15rms

Has anybody noticed the prices of bikes going up? The brand I follow and was planning on buying this winter Lightfoot Cycles seems to have gone up in price. I am wondering if this is industry wide or just for this company. I see the Rans Stratus is still $1995. What about the other makes?

Thanks

Dchiefransom

Looks like the Stratus LE has gone up almost $400.

I think last year the Ranger was still $2,000.

cranky old dude

$1995 translates to just under 10,000 miles driven in a vehicle that gets 20mpg. I believe that is less than the average annual mileage for American drivers. That's just the gas cost. Add insurance, maintenance, purchase price, etc., and $2,000 for a good quality bicycle doesn't seem too bad.

I'm sure you can apply the same logic to whatever the cost is for the bike of your choice.

Retro Grouch 

Don't worry about the initial price, that's just the down payment. Mrs. Grouch and I are in the process of buying and outfitting a pair of Hase Kettwiesels to ride linked together. The hitch to link them together is $200.00. A big bag to carry our rain gear and such is $200.00. Computer mounting brackets are $74.00 each. A wireless intercom to make it easier to talk to one another is $350.00.

Enjoying life with my sweetie - priceless.

Dudelsack 

Holy carp! I tried to find the cost of these, and all my computer would say is "Sorry, you can't afford this".

VegasTriker

That's one more reason to keep your eye out for good quality used recumbents. I have a long time friend who has been complaining for years about wanting to buy a trike. I suggested one that showed up on our local Craigslist in early September and he still couldn't locate the listing on CL. I finally gave him a printout so he could call the seller. Yesterday he showed up with it for a 10 mile ride we had planned. Although used, it is brand new and unridden. The owner donated it to his church for their building fund. The trike is a 2012 Catrike Expedition and came with Planet bike fenders, a bike computer, a brand new $40 helmet with the price sticker still attached. The first owner, a long haul truck driver, was enamored about having a trike but not so much after he got it. The trike is normally $2,400 plus shipping and a good chunk of sales tax if ordered thru a local bike shop. He paid $1,900. I almost came to the point of buying it myself but I already have 2 trikes and don't have the room for a third one. I'm glad he finally followed up on it as it definitely is a keeper!

bkaapcke

So, how much was it on CL? bk

VegasTriker

"So, how much was it on CL? bk"

My friend paid $1900 for the trike. It truly looks like he picked it up from a bike store the day before he came to the ride.

Here's the listing:
A Sport-Luxury Catrike with a wide track and long wheel base.
A Brand New Catrike Expedition Rebumbent Trike.

Black - Gorgeous - Ready To Ride

The owner of this vehicle donated it to our church so we could raise money for our building fund.
He purchased the trike but never got around to riding it other than to test it.
The little rubber tips that you find on brand new bicycle tires, etc. are still there.
Perfect condition and perfect opportunity to pick one up at $600.00 less than retail.
And, if you purchased one locally, (you can't buy them locally) you'd have to pay 8.1 % sales tax ($206.55).

Sooooo - here's your chance to get this beauty.

$1900.00 Firm as drying cement, a tiny bit of wiggle room on price.

IMHO, it was a pretty good deal. I didn't aks him if he paid the full price but I suspect he did because he did not say otherwise.

CabezaShok

The manufacturing of a "stick-bike" recumbent requires much less time and labor than does a DF, yet can cost $800+ frame only (no fork) Made in Taiwan. I mean, just look at the frame itself: its a stick.....and a fork to hold the rear wheel...only a few major welds to get right=less labor. Are they magic sticks?

mobilemail

I don't buy new bikes any more, there are way too many awesome used bikes that somebody else can take the huge depreciation on. To date I have purchased used: a tandem recumbent trike, a trike, an "inline" recumbent, a titanium road bike, a touring bike, and a bunch of other bikes that I have sold to pay for the ones I have. I have saved over $5000 conservatively over new bike prices just on the rides that I have. Need I say more?

Cyclebum

Which comes first? The money or the bike?

How would YOU handle payment for a used bike that's got to be shipped to you?

Dudelsack 

Excellent question. Maybe it has to do with economies of scale. For every 200 DF bikes I see only one stick.

BlazingPedals

Sure there's economies of scale working against us. The Big Guys get huge discounts by buying 10,000 derailleurs at a time. Discounts are so deep that it's been reported that they can completely cover the cost of the frame. The recumbent guys might buy hundreds at a time, and only see small savings. In addition to that, consider the custom parts that a 'bent uses. A DF seat costs <$15 to stamp out. A 'Bent seat can easily cost hundreds. Add up custom idlers, stems, seat braces, three times the chain... you get the picture?

OTOH, as Trek and Cannondale demonstrated, having a large-scale manufacturer getting into 'bents won't bring the prices down. They won't ever put downward pressure on prices because they're the worst offenders for charging just as much as they figure they can get away with.

rydabent

My 4 year old Stratus, and my one year old Crusier has already saved me $900 dollars!!!!

cplager

This is a pretty standard problem that has been pretty much solved.

Method 1: You find a local bike shop that packs up the bike. Buyer then sends money to bike shop. Bike is shipped. Seller gets money when recipient gets bike.

Method 2: Use paypal. I recommend telling paypal you are buying something instead of giving money to a friend. It will cost you a bit more (couple percent?), but if there's a problem, then you will have an easier time getting your money back.

Cyclebum

Thanks cplager. I've got a pretty good relationship with the LBS. I'll ask.

rydabent

I do agree that the stick bikes are grossly over priced!! The frames are exceeding simple with little labor needed to weld up.

BlazingPedals

When co-workers wonder how I can afford an expensive bike like my M5, I tell them that for the difference in cost between my car and their car, I could easily buy two of those fancy bikes. And when they replace their car, my two bikes are still going strong so I can use the additional saving to buy two more! (Not that I buy *that* many bikes...) It's all a matter of what you want to spend your money on.

delcrossv

I've done this. Works really well.

Retro Grouch 

Bicycles are the ultimate status symbol. Park a $30,000 bass boat and trailer in your driveway and your neighbors might not even notice. Casually let it drop that you paid $3,000 for a bike that you still have to pedal and they'll think you've lost your mind.

gcottay

If this were true don't you think that with a world market the prices would be much lower?

Sayre Kulp 

If stick bikes are so simple, why not build your own? You could probably do it with less than $100 worth of steel and some recycled DF parts (i.e. - front fork, wheel, derailleur, etc).

Jeff Wills

I have lost my mind. If you see it lying around, kick it into a corner so no one trips over it.

Retro Grouch 

That's what I said about another part of my body after I got out of the bicycle business.