Originally Posted by
ciocc_cat
In the U.S. during the early 1970s "Bike Boom", a very race-worthy Peugeot PX-10 or Gitane Tour de France could be purchased for around $250. That was still a lot of money back then, but still well within reach of those who got bit by the cycling bug and were ready to graduate from their entry-level 10-speeds. You didn't have to be wealthy to race - although more money helped buy extra wheels and tires, put gas in the van (to get to races), pay entry fees and bought beer after the race (for celebrating or drowning sorrows).
$250 in 1972 dollars = $900 in current dollars (according to an inflation calculator I just consulted).
Given the ability to shop a nationwide supply of used bikes via Craigslist or eBay, I think bikes don't have to be any more expensive now than they were then.
BTW, this thread seems to have a very myopic view of what cycling is -- there are all kinds of cyclists out there riding all kinds of bikes, in all kinds of social classes. Something like 80% of all bikes sold in the USA in any given year are sold for *less* than $500 new; most are sold in discount markets. Most of those riders don't show up in any of the statistics quoted and/or invented above. (My statistic may not be 100% accurate; I just recall it from looking it up a couple of years ago; the US bike industry trade group puts this out).
Maybe you guys are talking *only* about the kind of bicycles that are purchased in specialty shops, not the real mass of cyclists, who buy cheap bikes at Wal-Mart, Target, and sporting goods stores. Lots of folks who can't afford cars use X-Mart mountain bikes to get to their jobs every day.