Originally Posted by
boro
Looks, for one. While "ease of maintenance" has been a big part of sales campaigns for IGH bikes as of late, I don't think anybody can deny that it looks much more aesthetically pleasing to the uninitiated. That was part of the whole allure of the fixed gear bike for hipsters, too.
I think you're right, and that's a big part of it. Of course there's a danger, that everybody will start fondling your bike!
Originally Posted by
squirtdad
as for cost... A $200 bike from 1982 would cost close to $500 today....so the price point seems consistent with a reasonable level of quality. It is just that for some reason people expect bikes to be cheap not reflect inflation.
Digital cameras have pulled a 180 on inflation. Apples and oranges, I know, and it has a lot to do with amortized R&D ... I'm just saying that people have got used to a strange consumer scene. People don't "need" to buy a new bike every couple years the way they do with plasma flat screens and smart phones and whatnot, and bikes provide a "real" and durable value.
Still, I don't understand why someone might pay $700 for one of these when a CX bike can be had for the same price. I see these and think "I could have some fun with that ... but I'd be very limited." They do look nice, though, and I'm sure if I was hauling groceries I wouldn't want to go very fast or take any steep hills.