Returning to MTBing after a year away

Wololo

Hey all,

Just thought I'd stop by and say hi seeing as I've been away from MTBing for over a year now but have decided it's high time I returned to the fold.

Unfortunately I'm shocked at the way prices have rocketed recently, especially for forks and complete bikes. Rockshox Rebas for £500+ or the basic Fox Vanilla costing over £500, when it was £309 a few years back? Bikes that would have been £1500 for the 2008 model year now costing £2000+ for 2010? :shock:

What's the excuse the manufacturers are giving for these massive price hikes? Don't believe them if they blame the price of aluminium - it's lower than it was at the end of 2007 and almost exactly where it was at the end of 2004.

I had hoped to get a new bike, but I think keeping the one I have is more realistic...

yoohoo999

most parts are bought from manufacturers/suppliers outside of the UK.

GBP isn't very strong right now so this is reflected in the price passed onto consumers, the shops/suppliers here still have to make the same markup to stay profitable, but they are having to pay more GBP out per domination of transactional currency to actually get the kit over here.

bails87

Exchange rates, material cost increases, parts cost increases which add up on a whole bike. The price of materials from months ago is the price which the manufacturers will have paid. A bike built today will be made from aluminium purchased a long time ago.

jjojjas

Agreed, I'm in the same boat, been out of the mtb scene for a few years but I have noticed the exchange rate screwing up the prices for us.
Just grin an bare it I guess.
Jas

Wololo

bails87 wrote:

The price of materials from months ago is the price which the manufacturers will have paid. A bike built today will be made from aluminium purchased a long time ago.

I could take that, but it was roughly at a 10 year low roughly 11 months ago...

Think I'll just have to accept the weak £ explanation and get on with it

skellator3

shimano prices have jumped by at least 50% the yen is far stronger than the £

Jedi

welcome back!!! mtb rocks

_Ferret_

I think the exchange rate has hit the UK quite hard.
Although bikes prices can't have changed that much, they used to be comparable a few years ago and now bikes are cheaper in the UK than here with the new "strength" of the pound.
I've got several mates who scan the MBUK adverts and ask me if I'll bring a bike back for them on my next trip home.

supersonic

You can get Rebas in many places for £250.

And todays top end reba is somewhat better than the 2005 version! Remember in 1997 the Indy SL had an RRP of £379 ;-)

_Ferret_

why do FOX forks cost so much though?
You always see so many FOX forks specced on bikes, do they have a lower price deal with all the manufacturers?

supersonic

The prices the manufacturers are always less than we pay, but after market the absolute difference is more (even if the relative mark up is the same) for a higher priced fork.

Fox have set them self up as a 'top end, quality' manufacturer of forks, so the reason you see them specced on many bikes is because it gives the image of a quality product, when in reality they often have less features than similar RS forks. Exactly the same goes for Thomson and Hope.

yoohoo999

supersonic wrote:

when in reality they often have less features than similar RS forks.

but find me that lovely feeling of a 36.........you can't put a price on that.

Simple and wonderful.

_Ferret_

yoohoo999 wrote:

supersonic wrote:

when in reality they often have less features than similar RS forks.

but find me that lovely feeling of a 36.........you can't put a price on that.

Unfortunatly they have, and it's fecking expensive...

supersonic

Yet to find anything smoother than a coil open bath fork like the old Psylo XC.

I generally find bigger stantions intoduce more stiction.