Has cycling become too expensive?

Many cyclists think their sport has become too expensive or elitist, whether we’re talking about complete bikes, frames, drivetrains, or apparel. While it’s true that high-end equipment reaches very high prices, we shouldn’t forget that a bike is much more complex than it seems and that it’s not necessary to spend €10,000 or more to find a machine suited to your needs and capabilities.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: Pixabay.com, Pxhere.com, Flickr.com

In the peloton or on social media, many voices are raised to say that bike prices are not justified and that cycling is forgetting its popular roots. At constant prices (prices in real value, i.e., adjusted for price variation relative to a base or reference data – Source: INSEE), the highest-end bikes available have gone from approximately €3,500 to €12,000 in 40 years. For shoes, we’ve gone from €200 to €350, even €400. The same goes for clothing, bib shorts, jerseys, jackets, whose prices have also exploded. Ultimately, only in the tire sector have prices decreased slightly. A good tubular from the 80s already cost the equivalent of a good hundred euros in 2021.

In the early 80s, high-end bikes were still only equipped with 5 or 6 rear gears.

Yet, who can doubt the enormous developments we’ve seen in three or four decades? Let’s just take the example of winter clothing. In the mid-80s, we simply layered several wool jerseys, crossing our fingers that it wouldn’t rain. A few years later, we wore stiff and uncomfortable “thermal” jackets. In the early 2000s, thick, windproof jackets appeared, but they made any sustained effort impossible because they were not breathable. And now? It’s almost possible to ride in all weather conditions if you’re well-equipped, and in acceptable comfort and protection conditions…

A huge leap forward

A high-end bike from the 80s (around €3,500 today) was often made of steel and custom-built. But it weighed around 9 kg, had six rear gears (with a limited gear range), downtube shifters, toe-clip pedals, and flat aluminum rims. A high-end bike today is two kilos lighter, with a light, very stiff, and aerodynamic carbon frame, fully integrated cables, carbon rims, disc brakes, and an electronic drivetrain. This represents about 25% less weight and a much more complex design. Let’s not forget that a high-end carbon frame weighs less than 800g (down to less than 600g), while being laterally stiff, longitudinally compliant enough, and above all, capable of supporting a cyclist over 100kg on a descent at over 80 km/h.

A high-end carbon frame weighs less than 600g, while being laterally stiff, longitudinally compliant enough, and can support a cyclist over 100kg on a descent at over 80 km/h.

Does this display of technology, deployed to push the limits further and further, truly justify such a price difference between mid-range equipment and the most expensive bikes in catalogs? Not absolutely, of course. Because once research and development expenses, wind tunnel studies, mold design (very expensive), SAV and warranty costs, and transport fees are amortized, it’s clear that the difference in quality and performance is not worth a price that goes from single to triple or quadruple.

However, this is a mode of operation that prevails in all areas, whether we’re talking about luxury (jewelry, watches, etc.) or accessories related to daily comfort (phones, televisions, etc.) or even cars. There are cars for €10,000, of course, but also cars for over 2 million. Novelty and exclusivity come at a high price. The average price of a bicycle (all practices combined and excluding electric bikes) was €364 in France in 2019, but taking into account the enormous volume represented by utility bikes. For so-called racing bikes (which includes all bikes with 700c wheels and drop handlebars), the average price rises to nearly €1,500. And for more specific bikes intended for cycling enthusiasts like us, the average price varies by brand but is around €2,500. This is what is called the fat of the sports road bike market, meaning where there is the most purchase volume among those who ride regularly.

There is a clientele for the latest bikes.

This does not mean that very high-end bikes do not sell, quite the contrary. Volumes are smaller, but there is indeed a clientele for riding the same bikes as the Tour de France riders. For pleasure more than necessity, everyone agrees on that. The main advantage of the technologies deployed to improve equipment by a few tenths of a percent and justify novelty is that, at some point, they are offered in more accessible versions. Thanks to this concept and the high-end bikes offered and sold a few years ago, a €3,500 bike today is more powerful than a bike of the same value 20 or 40 years ago, even if it was the best at that time.

The frame is the foundation

Contrary to some misconceptions, don’t imagine that all carbon frames are alike and are manufactured in the same place and in the same way, even if there are large factories that manufacture for several brands. Once finished and painted, there’s nothing more that looks like one carbon frame than another. However, the quality of the fibers, their arrangement, the number of layers, and their bonding are invisible. And a good frame is stiff, responsive, stable (important on fast descents!), precise, and light. A good product has a cost, and super high-end also charges a very high price for the few tens of grams saved. More than €2,000 for a frame and fork set that performs well is certainly not a completely crazy expense. Also consider the warranty and possibly the distribution network, which can help you in case of a problem.

For those who might be tempted to buy their frame directly from a factory in China, a few clarifications are necessary:

A so-called generic frame is a mass-produced frame whose composition is most often unverifiable. Nevertheless, there is little risk regarding safety, with Asian brands that have a good reputation. You may encounter some finishing problems during assembly, and you must take into account any shipping and customs fees compared to the displayed price.
A branded frame sold 10 times cheaper than the commercial model is necessarily a counterfeit. Everything is fake, from the quality of the carbon to the logos certifying compliance with safety standards. If you buy this type of product, you risk a heavy fine, in addition to a nasty crash if the frame breaks.
A generic brand frame does not exist. There are the real ones, certainly often too expensive, but studied, tested, certified, recognized, and with a warranty, and the fakes, sold by scammers who are far from philanthropists who want your good.

Prices linked to a context of high tension

The health situation has strongly impacted the production of frames, parts, and accessories, 95% of which come from Asia, considering the entire bicycle market. At the end of the first lockdown, demand for bicycles exploded worldwide, with sales, for example, jumping by 117% in France between May and June according to BFM Business. This context favors a price increase – at least temporarily – on certain components, as brands struggle to source raw materials in a highly competitive field.

The Covid crisis has slowed down the supply of certain components to stores.

The Covid crisis has also slowed down trade between Asia and the West with greatly reinforced health restrictions. The costs of container transport from China have risen sharply, in addition to imposing uncertain delays. Some brands are even opting for air transport, which significantly increases the cost of transport per bicycle.

The opening of factories and production lines in Europe to limit this dependence on Asia is not for tomorrow in this field. Firstly, because of know-how. Some components are indeed produced on the Old Continent, but this is nothing like the volume produced in Asia, or it remains limited to very specific components. And on the other hand, the standard of living and wages are also increasing in Asia, which is reflected in the ex-factory price.

All in nuance

While they don’t follow the price curve (which is increasing exponentially), the nuances between different bike ranges do exist. Whether in terms of finish, weight, ease of use, or efficiency, a bike that sells for around €10,000 to €12,000 is “better” than a bike that sells for €5,000, even if, from that price point, the differences are minimal. You can certainly still save 100g on the frame, 100g on the wheelset, and perhaps 200g on the groupset, but overall you have access to a machine that doesn’t have much to envy a very high-end bike for everyday use. From a strict performance perspective, you can gain 2 to 3 watts on an 8% climb and 5 to 10 watts on the flat at 45 km/h depending on the frame and wheel profile. It will never go further than that. This is important for pros (who use these top-of-the-range bikes) but less so for 99% of users. Moreover, it should never be forgotten that very high-end equipment is also more expensive to maintain, and replacement parts in the event of a crash are also very expensive.

Above a certain price, performance levels are very similar across different ranges.

The choice of reason

Given some reactions when a new product is released, frustrations are understandable when one realizes that the high-end, the one used by pros, is inaccessible to most budgets. For many years, almost everyone could afford, with some sacrifices, exactly the same equipment as the Tour de France winner. This is no longer true today. But does that mean it’s mandatory to buy such a machine to be performant or ride fast? No! All equipment has improved, and everyone can find suitable equipment at a reasonable price. Differences in efficiency and details do exist between different ranges, and fortunately so. It remains to be seen whether you can feel it at your level of practice or if you really need it.

This race for innovation that increases high-end prices is rather good news for the equipment of future vintages, which will in turn benefit from these new technologies at a more accessible price in a few seasons. In any case, it should not be seen as a factor of downgrading for those who do not have the financial means to ride like a pro.

=> SEE ALSO: All our Mag articles