The Chainlink

I know you get what you pay for, but...

Does anyone else think that bicycle prices are just a little bit too high? (Insert Jimmy McMillan meme here) Several years ago, I bought a Gary Fisher MTB for almost $400 and thought at the time that that was a bit too much. Now that i'm interested in riding for exercise i've been looking at 'cross bikes and they average around $1000. Correct me if i'm wrong but in most of my research, most of the major brands manufacture their wares over  in Asia, do they not? I just don't get it. Maybe someone can explain what the hell is going on. Am i gonna have to buy a bike from Bikesdirect.com? Are they decent bikes? Sound off, people!!

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Permalink Reply by Holly on October 22, 2012 at 10:12pm

I stand corrected. The OP is an innocent naif who doesn't know why some things cost more than others. It is nice of you to entertain this question and rude and unfortunate that I read something else into it. 

So, Rob Young is just asking an easy question:

"Why do things cost more than other things?"

You've answered that @ Legacy with your concise cost break down of raw materials. Yet, I still don't get what Rob wants from *his* bicycle. I appreciate his concerns, but I'm not sure "why does it cost so much?" should be the question.

He's talking about a $400 MTB vs. $1000 cross bike for "exercise." They're both going to do it for him exercise wise.  Someone can talk about how much it costs to build a bike, but until we ask a potential buyer: "What do you want to do with your bike? How do you ride? When and where do you ride? What kind of style do you think of as being 'you'," there's never going to be a good fit. Rob may understand why things that are made cheaply aren't often as good as things that cost more money, but he's still not going to know what kind of bike *he* should have for exercise. Fwiw: I recommend an exercise bike--they are perfect for tonight's weather. (Just kidding.) 

It sounds as if his $400 Gary Fisher was a bit of a mistake he didn't necessarily need to make. He made it because even at the time, it seemed like too much money and he didn't know what kind of bike he might want. If more people looked at what they need and why they need it (and salespeople actually listened to that), I think buyers would be more likely to buy something that's appropriate for what they expect from a bike. Save for a new bike if it's not in your budget, or buy something comparable used that may require some research on vintage bikes. Ultimately--if you ride your bike all the time-- isn't it worth whatever you put into it be it $ or wrenching. 

Lastly--we all know that the qty of bikes each of us really *needs* at any given time is N + 1. 

 

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on October 23, 2012 at 1:50am

To me it was pretty clear that Rob intended his post to ignite a discussion about why something like...hmm...maybe a Budnitz even exists when you can get a Gary Fisher for 400 bucks or less, and also maybe to vent some frustration with the fact that our beloved mode of transportation has succumbed to the same cynical advertising tactics that are used to sell other stupid crap.  Like cars... or double-cheeseburgers...

Anyway, I'm not so sure I want you to speak for me when you say "I hope I speak for most of us here when I say that we at the Chainlink are not Bikesdirect people."  I'm not familiar with the site, but by the look of it it seems like a cheap place to get a bike.  At the risk of sounding like a naif, what's the problem?  I suspect you're another LBS foamer who would rather see 100 less people on bikes in the city if it meant you never had to buy a bike part/accessory from a shop that isn't on Damen or Milwaukee Ave and has a one syllable name (like "Cycle" or "Pedal" or "Ride")...but I really try hard not to read weird motives into peoples actions.  

Herppy berkwernter everyone   :D

 

Holly said:

I stand corrected. The OP is an innocent naif who doesn't know why some things cost more than others.

Permalink Reply by Holly on October 23, 2012 at 9:48am

Zoetrope--Unlike most, I have to try hard not to read motives into other people's actions. I guess it takes all kinds. And, yes. I do like the bike shop that's down the street from my house. I don't live in Wicker Park and I don't really care who is shopping at my LBS, but mostly, I prefer it stay in business.

"Why does this cost so much?" or "Why does this expensive thing exist?" can be applied to almost everything.  Did you know you can buy jeans for $25 or $250? They both perform the same leg covering function. A handbag can be purchased for $40 or $4K. Both purses hold stuff. Why be frustrated that these (inexpensive and spendy) things coexist and each has an audience? 

I'd be more interested to discuss a Dudnitz Budnitz or marketing, but I made the mistake of not reading into the post to see it as a springboard for discussing the current zeitgeist for high end bikes and how that's ruining it for everyone.  I thought the post was about bikes made in Asia. I also thought that the OP was talking about getting a new bike without asking particularly useful questions. For me, there's more to consider than, "Why does this cost so much?" My concern would be to find a bike that's reliable. I'd want it to be the sort of bike I'd want to ride for a long, long time.  It's unlikely I'd be buying a new bike because from what I've seen, most of the new bikes I like are not within my budget. 


Zoetrope said:

To me it was pretty clear that Rob intended his post to ignite a discussion about why something like...hmm...maybe a Budnitz even exists when you can get a Gary Fisher for 400 bucks or less, and also maybe to vent some frustration with the fact that our beloved mode of transportation has succumbed to the same cynical advertising tactics that are used to sell other stupid crap.  Like cars... or double-cheeseburgers...

Anyway, I'm not so sure I want you to speak for me when you say "I hope I speak for most of us here when I say that we at the Chainlink are not Bikesdirect people."  I'm not familiar with the site, but by the look of it it seems like a cheap place to get a bike.  At the risk of sounding like a naif, what's the problem?  I suspect you're another LBS foamer who would rather see 100 less people on bikes in the city if it meant you never had to buy a bike part/accessory from a shop that isn't on Damen or Milwaukee Ave and has a one syllable name (like "Cycle" or "Pedal" or "Ride")...but I really try hard not to read weird motives into peoples actions.  

Herppy berkwernter everyone   :D

 

Holly said:

I stand corrected. The OP is an innocent naif who doesn't know why some things cost more than others.

Permalink Reply by Holly on October 23, 2012 at 9:50am

Yay! Bike Winter! 

Zoetrope said:

To me it was pretty clear that Rob intended his post to ignite a discussion about why something like...hmm...maybe a Budnitz even exists when you can get a Gary Fisher for 400 bucks or less, and also maybe to vent some frustration with the fact that our beloved mode of transportation has succumbed to the same cynical advertising tactics that are used to sell other stupid crap.  Like cars... or double-cheeseburgers...

Anyway, I'm not so sure I want you to speak for me when you say "I hope I speak for most of us here when I say that we at the Chainlink are not Bikesdirect people."  I'm not familiar with the site, but by the look of it it seems like a cheap place to get a bike.  At the risk of sounding like a naif, what's the problem?  I suspect you're another LBS foamer who would rather see 100 less people on bikes in the city if it meant you never had to buy a bike part/accessory from a shop that isn't on Damen or Milwaukee Ave and has a one syllable name (like "Cycle" or "Pedal" or "Ride")...but I really try hard not to read weird motives into peoples actions.  

Herppy berkwernter everyone   :D

 

Holly said:

I stand corrected. The OP is an innocent naif who doesn't know why some things cost more than others.

Permalink Reply by Holly on October 23, 2012 at 9:12pm

+ 1 million.

Jennifer said:

Does anyone else think that automobile prices are just a little bit too high? Several years ago, I bought a Plymouth Reliant for almost $400 and thought at the time that that was a bit too much. Now that I'm interested in driving for exercise I've been looking at SUVs and they average around $25,000. Correct me if I'm wrong but in most of my research, most of the major brands manufacture their wares over in Mexico, do they not? I just don't get it. Maybe someone can explain what the hell is going on. Am I gonna have to buy a car from Cermak Auto Auction? Are they decent cars? Sound off, people!

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on October 23, 2012 at 11:13pm

what

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on October 24, 2012 at 9:59am

Personally I'd go to Portland and find a nice low-rust Volvo 240 wagon for about two thousand or so.

Jennifer said:

Does anyone else think that automobile prices are just a little bit too high? Several years ago, I bought a Plymouth Reliant for almost $400 and thought at the time that that was a bit too much. Now that I'm interested in driving for exercise I've been looking at SUVs and they average around $25,000. Correct me if I'm wrong but in most of my research, most of the major brands manufacture their wares over in Mexico, do they not? I just don't get it. Maybe someone can explain what the hell is going on. Am I gonna have to buy a car from Cermak Auto Auction? Are they decent cars? Sound off, people!

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on October 24, 2012 at 10:37am

If I could find a Gen3 Camry Wagon in fair body shape with +/-120k on it for $2000 I'd snap that baby up.  The wagons are pretty hard to find though so when my current Gen3 LX sedan finally gives up the ghost I'll probably be forced to buy another 4-door. 

Portland isn't too far to go though.  I bought a Gen1 Camry diesel (yes, they made a diesel) on ebay and drove it from Seattle to Chicago after flying out there to pick it up. 

Tricolor said:

Personally I'd go to Portland and find a nice low-rust Volvo 240 wagon for about two thousand or so.


Permalink Reply by Tricolor on October 24, 2012 at 12:21pm

I always liked the dual wipers Toyota put on the back of the Camry.  Very good attention to detail.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 24, 2012 at 1:07pm

And how exactly is this bike related?  Just sayin'....

Tricolor said:

I always liked the dual wipers Toyota put on the back of the Camry.  Very good attention to detail.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on October 24, 2012 at 1:16pm

ironic - I have a 1991 camry wagon (what years are the Gen3 btw?) that has 248,000 miles.

runs pretty good (looks like sh$t but who cares). with two dogs it's perfect (since our dogs

go into "attack" mode whenever they spot other dogs while riding; power windows were on the

'must have' list). I love mine. but it's one major repair away from the scrap yard...

 

http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/35244630?profile...

 


James BlackHeron said:

If I could find a Gen3 Camry Wagon in fair body shape with +/-120k on it for $2000 I'd snap that baby up.  The wagons are pretty hard to find though so when my current Gen3 LX sedan finally gives up the ghost I'll probably be forced to buy another 4-door. 

Portland isn't too far to go though.  I bought a Gen1 Camry diesel (yes, they made a diesel) on ebay and drove it from Seattle to Chicago after flying out there to pick it up. 

Tricolor said:

Personally I'd go to Portland and find a nice low-rust Volvo 240 wagon for about two thousand or so.


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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on October 24, 2012 at 2:04pm

248k?  That's hardly broke in.

My '94 has over 325k and pretty much everything still works except for the A/C and only because I was just not into paying those kinds of prices for R12 refridgerant a few years back when it needed recharging.  Then I was on a trip and unbeknownst to me a passenger had turned on my A/C and the compressor ate itself up running low without any charge so now it is too late to try the new R-12 replacement stuff.    I can't blame that on the car.

No rust really -not even where there was a massive accident in the rear corner for when I let someone drive it for 5 minute and they crashed it.  I just pounded it back out, replaced the tail light, and primered over the rippled metal.   That's been 8 years ago and it still hasn't really rusted.

The only rust is at the top of the windshield where a bad windshield guy scratched the hell out of the paint changing it once when it got broke (still not the car's fault.)

I wouldn't buy any other car but a mid-90's Camry or my Gen1 diesel when I finally do the veg/grease conversion to it.  

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