I wouldn't worry too much about it. Every hobby has its Elitists. I bought a Minnesota fattie and while it isn't loaded with top shelf parts, parts that would be wasted on me anyway, it has worked just fine at the level I can push it. Which is to say about Level 1. I recently purchased a Rad Rover which is about as cheap as they come for E-bikes, and other than needing the derailer adjusted it's been a hoot. There isn't a bike on the planet I'd spent $3k+ for. The $1500 for the Rad seemed a bit lavish, but again, I couldn't make use of those high-buck rides anyway, assuming any bike made is actually worth that kind of money in e first place.
After sizing up specialized's prices.....MOTOBECANE it is!
- Thread starter kojackJKU
- Start date
hoooooooahhh boy. E-Bikes. Look out for that **** storm!!!!! I am getting a stealth F37 to replace my crf 230 I sold. After inquiring about them on MTBR, I figured out that E-Bikes are like riding satan's spawn to elitists. ha ha. I figure the f37 has a 100 km range and maxes out at 60 kph, with its light weight, I could bomb around with my cousin on his xr250 and have MUCH more fun flying around the local trails!!!! ha ha...Might even convert him to one.
The funny thing is, the elitists also ******** on MB because of their seat posts, stems etc. Stuff that can be swapped out easily. that's a funny complaint right there. I swapped all that on my 2500 dollar specialized too!
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
I haven't swapped out parts on a bike in ages. It defeats the purpose of price shopping. Why clutter your closet with a bunch of cast-off parts and throw more money at undamaged replacement parts?? I don't get it. Shop smart and you'll get a bike ready to roll right out of the box.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I haven't bought a complete bike in a long time but it used to be the case that the price for one was significantly lower than the sum of the individual parts, so there wasn't much advantage to buying a cheaper complete bike with the intention of upgrading immediately. But still, there are plenty of cases over the years where a bike has a solid frame shared with a higher end spec but the components on the one you bought being cash poor weren't great so you intended to upgrade bits as they broke. I ended up with a Giant ATX 760 many years ago that started with lots of Exage type stuff and ended up with almost a complete DX & XT group.
rruff
Explorer
Manufacturer bikes seem overpriced to me. You can do better if you shop for deals on parts. And I've had very good luck with frames direct from China. Got about 50k miles on my road frame. Love that bike. Weighs less than 15lb, rides great, and it cost a little over $2k total.
To this, and Christophe's points: I have always felt that manufacturer-based bikes tend to be an exercise in compromise. To hit price points, some good components are typically mixed in with mid-level (or mediocre) components in pursuit of the bottom line, adding in economy-of-scale compromises where they see fit. If the bike hits all the component specs, they normally price it accordingly ($$$$). I have normally built my bikes up from the frame. Besides being fun (I like to shadetree wrench), it allows me to shop for used and NOS components, and put together what I feel is a much higher spec bike then I could have otherwise done for the dollar if I had bought direct from the manufacturer. Why buy a whole bike and then swap out parts that you then have to resell, or which collect dust? Either shop around, buy direct and like what you get, or build it up yourself. If you don't know how to wrench but have the ambition, YouTube it. That's what I did. GMBN (Global Mountain Bike Network) has a great series of videos on everything from how to install and adjust a rear mech to how to bleed and adjust hydro brakes. With some basic tools (which you can also buy used), you can put together a quite functional shop for just a little money. I just finished building up my Beargrease this spring, and it was challenging as well as rewarding. By buying the frame and most of the components used (Pinkbike.com is your friend here), NOS, or going China direct (wheelset), I cloned a top-end ride for about what I'd have paid for a mid-line model.
Did a little better than 25% for my first 'decent bike' purchase. 2017 Specialized Camber Comp 29. $2500 msrp, found as low as 2450 in a few rare instances. Got it for $1840 on closeout at Global Bikes in Chandler. As said prior, sales DO happen, just gotta be patient. Model year changeovers turned out to be the best ticket for me.
To the discussion about trying to buy a bike that doesn't need upgrades, that's not my experience either. I already had a new set of M8000 XT brakes from my old bike that I had upgraded recently and that was the first thing to change on the "$2500' Camber. The brakes that came on there were pretty craptastic in comparison. Granted, that's about all I've really changed on it so far, and nothing is standing out as needing changed either. Yet. I enjoy working on my bikes though (gives me an excuse to buy more tools) so changing stuff as it wears out, or I catch some nice upgrade on sale is part of the fun for me.
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jscusmcvet
Explorer
I understand the desire to shop there. Recently back on my MTB after a couple years of mostly running. Thankfully my 7 year old has decided he is a mountain biker so we are back in the game. During a glorious vacation trip to Brevard, NC and surrounding Pisgah we stopped at some of the local shops. To say I was stunned is a total and complete understatement. Bike pricing is out of hand. I paid less for my 2003 Tundra than many of the bikes we looked at.
I regularly suggest 2 strategies for bike buying. Shop your local bike shops for left overs or for recent trade ins. There is always some guy who has to have the latest and greatest who trades his bike in... that let's you pick up his "old" bike that may still be the "greatest" even if it is not the "latest" Chances are it will certainly be more bike than 99% of us are riders.
The other strategy is for those of us who like to tinker. Buy a frame of your choosing. Build it up piece by piece. This can be expensive unless you buy leftover 1 or 2 year old new in stock parts from any of the on line retailers, such as Jenson USA. There is rarely a current year component that is THAT much better than it was a year or two ago.
I regularly suggest 2 strategies for bike buying. Shop your local bike shops for left overs or for recent trade ins. There is always some guy who has to have the latest and greatest who trades his bike in... that let's you pick up his "old" bike that may still be the "greatest" even if it is not the "latest" Chances are it will certainly be more bike than 99% of us are riders.
The other strategy is for those of us who like to tinker. Buy a frame of your choosing. Build it up piece by piece. This can be expensive unless you buy leftover 1 or 2 year old new in stock parts from any of the on line retailers, such as Jenson USA. There is rarely a current year component that is THAT much better than it was a year or two ago.
Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
I've bought from shops and from BD. A shop bike comes with instant freinds, people to ride with and places to go. The shop will work on fitment because if you ride a lot you can tell a 1mm change in handlebar stem lengthy. You always have a place to stop by, drink coffee and enjoy bicycling culture and clique. The bike "scean" is cool. The shop will keep your bike cables and bike dialed in very well. I deal with a local shop here and love it. The BD bike I bought was because I lived in Arkansas. We had one shop that I didn't like much and they wanted 2 times the price for bikes with 105 stuff on them. The local clique all shaved their legs and I just wanted to do my own thing. I still have the bike and it's fine. I'd never take it to a shop because shops hate Bikes Direct. You will never hear any shop, bike racer, or anybody associated with the bike scean say a single good thing about their bikes. You get the same bikes, the same components made in the same great Taiwan bike factories with zero local support and noses turned up to you. Pick
balexander87
Observer
So basically, if there’s a local shop worth supporting, do so, to whatever extent you are able. If there isn’t a local shop, or at least not one that acts like they want your business, BD provides a solid alternative, assuming you have the wherewithal (or willingness to learn) to assemble and maintain the bike yourself.
I’ve found myself in the latter case, where the local shop seemed to know what I wanted better than I did and was more interested in selling me something they had in stock than ordering the (more expensive) bike I really wanted. I ended up going to a shop an hour away and getting the bike I wanted, but I was seriously considering BD.
I’m all for supporting local business, but a business does not automatically deserve my hard earned money just because they are “local”. They still have to earn it, same as anyone else.
I’ve found myself in the latter case, where the local shop seemed to know what I wanted better than I did and was more interested in selling me something they had in stock than ordering the (more expensive) bike I really wanted. I ended up going to a shop an hour away and getting the bike I wanted, but I was seriously considering BD.
I’m all for supporting local business, but a business does not automatically deserve my hard earned money just because they are “local”. They still have to earn it, same as anyone else.
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I'm not a bike person in the sense that I 'live to ride" or similar mentality, but if a shop would turn up it's nose at me because I bought a bike from somewhere that for whatever reason worked for me instead of them, it would be an easy choice indeed. If you want my money fine, I'll pay for your services, but you can keep your attitude because I'm not paying for that under any circumstance.