more expensive less value for 09 bikes?

kingsfool

Has any body else noticed this trend? It seems that the 09 bikes are equal or more expensive than 08 but worse value for money?

I was looking at buying the new rockhopper pro for the 09 price of £1000. It seems little different to the 08 rockhopper pro, but more expensive.

And components seem to be of lower spec too?

You would have thought they would only improve on things.

Any ideas? Does anyone else see this trend?

Th3 Firestarter

Yep, I've noticed it. All the 09 marin quad trail bikes are exactly the same as the 08 (except the attack trail with hammerschmidt drivetrain) yet the prices are now higher. Last year I bought a rock springs for £1549. It's now called the wolf ridge 6.7, painted black instead of white, and they've hiked the price up to £1760.
I've heard that the 08 rockhoppers are much better value than the 09's too.

kingsfool

this business sucks. i really want to get a bike that is worth it!

CREDIT CRUNCH! or are the 09 components better by a long way than the 08? have you seen improvements in components to warrant the price tags?

The Northern Monkey

08 bikes (if you can find any in stock in your size) are very good value for money compared to the 09 models.
Try www.paulscycles.co.uk

---CameraLucida---

Yeap, the reason I jumped in and got my 08 model.

Cannondale F4z 2008 £499
Cannondale F4z 2009 £899

Doesn't look any better but might have one or 2 improvements.

The Northern Monkey

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b0s2p1689
Thats nice!

kingsfool

i agree. that is very nice! and if only i could find one in my sizE! arrgghhh!!!

The Northern Monkey

how do you mean?! they're all in stock!

supersonic

Almost all importers have increased prices for 09 with the weak exchange rate, for a given spec.

Remember the model name on the frame may be totally unrelated to last years.

kingsfool

oh i didnt mean the giant! sorry! yeah i guess the exchange rate does suck and really has knock on effect.

still you would think they might try to encourasge buyers!

The Northern Monkey

They still have to make a profit tho! Its a forced price hike due to the current economic situation.
As SS said, the weak exchange rate will have increased the price of parts, frames, metal etc etc.

jkbs1

2008 Rockhopper Disc = 2009 Rockhopper Comp as for brakes, forks.

kingsfool

too true. i wonder what will happen with 2010????????????

Mr Wu

I suspect that due to the current price hikes, less people will end up buying a newer model, thus forcing companies to reduce the costs, bear in mind that the mark up on these components is just stupid. They will have to drop their prices or they will, as Iron horse have, fall flat on their arse.

It will be a right shame if bike companies start goign out of business because of this shiite state were all in at the minute, but theyve got to go with the flow and give us lot a price cut, simple fact is if they arent selling then youve got to reduce the price.

supersonic

Iron Horse still here! Parent company gone under, going to have a new owner.

New riders don't know any different. A 300 quid bike is still a 300 quid bike.

kingsfool

maybe. but committed bikers looking to upgrade or buy new do. they will have to bring prices down. we are their customers and i think this year will be a hard one for the bike companies. 2010 will see changes!

llamafarmer

I think they rearranged the rockhopper range to 'bring it in line' with the rest of their bikes, so what was a comp in 08 is now an expert, they dropped the 'disc' model and the entry level is now the comp. It's a little confusing!

Mr Wu

I was looking at my orange evo,

The main differences are, (from 08 to 09)

Front Mech to an SLX (i replaced mine (LX) with an XT for £15 new off ebay)

Stem, Post and HB all raceface. rather than orange own.

Forks are i belive a lower spec RockShox , mine are recon race air, the new ones are recon SL solo air? (can someone correct me if im wrong>)

brakes are still avid 3's.

Is it really worth the extra money? Funnily enough, Orange are currently selling and ex demo Evo8 2008 for £600.

I know which one id rather spend my money on

The Spiderman

llamafarmer wrote:

I think they rearranged the rockhopper range to 'bring it in line' with the rest of their bikes, so what was a comp in 08 is now an expert, they dropped the 'disc' model and the entry level is now the comp. It's a little confusing!

There is still a standard disc version,albeit in downgraded form,Dart forks,Tektro Auriga brakes,etc to bring it in as a £600 bike.The v brake version does appear to have been dropped though.

Mancunianfightingcat

On the subject of Orange.

I got my 5 SE last year, the list price was £2899. (it went up to £2959 when they started to fit the QR15 forks)

This years 5 SE is £3399 but without Hope QRs (this is now a £20 option). As far as I'm aware there have been no other updates to any of the bikes components (XTR's still the same as last year as are Race Face cranks!)

That's nearly £400 more for exactly the same bike! I'd be interested to know if this price hike is down to the increase in costs or the increase in demand.

dunker

ar'nt orange built in england? so why the price increase if it's not related to exchange rates? ohh but the stuff hanging off them i guess is foreign though, apart from the more expensive hope kit :?

zero303

2009 in price hikes shocker! :roll:

The only made in england bit about an orange is the frame and even that includes a price hiked US shock. In fact, a Five frame hasn't gone up so they've absorbed the RP23 price increase.

Anonymous

Made in Halifax, Yorkshire.. Hoorah YORKSHIRE!!!

realnumber 1

zero303 wrote:

2009 in price hikes shocker! :roll:

The only made in england bit about an orange is the frame and even that includes a price hiked US shock. In fact, a Five frame hasn't gone up so they've absorbed the RP23 price increase.

Not to mention the increased costs in raw materials and probably wages to make the frames.

supersonic

Raw materials are actually decreasing. Aluminium (and its ores) for instance is very low, and a lot is actually made in the UK. Steel is a lot lower too than it has been.

Lapierre t 400

I would not complain too much if were you, I might buy a cube fritzz this year so I looked in my LBS in france and he wanted 3300 euros (2900£ ish) and on CRC they're 2700 euros (2400£ ish) so you seem to be getting better deals in the UK than FRANCE

Anonymous

Might be because the garlic eating surrender monkeys are tight!! Like the dutch

bikesr4riding

Yeah, a bit of a nightmare. I've been planning to get myself a nice new long-forked hardtail. The research I carried out before christmas led me to a shortlist of 6 bikes including a Marin Rocky Ridge - as well as others recommended in this great forum - which back then was under a grand, now c. £1,200. Massive price hikes. Sure, it's the exchange rate no doubt. Bit of a bummer though.

The Spiderman

Somebody posted about getting a £500 bike.This year,the best bike is something like a Hardrock Pro that has mainly Alivio 8 speed drivetrain,and a Dart fork.

It might be time to re-evaluate how much to spend on first bike suggestions.Even a Malt 1 is over 3600 these days.

zerolight

Mancunianfightingcat wrote:

On the subject of Orange.

I got my 5 SE last year, the list price was £2899. (it went up to £2959 when they started to fit the QR15 forks)

This years 5 SE is £3399 but without Hope QRs (this is now a £20 option). As far as I'm aware there have been no other updates to any of the bikes components (XTR's still the same as last year as are Race Face cranks!)

That's nearly £400 more for exactly the same bike! I'd be interested to know if this price hike is down to the increase in costs or the increase in demand.

It's as has been said before. The pound is really week right now, even against the dollar. 1.7 last year, 1.4 this year for instance. At the very least, all the components go up in price by a large chunk. Frames? They made in the UK or Taiwan? If Taiwan, then they are more expensive for the same reasons.

grantway

Be intresting to see how much they reduce the 09 bikes they dont sell
when next year models come through and what components will be on them.