Was there a vintage year for bikes?

ExeterSimon

Was wondering this after reading the review of the Commencal on BR's front page.

The £1900 bike comes with Juicy 3s...yet when I bought a Rockhopper comp back in 2006 it came with Juicy 5s, RS Tora etc...the sort of things you now get on bikes more than twice the price.

Now I know all about fluctuating exchange rates, cost of raw materials etc affecting what we get today but was there a year when, maybe in hindsight, you really did get value for money?

XCMark

2008 was the last really good year for high spec bikes if I remember right, you got loads for your money. you got this for under a grand: (focus Raven)
Frame New Alu EVG Marathon
Fork Fox 32 F RL, 100mm
Rear Derailleur Sram X.0
Shift Levers Sram X.9 Trigger
Crankset Truvativ Stylo 3.3
Brakes Magura Louise hydraulic 180/160mm
Handlebars Concept Extreme 600mm
Stem Concept Extreme
Front Hub DT-Swiss Disc FW 370
Rear Hub DT-Swiss Disc FW 370
Rims Alex XCR 100
Seat Post FSA Carbon Pro Wrap 350mm

benpinnick

ID say the 09 bikes Offered as good if not better value than 08. Prices for 09 were set in mid 08 when the currency was still good.

timpop

You're asking about vintage? The 1991 Rocky Mountain Stratos, that was one sweet bike!

supersonic

I think about 2007. Lord knos how some of the budget bikes squeezed in the specs they did. It was never really going to last.

MrBlond

Showing my age, but the first Konas I had around 1989 were awesome

njee20

ID say the 09 bikes Offered as good if not better value than 08.

No way! S-Works bikes went up £1000 in 09, that was the start of big price rises and spec cutting.

2007/08 were the last years before the 'bubble' burst as it were.

ExeterSimon

I think 2006/07.

But that's just based on the spec on my Rockhopper and Stumpy then, and the previous couple of years, compared to now.

Spesh have put their prices up recently and some of them now make the bikes look like bad value for money.

njee20

All manufacturers have, Scott are particularly guilty for it, at one point there was a Dart fork on a £700 bike, they were the preserve of £400 Hardrocks a few years ago!

captainfly

I know that my 2009 giant stp0 was the best value (even better for the sale price I paid) for spec year, 318 argyles, X9,holzfeller finishing kit but is was rare for 09 bikes to be like that.

cooldad

1887 was a good year for two reasons - first pneumatic tyre and I was much younger

Tel39

Think my 08 Pitch Pro was good value looking back, the one in bronze, £1400 and £140 to spend in the Spesh shop in Chester.

P-Jay

'07 I'd guess was the last year stuff was cheap, '08 bikes went all that different in terms of RRP and spec, but they made a lot less thinking there would be a bigger decline than there was so availability was a lot less so much less chance of a decent discount on RRP.

'09 spec stuff was when people started say OMG!

Hoping 2011 will start to show a return to norm, pound is getting stronger by the day. Can't afford £2000 for a G Spot frame!!

psymon

when i worked at winstanleys in 2008 we were selling a FELT VIRTUE 1
for £1300

it had revelations, fox can and full XT groupset including brakes and wheels. Best value bike i think i ever saw!

jay12

i think royal are getting it right. some of the 2011 stuff is cheaper than the 2010 stuff

Richie63

I got one of those Felts and it was fantastic value from Je James' though it had juciy 7's

The Spiderman

Whilst prices have gone up,trickle down technology,is beginning to compensate.
Budget Deore stuff and cheaper RS forks being particular cases.
Most current disc brakes offer good modulation and stopping power,frames are getting lighter too.

So while your 2010 model might have components badged Deore or SLX,I wonder if it is that much inferior to previous models......

Daz555

Around 1982 when the BMX craze was really starting to ramp up in the UK.

lugsey2k5

isnt a rockhopper camp HT as aposed to the full sus commencial. thats one of the reasons for the drop in spec between the two

Northwind

1993, when the Raleigh Activator 2 made all other bikes before and after obsolete at a stroke.

P-Jay

Northwind wrote:

1993, when the Raleigh Activator 2 made all other bikes before and after obsolete at a stroke.

And after??

I'm sure it was great, but on balance I think my Shocker is probably better down Fort Bill.

Northwind

Then you are wrong. The Activator 2 is the ultimate bike.

biff55

Northwind wrote:

Then you are wrong. The Activator 2 is the ultimate bike.

can we have a pic of said bke to back up this wild claim ?

Northwind

BEHOLD!

biff55

:shock: wow , your right !
truely the best bike ever created.
and i was thinking of wasting several grand on a ibis mojo.

JustGoRide

2007 was the last year before prices when up throughout the industry, mainly being caused by the weak pound.

I'm not sure that value for money = vintage year though?

bluechair84

Sorry, for me it was a bike by Eagle in the 90s that started the mountainbike wheels turning for me! Wish I knew what it was called... road them on a school trip and that was the start of my financial downfall...

dodgy

bluechair84 wrote:

Sorry, for me it was a bike by Eagle in the 90s that started the mountainbike wheels turning for me! Wish I knew what it was called... road them on a school trip and that was the start of my financial downfall...

Was it a 'Boss'? Yellow frame with massive lettering down the side of the down tube?

bluechair84

Dunno, I'll start looking up old Eagle frames and see if I can see one I recognise. Rode it when I was 14 and the geometry made biking feel amazing!
Not stopped riding since.