Taken for a ride
lake1965
Posts: 4
How can a top of the range road or mountain bike cost as much or more than a Husqvarna TE250; the bike that won last years Enduro World Championship? :?
0
Comments
-
How much carbon fibre, titanium and magnesium does that bike have? Does it weigh 15lbs?
Different applications and scales of economies. A top end MTB may have a lot of bespoke, custom parts where shaving every possible gram off is key. With a bike or car it makes little difference if you add a pound in weight here or there. What is ten pounds when you have an engine? Easy to play it safe, and bolt on mass produced, heavy, but tough kit. On a mountain bike it makes a HUGE difference when you are powered by cakes and beer and output half a horse power. So a lot of the money is in R and D and testing of ultra light parts and this costs money.
Of course you can buy an MTB with hydraulic brakes, twin suspension and 27 gears for less than 500 quid, but it will weigh a lot more! Is much easier to build a cheap and tough (but heavy) bike than a expensive light one.0 -
Not convinced; top end push bikes are still over priced. Surely any top end competitive MX or Enduro bike will be the result of as much if not more R&D. Saving grams and high tech materials can't justify the costs. How many more components are there on a Motorbike than a Push bike? There is a hell of a lot more going on a motorbike and an incomparable increases in stresses. You can get a great road or mountain bike for £3K, spend twice or three times that wont get two three times the bike. I'm not a motorbiker, I love Mountain bikes and road bikes so it's not like a evangelist for our motorized friends. I just think the bike companies are taking the piss.0
-
We do run into the law of diminishing returns: a 7k MTB may not be much lighter than a 2k one, but it costs to get there. They may even perform similarly bar the weight. Hell, a 1k bike might do too, and some 500 quid hardtails are all most people need! But the real top end stuff is there for those who want the absolute best, and will pay for that little extra. I too think it is a lot, and would not pay that myself.
These bikes are like the Ferraris and Bugattis of the MTB world where many of the parts cost a fortune (would you pay 4500 quid for a gear indicator stalk?!).
The stresses are more in an MX bike, but what does the Husqvarna TE250 weigh, 250lbs? Steel frame I guess. Sure it has an engine, but top end DH bikes (that can handle 20ft drops) weigh 35lbs or less. Every ounce counts on the world cup scene where carbon fibre and exotic alloys rule the roost. What would it cost if the MX bike had a carbon frame? But as above, not worth the extra to save 5lbs in weight. On our MTB it really is for some racers.0 -
Paying for the absolute best MX bike in the world would cost the same as the best Mountain bike; both are in the same relative league as a bugatti etc. I agree that a light road or MBK is highly desirable, but it's one of many factors to consider. Lance always said weight isn't the most important factor. I agree that carbon fibre is good for MBK and too fragile for MX. MX engine technology comes straight from F1; the gears on MBK's and Road bikes have changed little since 1949. If you had a brand new Husqvarna TE 250 beside a brand new of equaly priced mountain bike surely you have to think there is alot more to the MX bike than the MBK. I'm sorry but your arguments have failed to sway me. If my wife would let me I be happier to spend £8K on a MX bike than a MBK. Must go, have to make a cup of Tea for She Who Will Be Obeyed.0
-
The gears have changed massively! Titanium cogs, carbon cranks, shifters and derailers, ceramic bearings. Sure is a lever and parallelogram cage, but the materials and manufacture couldn't be more different.
As above I agree is incredibly expensive, and too much for me. These bikes are rare anyway, and I don't think is a fair comparison given materials used and scales. Another reason is bikes start at 99 quid for twin suspension - you could say that the MX bike is vastly overpriced in comparison ;-). I do think it is a material and weight thing.0
