Yeah - how does buying a bike and associated bits compare with buying other
consumer goods? I don't mind paying a premium for bike parts (and boy,
have I!) and equipment (within reason) but I always wonder if consumers are
turned away from buying bikes because they see them as so expensive and the
bikes they are willing to pay for are shoddy. Then, many are willing to
finance buying a car they can't really afford. We live in a strange place.
One other observation I've made is that Surlys seem to get more and more
expensive while having seemingly lower component specs ("entry level"
components, I hate the term). A brand new Cross Check or similar from an
LBS is *expensive*.
Personally, I feel like BBH was a great store but ahead of its time and in
the wrong location. Foot traffic in WC especially around that mall seem
more interested in shopping the Apple Store and Vineyard Vines, but not
interested in pine tar (awesome), wool (indispensable) and hatchets (fun
and useful).
On Sun, Jul 17, 2016 at 5:11 PM, Lungimsam <[email protected]> wrote:
> It is sad that they are closing. Maybe it is the economy-to-price-of-goods
> ratio these days. I don't know.
>
> I think it is difficult to sell bikes/parts in the USA these days. If you
> have read the Rivendell readers, you know of RBW's struggles through the
> years.
>
> Quality cycling gear is a very expensive now *in the USA*. I don't know
> if it is the economy or what.
> I'm not talking Target/WalMart/Sears. I am talking *LBS and up*.
> *Go into any LBS*. How many people *in the USA* can afford to shell out
> 900$ for an entry level road bike these days? 40$ gloves? A 65$ helmet? $80
> shoes?
>
> It is too bad that these great bikes (LBS, RBW, Boulder, Weigle,
> Litespeed, etc.) aren't financially accessible to everyone.
> *Maybe it is not so much the helmets keeping people from cycling, but the
> prices the market bears these days.*
>
> CIA factbook today says that "per capita GDP of $54,800" in USA. How many
> want to/are able to buy a 1000$ US bike and the parts? How many can you
> sell in this economy?
>
> Sometimes I think the US cycling industry is going to implode on itself if
> the prices get much higher.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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