Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
US retailers(and distributors) should be buying components at the same prices [as European retailers].
They probably did, a few years back, before the USD gained on other currencies (arguably because of the fracking industry). There has been a 50% increase in the value of the USD between 2012 and 2015... Takes a while for global organizations to act upon those changes, because they may be temporary and (largely) because the average customer doesn't shop overseas.
Above and beyond FOREX, it also looks like the European bike market is much much more competitive.