High end road ( super ) bikes are getting a bit pricey

[flight147z]

Dizeee said:

True, but with 105 and rim brakes....

Is there a big problem with either of those?

I'm more than happy with 105. Not doubting Ultegra is better but it is really significantly different?

Rim brakes - some still prefer the aesthetics or don't want to pay the additional ~£300 uplift

[E65Ross]

flight147z said:

Dizeee said:

But there lies a model that first made me realise how expensive things have become. The Aerod used to start at 2500 ish and had plenty of choice between 3 and 4.5k. Now they are all betwen 4 and 6 k... massive price increase.

They have also just introduced a cheaper model at £2,500 though when they split the Aerod lines between SL and SLX. Something that seems to set the Aeroad apart is that even the base models come with deep rims. Some of the other manufactures don't even give you those on their "base" aero bikes and as a result they look ridiculous

The other point to note is if there is no value in a newer bike just hold off upgrading. I bought the base Canyon Ultimate back in 2017 with 105, I've since added 50mm carbon rims to it so it owes me about £2,000. If I bought another new Canyon now I would have to spend about £3,000 to get something notably better, so I will keep my current bike until that changes

Edited by flight147z on Sunday 20th January 10:45

I only got my Aeroad last January, but I had to replace the wheels as the Reynolds were pretty scary for me (I'm a seriously lightweight rider!) and got a Zipp 404 for the back and a 202 up front (I may eventually get a 404 up front too for not-so-windy days). I think I'm just going to put £100-200/month into another account until I have a decent amount saved up so, eventually, when it is time to upgrade, the cash is already there. I generally don't like buying on finance if I can avoid it, and I suspect Canyon will get my next bike order....they do seem good value compared to the other "big" names. I also don't like the custom frame builds etc....They can cost more, and I don't think they offer anything better in terms of how good the frame is compared to the people who have much larger budgets to design and develop a frame.

[frisbee]

bombino said:

£12k on a bike is a lot, but for something custom-made out of a small shop, with a large amount of man hours invested and some top-end kit, then maybe I could justify it.

But £12k on a Trek covered in glitter? Punchy...

But my Trek proudly proclaims "Handbuilt in the USA" on the chainstay!

(It didn't cost £12k even allowing for a lot of inflation)

[anonymous-user]

As long as the frame is the same, it’s very often much more cost effective to buy the lowest end version, usually with 105, then take it off and upgrade it yourself. Ultegra groupset is only £200 more than 105, with DA being £400 more than Ultegra. Yet, the full bikes are usually £1000 more per groupset.

[flight147z]

Thornaby said:

As long as the frame is the same, it’s very often much more cost effective to buy the lowest end version, usually with 105, then take it off and upgrade it yourself. Ultegra groupset is only £200 more than 105, with DA being £400 more than Ultegra. Yet, the full bikes are usually £1000 more per groupset.

A good example of this is the Ultimate CF SL

£1,449 with 105
£1,999 with Ultegra

Wheels and finishing kit are also different between the two bikes but I think on either bike the mid-term plan would be to replace the wheels anyway.

To add discs its then another £350 and this also adds another 700g of weight, which is why I don't think rim brakes are dead just yet!

[E65Ross]

Thornaby said:

As long as the frame is the same, it’s very often much more cost effective to buy the lowest end version, usually with 105, then take it off and upgrade it yourself. Ultegra groupset is only £200 more than 105, with DA being £400 more than Ultegra. Yet, the full bikes are usually £1000 more per groupset.

Not always, often the difference between a full bike with, say, "Ultegra" or "Dura Ace" you often get different wheels, for example. Using my Example of Canyon, their Ultimate with Ultegra DI2 comes with different wheels than the Dura Ace DI2 model. Plus, getting a brand new bike, and then having to take everything off of it and put a new groupset on would be a pain in the backside. Not something I'd want to do, and thus would have to pay someone else to do it.

[anonymous-user]

I think half the issue here is looking at Canyon. Their prices tend to be much lower than the other top manufacturers. Which is obviously a good thing, but a nightmare if there’s something wrong with your bike. The new Trek Madone SLR is £5400 with Ultegra and £7500 with Ultegra Di2. There’s only £500 different between the two group sets

[flight147z]

Thornaby said:

I think half the issue here is looking at Canyon. Their prices tend to be much lower than the other top manufacturers. Which is obviously a good thing, but a nightmare if there’s something wrong with your bike. The new Trek Madone SLR is £5400 with Ultegra and £7500 with Ultegra Di2. There’s only £500 different between the two group sets

I'm still hoping that Di2 eventually drops down to 105! I won't hold my breath though.

[E65Ross]

Thornaby said:

I think half the issue here is looking at Canyon. Their prices tend to be much lower than the other top manufacturers. Which is obviously a good thing, but a nightmare if there’s something wrong with your bike. The new Trek Madone SLR is £5400 with Ultegra and £7500 with Ultegra Di2. There’s only £500 different between the two group sets

Have you actually looked at the specs? The Ultegra disc version comes with wheels you can buy for £350 or so, the DA version comes with wheels which cost £2000. When you tot it all up, the one with DA is "better" value.

[E65Ross]

flight147z said:

Thornaby said:

I think half the issue here is looking at Canyon. Their prices tend to be much lower than the other top manufacturers. Which is obviously a good thing, but a nightmare if there’s something wrong with your bike. The new Trek Madone SLR is £5400 with Ultegra and £7500 with Ultegra Di2. There’s only £500 different between the two group sets

I'm still hoping that Di2 eventually drops down to 105! I won't hold my breath though.

Don't think it will. I have Ultegra DI2 on my bike, if I wasn't going for a bike with DI2, I'd go for 105 and spend the money elsewhere. 105 is a very competent groupset and there's nothing wrong with it. DI2, however....love it!

[anonymous-user]

E65. You’re wrong there mate. Mech Ultegra on the Slr6 with Bontrager Comp5’s which are £350. Bike is £5400

Slr7 has Ultegra di2, Pro5’s which are £550, bike is £7500.

No more than £600 parts difference between them. But anyway, that’s just one example as it was I bike I’d been looking at. I’m sure there are plenty which offer VFM as the spec goes up.

[E65Ross]

Thornaby said:

E65. You’re wrong there mate. Mech Ultegra on the Slr6 with Bontrager Comp5’s which are £350. Bike is £5400

Slr7 has Ultegra di2, Pro5’s which are £550, bike is £7500.

No more than £600 parts difference between them. But anyway, that’s just one example as it was I bike I’d been looking at. I’m sure there are plenty which offer VFM as the spec goes up.

I was looking at Ultegra disc vs DA disc....

Weird. The price difference seemed to tally up quite well in that example (genuinely the first I looked at!)

I've just looked at the 2 examples and, as you say, only £600 or so between them in terms of spec. Bizarre pricing.

[HardtopManual]

You can replace "bike" with pretty much any object and still have exactly the same discussion.

Mrs Hardtop Manual and I recently spawned Miss Hardtop Manual. We went buggy shopping. My jaw nearly hit the floor. Very easy to spend two grand on a Bugaboo and a few accessories - and the engineering and materials are absolutely nowhere near what you get when you spend £2k on a bike (which, coincidentally, I just have done - last year's Cervelo S3 in the sales).

We ended up getting a used buggy which we overhauled and upgraded with an hour of elbow grease and a few inline skate bearings and axles.

I honestly don't think that high-end bikes represent particularly poor VFM when compared to some other high-end products.

[anonymous-user]

Hardtop - Yes, add 'baby' or 'wedding' to somethings description and you well and truly get your pants pulled down

[anonymous-user]

Some specialist equipment is pricey too these days. Not that it isn't worth it, but it is - in ££ terms - a bit of money

For example, let's say you had just paid £2,684.99 for a groupset https://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-super-record-e...

but then decided that there was a benefit to upgrading the rear mech with a ceramic speed cage. That is £471.99: 17.5% of the cost of the whole groupset https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ceramicspeed-opws-campagn...

[anonymous-user]

Super Record 12 speed is out now too. £2k for the mechanical, not sure if EPS is out yet.

Those Ceramic Speed bits are probably great if you're an absolute top end time trialist, of no use what so ever to the rest of us

[jontysafe]

It’s bicycle jewellery so cost has very little to do with it. Income yes, value for money ermmmm nope.

And yes i really want!

[Usget]

JPJPJP said:

Some specialist equipment is pricey too these days. Not that it isn't worth it, but it is - in ££ terms - a bit of money

For example, let's say you had just paid £2,684.99 for a groupset https://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-super-record-e...

but then decided that there was a benefit to upgrading the rear mech with a ceramic speed cage. That is £471.99: 17.5% of the cost of the whole groupset https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ceramicspeed-opws-campagn...

List price £3892!!

[BMWBen]

Dizeee said:

E65Ross said:

You can get a version of the Aeroad for £2449.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/aeroad/2019/aero...

True, but with 105 and rim brakes....

I recently bought the 4k version with rim brakes...

More cost, more weight, less aero, harder to look after and all to solve a problem I don't have. No thanks!

[anonymous-user]

You're right Ben, but i'm a bit of a convert. I hired an S3 disc in Lanza last year and the braking is incredible. immense power and modulation with hardly any effort. My next bike is going to have discs