay 100k you paid zero so get off my road haha. Pedestrians , get off the sidewalk you nuisance cyclists , get on the road , the pedestrians path is too narrow for you(true and failed infrastructure planning)
It annoys me so much and other cyclists for the government to claim that shared paths (wide sidewalks) are cycling paths where they are not dedicated with runners and families walking on the supposed cycling portion of the path 😅
Bike prices are still nuts, the industry needs to get a grip on reality. I won’t be buying a bike for the price of car! I have good bikes for now, but if prices persist i’ll just give up cycling and focus on running instead. Cost of the hobby is not worth it and can not be justified by any normal person with half a brain.
The best bag for commuting is a decent sized Rando bag. I can fit my lunch, book, and any spare clothes in there, cleanly, and with easy access.
Look Touring shoes are ok for walking in. Compatibke with Look road pedals (Garmin Vector etc). Main drawback is cleats aren’t adjustable.
I bought a carbon Turbo Levo with an extra battery from a guy who purchased it in 2022 on a whim because the price was $3000 at a local Specialized dealer. Retail was $6999 originally. The shop bragged that they sold 200 of the same bike at that price. Those bikes will be good for the people that purchased them or the secondary buyers for years to come. Dumping high-end bikes on the market during the panic will be a problem for a while I imagine.
New cycling tech... this week we have self-adjusting shoes. Next week a saddle with built in thermometer that takes your core body temperature.
When will we stop with the thermometer jokes?
@@gcn at the beginning of the century one of my colleague invented a pill thermometer to measure the core temperature of triathletes during training and competition doing research with new zealand team at he time
I was at Box Hill at the weekend, not cycling - going for a bit of a hike in the sunny weather (I cycle every day commuting), and there was an incredible amount of very new and shiny looking high-end bikes on display. No shortage of cycling cash in that area of the world. My 12 year old bike would have looked well out of place.
I contributed to the initial designs of the Ford bikes. Glad to see them on the market. ❤
They were designed? They look dreadful!
@@timcollins340 Design is not a form of art but a way to get a stake and make money from it today. This is not my approach, but I need to follow guidelines when I get a brief, because the companies need to make money and they have a different vision. If you knew, you could ask before you criticise a product that has a purpose and is aiming at a particular market. Moreover, anything requires R&D even the ugliest product for you, but do not forget something ugly for you is beautiful for others. Or Alfa Romeo looks great but BYD will rule the world and is well deserved because they are thinking ahead. Thank you for your comment :-)
The masses of potential customers who choose not to buy a new bike because of the ludicrous cost can tell you what the problem is.
If you need to sell bikes at £5k+ because of “R&D” then just sell normal bikes for reasonable prices. Most of the people buying bikes don’t need to spend 10k to go 0.3kph faster at 45kmp.
Existing cyclists may well indulge their passion with newer expensive bikes, but the cost of entry level bikes (and I consider Sora group set as entry level) are extortionate! My 105 groupset bike cost me under £1000 and now costs closer to £2.5k. Constant cancellation of youth and junior races due to lack of entrants means fewer youngsters can afford to get into the sport; and why bother when a few competitors turn up on £20k bikes and all you can afford is a 300 quid amazon bike. The high end market in the UK may well be strong now with riders who got into the sport post 2012 Olympics but 10 years from now there simply won’t be the new generation there to fill the gap moving forward; they’ll be back on the golf course because suddenly that looks like the more affordable option!!!
They should like they did in swimming , banned the equipment that was to expensive oike the full jaked suit
I've been willing and actively looking to buy a new bike all summer, but stock is crap everywhere, just odd sizes and no lead times to quote. And yes, prices are absolutely insane.
My 2000 Schwinn homegrown hardtail frame was advertised as having a "zero weight gold anodized finish". It is still a beautiful thing to this day.
Only if the bikes arens expensive, i was thinking about getting a new road bike but Walmart is selling thier most affordable bike for almost $200 and when the last time I went into a Walmart it was $120
That’s inflation rather than big company greed
Buy used.
The Ozark trail gravel bike is insanely affordable for what you get and they just released a solid entry level e-bike for $500 that even other knock offs sell for twice the price. Walmart should receive a medal for getting out affordable bikes.
The majority of riders, no matter the discipline, doesn’t buy the high-end 100k bikes.
The sales that you’re on about, sure, but it’s not like the size stock is great…
I’m [hopefully] buying a MTB in October and I’m already stressing out about if my local Trek store will be able to get me the model, in my size, when it’s available. They even said as much; “hopefully”.
Also; LOL at Simon saying that the low to mid range models ain’t selling.
I know you’re not an idiot Si, but the sponsorship miiiiiight of driven you blind as to what the consumers are buying. Or if you’re considering high-end to be 3000 euro and beyond.
The state of the bike "Industry" is the Chinese companies coming out with Electronic Shifting Groupsets going after the millions of rim bikes out there while Shimano and Sram are sitting on their butts doing nothing to address this massive market.
Stop. The whiny bs about rim brakes on every video is moronic. I swear, most bike enthusiasts are low iq, whiny children.
On the face of it, this sounds plausible. The issue though is that people happy with their rim brake bikes are unlikely to invest in a brand new electronic groupset, no matter who makes it. Very few people actually just buy entire new groupsets.
@@gcn There is no need for the entire Groupset the Wireless Electronic Shifting Rim brake systems work with all hardware already on on 99% of Rim brake bikes. From 3-14 sprockets, from the Chainrings up to 54 tooth. For 700$ Canadian you can now take any bike made in the last 40 years and turn it a modern bike. Shimano is missing the boat on this area they are trying to protect their upper areas of sales with the Disc brake bikes. The entire reason for moving to Disc brakes in road bikes was to get cheaper Carbon frames and wheels into the Market but sell them at a high price, this of course required the move to Disc brakes due to the cheaper carbon wheels leading to many lawsuits with accidents with rim brakes wearing out the rims due to over braking on faster descents by amateurs. I have no preference in Brakes but Shimano is missing a massive market for older Rim brake bikes as all they need is the Shifters and Deraiileurs as everything else is already compatible. I am using the Wheeltop system and for the price I paid for it there is no question it is the upgrade to get this year and now that several systems are out Shimano may have to rethink their pricing strategy as there is not much technology in these systems at all, they are in fact over hyped for what is actually inside them.
Id say so when i order a bike and 4 weeks later the company still hasn't shipped it or even built it, even though everything is in stock...
The biggest advantage of a waxed chain is in my opinion the fact that cleaning the chain is much less messy. That's the main reason why I do it.
For SI as a follow up on his "pain "joke: "beef" in Dutch is the word for "tremble" so be afraid of cows!
The main issue facing the industry is that many of the bikes bought during COVID are now flooding the used market, often in near-new condition. With so many great options available at half the price, there's little incentive to purchase a new bike. Technological advancements haven't made a significant leap either. The only noticeable difference might be an extra gear or the occasional internal cable routing, but these are changes most everyday cyclists won't even notice while riding.
The spoon rack!
😆😆😆
Well done mate!
Hi GCN, Can you do a little program about the EU Declaration on Cycling? Seems very important....
We need to teach the industry a lesson!
Pricing is still way too high,fortunately i have 2 identical titanium frames,one as a winter bike and one with Dura Ace and light parts-they will at least last for another 2 decades,so nothing to cash in here
Thanks for including us as the intro! 😁🚴🏎️ We love GCN and are watching the channel for many years already!
Thanks Laura! Dan
Demand is low because people were frustrated with inventory levels. I just bought a Cannondale but there are hardly any bikes available. I basically had to take whatever I could get rather than lose another year in my fixie. I have to travel almost 2 hours to pick up this friggin bike
I know you know you'll get loads of comments about chain waxing but it's really easy. Hot wax once and then use drip on wax. You can improve it by hot waxing again every 800km but to keep it ready just use drip on, same process as lube then without the filthy cassette, chain and chainring. Easy.
In 2007 I bought a full suspension titanium 26in. MTN bike for $5,000 U.S. I trashed that in a few years and bought a hard tail carbon fiber 29er for $3,000, which I also destroyed. This spring I paid $1350 for a hard tail Specialized Chisel. That aluminum frame cheap bike rides better than my old MTN bikes did at a fraction of the cost.
Interesting comments. I bought a second hand 600cc sport motorcycle recently for £1600. Low mileage excellent condition. I'm also in the process of buying an electric gravel bike new for around £4k. I've had to look around to find what I want. The ebike market seems to be really buoyant.
The Ford Mustang e-bike actually comes in three sizes. The Bronco comes in only one size.
This episode has enough instances of me chuckling through my nose to deserve a like👍
The "low to mid range bikes" aren't selling because a "low range bike" is $2k.
I’d like to see Simon and Dan do commentary for a stage of La Vuelta, and preferably joining senior Roll to add some levity.
Caption Contest: Ben O'Connor "I can't see Roglic taking this jersey from me! - no seriously I can't see him"
That the high end of the bike industry is holding it up shouldn't be surprising. People who can afford the most expensive bikes are the least affected by economic conditions. This is true in most industries. Therefore, if those prices drop a little bit, the market increases and yes, they are holding up the rest of the company.
High prices for top of the line products aren't surprising anywhere. The grumbling comes mostly from people who want the top of the line bikes but can't afford them. That's the way it goes. I'd like a Lincoln SUV but the bank account doesn't permit it. Not owning the top of the line bike isn't affecting your times as much as your increased gut.
You can say what ever you want. R&D has it weight, as marketing and sponsorship... but production cost are low, low labor cost, low raw material costs. Prices are to high and it is demonstrated by the number at small brands that jumped into the market in the past years. Probably big brands like Trek and Specialized had to many fixed cost, but margins are still high.
12:31 Yes, of course we should appreciate those that choose to spend THIER money on cool shit that we also like. People need to stop reflexively hating.
GCN’s comments about the course record for Mt. Washington are incorrect. While the course was recently reset since they paved the road a couple years ago, the ladies record still belongs to Aimee Vasse at 1:03:32 in 2018. The man’s record is held by Phil Gaimon at 50:03 in 2022.
Cycling has always been an expensive sport. As a council estate kid I had to scrimp and save and work to put my first actual race bike together ..simplex gears, Carlton basic frame, budget and very ugly cotterless chain set, second hand wheels etc..but the gap between it and a Campag throughout bike in terms of weight and performance wasn’t that great so it was still realistic to think I could beat kids on super bikes. Cycling landscape is now v.middle class economically at least - 13 year olds at CX races with 2 bikes, 10/15 k for a bike like the pros use, very little fan fare for mid and low range bikes. All explained by the fact that the bike industry has become like any industry and is driven by profit..this explains the mind bogglingly stupid assumptions the bike industry made during covid powered by greed and the focus now on high end bikes. I’m retired, can’t imagine buying a new bike so I’ve improved my tool selection and do nearly all my own repairs and maintenance with a view to keeping all my bikes going..only one of which was bought in the last 4 years and only that one was bought new at full price. I’m 65 so I know ..old people..rose coloured spectacles- but for millions of potential Poggies the cost of becoming a cyclist against becoming a runner, footballer , netballer, tennis player etc is a positive disincentive - as are the risks you run when cycling on UK roads .
my senses and average knowledge of marketing says many brands are involved in some kind of hunger marketing, where the don't have available stock even though they give discounts. also my personal experience is that the fixed price of the bike is not a measure if you compare it to how expensive the maintenance cost have gotten! specially for high and midrange bikes, where internal routing and disk brakes have became the direction
Bikes are very expensive, especially those on sale. Plus, regarding "previous season" bikes on sale, people already saw long-term reviews on some of them and don't want to pay a lot of money for bikes that have some constructional faults, probably fixed in newer model.
The Decathlon hidden-cleat-mounting shoes are great for the pub, and I challenge anyone wearing any shoe to drink as much as my mate and I do after cycling on a Sunday afternoon.
Nose-blind bike manufacturers have greedily torpedoed their own market (like auto manufacturers) by over-designing and over-pricing their bikes. It's not 2020-2021 anymore. High interest rates and even higher inflation have crippled consumers. Make bikes that can sell in this market/era!
The only way to limit the cost of bikes, would be to limit the amount / type of tech pros can use on their bikes in sanctioned races. I doubt many people are up for that.
Since developing race winning tech is the name of the game, and essentially anything goes as far as what's allowed in the development of these bikes, they are ridiculously expensive.
Bike manufacturers seem to be taking a page out of the automobile industry playbook: a shift away from high volume, lower priced offerings towards a low volume, high price strategy.
Also like the auto industry: bike brands are doing all they can to add all the hyped but unnecessary bells and whistles to jack the price tags up.
The bike industry (mainly big brands) have been the people who are partly responsible for the current situation. Bike brands have relied on selling consumers bikes every few years with help from the cycle schemes and marketing that categories bikes into the year they were built. So why would you want to ride a bike that is 2 years old? Surely you need a new one? Especially as you have paid off your last cycle scheme payment, you may as well get another one!
Customers are rightly more conscious about what they are spending due to other monetary factors. Also, there has been a sharp decline in the quality of bikes so it makes much more sense to invest in the bike you currently have.
I work in the bike industry and nothing pains me more when customers complain about the cost of things. Things cost money because there is a cost for them being produced and there is a chain of business’ that need to make money so they can earn a living. Very little people in the bike industry are earning high wages. It is a fun industry and you work in it long term because you love bikes and cycling.
Wiggle is a classic example; everyone was loving their low prices but the company was making a loss of almost 2m a week. This is the cost of supplying parts cheap. If the bike industry spent the last 20 years making products with longevity with an aim of making the industry more sustainable I really do think the industry would be in a better place. I would hate to rely on higher earners to prop up the bike industry because these customers are the most fickle out there. Yes they want to spend the money initially but they are very reluctant to use bike shops.
As a consumer and small business owner I only spend money with companies and business I want to support. Most of my spending goes towards small business and I know I pay more for their products and services but these are the companies that I want around and I trust them fully. My experience of purchasing from larger companies is that they are not there to support you if things go wrong.
I do hope when the industry settles down consumers will be more aware of where they spend their money and the benefits of using local bike shops. Alongside bigger brands creating more sustainable products and building a more sustainable industry.
I did say hope!😂
The prices have shot up drastically over the years to finance the warranty claims. Companies make the money to stay in the green and if needed to warranty something, the consumer ends up paying for it