Originally Posted by
Schwinnsta
It could be lighter, but they would likely have to redesign, and perhaps they did not.
$50 it's still not enough to make up for the increased material cost if it were titanium. I would assume that the front shock would have increase the price by at least $25.
According to AI, the price of bicycle aluminum is around $4 per kilogram compared to bicycle titanium at around $40 per kilogram. So if we say that the frame is around 4 kg then that would be an increase of around $140. The stated weight doesn't seem lighter than if it were aluminum. But let's say theoretically they reduced weight by 1 kg by using titanium so that the material cost is just $100 more. They also have to pay for a separate production line and different equipment compared to their typical aluminum frame. If you consider also the markup, I think they would have increased the sale price by at least $500 minimum. With marketing they probably would have added $900 before tax.