Specialized bicycle (and gear?) inflation since 2004

[Squat'n Dive]

Is it my imagination of the prices for Specialized road bikes went up
something like
50% over the last 3 years? I was looking at what is available in their
lineup with
a Tiagra component group and an '08 Allez Elite Compact that has
components
comparable to '04 Allez Sport is $1200 vs a bit less than $800 that
Allez Sport
cost me in january 2005. I guess I need to shop for a bike that does
not originate in California. Any opinions of Scott S30?
Is the frame stiffer than on 04 Allez Sport or is it geared more
towards comfort?
I see Scott S30 is a full 105 bike and still can be had for under
$1000.

Are there any good cyclocross triples under $1000 (without sora
shifters!!!!!
pref. full Tiagra or Tiagra/105 setup).
I could go for a double per earlier recommendations, but getting a
granny
cassette (13-27?) is an extra expense I'd rather not have.

Comfort is not an issue but I don't need a race worthy bike either.
Just something suitable for hard pedal mashing:
I haven't entered old age quite yet (no SLHT just yet),
but at 35 I'm over the hill for sure (=a race bike is probably
an unnecessary expense: haven't raced before I can't produce THAT
much power to require a superstiff setup. I can just flex cheap rear
wheels
to cause chain slipping).

Do TT bikes have longer wheelbase than roadbikes? Riding on aerobars
of OCR3 is an interesting experience steering-wise :)
The expressions of (way) upright riders passing me on roadbikes
are priceless also :-D

[A Muzi]

Squat'n Dive wrote:
> Is it my imagination of the prices for Specialized road bikes went up
> something like
> 50% over the last 3 years? I was looking at what is available in their
> lineup with
> a Tiagra component group and an '08 Allez Elite Compact that has
> components
> comparable to '04 Allez Sport is $1200 vs a bit less than $800 that
> Allez Sport
> cost me in january 2005. I guess I need to shop for a bike that does
> not originate in California. Any opinions of Scott S30?
> Is the frame stiffer than on 04 Allez Sport or is it geared more
> towards comfort?
> I see Scott S30 is a full 105 bike and still can be had for under
> $1000.
>
> Are there any good cyclocross triples under $1000 (without sora
> shifters!!!!!
> pref. full Tiagra or Tiagra/105 setup).
> I could go for a double per earlier recommendations, but getting a
> granny
> cassette (13-27?) is an extra expense I'd rather not have.
>
> Comfort is not an issue but I don't need a race worthy bike either.
> Just something suitable for hard pedal mashing:
> I haven't entered old age quite yet (no SLHT just yet),
> but at 35 I'm over the hill for sure (=a race bike is probably
> an unnecessary expense: haven't raced before I can't produce THAT
> much power to require a superstiff setup. I can just flex cheap rear
> wheels
> to cause chain slipping).
>
> Do TT bikes have longer wheelbase than roadbikes? Riding on aerobars
> of OCR3 is an interesting experience steering-wise :)
> The expressions of (way) upright riders passing me on roadbikes
> are priceless also :-D

You wrote of the Specialzed Allez: " I guess I need to shop for a bike
that does not originate in California."
Huh?
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[catzz66]

My 05 Allez Elite triple is all 105 components. Now it is sold locally
with mostly Tiagra components and some 105. The local price is still
about what I paid back then. The component info is out there, you just
have to be aware of this type of thing, as well.

[Squat'n Dive]

On Jan 16, 9:37 pm, A Muzi <a...@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> Squat'n Dive wrote:
> > Is it my imagination of the prices for Specialized road bikes went up
> > something like
> > 50% over the last 3 years? I was looking at what is available in their
> > lineup with
> > a Tiagra component group and an '08 Allez Elite Compact that has
> > components
> > comparable to '04 Allez Sport is $1200 vs a bit less than $800 that
> > Allez Sport
> > cost me in january 2005. I guess I need to shop for a bike that does
> > not originate in California. Any opinions of Scott S30?
> > Is the frame stiffer than on 04 Allez Sport or is it geared more
> > towards comfort?
> > I see Scott S30 is a full 105 bike and still can be had for under
> > $1000.
>
> > Are there any good cyclocross triples under $1000 (without sora
> > shifters!!!!!
> > pref. full Tiagra or Tiagra/105 setup).
> > I could go for a double per earlier recommendations, but getting a
> > granny
> > cassette (13-27?) is an extra expense I'd rather not have.
>
> > Comfort is not an issue but I don't need a race worthy bike either.
> > Just something suitable for hard pedal mashing:
> > I haven't entered old age quite yet (no SLHT just yet),
> > but at 35 I'm over the hill for sure (=a race bike is probably
> > an unnecessary expense: haven't raced before I can't produce THAT
> > much power to require a superstiff setup. I can just flex cheap rear
> > wheels
> > to cause chain slipping).
>
> > Do TT bikes have longer wheelbase than roadbikes? Riding on aerobars
> > of OCR3 is an interesting experience steering-wise :)
> > The expressions of (way) upright riders passing me on roadbikes
> > are priceless also :-D
>
> You wrote of the Specialzed Allez: " I guess I need to shop for a bike
> that does not originate in California."
> Huh?

I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
automatically
assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
years.

[Barry]

> I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
> automatically
> assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
> explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
> years.

It looks like Trek has similar inflation. In April 2005 I bought a Trek 1500
(aluminum frame, carbon fork, 105 components with Ultegra rear der) for $1100.
Looking on Trek's web site now, I see that the Trek 1.5 costs $1040 but has
Sora/Tiagra components. The closest they have to my 1500 seems to be the Trek
2.3, which has 105/Ultegra (now 10 speed) and carbon seat stays, for $1700.

[Tom Sherman]

Squat'n Dive wrote:
> ...
> I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
> automatically
> assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
> explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
> years.
>
Has Specialized ever actually manufactured anything? I thought they were
a design/distribution company only.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"And never forget, life ultimately makes failures of all people."
- A. Derleth

[* * Chas]

"Squat'n Dive" <sndive@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:753109e0-11e2-4d42-b5d5-17afa05e67a5@q39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Jan 16, 9:37 pm, A Muzi <a...@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
> > Squat'n Dive wrote:
> > > Is it my imagination of the prices for Specialized road bikes went
up
> > > something like
> > > 50% over the last 3 years? I was looking at what is available in
their
> > > lineup with
> > > a Tiagra component group and an '08 Allez Elite Compact that has
> > > components
> > > comparable to '04 Allez Sport is $1200 vs a bit less than $800 that
> > > Allez Sport
> > > cost me in january 2005. I guess I need to shop for a bike that does
> > > not originate in California. Any opinions of Scott S30?
> > > Is the frame stiffer than on 04 Allez Sport or is it geared more
> > > towards comfort?
> > > I see Scott S30 is a full 105 bike and still can be had for under
> > > $1000.
> >
> > > Are there any good cyclocross triples under $1000 (without sora
> > > shifters!!!!!
> > > pref. full Tiagra or Tiagra/105 setup).
> > > I could go for a double per earlier recommendations, but getting a
> > > granny
> > > cassette (13-27?) is an extra expense I'd rather not have.
> >
> > > Comfort is not an issue but I don't need a race worthy bike either.
> > > Just something suitable for hard pedal mashing:
> > > I haven't entered old age quite yet (no SLHT just yet),
> > > but at 35 I'm over the hill for sure (=a race bike is probably
> > > an unnecessary expense: haven't raced before I can't produce THAT
> > > much power to require a superstiff setup. I can just flex cheap rear
> > > wheels
> > > to cause chain slipping).
> >
> > > Do TT bikes have longer wheelbase than roadbikes? Riding on aerobars
> > > of OCR3 is an interesting experience steering-wise :)
> > > The expressions of (way) upright riders passing me on roadbikes
> > > are priceless also :-D
> >
> > You wrote of the Specialzed Allez: " I guess I need to shop for a bike
> > that does not originate in California."
> > Huh?
>
> I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
> automatically
> assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
> explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
> years.

DOH! The high price of oil has been filtering down to affect the whole US
(and worldwide) economy. I ran into this with a non cycling product the
other day that used to list for ~$65 USD and sold for ~$39 USD several
years ago. It now lists for over $90 USD and sells for over $60.

There have been continuos small price increases for everything over the
past few years due to the indirect costs of oil; the price of food being
one of them.

Transportation costs are one of the largest hidden expenses. Oil powers
the ships, trains, planes and trucks used to bring in raw materials to
manufacturers and ship out finished products to market. The cost of
electricity has also gone up whether produced by oil or not.

Another reason for inflation is that China is becoming a major consumer of
resources including metal and oil. Some metals like brass and lower grades
of steel have been in short supply worldwide for a number of years because
of the Chinese demand.

Also, "carbon" bikes and components are made from carbon fiber reinforced
plastics and most plastics are made from..... OIL!

Do the numbers.

Chas.

[catzz66]

Barry wrote:
>>I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
>>automatically
>>assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
>>explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
>>years.
>
>
> It looks like Trek has similar inflation. In April 2005 I bought a Trek 1500
> (aluminum frame, carbon fork, 105 components with Ultegra rear der) for $1100.
> Looking on Trek's web site now, I see that the Trek 1.5 costs $1040 but has
> Sora/Tiagra components. The closest they have to my 1500 seems to be the Trek
> 2.3, which has 105/Ultegra (now 10 speed) and carbon seat stays, for $1700.
>
>

This seems to be a normal effect of a good market. I just bought as
good a bike as I could afford/ justify. Since then, I am trying to
enjoy it and take care of it. I will worry about inflation when I wear
this bike out and need to replace it.

[A Muzi]

>> I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
>> automatically
>> assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
>> explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
>> years.

Barry wrote:
> It looks like Trek has similar inflation. In April 2005 I bought a Trek 1500
> (aluminum frame, carbon fork, 105 components with Ultegra rear der) for $1100.
> Looking on Trek's web site now, I see that the Trek 1.5 costs $1040 but has
> Sora/Tiagra components. The closest they have to my 1500 seems to be the Trek
> 2.3, which has 105/Ultegra (now 10 speed) and carbon seat stays, for $1700.

In a world market, you'll notice that gold ($900 oz!) oil, Euros,
Shimano equipment and Chinese bicycle frames among other things cost
more in dollars now. That doesn't mean they are 'more expensive'
absolutely, merely that they 'cost more in dollars'. Any given supplier,
while not missing an opportunity to round up a bit, is mostly passing on
inflated dollar values.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Ozark Bicycle]

On Jan 18, 12:44*am, Tom Sherman <sunsetss0...@REMOVETHISyahoo.com>
wrote:
> Squat'n Dive wrote:
> > ...
> > I was under the impression Specialized HQ is in Gilroy. I was
> > automatically
> > assumung most of the design/production happens there as well, possibly
> > explaining the price inflation and watering down the components over 3
> > years.
>
> *>
> Has Specialized ever actually manufactured anything?


Does Hype, Snake Oil and BS count? ;-)


> I thought they were
> a design/distribution company only.