MTBs seem MUCH better value for money compared to....

Kiwi Kranker · May 2009

So today I couldnt get out of London and the weather was perfect.

To compensate the g/f and I thought we would take a spin around Richmond Park. (Not much compensation but we were in the sun!)

After a couple of laps the g/f went to work on her tan and I thought I would see just how fast I could do a lap of the park on the road.

Naturally I was getting passed by roadies and I took note of a few of their rides as I killed myself trying to hang on to their wheels (which went badly to say the least). Having just looked a few up on the net, how on earth do the bike companies sell those bikes with a straight face! Some of them were uber uber expensive rides and I look at what we get in a mtb for the equivilant money and it seems like we get loads more.

If we take say a Scott Genius 10 and a high up in the range Scott Addict R2 20...I would have thought that the genius would be loads more expensive seeing as it has more gears, suspension, hydraulic brakes, top carbon frame etc etc. Nope they are pretty much the same price

Road bikes seem to basically be a wayyyyy overpriced. I find it bizarre but I guess the market dictates.
I feel sorry for roadies as I struggle to see how they are getting good value for money.

Just a dehydrated Sunday thought...

gezzza · May 2009

But road bikes are light and strong just like a MTB

look at the price of brakes for an MTB top disk's cost about the same as top V's and i would guess the same a road brakes.

top end ridged forks for a MTB are £500 ish same as a top end bouncing fork

a DA rear 10sp cassette is about the same price as XTR but lighter.

Ive just bought a Dura ace 7900 front mech for my MTB and the build quality IMHO is far Superior to XTR its almost 1/2 the weight as well

Dazzza · May 2009

Speaking of which does the front mec you have work with three rings, sorry for all the questions.

I'll compliment your bike if it helps.

gezzza · May 2009

Its for 2 rings only

No need to comment on the bike its been around the block enough to know it need to go on a diet

Kiwi Kranker · May 2009

MTB components are built to take more abuse though.

I still need loads more convincing to believe that higher end road bikes are value for money!

I am genuinely interested in this though as I am currently in the market for a road bike and I am just finding it hard to chip the lock off the wallet when I compare the two products.

I need to get over the feeling of being cheated

supersonic · May 2009

Top end road bike may weigh 15lbs! Even a entry level one is 23 or so, way lighter than an entry level MTB.

Kiwi Kranker · May 2009

Your point SS?

I am aware that road bikes are loads lighter and are incredibly stiff and so on but I would hazzard a guess and say it takes longer to lay up the Scott Genius than it takes to lay up the Scott Addict.

There is also a lot more material in the MTB, it has probably had just as much component machine time as the road bike (derailleurs for example) and in the case of the Genius it even has a bespoke shock.

If it takes shimano longer to make their Dura Ace brake than it takes Hope to make one of their hydraulic units then Ill eat my old brake pads. The only way I see that Shimano is not taking the living p1ss is that the material they use to make their DA brake is very very expensive, I fail to see how it could possibly be more labour intensive.

Torres · May 2009

It sees with road bikes the more you spend the less you get

Regardless, like mountain bikes you will feel a difference between an entry level bike and a 5k racer.

dave_hill · May 2009

Road bikes have to be expensive so that roadies can justify being sour-faced miserable scrotes. :shock:

supersonic · May 2009

Kiwi Kranker wrote:

Your point SS?

I am aware that road bikes are loads lighter and are incredibly stiff and so on but I would hazzard a guess and say it takes longer to lay up the Scott Genius than it takes to lay up the Scott Addict.

There is also a lot more material in the MTB, it has probably had just as much component machine time as the road bike (derailleurs for example) and in the case of the Genius it even has a bespoke shock.

If it takes shimano longer to make their Dura Ace brake than it takes Hope to make one of their hydraulic units then Ill eat my old brake pads. The only way I see that Shimano is not taking the living p1ss is that the material they use to make their DA brake is very very expensive, I fail to see how it could possibly be more labour intensive.

R+R - shaving as much weight off and repeated testing is where a lot of cost comes from. Not always about the final product cost. A 600 quid road bike will weigh 6lbs less than a 600 quid MTB. A 5 grand road bike will still weigh 6lbs less than a 5K MTB. Top end carbon forks may ony weigh 300g, takes a LOT of testing to acheive that and they cost a lot because of it.

The Addict has a 790g frame, and weighs 14.10lbs all in, that is astonishing!

Kiwi Kranker · May 2009

dave_hill wrote:

Road bikes have to be expensive so that roadies can justify being sour-faced miserable scrotes. :shock:

I knew there was a reason

Kiwi Kranker · May 2009

supersonic wrote:

Kiwi Kranker wrote:

Your point SS?

I am aware that road bikes are loads lighter and are incredibly stiff and so on but I would hazzard a guess and say it takes longer to lay up the Scott Genius than it takes to lay up the Scott Addict.

There is also a lot more material in the MTB, it has probably had just as much component machine time as the road bike (derailleurs for example) and in the case of the Genius it even has a bespoke shock.

If it takes shimano longer to make their Dura Ace brake than it takes Hope to make one of their hydraulic units then Ill eat my old brake pads. The only way I see that Shimano is not taking the living p1ss is that the material they use to make their DA brake is very very expensive, I fail to see how it could possibly be more labour intensive.

R+R - shaving as much weight off and repeated testing is where a lot of cost comes from. Not always about the final product cost. A 600 quid road bike will weigh 6lbs less than a 600 quid MTB. A 5 grand road bike will still weigh 6lbs less than a 5K MTB. Top end carbon forks may ony weigh 300g, takes a LOT of testing to acheive that and they cost a lot because of it.

I knew it would be relaxing working for a bike company

There will be just as much R&D in a top end MTB, do keep in mind I am not just talking about frames here and overall weight as each bike has its specific use and associated componentry, shocks etc. I would argue that as Mountainbiking is relatively young compared to road cycling that perhaps even more money is being spent on R&D for mountainbikes. I may be mistaken here but isnt there a minimum weight limit for road bikes when racing at an international level??

supersonic · May 2009

There is, 6800g I think. But many recreational bikes go lower.

MTB certainly has more money than before, and a lot of what we see with frames especially carbon, borrows techniques used on road bikes (and SRAM have now taken the XX further, with cues from the road section).

MTBs will get a lot lighter I think as they start throwing more money in the pot (Merida already have a 930g hardtail frame now!)

Law of diminishing returns too ;-)

alfablue · May 2009

Yes, there is a minimum weight of 6.8kg

Could the price differential be that mtb's sell in higher numbers than road bikes, hence bringing economies of scale (I have no idea if this is actually the case)?

supersonic · May 2009

Some MTB parts are cheaper to manufacture I would say. Fork castings are very cheap, I think an RS Dart only costs RS about 15 quid!

MTBs seem MUCH better value for money compared to....

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