When did this thread turn into a scooter discussion?

Calvin27

Eats Squid
I agree that, if anything, it's getting cheaper. But think the existence of the expensive options, being right there and heavily promoted, skews everyones perspective.

I disagree. irekon the average bike shop, in order to survive has focused on selling high end bikes. I've ridden Lysterfield for my whole like as the local trail. The average price of bikes there has definitely gone up a lot. Back then it was lots of kmart/bigw bikes (I was on one). These days I can't spot on person on a BSO, folks hanging around in Yetis and intense rigs. I have noticed that the crowd has gotten older though - probably with it the expenditure.
Does a carbon frame increase your performance by 25%?

Does a $6k bike improve your enjoyment by 50% over a $3k bike

Does a $12k bike make you twice as fast as a $6k bike.

What justification do people have for dropping more than say $4k on a MTB?
No, only if you enjoy looking and talking about bikes, no, bling, talking to their mates about it and it's pretty. I'd be happy to drop $5k on a MTB but no chance given the standards keep changing. Hence a titanium roadie is more on my hitlist.
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
Not sure if anyone had mentioned yet but the value of the dollar has seen prices fluctuate.

My 2014 bike I picked up for $2,600 and I think I got a small discount from RRP. At the time the dollar was almost on par with the US.
Same bike now has an RRP of $3,700 which is a big difference.
You hit the nail on the head.
This thead is just full of people ignoring conversion rates and tarifs.

Look at the Polygon Sisku N8 and N9 and tell me mountain biking is more expensive?
 
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EsPeGe

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Two years ago when I decided to get back on dirt I was aiming to save for a $4k bike, and I would have been absolutely stoked to be on it. Would've been about now that I'd be looking to upgrade wheels to find more speed. So let's say $6k all up.

When the finance offer came about for the Project One it was an emotional decision. I've known about Project One for years. I do get a bit proud when my bike gets noticed. I like owning bikes that are different from the herd. The price difference is for my ego and a few trick bits.

Do flashy paint, carbon wheels, carbon frame and fancy electronics make it faster? Probably not by much, but around here it makes it stand out, and that makes me happy.
#Me too.
 
E.g. with rock climbing equipment, there's not as much of a spectrum, it more or less costs the same, maybe you pay 20% or 30% more for the high end ultralight stuff. If you can't afford the lot from the start, you buy bits as you go and beg or borrow the rest, or you just can't do that kind of climbing. There's more standardization. A beginner and a pro more or less have the same gear - you use a GriGri, your semi pro local hero uses a GriGri, freaking Alex Honnold uses a GriGri.
I remember when the grigri came on the market, we were all using figure 8s, it seemed so futuristic.
 

rockmoose

his flabber is totally gastered
I still prefer an ATC, but I mostly trad climb. Still rarely use my gri gri even when sport climbing, but my 11 year old always uses it, when he's belaying me.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
You hit the nail on the head.
This thead is just full of people ignoring conversion rates and tarifs.

Look at the Polygon Sisku N8 and N9 and tell me mountain biking is more expensive?
Geo-blocking has been taken on by many companies now and local retailers are taking advantage of it big time. When the replacement or repair parts are so expensive, people get pushed onto new bikes sooner than later.

I grey imported a Shimano derailleur for just over half price as to what I can get them at any online shop here and that included GST. We're getting stitched up big time here.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
^ nah it was still expensive and maybe even more so, when MTB was a small market. We got spoilt on price when the dollar was good and internet retail was the wild west.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
^ nah it was still expensive and maybe even more so, when MTB was a small market. We got spoilt on price when the dollar was good and internet retail was the wild west.
Early days without the internet was almost criminal, I would say it's a few contributing factors but CRC and wiggles would have made a huge packet from Aussies a few years ago, less competition is always bad for consumers.
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
My biggest problem is ebikes with their said motors (think pivot Specialized etc) seem to be essentially the same price as non ebikes. Sure the are minor spec differences but surely if we start taxing junk food - ebikes must join that tax or better still give those of us who don’t ride the motor a better deal!
The Giant Trance seems about a 2k difference to add the motor.

4-5k is a pretty great new bike these days. But @T-Rex's ~$5k retail bike was noticeably less nice to ride than my ~$10K retail bike. Similar mileage on both bikes, we're similar speed and skill level looking across segment times. More money, in the case of these two bikes, gets a more durable, stiffer and more confidence inspiring ride, with probably more than a kilo weight difference.
 

gillyske

Likes Dirt
The Giant Trance seems about a 2k difference to add the motor.

4-5k is a pretty great new bike these days. But @T-Rex's ~$5k retail bike was noticeably less nice to ride than my ~$10K retail bike. Similar mileage on both bikes, we're similar speed and skill level looking across segment times. More money, in the case of these two bikes, gets a more durable, stiffer and more confidence inspiring ride, with probably more than a kilo weight difference.
Agreed, has mountain biking gotten more expensive? No its cheaper than ever.
Has mountain biking become more segmented? 100%.

I moved from a $2250 Vitus Sommet to a $4300 Commencal Meta 29, can I tell the difference? Of course I can, the commencal is stiffer, the suspension supports me better, the bike feels just better in about every single way dispite being 3kg heavier! Did it make me a better rider? I actually think it did. But is it more capable that the Vitus was? No.

Genuine question, 10-15 years ago (which seems to be the comparison in this thread) could you get a dual suspension 160mm mtb that could do any trail you were brave enough to go down and pedal back up for $2250?
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Genuine question, 10-15 years ago (which seems to be the comparison in this thread) could you get a dual suspension 160mm mtb that could do any trail you were brave enough to go down and pedal back up for $2250?
I reckon about 10 years ago the lines started to blur leading to the really rideable mid-long travel bikes now. My son's Avanti Torrent 1 2012 was about $2300, I think 140mm and about 14.5 kg so light enough to ride up hills, lo spec but solid bits (Tektro, Alex, Raceface). We bought it in 2015 for $1100, I'm about to sell it for $500. The guy I am selling it to is a beginner and it will be a lot of bike for him for a while.

When my son got it and I rode it, I really liked it, coming off the previous attempt at big bikes that could ride up hills, my 19kg Iron Horse SGS, it was a really great all rounder. I was pretty amazed that it was only 10% slower than my Bronson when I gave it some stick on a flowy segment (Breakout Fast and Flowing) and it's slightly small and no tubeless. It would be at least 20-30% slower on something like 3 Amigos though, more recent bikes seem to have gotten much more support at both ends which makes hitting chunder heaps easier.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
^ nah it was still expensive and maybe even more so, when MTB was a small market. We got spoilt on price when the dollar was good and internet retail was the wild west.
4/5 of my bikes were purchased from this era. As is about 50% of my parts stock.
 

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Scotty T wow i just bought a used 2015 Avanti Torrent frame in good cond and built it up w Pikes, Deemax wheels , 150mm both ends, cannot really fault it dropper post and a long seat slid forward the geo is still good.
So $500 sounds cheap not sure that its a beginners bike ?
 

TM2

Likes Bikes
I reckon about 10 years ago the lines started to blur leading to the really rideable mid-long travel bikes now. My son's Avanti Torrent 1 2012 was about $2300, I think 140mm and about 14.5 kg so light enough to ride up hills, lo spec but solid bits (Tektro, Alex, Raceface). We bought it in 2015 for $1100, I'm about to sell it for $500. The guy I am selling it to is a beginner and it will be a lot of bike for him for a while.
The equivalent now (hammer) is available new for $1800, with 12speed Sram NX, so you could argue that bikes have gotten cheaper in some ways. MTB's are not necessities, so whilst there are value options around (my current dually was $900 new, slightly outdated but good enough for a rider of my level), the market is set up to accommodate people treating their purchases as luxury/discretionary spending.

I think over the last ten/fifteen years there has been a massive improvement in the capability of the average MTB, be interesting if it all settles down in a few years and if pricing follows suit, or will we keep being driven by a marketing led innovation cycle that justifies higher prices of new bikes
 

placebo

Likes Dirt
Yeah, if you want the latest carbon stuff it's going to sting financially. Like others have said there's always used bargains. I got this old ATX 990 from a guy at the pub near me. He wanted a jet ski so I got him down to 350 bucks. The stickers are gone and it the finish looks like it's just rattle canned grey primer, but it's had a couple of updates (my dropper, front mudguard and pedals). The wheels aren't both the same, or the tyres, and I'll get a proper rear mudguard but it's doing the job right now.

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