The internal argument Boutique vs Mass Produced

[stinkytodamax]

Having a young family. Two under Two and having broken my thumb early this year I've found myself with less riding time as well as a distinct lack of fitness after 4 months off the bike (don't ever bust a thumb it takes forever to heal). I've decided it's probably an appropriate time to try and just enjoy riding more than treat every ride as a training session. I was a rubbish racer anyway.

I've got to think I like going downhill a million times more than up so perhaps one of these 130-140mm trail style bikes is a good way to go. I've spent 4 years riding bikes that help me up the hill and just hang loose on the way down to catch up those with better lungs and hearts. That doesn't matter now.

I'm loving the look of the new Turner Burner but I'm struggling to justify the fame cost of just under $3k when I could get something like a Giant Trance complete with great spec for the same cost. Both have 140mm travel, aluminium frames of respectable weight, Floating pivot linkages and modern geometry. Am I missing something here but it's getting harder to justify a boutique bike these days.

I enjoy building bikes as an ex car mechanic but is the ride that different between the two to even consider the burner when I'm such an also ran of the mountainbiking world.

 

[Ivan]

Boutique bikes are rarely worth the extra coin in terms of performance.

 

[teK--]

Boutique bikes good for resale (sometimes) and for trailhead discussion but is it worth sometimes up to double the price of a comparable mass produced bike? I don't think so.

 

[stinkytodamax]

I wasn't sure if it was just me but I felt a bit disappointed when I went from my old 26 anthem to my carbon blur I can't say I felt a markable difference after spending twice as much. Even the weights were within half a kilo of each other.

 

[bikeyoulongtime]

man, I struggled with this very question recently. It ended in a Liteville 301

why? to be honest, because it was the one chance I'll get in a long time to blow vast amounts of cash on a dream machine, it's my 40th year crisis.

And because I could have bought a very capable bike for half as much but I would still have been thinking about the 301. I very nearly went and bought a trance SX, and was highly tempted by a remedy...

My decision was also influenced by all the little things that come with boutique-ness - in the liteville case an awesome warranty, screw in BB, and a great philosophy of bike building. Every little detail is taken care of!

Anyway - the vast hole in my bank account was forgotten about 35 seconds into my first ride on it. It is a joyful thing to ride allright!

My wife has forgiven my blatant excess because I come home from long rides with a shit eating grin and enough energy left over for kid wrangling (the 301 is seriously light, even though it isn't a weight weenie build).

Most importantly, when I'm out for a blast, I don't think about any other bikes anymore Even turner burners... I've demoe'd a 5 spot, it was nuts. And a burner was on the shortlist - but the 301 lit my fire.

Dunno if all that will help your decision.. ride a trance, ride a burner (maybe also a spitfire, another awesome low/slack 140mm beast and a touch cheaper), see what you reckon. Maybe I'm a sucker, but if so, I'm sure having a shitload of fun about it

 

[driftking]

Boutique bikes are rarely worth the extra coin in terms of performance.

Boutique bikes good for resale (sometimes) and for trailhead discussion but is it worth sometimes up to double the price of a comparable mass produced bike? I don't think so.

These.

I will note sometimes boutique bikes do have some advantages but this is mostly down to design some times if you want a certain feeling in the bike boutiques might be the only option due to their design and suspension licensing. However if we than look at performance point of view on most levels of riding the difference between the two don't matter. If you look at most of the boutique bikes most people are winning on more mass produced bikes anyway.

I think the biggest thing with boutique is the added factor that comes with a bike that has been hand built or cared for extremely well, sometimes this can give the bike character and feel like its its own one of a kind. It just gives that extra appreciation I guess.

Its more for those who also want the bling and that imaginary feeling like the bike is alive with its own presence I guess. Something about hand made just has that appeal. I assume because people have had their hands on it not just a machine.

 

[ChopSticks]

Are boutique bikes worth it? .....HELL NO!

but do you want/afford it? ..... well only you can answer that!

its the same story as drivetrain components.... is XTR/XX worth the extra over XT/X9? ... GOD NO....

ride what you want or can afford... some people spend their hard earned on numerous mid level bikes, while others pour money into one bike (me)

Each to their own.... ride what makes you happy!

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Can't help you. I have both. But they are very different bikes. That's my justification anyway!

 

[Mywifesirrational]

We didn't need a poll for this! Turner all the way.

I do agree that the average bike quality is getting pretty respectable now days, but... from my experience the Turners have a certain ride quality / handling that makes them stand out when you're on one.

I would think in this case the Turner will indeed ride better, is better made, designed and finished, with very good customer service. Probably not lots better in any regard, but it should be noticeable.

It's not going to be excessively more expensive if you buy a XT gruppo off an online retailer, and shop smart for the rest of the parts, actually quite enjoyable putting a bike together from scratch.

 

[Alo661]

Buy what YOU want to ride, not what others want you to ride.

 

[Ezkaton]

Take warranty into consideration before making your choice.

Tbh, I'd rather hammer on a bike that comes with a lifetime warranty than be concerned about breaking a boutique bike.

The last Giant I broke was replaced within the week.

 

[Halo1]

I am in the same boat with having less riding time these days. The less time spent riding the more bike shopping I want to do. It must be a psychological issue that can only be solved by riding. If only you could buy more time. what bike are you currently riding?

 

[pink poodle]

Take warranty into consideration before making your choice.

The last Giant I broke was replaced within the week.

This played a fair role in my recent giant purchase. No idea why as the only bike I have had issues with breaking was very swiftly resolved by the importer (thanks Bill@DHdirect! - top service and support). Still I wanted a light dh bike with solid warranty.

My giant glory replaced an intense 951. I still own a Santa Cruz nomad. The 951 had many small flaws in design, the nomad is bike perfection. I believe that in most.cases the hand made bikes will be subject to better quality control, as each step of the way they are scrutinized by a human who's job depends on producing a high quality product.

 

[wavike]

Sometimes mass produced can come with/close to the spec you want, sometimes not. Not a lot of point buying a $4000 Giant/trek?... and then spending $1000 on a Pike and $800 on wheel set. The higher end frame may work out only slightly more with your 'make me happy' built.
But if you can get a ??? for $4500 just about right, a $7000 Santa Cruz built might not be needed (or justified)

 

[crank1979]

What are you counting as a boutique bike? I'd think the manufacturer would have to offer some custom options like geometry, finish, ot special integrated parts for it to be a boutique bike.

Buying an off the shelf SC, Yeti, Intense, Pivot, etc and putting some parts on it doesn't make a boutique bike. Besides being more expensive from smaller companies than Giant what makes them a boutique bike?

 

[daz10]

http://flowmountainbike.com/tests/long-term-test-giant-trance-advanced-sx/

 

[Nerf Herder]

I wasn't sure if it was just me but I felt a bit disappointed when I went from my old 26 anthem to my carbon blur I can't say I felt a markable difference after spending twice as much. Even the weights were within half a kilo of each other.

I think you've already made a decision ... and with a young family I think its a matter of buy what you can afford / justify :first:

BOT: I think this argument is redundant. I would say that riders have the uncanny ability to justify their rigs regardless of how much or how little they spend.

eg my "Minging Value Buster" sux ballz but frack the spec is awesome ...
eg2 my "ACME blingmachine" cost a fortune but frack it is awesome to ride and it eats square edged hits for breakfast
eg3 I spent an absolute fortune on my custom rad build, and I have exactly 1hr 20mins to ride every week, but man it looks rad in the shed at night
eg4 I have no time to ride as I need to breast feed my sextuplets (OMG I spelt that right apparently) so my $500 investment was the best money I've spent on a rig eva.

Get what ever gives you more wood ... :whistle:

 

[pink poodle]

What are you counting as a boutique bike? I'd think the manufacturer would have to offer some custom options like geometry, finish, ot special integrated parts for it to be a boutique bike.

Buying an off the shelf SC, Yeti, Intense, Pivot, etc and putting some parts on it doesn't make a boutique bike. Besides being more expensive from smaller companies than Giant what makes them a boutique bike?

in this case the boutique is aligned with place of manufacture, technique of manufacture, volume of manufacture....custom frames is a whole other ball game. if you have the coins for that, there is no other option! get straight on the phone to the guys from Baum.

Some of the brands you have mentioned are hand made in the USA (Intense, SC). Some of those brands are slowly trickling to Taiwan for manufacture, especially for carbon (Intense, SC). Some companiesmoved manufacturing to Taiwan but are still hand made (Orbea did this a long long time ago and Cannondale more recently), others have completely sold out and been very discreet in their announcement that the reason mortals can now afford their bikes is because they roll off the robot construction line at Merida or Giant HQ.

 

[crank1979]

in this case the boutique is aligned with place of manufacture, technique of manufacture, volume of manufacture....custom frames is a whole other ball game. if you have the coins for that, there is no other option! get straight on the phone to the guys from Baum.

Some of the brands you have mentioned are hand made in the USA (Intense, SC). Some of those brands are slowly trickling to Taiwan for manufacture, especially for carbon (Intense, SC). Some companiesmoved manufacturing to Taiwan but are still hand made (Orbea did this a long long time ago and Cannondale more recently), others have completely sold out and been very discreet in their announcement that the reason mortals can now afford their bikes is because they roll off the robot construction line at Merida or Giant HQ.

So we aren't really talking about boutique , just smaller manufacturers.

I went for a Moots over a Baum.

 

[cramhobart]

I recently wrestled with this question- a new trance vs an sc blur tr- in the end it came to 3 things- I liked robs skateboards when I was a teenager- I hate press fit BB, ditto OD2.