I see a lot of sensible debate here from reasonable people.
I’m still to see someone telling me how bike manufacturers aren’t taking the complete piss with pretty much all their prices.
Eloquently stating how objectively you are approaching the subject does not, in actual fact, mean anything other than a bunch of well written conjecture.
Dismissing anyone who says, ‘yes, bike prices are laughable and these companies are taking us all for a joke’, as being nothing more than emotional and failing to see the big picture (as you do - well done!) is being unfair.
You’ve now “moved the goal post” buy adding a new qualifier… that the difference must be detectable in practice.
I simply applied your prior requirement that the difference must be “tangible”, and I took that to mean something measurable, which is true in the case I shared.
I could return the question and ask if you can really tell the difference in performance of your Canyon example and the next step down the line, but that gets us nowhere.
I can’t find the specific comment I made above (short on time) but I already made reference to whether we can even feel the differences in all these different levels. For sure, some of them (types and magnitudes) are detectable. But a great may are not. Does that nullify the existence of the difference? I don’t think so. The whole law of diminishing returns applies, and what we can feel vs what we gain regardless of that, is still quite subjective when considering value and price.
OK, if it makes you feel better because it sets you apart and you can afford it is fine.
Does this still justify its price?
It does not, since you can buy a bike performing equally at a fraction of the price and that you would not be able to tell apart blindfolded.
Weight: by lifting something you can feel it by touch.
Electronic shifting: perceptible by touch how chain drops much less and with a simple touch of the lever the derailleur changes gear.
c.£20k new though and components heavily subsidised through Piaggio. I have always had a soft spot for the Tuono though … my old man knees can’t take sitting on the blade any more
I’m not certain how many times I need to state this, but you are talking about companies that operate primarily as factories, not brands. I’ll also note that quoting only %'s is insufficient as you don’t know what the actual numbers are. It is quite easy to raise a significant percentage when the numbers are low.
It is simply staggering to me that you have two people on this thread with inside knowledge and understanding of how the bike industry works through their own personal experience. Direct, first-hand knowledge…but yet we are being told we are “wrong” by people who have never worked in the industry, don’t know the basic financial structures of it or how it oeprates.
By all means, don’t let our expertise get in the way of your opinion.
