Is The Bike Industry Ripping Us Off? | GCN Show Ep. 565

Do you agree with Gerard Vroomen? 🚲

Next episode, invite a Yamaha R6 engineer and whatever bicycle engineer you want, and have the bicycle engineer explain to the motorcycle engineer why his best bicycle cost as much as an R6 which also has plenty of expensive metals, engineering, testing, racing support, on and on. I did something similar once and we were worried we'd have to get the motorcycle engineer some supplemental oxygen from the laughter.

I come from a production engineering background, there is no way £12,000 for a mainstream mass prodcution brand like Specialized can be justified. I agree with Gerard too.

Got my 2012 Roubaix brand new for $3.5k. Same spec bike now is $8k. That's not inflation, that's greed.

I was hit by a car running a stop sign in 2021. To replace my 2018 Trek Emonda SL6 (original cost $3000) with equivalent weight and componentry cost $8000. I ended up having to live with my damaged bike, and am still fixing things 2 years later. BUT it is very difficult to find replacement parts (mechanical Ultegra, direct mount rim brakes, aluminum rims) because even though the prices have gone way up the bike industry has seemingly shut off the tap, forcing people to buy their [heavier and more expensive disc brakes] new marketing stuff. The LBS even told me I have no right to expect parts for a 5 year old bike. That's wrong on multiple levels.

I worked in aerospace advanced composite manufacturer for around 10 years. I wouldn't be surprised if they're making around 60 to 80% profit margin on those frames. Especially given the poor manufacturing standards and quality control that plagues the industry. In other words, they're taking the piss out of us.

A £1500 Ultegra road bike in 2015 is now a 105 road bike & costs north of £3000 in 2023, I don't think there's much innovation to justify the price jump. The consumer is being ripped off in spades.

I remember, as a kid, lusting after the Campagnolo parts in the bike shop window. I was able to buy each component over time, knowing that it would fit my bike. And then, in time, I was able to order a custom frame and know that all the parts on my old bike would fit the new frame. Which meant that I ended up with a bike that was almost identical to those ridden by the top pros. In fact, I just had one good bike. And by varying those components, which were all interchangeable, I was able to race on the road, in time trials, hillclimbs, criteriums, and even on the track! In fact, I once won a hilly TT (using a 100 inch fixed wheel), beating a top local pro in the process, because the difference in weight and aerodynamic advantage, between his team issue road bike, and my old bike that I had cobbled together from whatever parts I had at the time, was small enough for me to actually have a chance of winning. Something that surely wouldn't happen now. How many teenagers could do that in 2023? You'd probably need a specific bike for all those activities, proper racing shoes, and race clothing, and might have to regularly buy new bikes in order to maintain competitiveness in a sport where there have been so many advances in technology. Bikes have become so expensive that competitors participating in grass roots cycle sport, at least here in the UK, are rarely aged under 40. Which is shocking when you think about it. The greed of the bike industry, fulfilled through both planned obsolescence and aggressive marketing, has turned what was once an affordable sport into one that is now so expensive that, at least at grass roots level, is much diminished, and perhaps unlikely to recover. And if you are thinking of racing? Well, let's put it this way... If we accept that there's every chance that you're going to be beaten by a less physically capable rider, who has enough money to buy a faster bike than yours, there isn't much point in racing any more, is there? I mean, if the result of a race is skewed in favour of those riders with significantly better bikes, and those bikes are only available to those riders with deep pockets, what's the point of that race in the first place? Indeed, if you do want to upgrade these days, you typically need to replace the entire bike. And if there's a specific part you need, that is no longer available? That's right - you need to buy yet another bike! Ridiculous, not just from the cost perspective but also from an environmental one too! So what's left? Lots of riding around, gravel, and bike packing, plus sportives (if you don't mind sometimes paying a fairly hefty wedge to take part). And this is the important bit: None of those activities need carbon frames, carbon wheels, or even disc brakes when you think about it. So, if you're aged between 16 and 40, want to get involved with cycling, and keen to have enough cash left over to pay for your ever rising rent, or indeed your pretty rubbish "money purchase" pension, the sensible thing is to avoid the hype, and just get yourself a decent used steel framed bike, with quality components, that might well last you a lifetime of happy cycling at very minimal cost. So just forget about actual racing, because (at least here in the UK, for normal people) it's dead. Just get a decent bike from the 80s or 90s, and go gravel riding, bike packing, or indeed save your sportive money by just organising your own group ride through social media, and enjoy the satisfaction of not being ripped of by the increasingly greedy bike industry. Your wallet will thank you.

Now, I truly love GCN, and I gobble up just about everything you put out there. That being said, it is true that you cover budget bikes, but all your cycling adventures are always on top of the line products. Maybe you should convince the sponsors to cross continents or climb mountains on good lower tier bikes. I believe that this could actually nudge the future in the right direction 😊❤

Everything in cycling is too expensive😢

You don't need cutting edge technology to enjoy cycling to the max.

I remember when GCN was the disrupter.. now it’s part of the industry and is part of the hype and gravy train. I keep popping back every now and again to see if it’s still the same because I used to really love the content but Cade media and others kick its arse now!

I've been looking for around 4 months now, started with a £1500 budget, when I started looking at bikes for £3000 - £3300 I came to the conclusion it might be better to stick with my 13 year old mountain bike.

The industry absolutely pushed to make rim brake 'obsolete". Now, they're saying "that's" what's causing the increased prices. Laughable. Give me a break.

I did the inflation calculator against my old bikes and the newer "equivalent" level of bikes and the difference was staggering. Far beyond what inflation would compensate for. I really appreciate you all touching on this because it really is a problem.

I remember pre COVID19 entry level bikes were $500 to $800, now you can only find them at $1300 and up. I understand that there was a supply shortage back then and now inflation but the prices still isn't justified how high they are.

Yeah. I have some friends that were exited to start cycling but were scared away when they started to count how much they would have to spend on a bike, then helmet, cycling shoe, pedal, clothing, etc. The barrier of entry has always been high, but lately it is getting higher.

Cycling became trendy and just about everyone in the cycling world saw a bunch of suckers. Not just bikes but clothes, shoes, tyres, I can’t think of anything that wasn’t exploited. They don’t charge what it costs plus some profit, they charge the highest price they can get away with.

If GCN thinks that top bikes are too expensive, you can choose to cover more affordable options and stop being part of the hype.

Big kudos for acknowledging that you're also part of the problem. Watching a YouTube show is a lot about trusting the presenters and what they tell you. I feel incredibly well informed when watching Global Cycling Network. A couple months ago, I signed up for GCN+ and now I'm thinking "What took me so long?" – Anyway, I very much appreciate your work and all the bits and pieces of information I'm learning when watching this channel. Keep being awesome and all the best from Northern California!