Originally Posted by
Kommisar89
I'm not sure why but if anything bikes seem to have dramatically outpaced inflation. I bet $200 would have bought a really sweet frame in 1972. $1000 today won't get you anything close to it judging by what they are asking for these. Using the calulator, you would have to have paid $2500+ for bike in 1972 to equal a top of the line $12k - $14k pro bike today or almost $400 for one of these framesets. But IIRC a top of the line bike in 1972 went for around $500, maybe $700 for an all out full custom hand made touring bike like a Rene Herse. I think $2500 would have bought you a darned nice car back then.
I have to admit to having sticker shock after ignoring bike prices since the early '80s.
Two data points: a Paramount went for just under $500 in 1975, and I remember the name Italian bikes going for $750 or so at that time. By 1980, you could easily spend $1500 at the top end on an Italian bike. So we are talking $2500 to almost $4000. Sure, the top end is more than that now, but you can do pretty well for $4k. And depending on your perspective, today's $1500 bikes are probably better bikes than the top of the line bikes from 1980. But I didn't say that in C&V