pharding

I stopped a local national on-line retailer to price a Campagnolo Super Record Group Set. He said that Campy dropped their prices today. I was quoted a price of $2100 for the group set with the compact crankset. That is a great price. He said that bicycle retail sales are way off across the industry with the economy in the toilet.

cedricbosch

I heard that next week, the Super Record groupset will be available for $500. Shimano will counter by offering Dura-Ace 7900 for free.

acorn_user

I bet some of that reflects changing currencies too. I feel bad for the US importers who brought in stock with the old exchange rate and are now being totally undercut by imports from euroshops. Still, great deals out there!

SushiJoe

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you read.

patentcad

If there is a glimmer of truth to any of this, it's the first sign of a potentially devastating economic phenomena: the DE-flationary spiral. That gripped Japan through the 1990's and led to a decade long recession. In that scenario (rampant now in the stagnant real estate markets) buyers postpone purchase decisions in the anticipation of ever-LOWER prices.

The CPI (Consumer Price Index) registered a DECLINE of 1% last month, the largest EVER recorded (they started keeping records just after WWII). Energy, food, real estate, cars, etc., all markedly cheaper from the month before.

Is that story plausible? When you add the drastically stronger dollar to all this, it would be hard for it NOT to be.

RacerOne

All that and an economist as well.

wfrogge

Sorry but 2100 for a group set is not a good deal. I dont care what price they had it for to begin with.

patentcad

Incorrect.

CNBC Addict. Watch 'Fast Money' @ 5PM. Best damn show on TV (after The Simpsons of course).

cedricbosch

Oh my god, a decline of ONE PERCENT!!!!

patentcad

If you actually had one viable brain cell (doubtful), the ominous gravity of that little economic statistic might not have sailed so far over your friggin bike weenie head.

pharding

There are several factors at play here.

1. The dollar has done well against the euro as of late.

2. US Consumers are being hosed down by European bicycle and component manufacturers. A prime example is Assos. The new Assos Winter.LL Bib Tights sell retail at Competitive Cyclist for $399 plus tax and shipping. The exact same Assos Winter.LL Bib Tights sell for $261.61 plus tax plus shipping in Germany. In Germany Assos gear is ordered by the retailer directly from Assos. Prior to this fall in the US Assos gear was ordered by the retailer through Ochsner, a distributor, who purchased the gear from Assos. Now Assos gear is ordered by the US retailer directly from Assos. Guess what now that the distributor has been eliminated and the dollar has improved substantially the US Assos retail prices have stayed at their astronomical level and have been given their annual bump up. The American cycling enthusiasts are just getting ***** by Assos.

3. The other obvious factor is Campy's move today to reduce prices is that retail bicycles sales are falling way off with consumers pulling back because the US economy is in a recession that is growing daily.

cedricbosch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

rufvelo

Long live SunTour Superbe Pro!

ridethecliche

Haha, I used that group for a bit.

The cranks are beautiful and incredibly light, and the brakes look incredible!

Booger

In the long run, it will be good for most of us. In areas where folks struggle to make $50k/year, $500k houses and stupid high cost of living increases is what started this mess anyway. Our economy has been nothing but a ponzi scheme with all you NY A-holes pulling the strings of greed.

DasProfezzional

Which means that people saved more.

patentcad

That's for the Americans who survive the short term. Yes, those left standing will stand to make more money. In that respect, they will have much in common with the 15th Century survivors of the Great Plague. Now that's something to look forward to.

Stay tuned.

By the way the aholes are everywhere, as your post illustrates. Please note that the worst real estate meltdowns are occurring in places like California, Florida and Nevada, far from Wall Street. If you want to point fingers, start with the mirror (although then there's always somebody pointing back at you).

patentcad

Sarcasm is more effective when it's humorous. Your post just sounded clueless.

Campag4life

I just ordered 2009 Campy Centaur CF Shifters with cables from Total Cycling in the UK for $191.xx + shipping. Astounding really compared to buying them in the US for $300...Sram Force shifters for $350 + etc. Campy is an outstanding value if buying in the UK and shipping to the US.

SushiJoe

Wiggle and PBK tend to ship for free too. Makes a good deal even better.

audioslavery

I'm going to have to agree with the uncommonly correct pcad arguments.

CPI decrease is a big part, along with the dollar ROARING BACK!

patentcad

Fixed.

Grasschopper

But back on topic...I am not seeing a price drop from the retailers I use...are we talking only US pricing? Only Super Record?

Coyote2

I doubt that deflation will cause people to postpone purchases in hopes of even lower prices; if recent history teaches anything, it is that people in the US rarely engage in deferred gratification.

The real danger from deflation is that it increases the real value (i.e., inflation-adjusted value) of debt, hence it increases the financial burden of typical lower and middle-class households at a time when they are already strained.

Namenda

This is why I love working in healthcare...I have a never-ending supply of customers.