Why is it so expensive to build up a custom 'bent?

[LandLuger]

I've never been content with the base model recumbents offered by the various manufacturers, but at the same time I've been put off by the outrageous prices for the framesets. Does the frameset really encompass 80% of the cost of production for these manufacturers? That's about what most of the dealers want for a frameset, 4/5 the cost of the entire production bike. 50/50 sounds about right in my opinion unless components have an insane markup that I wasn't aware of. What do you think?

[twahl]

The only place the bent manufacturers make much money is on the frames, and they are relatively low quantity compared to conventional bike sales. Most bent frames are hand made, and generally not by low cost labor.

[sch]

"most bent frames" are made in Taiwan and shipped in by the container load. Rans and Bacchetta both source their steel frames this way. Easy Racer 'may' be doing so as well, not sure under the present management, their spinoff lowend cycles were Taiwan sourced. I suspect Volae has the same sourcing but this is a suspicion only. It is so easy to do it this way and pretty in expensive if your volume is reasonable (container load at a time). The smaller makers use US sources, with consequent higher costs.
Rotator makes their frames and also Barcrofts frames and the Ti version of the Tour Easy.
Steve

[jeff-o]

Custom built upright bicycles are very pricey as well. Do a comparison, you'll see that the pricing scheme is very similar...

[twahl]

I stand corrected on the origination of most bent frames, however the volume is still quite low. Overhead costs are pretty static, a warehouse, an office, utilities, some help, all going to be similar for a bent manufacturer compared to a DF manufacturer. Volume however is quite different. They HAVE to make more money per unit to remain in business.

[BlazingPedals]

Volume pricing on components lets the big manufacturers equip their frames literally for pennies on the dollar. That lets them sell a whole bike for little more than the normal groupo cost and still turn a profit. The small guys, a group which includes recumbent companies, can't meet the minimum parts orders to get those deep discounts, so their prices are based more on what things actually cost.

[blknwhtfoto]

So you know what this means guys!? We need to preach the 'Bent Gospels are little harder and get more people to ride 'bent, then prices will go down!I know of two people who have bought 'bents after we spoke and they rode my AB. In a town of 150,000(+30k college students) there is somewhere between 20-50 bents. Pretty good numbers I think.

[sch]

Blazing makes a good point: when I bought my Rotator Pursuit, I asked about Speedplay Frogs and after the bike was finished (5-6wks for the Ti frame) Steve Delaire said he couldn't get any slack out of Speedplay either as a manufacturer or dealer pricing and suggested I would get a better price on my own.
He was using Paul brakes and White Bro cranks/BB at the time and was paying retail for these. He was finally able to get a price break from Shimano in '02 and switched his gearing to Ultegra subsequently.
Steve

[LandLuger]

Ok, guys you're reinforcing my point. If the manufacturers are paying near full mail-order price for the components why am I only getting a $200 +/- break when I order a frameset?

[JohnH]

Ok, guys you're reinforcing my point. If the manufacturers are paying near full mail-order price for the components why am I only getting a $200 +/- break when I order a frameset?

Some thoughts:

Because the frameset is the only place they make a profit.

Because it's more work (I suspect it really is) to deal with assembling and shipping just a frameset than the entire bike, which they are set up to do. "Out of the ordinary" is always more work/expense.

They are pricing the frameset to compete with the cost of the complete bike less the used value of the components. This isn't a "cost of production" issue, it's a value/pricing issue.

Or none of the above - I'm guessing, here.

[Dr.Deltron]

Ok, guys you're reinforcing my point. If the manufacturers are paying near full mail-order price for the components why am I only getting a $200 +/- break when I order a frameset?

So that you will go ahead and drop the last 2 notes and get the WHOLE 'bent!:rolleyes:

If money is a concern, buy USED! they're all over eBay, etc!