For the bikes I believe the consumer needs models with less full integrated cable routing and less proprietary parts. I am happy with disc brakes but I think the former points need to be adressed to make cycling cheaper and also more interesting for the second hand market : maintening an old bike full of non standard parts is difficult or even impossible.
I don't have specific knowledge of the bike industry, but costs of retooling every year or 2 have to be recovered somehow. I know no one wants advice from BMXers loitering outside the convenience store but there are plenty of BMX parts that have been unchanged for 10+ years, no one complains and there's no "this changes everything" headlines every year. Also there's a single standard for every part! (sorry lol!)
Anyone who watches Hambini knows that the quality of the build in supposedly high end bikes is a joke. There is no correlation between price and performance.
The whole "bike industry dying" is mostly just consumers wising up to ridiculous prices and bull**** marketing. There's always the "dentist" with unlimited budget for top of the line everything, but most normal cyclists simply aren't going to spend $10,000+ for a bike. Consumer direct brands and Chinese components are drastically improving quality and affordability!
There are plenty of budget bike, parts and apparel out there. It's not that hard to break into the sport - as long as you don't expect to own a Dogma F from the start. People should honestly get a reality check, it's ridiculous that anyone expects the latest aero tech to be cheap. Nobody walks into a Porsche dealership and complains about the high prices.
@@sergeykuznetsov8291The problem is that the budget bikes are not in the shops, and it's not easy to trust others when getting one off of Ebay or a marketplace site.
There was a great film back in about 1980 called "Breaking Away". In the final big race, the kids were given a fixie clunker and they had to repair it and then race on it. That was the spirit of cycling back when building your own bikes actually meant something.
Do you think modern bike tech has gotten to complex? ⚙ Being able to fix your own bike in an amazing skill, it can help people push their independence 🙌
Even in 1980 it was a funky collegiate event at the University of Indiana that required (still does, I think) everyone to use a specific AMF hardware store coaster brake bike on a running track. The lead character (Dave) is actually obsessed with Euro road racing culture after he wins a Masi, but sours after meeting his heroes in a local exhibition race. It's the far different home-grown IU contest where he and the Cutters shine.
Yep. So glad to have been bitten by the mtb bug late 80's. We were kids with no money, but could get a decent cheap mtb. We rode those things everywhere, up mountains, across continents, raced them and had so much fun it'll be etched in my memory for ever. We were able to hack and bodge things to work on the cheap, even built my first wheel at 15 by just looking at a wheel and replicating it, it rode fine. These days I can fix anything on bike with the tools in the shed and in the head, and maybe this is why I've steered well clear for the first time in my riding life from the latest generation tech, most of it is unnecessary, a rip off and poor quality to boot. There's something that's been lost with the last decades tech obsession and I feel sorry for the normal kids who wont be able to access the sport so easily. Cycling has become elitist, and thats not cool.
If the problem is expensive bikes, the solution should be a price cap the way many sports have a salary cap. Just don't let anyone start a race on a setup (frame, groupset, wheelset) that costs more than say 8000 GBP/USD/Euro.
It’s not just racing that’s more expensive - I do a lot of Sportives and the entry fee has gone up dramatically too. There are lots of riders on £5,000+ bikes but often they are found out quickly.
Yeah, also I laugh my ass off when I see people on super expensive super Aero bikes but riding with straight arms in as about the most un-aero position.
The cost of cycling has dramatically increased because the customer is willing to pay for it. I have seen many cyclists buy bikes with the idea that it will make them better/faster riders, and guess what? They are still the same cyclist. The best upgrade that you can make is you.
@@gcntech I believe so, and I believe simplifying the models available would also increase sales. The truth is that 98% of cyclists out there do not need an aero/climbing-specific bike.
They're faster or at least more efficient. Benefits decrease per dollar as things get more expensive which is why a McClaren isn't actually 15x faster than a Corolla but it's definitely faster😂
Started off on a gas-pipe Freeman's catalogue BSA Javelin 5 speed road bike. Still ride on a budget and love cycling, ride what you can afford and don't stress about it.
Bicycle racing agencies may want to look at how sailboat class rules are established for racing. Sailboat classes where broad participation is desired heavily restrict the technology and design of the sailboat so the cost of the boat is uniform and skill of the participant is the determining factor.
100% agree. The fact is if they restricted tech all the way to CAT3 racing it would keep costs down and make it less exclusive. Mandate metal frames and aluminum wheels….
I think we need more mass start timed events and more Fondo style rides with segment competitions. There are a lot of people doing 5k runs who are just working on their own performance and have no plans to win, but these events are so financially successful, they are used as fundraising
The Enduro style events ( times sections) are really cool, makes for a great vibe at the races. Hank went Grinduro recently and had an epic time 👉 ua-cam.com/video/UPzh9ct-RJE/v-deo.html
Giant is the largest selling brand of bicycle that can be found in the pro peloton. The fact the TCR and the Propel are nearly half the price of some of the “top” brands bikes and just as good and highly specced out as other brands, you can see why! I can’t understand why people pay 24000 aud when you an get the same thing from Giant and Merida etc for half the price!
A 9:25 An idea to equalize tech in popular events or certain categories at such events: establish a mandatory nominal value for evey bike, eg 2kEUR. If another competitor wants to buy your bike after the race, you have to sell it at this price. Should work much better than setting many complicated norms for rim dephth etc and is more flexible. I believe they have something like this in Finland for popular rally events.
I was just about to write about those Finnish rallies. Also, Japanese keirin racing uses steel frames and parts certified by the NJS. NJS parts are very low tech by today's standards, but they are functional, strong, and relatively affordable. There's nothing stopping us from implementing similar standards for other forms of bike racing. Imagine a road racing series where everybody rides a $1500 steel road bike made to very strict regulations. I would love that.
Back in the day (and maybe some places now) there was a division in car racing called a “claimer” class. You car race your car but if someone wanted to buy the car after the race for a preset amount of money, you had to sell it for that price. It was a deterrent to spending a lot of money for advantage. It could work for bike racing.
@@josephh7750 If there was a $1000 dollar buy back class no one will bring their 12 speed Di2 equipped bike to that race. It would make a great beginner class with a lower barrier to entry. Claims to equipment would be extremely rare as long as sportsmanship is alive and well.
I've often been tempted to do some of the 60-100k non-competitive events but the cost of getting there on top of the participation fee is a disincentive when I can do similar for free, just by myself. I do get that the cost of marshalling such events is a limiting factor, but the fee is a barrier which some (including myself) have yet to cross
It's a shame prices are high where you are. I just started participating in gran fondos and other non-competitive events, and it's a great experience. You get to share the road with more experienced riders and try to keep up with their pace, or meet new people at your level, and possible get new training partners. Here, it's rather cheap to sign up for some events. 15-25 USD or 35-50 if you want the event jersey, and I even got to ride in the group with a local pro. I was dropped, of course, but I liked it while it lasted 😂
There has always been a difference between the haves and have nots in cycling, even when i raced as a junior in the 70's and before. It is not likely to change. Plenty of people that had the best gear just gave up because it didn't make it easy to win. You still have to put in the effort to improve
The costs of any event has increased dramatically since 2014 to today. Ollie recently participated in El Tour de Tucson. In 2014, it cost 50 USD to ride. This year, it cost 150 USD. If you are riding for a charity, the minimums are now at least 1K in fund raising for some of the more well known charities. This has caused people to stop riding these well-known events.
The prices of some events that I've participated in have nearly doubled or the registration has changed, forcing you to pay for a full weekend event even if you can only participate on one day. I rode the KCC Horsey Hundred in 2021 and it cost me $55USD for Saturday. This year the registration changed, forcing you to pay $95USD for the full weekend even if you could only make it for a single day ride.
I just don’t enter races anymore, I ride as much as I can and spend my money on trips that have great cycling spots. I honestly enjoy it more than entering any race…
It's not as if the solution to this problem is rocket science. If dentists are rocking up on £15k bikes dressed as Assos Guy and making everyone else feel like they don't belong, then have limits on what you can ride. No aero wheels, mechanical shifting and groupsets no higher than 105 tier.
If one rides to win races, then it seems paying the high price for the fastest and most expensive equipment is a must. If one rides for the experience of being outdoors, with one's friends, for the cafe or pub stop afterwards, then riding one's trusty steed, regardless of it's age and the location of the shifter levers, is absolutely fine!
@@EditioCastigata it doesn't, but also a part, which is prohibitely expensive. But of course, this isn't a real tip, like a much higher weight limit (8kgs?) also would work.
Little bit hypocritical to say it's fine to race on Tiagra etc when this tech show does bang on about having the top gear, which I feel adds to that social pressure.
The cost of cycling has dramatically decreased for me because people are putting carbon rim brake setups on fire-sale, so this headline really only applies to certain people who want a bleeding edge hyper bike.
All motorists should start off riding a bicycle first and ride the streets. Learn how it feels being passed at a distance of 30cm. In Singapore, cars have to leave a 1.5 metre gap when passing a cyclist. Most don't. Ride a bicycle for one year, then pass your driver's licence.
In Germany and Austria these bike-leasing options, where the employee and the employer share the costs, do exist too. And this is also a reason bikes become more expensive, because people go for bikes they would never by cash.
Here again lower income groups are disadvantaged: Your pension-effective income gets reduced if you go with that scheme. Unless you earn in the top 10%: Then it becomes more attractive since your pension is capped anyway.
If people were not buying $5,000+ bicycles, they would not be made. The problem is too many people are willing to overspend. I am much happier with my $2000 road bike with Shimano 105 components.
Participation in races in any sport is getting insane. I used to sign up for 3-4 10Ks a year so I had a goal to work towards (cycling now cos of old knees!) and even mass participation events like the Great Scottish Run are costing ~£40 for entry, and that's a running event in a city centre that you can easily get to via public transport.
@gcntech Very much so. I think there's a lot of pressure among the event organizers to make their event the "biggest and best" and that goes into the race fees
@@dblissmn Agreed, plus, again in the case of the Great Scottish Run, they've measured their course too short twice in the last few years famously costing 2 Scottish runners what were initially announced as Scottish or British records (Callum Hawkins in 2016 half-marathon and Eilish McColgan in the 2022 10K)
@@gcntech I think the increasing entry fees may have a part in it. In my home state the organizers for one of the events in the yearly Century Challenge eliminated their single day entries. If you could only participate on a given day, you still had to pay for a three day entry unless you volunteered as support crew for one of the weekend event days as that would give you a free entry. I understand the logistics and financial burden of putting on such a big event is a nightmare but, literally forcing participants to pay for all three days was a bit much.
I remember going on club training ride, it was the start of good weather and everyone turns up on full carbon whippets. 6000k+ bikes. One chap then turns up on a vintage Raleigh Team Banana he got off eBay for £35. Still had the original tyres on. Weighed a tonne. We set off and everyone was belting it, we got to the big climb on the ride and this guy on the Banana just dropped everyone. He sat waiting at the top smiling.
Class wins out Everytime. 12 or so years ago my club was doing a 10 mile evening TT. Various levels of TT bikes and club riders. A well know rider turns up on his way home from work on his bike with mudguards and panniers. He took the panniers off raced and did the fastest time of the night.
"..it's the parents..." ??? Is it? Are they responsible for industry marketing? "racing" is a small part of the cycling pie, given a disproportionate amount of importance by an unsustainable number of market participants, all competing for a slice of a slice of the cycling pie. No wonder brands are going broke, and price is a barrier to entry. Sadly, cycling really is" the new golf".
I used to think $500 to $2000 spent on a bike meant you got yourself a really expensive bike, now the bikes that I want cost more than a used corvette, this industry price gouges way beyond reason, they pay a chineese company $150 to build a bike frame, put a $600 group set on it then charge $12,000, it is insanity. I have dealt with China in purchasing a pretty nice carbon frame, Invoices from the manufacturer were left in the box, I paid $600 for the frame, the people I bought it from paid the manufacturer $150.
Keeping racing cheap would actually be really easy. No carbon frames, maximum 2x9 speed drivetrain, and no wheels over 60mm depth. This should be implemented for juniors at the very least and should apply to all adult grades except A (or cat 1/2 depending on where you are)
It's not the technology, it's just greed. The industry saw an opportunity in COVID and abused it. It's also vanity. Being seen with an older, non-aero, tubed bike has become "embarrassing". Utter nonsense.
I started racing in the 80's on a bone shaking Cannondale. I bought the cheapest race model for $400 (new bike) Over the years, I slowly upgraded to Ultegra. I raced and trained on that bike for 10 years before I bought a classic racing department Bianchi that I built up with Campy Chorus. Back in the mid 90's, you could build up a good race bike for around $2500. After that I built up a 99 Aluminum Giant TCR, and after that a custom, super lightweight Steel bike that I raced on until 2017. 32 years racing total. 40 years riding.
Consider that a BMW GS, the epitome of motorcycle technology, falls in the same price category as some of these bicycles. The BMW however, was designed with cutting edge technology and thousands of some of the best engineers the world has to offer. Then it’s manufactured with industry 4 principles in space age like factories. Using worldwide supply chains. Have these bicycle components manufacturers submit their unitised capex and opex costs, with their annual financials, detailing executive remuneration and dividends, to BMW for analysis and commentary. You will get crystal clear answers, as to the real reasons why no bicycle ever manufactured, should cost more than 500 Euro.
There’s hardly more than one size per motorcycle produced, yet you have several per bicycle with various combinations of components, i. e. usually >10 variants.
The development has been fast and crazy - and I mean crazy bad. Without counting leisurely activities, cycling has gone from the sport of everyman to sport of the upper middle class and the rich. Yes, the cost of every competitive sport has gone up but with cycling it is worse, because the starting costs are higher from the start.
Here in Flanders allot of companies are doing bike leases as an extralegal benefit. You pay X amount (before taxes)a month for a year and at the end you get the option to pay the remaining amount or swap to a new one and turn in the old bike. Often this comes with free bike maintenance during the "lease" period :D
Why not have events which only allow bikes with groupsets below the top tier I.e. 105 or Tiagra (or equivalent) and below. Or even set categories of all the same groupsets or weight of bike or cost of bike so it's more about the athlete's performance rather than who has the best equipment.
As much as people sing the praises of carbon fiber, I believe it has taken a toll on the entry of folks into competitive cycling because of the cost of these carbon fiber bikes. Carbon fiber had done something else. It has reduced the need for innovation in other bike frame materials, such as aluminum. The need to push the envelope of performance of more affordable aluminium frames using techniques like hydro forming is less because manufacturers are choosing the relatively easy option of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a great material. But it is only a great material for relatively affluent cyclists. The problem is compounded because manufacturers choose to only put better group sets, wheels, etc. on their carbon fiber frames. The ideal material is one that can be engineered and manufactured to offer all the performance advantages at a cost that is accessible to the majority of cyclist. Let's hope that someday some clever people will find that "frame for the masses."
So, I'd love to see a requirement for a class of bike racing that doesn't allow the use of a head unit in view (lets you put it behind the saddle or out of view) and a new weight requirement of like 8 or 9kg, metallic frames only, mechanical shifting only, wheel depth limit of 30mm. Additionally, I just took advantage of an E-Bike rebate program here in Colorado where I got a $1500 rebate on an E-Cargo bike. So, there's other places doing it as well!
Nobody talks about it, but a lot of the blame for escalating prices is UCI Article 1.3.006. Pro racing is always and should always strive to innovate, but a rule that says pros can't use anything that Joe-cyclist can't buy means manufacturers will provide high-end gear for pros _and_ for Joe Cyclist. If this pro-level gear has to be "mass marketed" for pros to use it, of course makers are going to charge a premium for it. Imagine if Formula 1 did this.
Dirt bikes racing is similar. The AMA has a similar ruling BUT the cost of a race ready dirt bike out the door in the US is 10k. Of course pro racer bikes have thousands more in after market parts but the average joe racer doesn’t care to have a replica pro race bike.
Great point! Do yo think that if this was ditched as a rule it would lower the entry point into racing? Or would manufactures still try and sell the cutting edge pro kit?
@@gcntech If Article 1.3.006 were ditched, top pros would still use top-level gear because sponsors want their teams to succeed. Therefore, "innovation" would continue unabated. Manufacturers might still push pro-level gear onto the consumer market, but removal of the rule would at least give them the option of _not_ doing so and to spend more resources on their low to mid-range equipment. I think it likely we'd see the major bike and component makers effectively split into two divisions: racing/development and mass market, much like car makers who engage in racing have done for decades. Along with ditching Article 1.3.006, UCI should establish standards for lower-level and junior racing that limit the level of equipment that can be used. For example, juniors could ride carbon forks, but everything else, including wheels, must be metal and their drive trains must be 2x11or lower without motorized shifting, and the bike must weigh at least 9.5Kg. Low-level pros would see incremental opening of restrictions as they progress. That's how the playing field gets leveled. And because there would be important categories of racing that limit the gear to that used by most consumers, consumer-level gear would get the resources it deserves. Imagine the level of aluminum wheels and metal frames we could get if a category of racing required their use! Prices might still remain inflated, but at least we would be assured that availability won't be killed by the an over focus on world tour pros.
hmmmm I don't think it would change anything. What proof suggests that the pricing would be actually cheaper? If you segment the marketplace further you may just end up paying the same price or more for a tier lower spec / quality. I feel cycling is pretty much a supply v demand issue. So many of us are paying for the top end gear and if it truly was too expensive it just wouldn't sell. I feel like too many people are acting like we are being forced to do this. Consumerism and greed is at fault. The quickest and most simplest way to see prices drop is to stop paying for new bikes and top end gear. Recycle and revive old bikes and make do with what you have in the shed. But we all know that's NEVER going to happen. We love our sparkly new tech.
@@KorbensBum isn't it because of 1.3.006 that we all want new and shiny which we see pros ride? If you look at categories of ebikes, tourers, commuters and especially cargo, you might find greater technical progress over lesser time with better performance per price ratio. Even with the ultimate price being higher than that of racing road bikes. Because people still want sparkly new tech to make their rides more compfortable, safer, longer, easier to maintain, etc. And all of these are being raced too, under the radar of the UCI. If not for this rule (or associated marketing strategy) we would have better choice of equipment right off the bat without hoping for "trickle down" Or if it sounds too radical, we can always have a look at MTB-ers with companies like Tektro and Suntour having solid mass market parts and dedicated racing devisions with parts for Championship and Olympic level. Something Shimano will become more like with (hopefully soon) introduction of road CUES
CGN: what is causing the costs of bikes to rise? Do we really need all this expensive tech? Also CGN: we’re entering this race so we’ve got the top tech, lightest carbon wheels, most aero socks, carbon shoes, etc.
I seriously doubt a bike brand is going to ask if they could enter an event with their kit they made 10 years ago. GCN is still a business that needs to pay wages.
I think you're confusing two different situations. In the case of beginners, trying to enter sport there is definitely no need for extremely expensive equipment and GCN are first to point this out. To fall in love with cycling, budget bikes and basic kit is enough - I have lots of fun on my cheaper Trek Emonda for example. But there is also the option of more expensive tech - if you're an athlete or can offord it. Nobody is forcing people to buy latest Trek Madone or Pinarello Dogma. People complain about expensive bikes and parts they don't need.
It's a middle class pass time/sport also undertaken by middle age and retired people with money to spare, the cycling industry knows this price their kit accordingly. Case in point clothing for running, (which is just as well designed for min weight, breathability, warmth etc), is often way cheaper than its cycling equivalent, aside from my basic cycling top & bib tights all items I wear beneath in the winter are designed for this and work perfectly.
Btwin triban was my first roadbike, absolutely love her, and it's brilliant having Ollie back for the tech show, the bike vault is so soft without him 😘
People like sam pilgrim have proven you can have fun on any bike. You can buy very good mtbs for around £500, that's not expensive at all. You don't need a 15k bike just to keep up with the jones. In the same way, we can enjoy music with a cheap system. We can love driving without buying a porsch. If you blame expensive bikes for the downfall of biking, you don't love biking all that much
This is the comment I was looking for! I have so much fun of my aluminium entry-level road bike. I see a more expensive bike as something to work towards.
@WerdnaLiten I think most people got onto biking due to the covid lock down. Getting a bike was an excuse to get out of the house. In the same way, getting a dog was an excuse to get out. Now covid lock downs are gone, there's no longer the need for a bike or the dog. At the end of the day, if you love biking, you will love biking even on an inexpensive bike. If you don't love biking, then saying expensive bikes are destroying the industry is an easy way out. I'm a bike nut. I have over 10 bikes....but my favourite bike is also one of the cheapest.
@sergeykuznetsov8291 yes, totally agree. An inexpensive bike can do most things a very expensive bike can do. Good, skilful riders on a cheap bike can beat most posers on a 10k + bikes. And, one day, when we have the money, we can also buy our 10k + bike, lol
If by cycling, you mean only racing, I'd say it doesn't matter. The cost of tech, is largely borne by the posers and instagramers. That is "cycling" too, just a different segment of cycling. As with any industry, consumers wanting to flaunt in the age of social media and main character syndrome will keep that industry alive. Same for cycling, which does not equate wholely to racing.
One of the biggest hurdles cost wise IMHO isn't kit, but the combination of entry and fuel costs. Deep carbon isn't the limiting factor to me, but spending £40 to enter and then the same to drive a couple of hours to get my head kicked in is just more than I can swing.
Reduce fees for racing. I think about racing but $250 to join an organisation, similar to join a club and best part of $100 for a race entry.... More classes for lower level... What fees are bike shops charged that they now can't pass on?
I came back to racing after a 15 year pause to help my kids do their sports, and I noticed a lot of changes to say the least. Greed is the underlying motif. There are about half as many races as there were in the 2000's, and the entry fees have doubled. The bikes have quadrupled in cost and so has the rest of the gear. There is no reason for this other than greed. Once a carbon mold is made, the production of carbon bikes is really cheap $300-$800. All of the talk about wind tunnels and tech as justification for a $10k bike is absurd. All the tech is under contract within the company---not hired from the outside (for the most part). The biggest difference that I've noticed is that no one really gets excited over bikes anymore. I remember when someone bought a new bike in the mid 2000's, showed up to a group ride, and everyone ogled, oohed and ahhhed at their bike. Now, if someone gets a new bike, its hardly even noticed. It is more like what kind of Trek/Giant/Specialized bike did you get? Latest model? It's crazy....and fn BORING. The bikes all look the exact same....matte, monochromatic, dropped stays... If a bike company is charging $10k for a bike, they better have Banksy doing the paint.
Totally agree with the price of cycling gear becoming outrageous. A prime example is a kit (bib shorts and a short sleeve jersey) from a well-known US company will set you back $400 US. That is insane. I like to wear a different kit for each ride during the week. I ride 3-5 days a week so that $1,200 - $2,000 for kits alone. And I don't even ride with the most expensive kits on the market today. How about shoes? Many are upwards of $200 US. For a pair of shoes, really? How about TR tires? They can easily set you back $100+ US for a quality tire. Shoot that's nearly the same price for the tires on my Subaru Crosstrek and the bike tires use a fraction of the amount of rubber and also only last about 2,000-3,000 miles if you are lucky and my car tires will last 60,000 miles. Oh! and both are tubeless. So yeah, the cost of cycling is out of control for sure and sooner or later it will cost the bike industry dearly.
Cycling 🚴🏻♂️ is supposed to be fun and a healthy way of transportation. But when Motorcycling 🏍️💨 has become cheeper 💸 then owning a carbon pedal bike 🚲 that is a industry greed 💰 problem! 😤 🇺🇸
As a swimmer the most expensive purchase are Google's and racing trunks even then you can get relatively cheaper ones rather than getting what the pros get.
In 2013 I purchased my daughter a brand new Honda Civic for just over $17k. That same week, I remember seeing a special edition Wilier Triestina road bike on display for just over $13K. Right then, I knew the industry was headed for disaster.
@@rob-c. Check out the number of cars available for $20,000 or £20,000UK. I give it as a 1-to-1 because the UK prices include all taxes, title and registration fees and the US ones don't. For the US, there simply aren't any. For the UK, there are dozens, some as low as £12,000 or about $16,000 US and remember, that's inclusive of taxes, title and registration. But UK and EU regulations 1) take pedestrians and cyclists into account for crash safety while US only considers car occupants; 2) consider fuel economy as an average while the US is broken down by category, making it much easier to produce lots of SUVs; 3) do not employ the degree of protectionism that you see in the US opening the market to more brands. So in the US I can't replace my small, pedestrian/cyclist-friendly Chevy with something comparable because there's nothing available. But in Europe I could. Perhaps the real question should be, is the US car industry headed for disaster?
Many people think, they need expensive bikes to participate in races and get good results. Truth is, in racing, especially in critracing, positioning is key. Aero and weight does not mean anything as long you sit in the draft. In amateur racing you can pedal like 220 watts average the whole race when you are in the draft and just hammer it at the end. but as marketing is only talking about pro bikes, and watt savings here and there, people think they need stuff to win/race, instead of racecraft and fitness. Also, i guess there are plenty of new events that gather new people to the sport and especially women by listening what the people want, to take part in events. As i think, that i am somewhere in the ultracycling / brevet bubble there are so many new ways and ideas to make Events more appealing to people, for example 50/50 gender participation equality, save spaces, feel good staff etc. The time for for old races where just 1000 blokes talking how cool they are and how many watts the push etc is over and they start to die.
I collect cycling magazines from the late 80s to early 90s. Here are some listings from advertisements in the November 1989 Cycling Magazine - (The prices vary according to vendors) Lemond TSX (Campy Record gruppo) $2695 Campy Record gruppo w/pedals $1225 Shimano Dura-Ace (w/o pedals) $705 Basso Loto framset (w/7 gruppo selections) $1149 - $1799 Shimano 105 $469 Shimano Ultegra $563 Shimano Dura Ace $906 Campy Athena $550 Campy Chorus $750 Campy Record $1290 Yes, it was almost 35 years ago, and prices will increase. But it is still fun to reminisce.
Got my first ever win this year thanks to the CTT road bike category. Riding a 5 year old Ribble with a peculiar creak I was 4:20 behind the first TT bike 😅
I work for a bike to work company in Finland. For us the governament pays 100€/month if you get a bike and the company you work for pays 15€ to us. It's simple and nobody gets cut. Our company has bought bikes for 90 million during the last three years which is a lot in a 5 million habitant country.
got the Triban RC 120 street fighter style (flat bars, 60mm, just perfect size for me) it's my first road bike ever (always had MTBs) and it is working like a charm. "The bike of the people" as Alex says. Regarding to what Ollie mentions, even if he is part of the GCN staff and you get to try all the bells and whistles, he understands that most people can't afford that, or maybe it's too much for them, and that's the issue with races and stuff. cycling has gotten quite expensive overall. I went to a Decathlon store today and got some pretty neat road bike stuff, but finding some decent cheap shorts with bibs was difficult despite being Decathlon, which usually has nice prices, not to mention long pants with bibs....
In local crits I still see allez and caad's being competitive. However, with any decent groupset, they are not what I call cheap but certainly not crazy expensive. It's all about perspective on what you call crazy expensive though. S-Works, etc... are crazy to me but maybe a 3k Allez isn't crazy but still isn't cheap.
Interesting. I do remember in the'80s how if you had the top kit but didn't podium you were known as a 'poser'. I don't know what point that faded away. Even at top level there were Star Trophy winners on 2nd hand bikes. A lot of the sporting aspects of cycling are indeed more costly in fees . Also there was more expectations you'd actually ride to events. Maybe gravel bikes will help and become the one bike for all with different wheels...
True, although lots of the bikes that don't get used to race have been designed from bikes that do race. Do you think racing has too big of an impact on the industry?
@@gcntech Agree; some trickle down technology is a good thing and inevitable. But the success of things like the 105 Mechanical Groupset show us all that rideability, simplicity, durability, and repairability are all important for those that do not swap out bikes like worn out Kits.
As a cycling enthusiast bordering on obsession, here is my opinion: All the pricey tech; disc brakes, high end components, Di2 etc. I don't have a problem with and enjoy however: Don't phase out the old technology! You should still be able to buy a rim brake bike with mechanical shifting. The phase out is where I think the problem lies. And btw, a bike company I won't mention, a 50 tooth big ring is too small! The standard should be 52 or at least keep it as an option without having to get a high-end bike. We see what you are doing, and we don't like it!
Just noticed the new gcn hill climb challenge on Rouvy. Malaucene (mont ventoux), Stelvio and Grossglockner (Edelweiss territory). I had planned on redoing the 3 ventoux routes on Saturday again (did the same last Saturday) but now I had a new plan. Small tip. The bikes do actually make a difference to your performance. When viewing bike stats you get 1 to 5 stars for both aero and weight 5 stars for weight is lighter than a 1 star bike. A lot of people think that 1 star is lighter. Btw. There is a much harder Grossglockner route which covers almost 2500m ascent as the route splits off around ½ way then turns back to edelweiss. Means you get an extra 800m or so climb, but then you have the same descent. I hope you make this a monthly challenge production.
I didn’t know there was a road bike category for TTs. I’m keen on the idea of racing the clock on local-ish roads, it’s now become something to aim for next summer without having to get a new bike. Expensive fancy gear definitely put me off previously.
If you are ready to race the clock and not the dudes with expensive gear, you are more than welcome to start with any bike you have. Rememeber, a regular road bike but with tt extensions was even used in late Olympics
The person on the bike makes most of the difference. If people think they're disadvantaged because they're riding on Tiagra on an alloy bike with box-section wheels, then they'll most likely be defeating themselves thinking they can't be competitive. But those who can overlook what others are using and have faith in their own fitness will be able to mitigate this to a large degree. It's a mind game...
the name of the game: „show what you have and what you can afford - otherwise, you canˋt be a real athlete.“ You ˋ re nothing with Tiagra. You need s-works and DuraAce DI2.
I was talking about this with a friend who rides a bike but doesn't consider herself a cyclist and she wanted to know why I wasn't part of a local club. I told her that most of the people she sees riding around on matching bikes and in kits had to pay for those. That and I like riding vintage steel bikes and that wouldn't work with modern clubs and in races.
I rememebr back when I started cycling in the late 70's there were only road bikes. One could turn up at a time trial or any race with a well set up road bike that did not cost much and be competitive. A lot of the bikes were not expensive but cleverly set up instead. The advantage an road bike offers is that it is multi use and can perform in a number of roles.
In other sports you have one type races. The cycling unions should specify a standard bike and the bikeproducers will make this bike, as there will be a huge market for it. One other way could be a handicap system, as they exists within sailing. Your time will then be adjusted according to biketype, geartypes, width of aero tubes, skinsuit or not and so on. You will then win on corrected time. As in sailing, you could even have different classes. Even in TT, you could have real TT bikes. I bought a 2014 Exocet II for 300£ and just changed the straight extensions for ski's You could also have many people participating if an event also had "gentlemans races" like eroica events, for bikehappy but not so competitive people
WRT the cycling-to-work scheme: in Germany, there is the so-called "Dienstrad-Leasing" meaning something like "employment bike leasing"). It means bike leasing bound to an employment relation where the montly leasing payment are deducted from the gross salary thus saving tax and social security expenses. It is usually managed by specialised leasing service provider that work with retailers who participate in this program. After the leasing period, the client (employee) has the option to buy the bike at the deprecated value or just give it back to the retailor. As alway with leasing, there is the risk of theft, loss and damages so an insurance is usally part of the package as well as a maintance contract. Fun fact: as the upper retail price cap of the bike is quite high, many people use this construct to finance high-level race bikes, TT bikes and triathlon bikes. Of course the majority get their e-bikes financed (which is the target group, of course).
I am strongly in favor of Ollie's suggestion that all cars be high-vis. I'm actually a little disappointed that Toyota isn't offering the new Prius in yellow in the US even though all their global marketing material shows it in yellow -- only in Europe and Asia.
you said it 9:15 its totally relying on equipment aka money. so the reality is that the person with the most money can benefit where as in NJS races in Japan it is about the ability of the rider which is way cooler and respectable.
I think it would be fun to have events that were handicapped based on what gear you had. For example carbon frame add 2 second per km, carbon 50mm wheels 3 sec per km etc. Then you could turn up on a kmart bike still be conpetitive. Ofcourse choose the handicapped amounts based on some scientific testing.
both i guess. I still ride mechanical although i know if I ever ride electronic I'll prob never look back. But i dont see the need to upgrade. Some tech is soultions to problems that dont exist.@@gcntech
@@gcntecha mixture of both. And it s the game of „show what you have and what you can afford“ . Show that you ˋ re a serious athlete. But of course you can be a serious athlete with expensive equipment. And, please GCN take a closer look at your videos and analyse which subliminal message you also send too often.
@@gcntechI've noticed increasingly a number of bikes with 7 or 8 speed groupset occupying a price where you'd find 10 speed 105 and tiagra five or six years ago. If I could get the bike I was riding in 2011 but with clearance for 28c tubeless tyres I'd be buying and riding it, it had all external cables and wasn't a maintenance nightmare, I work long hours so taking a bike to the local bike shop isn't an option.
Entry level bikes are to complicated to fix, people buy bikes then find out that getting it fixed is expensive. Entry levels bikes do not need internal cables, non round seatposts, brand only stem and handlebars.
I dont race, but love Sportives. I think this is a good atmosphere, we get a timer chip. Sportives are good at getting people into cycling without the pressure of racing.
I’ve watched local community and fun family type of events cancelled especially because they a in part riding on roads that have cars on them and the police refuse to sign off on an event because of the risk of a cyclist colliding with a car among other things. The ever increasing cost of insurance for cycling bodies, event centres and clubs along with the additional complexity and professionalism required for event and risk management is accumulating and forcing the cost for each event to be much higher in time and dollars. I’m seeing either mega events run as a commercial ventures and club or competition events on closed circuits or approved trail centres but the more casual type of rides that tend to attract the non racing enthusiast are becoming much less common where I live in Australia. 😢
Cycling 🚴🏻♂️ is supposed to be fun and a healthy way of transportation. But when Motorcycling 🏍️💨 has become cheeper 💸 then owning a carbon pedal bike 🚲 that is a industry greed 💰 problem! 😤 🇺🇸
Years ago our local club, who holds weekly races, went to Merckx Style TT. Cycling on a dedicated TT bike is a different kind of riding as much as Track riding is to road riding. We shouldn't mix Specialized TT races with Road Races.
What do you think should be done to combat the rising costs of cycling? 💸
More accessible payment programs, personally I have a good credit rating but low income job so couldn't even get klarna for a 1200 bike lmao
For the bikes I believe the consumer needs models with less full integrated cable routing and less proprietary parts. I am happy with disc brakes but I think the former points need to be adressed to make cycling cheaper and also more interesting for the second hand market : maintening an old bike full of non standard parts is difficult or even impossible.
Cycling is still cheap.. Try to become an F1 driver 😁
I don't have specific knowledge of the bike industry, but costs of retooling every year or 2 have to be recovered somehow. I know no one wants advice from BMXers loitering outside the convenience store but there are plenty of BMX parts that have been unchanged for 10+ years, no one complains and there's no "this changes everything" headlines every year. Also there's a single standard for every part! (sorry lol!)
@@Jari1973 try to become a F1 team! Drivers still have their near free ways though, when talented and not wannabes
The cycling industry is actually killing itself.
Poor manufacturing standards with these products being way overpriced is one big issue
As a follower of Hambini's channel, I am well aware of lazy manufacturing standards.
Anyone who watches Hambini knows that the quality of the build in supposedly high end bikes is a joke. There is no correlation between price and performance.
@@greggsenne1268 Agreed.
Ask those tri-hard dudes in the next studio the same question
Yup the welds on my 2016 Specialized Allez are cleaner than the welds on the 2023 Allez sprint. Which doesn't make sense.
The whole "bike industry dying" is mostly just consumers wising up to ridiculous prices and bull**** marketing. There's always the "dentist" with unlimited budget for top of the line everything, but most normal cyclists simply aren't going to spend $10,000+ for a bike. Consumer direct brands and Chinese components are drastically improving quality and affordability!
There are plenty of budget bike, parts and apparel out there. It's not that hard to break into the sport - as long as you don't expect to own a Dogma F from the start. People should honestly get a reality check, it's ridiculous that anyone expects the latest aero tech to be cheap. Nobody walks into a Porsche dealership and complains about the high prices.
@@sergeykuznetsov8291The problem is that the budget bikes are not in the shops, and it's not easy to trust others when getting one off of Ebay or a marketplace site.
There was a great film back in about 1980 called "Breaking Away". In the final big race, the kids were given a fixie clunker and they had to repair it and then race on it. That was the spirit of cycling back when building your own bikes actually meant something.
Do you think modern bike tech has gotten to complex? ⚙ Being able to fix your own bike in an amazing skill, it can help people push their independence 🙌
I loved this movie when I started cycling 😊
Even in 1980 it was a funky collegiate event at the University of Indiana that required (still does, I think) everyone to use a specific AMF hardware store coaster brake bike on a running track. The lead character (Dave) is actually obsessed with Euro road racing culture after he wins a Masi, but sours after meeting his heroes in a local exhibition race. It's the far different home-grown IU contest where he and the Cutters shine.
Yep. So glad to have been bitten by the mtb bug late 80's. We were kids with no money, but could get a decent cheap mtb. We rode those things everywhere, up mountains, across continents, raced them and had so much fun it'll be etched in my memory for ever. We were able to hack and bodge things to work on the cheap, even built my first wheel at 15 by just looking at a wheel and replicating it, it rode fine. These days I can fix anything on bike with the tools in the shed and in the head, and maybe this is why I've steered well clear for the first time in my riding life from the latest generation tech, most of it is unnecessary, a rip off and poor quality to boot. There's something that's been lost with the last decades tech obsession and I feel sorry for the normal kids who wont be able to access the sport so easily. Cycling has become elitist, and thats not cool.
With Dennis Quaid, long before he went a bit mad.
If the problem is expensive bikes, the solution should be a price cap the way many sports have a salary cap. Just don't let anyone start a race on a setup (frame, groupset, wheelset) that costs more than say 8000 GBP/USD/Euro.
It’s not just racing that’s more expensive - I do a lot of Sportives and the entry fee has gone up dramatically too. There are lots of riders on £5,000+ bikes but often they are found out quickly.
It's all about the engine 🙌 The bike can only get you so far
I saw some very expensive bikes being walked up the hill at my last sportive.
Yeah, also I laugh my ass off when I see people on super expensive super Aero bikes but riding with straight arms in as about the most un-aero position.
@@peterclarke6546 Yes because 'its all about the engine' doesn't matter what shit you got
The cost of cycling has dramatically increased because the customer is willing to pay for it. I have seen many cyclists buy bikes with the idea that it will make them better/faster riders, and guess what? They are still the same cyclist. The best upgrade that you can make is you.
But wold they sell more bikes and kit to more people if the entry point was lower?
Not realy the industry make it expensiver and the costumer have no another choise to buy it
@@gcntech I believe so, and I believe simplifying the models available would also increase sales. The truth is that 98% of cyclists out there do not need an aero/climbing-specific bike.
They're faster or at least more efficient. Benefits decrease per dollar as things get more expensive which is why a McClaren isn't actually 15x faster than a Corolla but it's definitely faster😂
Yes they would buy. I only buy bike gear on sale. Bicycle Closet online beats LBS by sometimes hundreds.
Started off on a gas-pipe Freeman's catalogue BSA Javelin 5 speed road bike. Still ride on a budget and love cycling, ride what you can afford and don't stress about it.
Bicycle racing agencies may want to look at how sailboat class rules are established for racing. Sailboat classes where broad participation is desired heavily restrict the technology and design of the sailboat so the cost of the boat is uniform and skill of the participant is the determining factor.
100% agree. The fact is if they restricted tech all the way to CAT3 racing it would keep costs down and make it less exclusive.
Mandate metal frames and aluminum wheels….
I think we need more mass start timed events and more Fondo style rides with segment competitions. There are a lot of people doing 5k runs who are just working on their own performance and have no plans to win, but these events are so financially successful, they are used as fundraising
The Enduro style events ( times sections) are really cool, makes for a great vibe at the races. Hank went Grinduro recently and had an epic time 👉 ua-cam.com/video/UPzh9ct-RJE/v-deo.html
Giant is the largest selling brand of bicycle that can be found in the pro peloton. The fact the TCR and the Propel are nearly half the price of some of the “top” brands bikes and just as good and highly specced out as other brands, you can see why!
I can’t understand why people pay 24000 aud when you an get the same thing from Giant and Merida etc for half the price!
A 9:25 An idea to equalize tech in popular events or certain categories at such events: establish a mandatory nominal value for evey bike, eg 2kEUR. If another competitor wants to buy your bike after the race, you have to sell it at this price. Should work much better than setting many complicated norms for rim dephth etc and is more flexible. I believe they have something like this in Finland for popular rally events.
I was just about to write about those Finnish rallies. Also, Japanese keirin racing uses steel frames and parts certified by the NJS. NJS parts are very low tech by today's standards, but they are functional, strong, and relatively affordable. There's nothing stopping us from implementing similar standards for other forms of bike racing. Imagine a road racing series where everybody rides a $1500 steel road bike made to very strict regulations. I would love that.
Back in the day (and maybe some places now) there was a division in car racing called a “claimer” class. You car race your car but if someone wanted to buy the car after the race for a preset amount of money, you had to sell it for that price. It was a deterrent to spending a lot of money for advantage. It could work for bike racing.
Dumb idea then and now...and was meant for professionals
@@jbratt A. it was fed for pro teams who entered into amateur competitions and B. you ain't touching my bike and walking away alive!
@@josephh7750 If there was a $1000 dollar buy back class no one will bring their 12 speed Di2 equipped bike to that race. It would make a great beginner class with a lower barrier to entry. Claims to equipment would be extremely rare as long as sportsmanship is alive and well.
I don't want a price category. Ride what you got
@@jbratt sure thing Einstein 👍
A race category for mechanical gear, externally cabled rim brake bikes with tires 25c and under
Yes and 27.2 posts with quiet rear hubs too 🥳👍🏻
I've often been tempted to do some of the 60-100k non-competitive events but the cost of getting there on top of the participation fee is a disincentive when I can do similar for free, just by myself.
I do get that the cost of marshalling such events is a limiting factor, but the fee is a barrier which some (including myself) have yet to cross
It's a shame prices are high where you are. I just started participating in gran fondos and other non-competitive events, and it's a great experience. You get to share the road with more experienced riders and try to keep up with their pace, or meet new people at your level, and possible get new training partners.
Here, it's rather cheap to sign up for some events. 15-25 USD or 35-50 if you want the event jersey, and I even got to ride in the group with a local pro. I was dropped, of course, but I liked it while it lasted 😂
I'm so glad that there are 2 or 3 of these events in my area every year within a 10 minute bike ride of my house. Another 3 or 4 within an hour drive.
There has always been a difference between the haves and have nots in cycling, even when i raced as a junior in the 70's and before. It is not likely to change. Plenty of people that had the best gear just gave up because it didn't make it easy to win. You still have to put in the effort to improve
Especially at a grass-routes level - The best gear will only get you so far. level up your riding and you'll see those results rise 🙌
The costs of any event has increased dramatically since 2014 to today. Ollie recently participated in El Tour de Tucson. In 2014, it cost 50 USD to ride. This year, it cost 150 USD. If you are riding for a charity, the minimums are now at least 1K in fund raising for some of the more well known charities. This has caused people to stop riding these well-known events.
The prices of some events that I've participated in have nearly doubled or the registration has changed, forcing you to pay for a full weekend event even if you can only participate on one day. I rode the KCC Horsey Hundred in 2021 and it cost me $55USD for Saturday. This year the registration changed, forcing you to pay $95USD for the full weekend even if you could only make it for a single day ride.
I just don’t enter races anymore, I ride as much as I can and spend my money on trips that have great cycling spots. I honestly enjoy it more than entering any race…
Challenge for Alex. Take his budget build bike and enter a "road" TT next year. Bonus points if he can persuade Chloe to enter as well.
Who's Alex?
It's not as if the solution to this problem is rocket science. If dentists are rocking up on £15k bikes dressed as Assos Guy and making everyone else feel like they don't belong, then have limits on what you can ride. No aero wheels, mechanical shifting and groupsets no higher than 105 tier.
If one rides to win races, then it seems paying the high price for the fastest and most expensive equipment is a must. If one rides for the experience of being outdoors, with one's friends, for the cafe or pub stop afterwards, then riding one's trusty steed, regardless of it's age and the location of the shifter levers, is absolutely fine!
We need a 10 hour Bike Vault Special with Ollie over-analyzing the shit out of every photo.
and to choose the ones with really high votes and recent, not from 3 years ago like the last one...
Should we call in the big guns? Jon Cannings waiting in the wings 😂
@@gcntech Live stream Dec 18th, before the app goes down.
Yes. Long live mechanical shifting and rim brakes and a life-long love affair. I don't want to pay 15k for a gadget that is ready for the bin!
spot on 🙂👍🏻
You need events where carbon bikes and wheels, also electronic shifting are banned completely.
Carbon I get, since it’s weight and form. But how does electronic shifting make you faster?
@@EditioCastigataI thought the point of the video was about "cost".
@@trepidati0n533 My impression is, it's about pay-to-win.
@@EditioCastigata it doesn't, but also a part, which is prohibitely expensive.
But of course, this isn't a real tip, like a much higher weight limit (8kgs?) also would work.
@@EditioCastigata Not trying to be a smart-a$$, but you don't have electronic shifting do you? It makes you faster when doing steep climbs imo.
Little bit hypocritical to say it's fine to race on Tiagra etc when this tech show does bang on about having the top gear, which I feel adds to that social pressure.
The cost of cycling has dramatically decreased for me because people are putting carbon rim brake setups on fire-sale, so this headline really only applies to certain people who want a bleeding edge hyper bike.
All motorists should start off riding a bicycle first and ride the streets. Learn how it feels being passed at a distance of 30cm. In Singapore, cars have to leave a 1.5 metre gap when passing a cyclist. Most don't. Ride a bicycle for one year, then pass your driver's licence.
In Germany and Austria these bike-leasing options, where the employee and the employer share the costs, do exist too. And this is also a reason bikes become more expensive, because people go for bikes they would never by cash.
Here again lower income groups are disadvantaged: Your pension-effective income gets reduced if you go with that scheme. Unless you earn in the top 10%: Then it becomes more attractive since your pension is capped anyway.
We do this in Sweden too
Republic of Ireland have the same pre tax bike to work scheme as well @Ollie , but limited to only every 4 years. Used it 4 times now 😅
If people were not buying $5,000+ bicycles, they would not be made. The problem is too many people are willing to overspend. I am much happier with my $2000 road bike with Shimano 105 components.
Participation in races in any sport is getting insane. I used to sign up for 3-4 10Ks a year so I had a goal to work towards (cycling now cos of old knees!) and even mass participation events like the Great Scottish Run are costing ~£40 for entry, and that's a running event in a city centre that you can easily get to via public transport.
It can be really expensive to run these events - Do you think the price of entry is putting lots of people off?
@gcntech Very much so. I think there's a lot of pressure among the event organizers to make their event the "biggest and best" and that goes into the race fees
@@dblissmn Agreed, plus, again in the case of the Great Scottish Run, they've measured their course too short twice in the last few years famously costing 2 Scottish runners what were initially announced as Scottish or British records (Callum Hawkins in 2016 half-marathon and Eilish McColgan in the 2022 10K)
@@gcntech I think the increasing entry fees may have a part in it. In my home state the organizers for one of the events in the yearly Century Challenge eliminated their single day entries. If you could only participate on a given day, you still had to pay for a three day entry unless you volunteered as support crew for one of the weekend event days as that would give you a free entry. I understand the logistics and financial burden of putting on such a big event is a nightmare but, literally forcing participants to pay for all three days was a bit much.
I remember going on club training ride, it was the start of good weather and everyone turns up on full carbon whippets. 6000k+ bikes. One chap then turns up on a vintage Raleigh Team Banana he got off eBay for £35. Still had the original tyres on. Weighed a tonne. We set off and everyone was belting it, we got to the big climb on the ride and this guy on the Banana just dropped everyone. He sat waiting at the top smiling.
Class wins out Everytime. 12 or so years ago my club was doing a 10 mile evening TT. Various levels of TT bikes and club riders. A well know rider turns up on his way home from work on his bike with mudguards and panniers. He took the panniers off raced and did the fastest time of the night.
"..it's the parents..." ???
Is it? Are they responsible for industry marketing?
"racing" is a small part of the cycling pie, given a disproportionate amount of importance by an unsustainable number of market participants, all competing for a slice of a slice of the cycling pie.
No wonder brands are going broke, and price is a barrier to entry. Sadly, cycling really is" the new golf".
I used to think $500 to $2000 spent on a bike meant you got yourself a really expensive bike, now the bikes that I want cost more than a used corvette, this industry price gouges way beyond reason, they pay a chineese company $150 to build a bike frame, put a $600 group set on it then charge $12,000, it is insanity. I have dealt with China in purchasing a pretty nice carbon frame, Invoices from the manufacturer were left in the box, I paid $600 for the frame, the people I bought it from paid the manufacturer $150.
Keeping racing cheap would actually be really easy. No carbon frames, maximum 2x9 speed drivetrain, and no wheels over 60mm depth. This should be implemented for juniors at the very least and should apply to all adult grades except A (or cat 1/2 depending on where you are)
It's not the technology, it's just greed. The industry saw an opportunity in COVID and abused it.
It's also vanity. Being seen with an older, non-aero, tubed bike has become "embarrassing". Utter nonsense.
The problem with cross is that you need 2 bikes and a helper once you get serious
A friend that doesn't mind getting muddy is a must 👀
I started racing in the 80's on a bone shaking Cannondale. I bought the cheapest race model for $400 (new bike) Over the years, I slowly upgraded to Ultegra. I raced and trained on that bike for 10 years before I bought a classic racing department Bianchi that I built up with Campy Chorus. Back in the mid 90's, you could build up a good race bike for around $2500. After that I built up a 99 Aluminum Giant TCR, and after that a custom, super lightweight Steel bike that I raced on until 2017. 32 years racing total. 40 years riding.
Consider that a BMW GS, the epitome of motorcycle technology, falls in the same price category as some of these bicycles. The BMW however, was designed with cutting edge technology and thousands of some of the best engineers the world has to offer. Then it’s manufactured with industry 4 principles in space age like factories. Using worldwide supply chains.
Have these bicycle components manufacturers submit their unitised capex and opex costs, with their annual financials, detailing executive remuneration and dividends, to BMW for analysis and commentary.
You will get crystal clear answers, as to the real reasons why no bicycle ever manufactured, should cost more than 500 Euro.
There’s hardly more than one size per motorcycle produced, yet you have several per bicycle with various combinations of components, i. e. usually >10 variants.
The development has been fast and crazy - and I mean crazy bad. Without counting leisurely activities, cycling has gone from the sport of everyman to sport of the upper middle class and the rich. Yes, the cost of every competitive sport has gone up but with cycling it is worse, because the starting costs are higher from the start.
The name Combat Wombat brings back memories of my motocross days in the ‘70s. That was a model of Hodaka motorcycle.
Here in Flanders allot of companies are doing bike leases as an extralegal benefit.
You pay X amount (before taxes)a month for a year and at the end you get the option to pay the remaining amount or swap to a new one and turn in the old bike.
Often this comes with free bike maintenance during the "lease" period :D
Why not have events which only allow bikes with groupsets below the top tier I.e. 105 or Tiagra (or equivalent) and below. Or even set categories of all the same groupsets or weight of bike or cost of bike so it's more about the athlete's performance rather than who has the best equipment.
As much as people sing the praises of carbon fiber, I believe it has taken a toll on the entry of folks into competitive cycling because of the cost of these carbon fiber bikes. Carbon fiber had done something else. It has reduced the need for innovation in other bike frame materials, such as aluminum. The need to push the envelope of performance of more affordable aluminium frames using techniques like hydro forming is less because manufacturers are choosing the relatively easy option of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a great material. But it is only a great material for relatively affluent cyclists. The problem is compounded because manufacturers choose to only put better group sets, wheels, etc. on their carbon fiber frames. The ideal material is one that can be engineered and manufactured to offer all the performance advantages at a cost that is accessible to the majority of cyclist. Let's hope that someday some clever people will find that "frame for the masses."
So, I'd love to see a requirement for a class of bike racing that doesn't allow the use of a head unit in view (lets you put it behind the saddle or out of view) and a new weight requirement of like 8 or 9kg, metallic frames only, mechanical shifting only, wheel depth limit of 30mm.
Additionally, I just took advantage of an E-Bike rebate program here in Colorado where I got a $1500 rebate on an E-Cargo bike. So, there's other places doing it as well!
Nobody talks about it, but a lot of the blame for escalating prices is UCI Article 1.3.006. Pro racing is always and should always strive to innovate, but a rule that says pros can't use anything that Joe-cyclist can't buy means manufacturers will provide high-end gear for pros _and_ for Joe Cyclist. If this pro-level gear has to be "mass marketed" for pros to use it, of course makers are going to charge a premium for it. Imagine if Formula 1 did this.
Dirt bikes racing is similar. The AMA has a similar ruling BUT the cost of a race ready dirt bike out the door in the US is 10k. Of course pro racer bikes have thousands more in after market parts but the average joe racer doesn’t care to have a replica pro race bike.
Great point! Do yo think that if this was ditched as a rule it would lower the entry point into racing? Or would manufactures still try and sell the cutting edge pro kit?
@@gcntech If Article 1.3.006 were ditched, top pros would still use top-level gear because sponsors want their teams to succeed. Therefore, "innovation" would continue unabated. Manufacturers might still push pro-level gear onto the consumer market, but removal of the rule would at least give them the option of _not_ doing so and to spend more resources on their low to mid-range equipment. I think it likely we'd see the major bike and component makers effectively split into two divisions: racing/development and mass market, much like car makers who engage in racing have done for decades. Along with ditching Article 1.3.006, UCI should establish standards for lower-level and junior racing that limit the level of equipment that can be used. For example, juniors could ride carbon forks, but everything else, including wheels, must be metal and their drive trains must be 2x11or lower without motorized shifting, and the bike must weigh at least 9.5Kg. Low-level pros would see incremental opening of restrictions as they progress. That's how the playing field gets leveled. And because there would be important categories of racing that limit the gear to that used by most consumers, consumer-level gear would get the resources it deserves. Imagine the level of aluminum wheels and metal frames we could get if a category of racing required their use! Prices might still remain inflated, but at least we would be assured that availability won't be killed by the an over focus on world tour pros.
hmmmm I don't think it would change anything. What proof suggests that the pricing would be actually cheaper? If you segment the marketplace further you may just end up paying the same price or more for a tier lower spec / quality.
I feel cycling is pretty much a supply v demand issue. So many of us are paying for the top end gear and if it truly was too expensive it just wouldn't sell. I feel like too many people are acting like we are being forced to do this. Consumerism and greed is at fault. The quickest and most simplest way to see prices drop is to stop paying for new bikes and top end gear. Recycle and revive old bikes and make do with what you have in the shed. But we all know that's NEVER going to happen. We love our sparkly new tech.
@@KorbensBum isn't it because of 1.3.006 that we all want new and shiny which we see pros ride? If you look at categories of ebikes, tourers, commuters and especially cargo, you might find greater technical progress over lesser time with better performance per price ratio. Even with the ultimate price being higher than that of racing road bikes. Because people still want sparkly new tech to make their rides more compfortable, safer, longer, easier to maintain, etc. And all of these are being raced too, under the radar of the UCI.
If not for this rule (or associated marketing strategy) we would have better choice of equipment right off the bat without hoping for "trickle down"
Or if it sounds too radical, we can always have a look at MTB-ers with companies like Tektro and Suntour having solid mass market parts and dedicated racing devisions with parts for Championship and Olympic level. Something Shimano will become more like with (hopefully soon) introduction of road CUES
CGN: what is causing the costs of bikes to rise? Do we really need all this expensive tech?
Also CGN: we’re entering this race so we’ve got the top tech, lightest carbon wheels, most aero socks, carbon shoes, etc.
it seems like it's because of sponsors
*top tech that will be obsolete and worth nothing in a few months...
I seriously doubt a bike brand is going to ask if they could enter an event with their kit they made 10 years ago. GCN is still a business that needs to pay wages.
@@KorbensBum so the success of GCN comes at the cost of the demise of the bike industry 😂
I think you're confusing two different situations. In the case of beginners, trying to enter sport there is definitely no need for extremely expensive equipment and GCN are first to point this out. To fall in love with cycling, budget bikes and basic kit is enough - I have lots of fun on my cheaper Trek Emonda for example. But there is also the option of more expensive tech - if you're an athlete or can offord it. Nobody is forcing people to buy latest Trek Madone or Pinarello Dogma. People complain about expensive bikes and parts they don't need.
It's a middle class pass time/sport also undertaken by middle age and retired people with money to spare, the cycling industry knows this price their kit accordingly.
Case in point clothing for running, (which is just as well designed for min weight, breathability, warmth etc), is often way cheaper than its cycling equivalent, aside from my basic cycling top & bib tights all items I wear beneath in the winter are designed for this and work perfectly.
Btwin triban was my first roadbike, absolutely love her, and it's brilliant having Ollie back for the tech show, the bike vault is so soft without him 😘
It was all going so well for the retailers selling high end gear while credit was cheap but the days of cheap credit are over for now at least
People like sam pilgrim have proven you can have fun on any bike. You can buy very good mtbs for around £500, that's not expensive at all. You don't need a 15k bike just to keep up with the jones.
In the same way, we can enjoy music with a cheap system. We can love driving without buying a porsch. If you blame expensive bikes for the downfall of biking, you don't love biking all that much
This is the comment I was looking for! I have so much fun of my aluminium entry-level road bike. I see a more expensive bike as something to work towards.
Yes! Though most people on here won't have a clue who Sam Pilgrim is........
@WerdnaLiten I think most people got onto biking due to the covid lock down. Getting a bike was an excuse to get out of the house. In the same way, getting a dog was an excuse to get out. Now covid lock downs are gone, there's no longer the need for a bike or the dog.
At the end of the day, if you love biking, you will love biking even on an inexpensive bike. If you don't love biking, then saying expensive bikes are destroying the industry is an easy way out. I'm a bike nut. I have over 10 bikes....but my favourite bike is also one of the cheapest.
@sergeykuznetsov8291 yes, totally agree. An inexpensive bike can do most things a very expensive bike can do. Good, skilful riders on a cheap bike can beat most posers on a 10k + bikes. And, one day, when we have the money, we can also buy our 10k + bike, lol
If by cycling, you mean only racing, I'd say it doesn't matter. The cost of tech, is largely borne by the posers and instagramers. That is "cycling" too, just a different segment of cycling. As with any industry, consumers wanting to flaunt in the age of social media and main character syndrome will keep that industry alive. Same for cycling, which does not equate wholely to racing.
To increase cycling participation, offer free entry for a riders 1st 3 cycle races.
Talk about Van Rysel a bit more and their prices will be the same as Pinarello's next year.. 😅
16:37 In my experience, grey and sliver cars are the hardest to spot. Especially in snow, rain, fog, sunset, sunrise, haze, smog....
One of the biggest hurdles cost wise IMHO isn't kit, but the combination of entry and fuel costs. Deep carbon isn't the limiting factor to me, but spending £40 to enter and then the same to drive a couple of hours to get my head kicked in is just more than I can swing.
how about not letting gcn presenters have elite di2 bikes and promoting medium cost bikes
But then our „Bling-Bling-High-End-World“ would not work. Dreams, wishes and desires must be created.
Reduce fees for racing. I think about racing but $250 to join an organisation, similar to join a club and best part of $100 for a race entry.... More classes for lower level... What fees are bike shops charged that they now can't pass on?
I came back to racing after a 15 year pause to help my kids do their sports, and I noticed a lot of changes to say the least. Greed is the underlying motif. There are about half as many races as there were in the 2000's, and the entry fees have doubled. The bikes have quadrupled in cost and so has the rest of the gear. There is no reason for this other than greed. Once a carbon mold is made, the production of carbon bikes is really cheap $300-$800. All of the talk about wind tunnels and tech as justification for a $10k bike is absurd. All the tech is under contract within the company---not hired from the outside (for the most part). The biggest difference that I've noticed is that no one really gets excited over bikes anymore. I remember when someone bought a new bike in the mid 2000's, showed up to a group ride, and everyone ogled, oohed and ahhhed at their bike. Now, if someone gets a new bike, its hardly even noticed. It is more like what kind of Trek/Giant/Specialized bike did you get? Latest model? It's crazy....and fn BORING. The bikes all look the exact same....matte, monochromatic, dropped stays... If a bike company is charging $10k for a bike, they better have Banksy doing the paint.
Totally agree with the price of cycling gear becoming outrageous. A prime example is a kit (bib shorts and a short sleeve jersey) from a well-known US company will set you back $400 US. That is insane. I like to wear a different kit for each ride during the week. I ride 3-5 days a week so that $1,200 - $2,000 for kits alone. And I don't even ride with the most expensive kits on the market today. How about shoes? Many are upwards of $200 US. For a pair of shoes, really? How about TR tires? They can easily set you back $100+ US for a quality tire. Shoot that's nearly the same price for the tires on my Subaru Crosstrek and the bike tires use a fraction of the amount of rubber and also only last about 2,000-3,000 miles if you are lucky and my car tires will last 60,000 miles. Oh! and both are tubeless. So yeah, the cost of cycling is out of control for sure and sooner or later it will cost the bike industry dearly.
Cycling 🚴🏻♂️ is supposed to be fun and a healthy way of transportation. But when Motorcycling 🏍️💨 has become cheeper 💸 then owning a carbon pedal bike 🚲 that is a industry greed 💰 problem! 😤 🇺🇸
As a swimmer the most expensive purchase are Google's and racing trunks even then you can get relatively cheaper ones rather than getting what the pros get.
In 2013 I purchased my daughter a brand new Honda Civic for just over $17k. That same week, I remember seeing a special edition Wilier Triestina road bike on display for just over $13K. Right then, I knew the industry was headed for disaster.
But is the car industry heading for disaster because there are some cars that cost more than people’s houses?
@@rob-c. Check out the number of cars available for $20,000 or £20,000UK. I give it as a 1-to-1 because the UK prices include all taxes, title and registration fees and the US ones don't. For the US, there simply aren't any. For the UK, there are dozens, some as low as £12,000 or about $16,000 US and remember, that's inclusive of taxes, title and registration. But UK and EU regulations 1) take pedestrians and cyclists into account for crash safety while US only considers car occupants; 2) consider fuel economy as an average while the US is broken down by category, making it much easier to produce lots of SUVs; 3) do not employ the degree of protectionism that you see in the US opening the market to more brands. So in the US I can't replace my small, pedestrian/cyclist-friendly Chevy with something comparable because there's nothing available. But in Europe I could. Perhaps the real question should be, is the US car industry headed for disaster?
Many people think, they need expensive bikes to participate in races and get good results. Truth is, in racing, especially in critracing, positioning is key. Aero and weight does not mean anything as long you sit in the draft. In amateur racing you can pedal like 220 watts average the whole race when you are in the draft and just hammer it at the end.
but as marketing is only talking about pro bikes, and watt savings here and there, people think they need stuff to win/race, instead of racecraft and fitness.
Also, i guess there are plenty of new events that gather new people to the sport and especially women by listening what the people want, to take part in events. As i think, that i am somewhere in the ultracycling / brevet bubble there are so many new ways and ideas to make Events more appealing to people, for example 50/50 gender participation equality, save spaces, feel good staff etc.
The time for for old races where just 1000 blokes talking how cool they are and how many watts the push etc is over and they start to die.
👍
Decathlon is a great place to start on lots of kit for all sorts of sports. Some of my kit is but not all.
Has anyone got any old equipment lying around that i could make use of? I am trying to get into cycling after surgery and struggling to afford stuff
The Bicycle industry itself has lost sight of the very essence of this great sport.
Greed on their part.
I collect cycling magazines from the late 80s to early 90s. Here are some listings from advertisements in the November 1989 Cycling Magazine -
(The prices vary according to vendors)
Lemond TSX (Campy Record gruppo) $2695
Campy Record gruppo w/pedals $1225
Shimano Dura-Ace (w/o pedals) $705
Basso Loto framset (w/7 gruppo selections) $1149 - $1799
Shimano 105 $469
Shimano Ultegra $563
Shimano Dura Ace $906
Campy Athena $550
Campy Chorus $750
Campy Record $1290
Yes, it was almost 35 years ago, and prices will increase. But it is still fun to reminisce.
Got my first ever win this year thanks to the CTT road bike category.
Riding a 5 year old Ribble with a peculiar creak I was 4:20 behind the first TT bike 😅
I work for a bike to work company in Finland. For us the governament pays 100€/month if you get a bike and the company you work for pays 15€ to us. It's simple and nobody gets cut. Our company has bought bikes for 90 million during the last three years which is a lot in a 5 million habitant country.
got the Triban RC 120 street fighter style (flat bars, 60mm, just perfect size for me) it's my first road bike ever (always had MTBs) and it is working like a charm. "The bike of the people" as Alex says. Regarding to what Ollie mentions, even if he is part of the GCN staff and you get to try all the bells and whistles, he understands that most people can't afford that, or maybe it's too much for them, and that's the issue with races and stuff. cycling has gotten quite expensive overall. I went to a Decathlon store today and got some pretty neat road bike stuff, but finding some decent cheap shorts with bibs was difficult despite being Decathlon, which usually has nice prices, not to mention long pants with bibs....
In local crits I still see allez and caad's being competitive. However, with any decent groupset, they are not what I call cheap but certainly not crazy expensive. It's all about perspective on what you call crazy expensive though. S-Works, etc... are crazy to me but maybe a 3k Allez isn't crazy but still isn't cheap.
Yes I was rideing a 2.500 dollars but I was kicking ass 7oo km a week thay used say what r u on I say alot of training never drugs
Interesting. I do remember in the'80s how if you had the top kit but didn't podium you were known as a 'poser'. I don't know what point that faded away. Even at top level there were Star Trophy winners on 2nd hand bikes.
A lot of the sporting aspects of cycling are indeed more costly in fees .
Also there was more expectations you'd actually ride to events.
Maybe gravel bikes will help and become the one bike for all with different wheels...
Biggest issue I have with TT races is the need to be in a club and the races available are less
As courses become more dangerous
Where I live, there is no need to belong to a club to enter a TT.
Most of us do not race. So who really cares how much that costs to compete?
True, although lots of the bikes that don't get used to race have been designed from bikes that do race. Do you think racing has too big of an impact on the industry?
@@gcntech Agree; some trickle down technology is a good thing and inevitable. But the success of things like the 105 Mechanical Groupset show us all that rideability, simplicity, durability, and repairability are all important for those that do not swap out bikes like worn out Kits.
Great subject. We are in a different era. I ride my tradicional bike to work and I see 10-year-olds passing me with nice electric bikes.
And you're not going to get allowed into a race with an e-bike! That'll reduce the entry pool right there.
Love the way Ollie had a halo all show!
As a cycling enthusiast bordering on obsession, here is my opinion: All the pricey tech; disc brakes, high end components, Di2 etc. I don't have a problem with and enjoy however: Don't phase out the old technology! You should still be able to buy a rim brake bike with mechanical shifting. The phase out is where I think the problem lies. And btw, a bike company I won't mention, a 50 tooth big ring is too small! The standard should be 52 or at least keep it as an option without having to get a high-end bike. We see what you are doing, and we don't like it!
Just noticed the new gcn hill climb challenge on Rouvy. Malaucene (mont ventoux), Stelvio and Grossglockner (Edelweiss territory). I had planned on redoing the 3 ventoux routes on Saturday again (did the same last Saturday) but now I had a new plan.
Small tip. The bikes do actually make a difference to your performance.
When viewing bike stats you get 1 to 5 stars for both aero and weight
5 stars for weight is lighter than a 1 star bike. A lot of people think that 1 star is lighter.
Btw. There is a much harder Grossglockner route which covers almost 2500m ascent as the route splits off around ½ way then turns back to edelweiss. Means you get an extra 800m or so climb, but then you have the same descent.
I hope you make this a monthly challenge production.
I didn’t know there was a road bike category for TTs. I’m keen on the idea of racing the clock on local-ish roads, it’s now become something to aim for next summer without having to get a new bike. Expensive fancy gear definitely put me off previously.
If you are ready to race the clock and not the dudes with expensive gear, you are more than welcome to start with any bike you have.
Rememeber, a regular road bike but with tt extensions was even used in late Olympics
The person on the bike makes most of the difference. If people think they're disadvantaged because they're riding on Tiagra on an alloy bike with box-section wheels, then they'll most likely be defeating themselves thinking they can't be competitive. But those who can overlook what others are using and have faith in their own fitness will be able to mitigate this to a large degree. It's a mind game...
the name of the game: „show what you have and what you can afford - otherwise, you canˋt be a real athlete.“ You ˋ re nothing with Tiagra. You need s-works and DuraAce DI2.
@@Mas421 Sometimes the flashy show-offs are trying to compensate for their lack of fitness. The real athletes don’t let themselves be impressed.
Bring back the Alpe D'Huez hoodie, my size sold out before I bought one. Love a Stelvio one in a similar design
I was talking about this with a friend who rides a bike but doesn't consider herself a cyclist and she wanted to know why I wasn't part of a local club. I told her that most of the people she sees riding around on matching bikes and in kits had to pay for those. That and I like riding vintage steel bikes and that wouldn't work with modern clubs and in races.
I rememebr back when I started cycling in the late 70's there were only road bikes. One could turn up at a time trial or any race with a well set up road bike that did not cost much and be competitive. A lot of the bikes were not expensive but cleverly set up instead. The advantage an road bike offers is that it is multi use and can perform in a number of roles.
In other sports you have one type races. The cycling unions should specify a standard bike and the bikeproducers will make this bike, as there will be a huge market for it.
One other way could be a handicap system, as they exists within sailing. Your time will then be adjusted according to biketype, geartypes, width of aero tubes, skinsuit or not and so on. You will then win on corrected time. As in sailing, you could even have different classes.
Even in TT, you could have real TT bikes. I bought a 2014 Exocet II for 300£ and just changed the straight extensions for ski's
You could also have many people participating if an event also had "gentlemans races" like eroica events, for bikehappy but not so competitive people
There is already a handicap system in the US, it's call Categories. 1 through 5.
Schemes like, bike to work, are meaning that manufacturers know they can escalate prices as people can then discount the bike.
For TT would it be possible to introduce a yardstick system, like in sailing. Where you get a level of time compensation if your boat is less capable.
cost of cycling is down to manufacturers. Bike shop making a profit of 1300 on a 4300 bike tells you all you need to know.
20:46 Looking at the shadows, I think the tires are touching the rail, not the frame.
At 20:25...Vignette def. - a darker border at the periphery of a photo.
WRT the cycling-to-work scheme: in Germany, there is the so-called "Dienstrad-Leasing" meaning something like "employment bike leasing"). It means bike leasing bound to an employment relation where the montly leasing payment are deducted from the gross salary thus saving tax and social security expenses. It is usually managed by specialised leasing service provider that work with retailers who participate in this program.
After the leasing period, the client (employee) has the option to buy the bike at the deprecated value or just give it back to the retailor. As alway with leasing, there is the risk of theft, loss and damages so an insurance is usally part of the package as well as a maintance contract.
Fun fact: as the upper retail price cap of the bike is quite high, many people use this construct to finance high-level race bikes, TT bikes and triathlon bikes. Of course the majority get their e-bikes financed (which is the target group, of course).
Winter here is dry and breezy. It is the best season to ride bikes, on the other hand, the summer is too hot after 9 o'clock to ride or doing commute.
I am strongly in favor of Ollie's suggestion that all cars be high-vis. I'm actually a little disappointed that Toyota isn't offering the new Prius in yellow in the US even though all their global marketing material shows it in yellow -- only in Europe and Asia.
you said it 9:15 its totally relying on equipment aka money. so the reality is that the person with the most money can benefit where as in NJS races in Japan it is about the ability of the rider which is way cooler and respectable.
I think it would be fun to have events that were handicapped based on what gear you had. For example carbon frame add 2 second per km, carbon 50mm wheels 3 sec per km etc. Then you could turn up on a kmart bike still be conpetitive. Ofcourse choose the handicapped amounts based on some scientific testing.
The cost to start is still the same...start where u can afford. It's the pressure ppl are putting on themselves.
Is this pressure that they put on themselves or pressure from the industry to feel they need the latest and greatest? 🤔
both i guess. I still ride mechanical although i know if I ever ride electronic I'll prob never look back. But i dont see the need to upgrade. Some tech is soultions to problems that dont exist.@@gcntech
@@gcntecha mixture of both. And it s the game of „show what you have and what you can afford“ . Show that you ˋ re a serious athlete. But of course you can be a serious athlete with expensive equipment. And, please GCN take a closer look at your videos and analyse which subliminal message you also send too often.
@@gcntechI've noticed increasingly a number of bikes with 7 or 8 speed groupset occupying a price where you'd find 10 speed 105 and tiagra five or six years ago. If I could get the bike I was riding in 2011 but with clearance for 28c tubeless tyres I'd be buying and riding it, it had all external cables and wasn't a maintenance nightmare, I work long hours so taking a bike to the local bike shop isn't an option.
you know something is wrong with the system when a jockey wheel cost almost as much as the entire groupset it will be installed in
Entry level bikes are to complicated to fix, people buy bikes then find out that getting it fixed is expensive. Entry levels bikes do not need internal cables, non round seatposts, brand only stem and handlebars.
Well said 👍🏻
I dont race, but love Sportives. I think this is a good atmosphere, we get a timer chip. Sportives are good at getting people into cycling without the pressure of racing.
I’ve watched local community and fun family type of events cancelled especially because they a in part riding on roads that have cars on them and the police refuse to sign off on an event because of the risk of a cyclist colliding with a car among other things. The ever increasing cost of insurance for cycling bodies, event centres and clubs along with the additional complexity and professionalism required for event and risk management is accumulating and forcing the cost for each event to be much higher in time and dollars. I’m seeing either mega events run as a commercial ventures and club or competition events on closed circuits or approved trail centres but the more casual type of rides that tend to attract the non racing enthusiast are becoming much less common where I live in Australia. 😢
Cycling 🚴🏻♂️ is supposed to be fun and a healthy way of transportation. But when Motorcycling 🏍️💨 has become cheeper 💸 then owning a carbon pedal bike 🚲 that is a industry greed 💰 problem! 😤 🇺🇸
Years ago our local club, who holds weekly races, went to Merckx Style TT. Cycling on a dedicated TT bike is a different kind of riding as much as Track riding is to road riding. We shouldn't mix Specialized TT races with Road Races.