Pinkbike Poll: Mountain Biking - What Should it Cost?

Oct 23, 2014 at 14:48
by Mike Kazimer  
Mountain biking is expensive. No matter how you look at it, it's a sport that requires a hefty investment to participate in, and even once that initial investment is made, the costs continue to accumulate. A torn off derailleur here, a tacoed wheel there, and before you know it you're eating Ramen noodles and trying to figure out how many times a week you can sell plasma for money (two, in case you were wondering). That being said, for many mountain bikers riding is a form of therapy, a way to clear the mind and escape the chaos of everyday life, and when compared to the price of an actual session with a therapist, the cost of a drivetrain or a new wheelset actually starts to seem reasonable.

Garage full of mountain bikes

Some addictions are more expensive than others.


But still, back to the point about mountain biking being expensive. I often find myself wondering where other riders set the bar when it comes to the price of components and bikes. Is $1500 a reasonable price for a set of carbon rimmed wheels? Is $2700? How much is too much? It really comes down to how much disposable income you're willing to dedicate to the sport – if buying those fancy wheels means dipping into little Johnny's college fund, or neglecting the leaky roof that's well overdue for a replacement, they're probably not worth it. At the same time, there's usually a semi-valid reason why products cost what they do. Sure, some items are overpriced, like the $40 gloves that only last one ride before disintegrating, but overall, the profit margins in the mountain bike industry aren't nearly large as many people imagine. Turning raw materials into tangible goods takes a sizable investment, and when you add up the cost of manufacturing, transporting, and marketing a product, it begins to make sense why some products cost more than others.

Lately, as preparations have begun for Pinkbike's annual pilgrimage to Sedona for a month of bike and component testing, I've found myself wondering what other riders would pay for certain products, which is what inspired this week's poll questions. It's not a scientific survey, but rather a way to see where the bar is set when it comes to products that many riders are interested in. You'll notice that the questions all ask what 'should' a certain item cost, so select the price that best matches what you feel the item is worth. All of the prices are in US dollars - convert your local currency accordingly before voting.


















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Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,716 articles

368 Comments
  • 300 8
 Mountain biking is way too expensive..... but entirely worth it
  • 7 61
flag limbless (Oct 23, 2014 at 22:47) (Below Threshold)
 then everything does
  • 108 5
 Expensive as is most hobbies, manufacturers got us by the balls! Supply & demand...It has gone too far though, take dirt bikes for instance, the modern day tech involved in those is incredible yet they still cost the same as a high end mountain bike!
  • 213 3
 As my dad always says, "'Fun' is an expensive word."
  • 88 21
 Bikes without motors shouldn't cost more than motorcycles or dirtbikes (or functioning used cars for that matter). For perspective you could get a 274hp 4wd celica GT4 for under $10,000 from a JDM car importer like tyee imports. You get 4 wheels, turbo engine, capacity to seat 4, or carry a bike and seat 2. Heater, AC, and a roof to keep you dry.
  • 51 28
 @fatenduro - For perspective, how many cars per year does Toyota manufacture? More than 10 million. That's why the cost is so low. And I'd much rather ride a bike than drive a car any day.
  • 47 3
 It should not cost more than my car - not that it stops me.
  • 25 17
 think about the production scale of the automotive industry... it's a totally different scale to bicycle production. They run production volumes large enough to make other manufacturing methods viable. Not to mention the overlap in parts between models. Also, they've been refining high end automobile manufacturing methods since the 40's. High end MTB's haven't been around anywhere near that long. The MTB industry is really less than 20 years old. Think before you compare these things.
  • 19 4
 Maybe it is worth it, but if you just don't have enough money to buy enough equipment, you just don't have it and don't use it. In my opinion e.g a helmet, like a basic one, should be added to every frame or bike for free. Producers keep offering cool stuff with higher and higher prices and if we don't buy it, just because we have to, but because we want to, it is really hard to say no. This way there is no negative feedback to keep costs under control. It is clear that they want to earn more and more money, but there is an issue among riders too. I can see riders sort of competing between each other in the quality of equipment they have. This is just boasting and it does not really justify all the fuss. For example more expensive cars are faster and skills don't really help that much. When it comes to biking skills should and are more important. I can see riders meeting and talking about bikes, comparing and setting a hierarchy just according to the cost of bikes they have. It is just ridiculous. In my opinion skills should be, if ever, the basics for setting any hierarchy. Do we really need one? In fact there is no way of changing human nature. Lower prices won't change anything if we will still keep climbing a hierarchy buying expensive parts.

I would like the bike world to grow larger and more popular. Decreasing the costs is one of the steps to do it, but it won't really change anything if we will still compare prices of bikes we have. Whenever anyone approaches me asking how much was the bike, my skin changes its colour.
  • 22 1
 It is, but only because we want it to be. I snapped my XT rear mech but could barely afford a new one. I could afford a deore no issue but it's in our blood to not want to do that! I've had to force myself to evaluate weather I really need something now, I mean I did my first downhill race on a hardtail with cheap wheels, cobbled together parts, v brakes and rusty pedals and did really well. I'm not much better now but I still always want the better gear now I have it!
  • 13 4
 @nobble...why let logic get in the way of a pinkbiker opinion that the brand managers will just laugh at anyway.
  • 9 11
 @crazy-freerider. You have just touched another important point. We buy something new, better and more expensive because we think it will make us ride better. I won't be any liar if I say that commercials and events with professional riders keep us believing in this rule. For example Giant glory was used by the last winner of rampage so it will be more wanted bike in the next season.
  • 9 3
 Did you happen to watch Rampage.....? Or are you just some computer program developed for Giant to sell more bikes.....?
  • 12 16
flag jedrzeja (Oct 24, 2014 at 0:31) (Below Threshold)
 @somismtb This was my EXAMPLE. I don't remember the make of the Spanish rider's bike. I try to have a life apart from remembering all details from all bike events. You'd be surprised how many more important things I have to remember.
  • 14 3
 Sorry didn't mean to put you on the spot so hard, it was made by YT Industries by the way. Sometimes I just assume everyone on this website is a die-hard
  • 13 2
 Yt-industries, bitchin bikes for not alot of money.
  • 7 3
 It's OK, but honestly when I saw him winning I checked the YT industries site and the bike, which I would not do unless. There were moments I even considered buying it just because. That is how true the fact is.
  • 4 1
 @fatenduro You do have to pay for fuel, tax and insurance though...
  • 3 1
 there's no way in MTB with empty pocket. but damn, many details are artificially overpriced.
  • 5 5
 It's difficult to compare bikes and cars because the market is so different. Millions of cars are made each year, if the mountain bike industry was as big as the car industry then most things would be cheaper. You could probably buy an xtr group set for $99.99 or a carbon Santacruz new for $1,499! Things aren't going to get much cheaper until there's a bigger market. (Maybe bike manufactures need to find a way of making a bigger market?). But I agree if you want the best stuff you have to be prepared to empty the bank!
  • 13 3
 You all forget about some specific and extremely important difference between cars and bikes. People usually buy cars because they have to, and usually buy bikes becasue they want to.
  • 6 6
 There are more parts in the steering assembly than are in a whole bicycle let alone the motor the transmission, how about the latch the lock and the window mechanism Inside 4 doors Their is no reason any bicycle should cost as much as a car, the raw material is the raw material and a car has 50 times more
  • 3 7
flag jedrzeja (Oct 24, 2014 at 3:14) (Below Threshold)
 @davr Car parts are not so refined like tripple butted straight tube for $200.
  • 4 2
 What about the back up camera, traction control, navagation system, surround sound and satellite radio that comes on every bike
  • 4 1
 If I'm not mistaken an "A arm" Is triple butted with ball joints pressed in there there is an upper and lower one on each side of a car
  • 1 10
flag FlowMasterO (Oct 24, 2014 at 3:32) (Below Threshold)
 This will solve all your money problems. And it's not one of those spam things that can be on pb

www.boston.com/health/2014/10/15/poop-bank-massachusetts-will-pay-you-per-dump/FMMhBXMKyFNTRXKoThmnpM/story.html
  • 6 1
 Who said I have money problems?
Just because I have $10,000 to play with does not mean I'm going to over pay for a bike
  • 2 2
 You have to pay to play. It beats the alternative of sitting inside all day. I used to get this argument a lot from customers when I ran a bike shop. "UHH do I really have to spend more than $300 on a bike?"-millionaire cry baby. It's an investment similar to joining a sports/fitness club. Hell playing tennis could cost you more than MTB.
  • 14 0
 IMO mtb has the same problem that, as it seems, everything in the world now turns around: *status*....people dont buy the expensive products because they are good, or because they need it...they buy it because its from a certain brand and has that show-off factor to it...90% of everyone with expensive bikes/parts on the mountain have absolutely no idea how to ride and dont even ride properly...do i have a problem with that? hell no, its your money and you do whatever the hell you want with it...but when you do it, just know that you are contributing to something that economists like to call "status inflation"...which in other words is "people overrating something, this something getting a certain status "label" on it, people wanting it, price going up ("unexplained overpricing", no extra manufacturing/distribution cost can be explained)"....best example of this? Fox suspensions, TLD anything, some frames (brands)...you name it....
  • 2 0
 i don't have anything against paying extra but at the same time i want companies protect environment, trials etc. vide: PATAGONIA.
  • 7 4
 If you look my bikes on my profile you'll see that the sport doesn't have to be expensive. If you are willing to sacrifice some things you will gain others. Life is about balance. None of you are riding bicycles with a balanced axle path so your life is actually completely out of order. What you lack in balance you don't make up for I'm wealth. It's nor about your ride, It's all about the ride.
  • 2 1
 I do get frustrated at the cost of mountain bike equipment but it's so tiresome that people always try and do a cost comparison with cars. How can you possibly compare the two? Yes cars have a huge amount of technology built in, thousands of,component parts, tons of raw material blah blah blah.. Looking at car manufacture goes no way whatsoever to making me feel that mountain bikes should be cheaper though. It just makes me wonder in awe how these complex machines are produced so dam cheaply.

It's all about scale. when you're producing in massive numbers you can invest heavily in manufacturing techniques that drive the costs down, not to mention have phenomenal buying power for raw materials.

Why do people try and make this comparison so frequently?
  • 3 1
 If companies made components and bikes for the price we want them at, the quality would be utter shit. I'm find spending $6000 on a bike as long as I know that I wont be eating dirt due to the frame cracking on a 30 foot jump.
  • 8 1
 When people look at the price of expensive an expensive mountain bike/component and give the standard "OMG you could get x motorbike/car for that much". I always think when can you buy an industry leading or world champion level motorbike/car for that price
  • 12 1
 complaining elite mtb gear is expensive is way to stupid for obvious reasons which I assume most of the PB users here above 21 can understand on their own. You can't compare a 10K race bike to a used 02' Honda Accord with 100k miles, 4 doors, seats 4, trunk, etc... simply because its apples vs pears, 2 different industries. Thats like whining about a 20k rolex being more useless than a Tablet since the tablet also shows the time, along with other features that the Rolex can't do. You could however make comparisons between prices and proportional value of things within the years. That is a good comparison. If you think bike industry companies have exaggerated margins then let me tell you something, everybody else does as well! I know no one that is willing to work for free, neither for a small profit. The best MTB equipment you can buy is the one you like, and most importantly the one that you can afford. If you want to whine about mtb prices, GTFO and go buy a Yo-yo
  • 5 0
 I got a used bike for $1000 on craigslist, added a new bar and chain stay for a couple hundred, I shred any trail at Whistler i want no problem, My friends have more expensive bikes and they are really nice, but at the end of the day we are doing the same trails. Spend it of you got it but unless you're racing or filimg a video part I really don't see the need for an expensive bike and components
  • 3 0
 It really depends on what you want, does everyone need to buy a brand new bike, no, definitely not. I like building my bikes, I've got a 6" AM build in the other room for $1500ish, used parts go a long way, and the "new technology" isn't so new and life changing that you have to have it, the same bits can be had several years old for sooooo much less money. Being smart with your build and using the resources that we are given as mountain bikers goes a long way and you can have a lot of bikes for cheap. The industry is going towards the more expensive carbon shit, and thats great, if you want to race, I don't, I just like riding my bike and am not afraid to push if my bike doesn't handle climbing well.
  • 3 1
 Not to mention if you buy a toyota new it will cost much more than 10000, more like 20000 to 40000. You can also buy your bike used for less than 2000 and get something pretty decent.
  • 4 0
 People seem to like making it more expensive than it needs to be. Don't buy TLD shirts, high end rear mechs, fancy bars and stems, $200 pedals etc and then moan about the cost. These add very little to the ride unless you're a top racer, it's just image and marketing men love you.
  • 4 0
 it's not how much it costs. it's how much it's worth... to you. working at a high end shop for 10yrs i always tried to not sell the "upgrade" because it felt more important to gain a customer with trust and honesty instead of just making one sale. we all know the set that are like little crack addicts when it comes to needless upgrades and bling. some are rich and go all out and some not so rich but will still insist on putting an xtr rear der on a new acera/altus kitted bike. same mentality in different tax brackets. shiny new bits is the leading cause of samhillness, which, there is a cure for..
  • 2 4
 We all have to remember we're paying for the athletes, so if you have a dream of racing professionally you shouldn't be complaining about prices. In the end as the sport grows I think the prices will go down more people buying more stuff mean more money and they could equal things out its just the way the sports world runs
  • 2 0
 bikes are one of the very few wheeled sports where a large percentage of newbies can have access to & walk in and buy elite works bike tech and run it at their local spot.
  • 3 2
 You may be right about automotive industry but dirtbikes from high end companies are basically the same as mountain bikes there is no excuse other than greed for money why stuff is sooo dang expensive. Why is a marzocchi moto fork half the price of a moutain bike fork with less material used. I imagine its pretty close to the same manufacturing process
  • 6 2
 Because the Marzocchi Moto fork is produced without much care about the weight, and in much greater numbers so the tooling is paid off sooner. Not to mention being bigger you don't need to rely on tighter/smaller tooling to make the things or service them.
  • 3 1
 It's all about priorities in life, you get to choose what you spend your money on. Instead of having a new car payment, you can buy one that is a couple years old with that has a lot lower or no payment. You don't have to go out to the club and blow through a hundred bucks every weekend, you don't 'need' the newest iPhone, you can make your own coffee at home instead of hitting up Tim's every morning. Sure a mountain bike doesn't have a motor, but I have just as much fun if not more than my motto buddies. It's not a car, but I would say that a car has never made me smile as much as a day on my bike. If you truly love biking you will find a way to make it happen. And no you don't 'need' a carbon fiber wonder rig to have an awesome time on your bike.
  • 5 4
 Sorry dude but I dont believe that they dont put as much care it their moto forks and no they are not made on a grander scale its still a specialty item and after the whole 08 09 fiasco with their quality control I think they put more effort in thier moto fork than their mtb products
  • 2 3
 Also can you explain why my 02 motocross technology shivers are still going strong and my 09 888's blew apart first season
  • 3 0
 it's just economies of scale
  • 2 0
 I'm not reading all of that! ^
  • 6 3
 I think the problem is how expensive parts are now and how none really work that great. I worked as a mechanic at a high end shop for 3 years but in those short years I realized the more expensive the parts the less they worked properly. Sram Red is just horribly finicky for how expensive it is. I had to bleed my Shimano Zee brakes every day after riding because they would get soft and the fluid would turn black. Avid I never had problems with fluid degrading but they had to be ridden a certain way or they make noise. But every manufacturer would have some problem and would just warranty it like they decided they would charge double for the part because it has a high chance of coming back. Probably about 50% of our shops work was warranty replacements and fixing creaking, popping, or other noises coming from carbon bikes. I got frustrated with the bike industry because I realized the "Better" the part the more likely it is to not work properly.
  • 3 0
 I would disagree on the small markup. My last two frames I were brand new, last years models and retailers were blowing them out 50% off! I keep hearing about small profit margins but im less convinced every time I research it.
  • 1 1
 Margins vary between brands, the shop was probably selling those at cost to get them off the floor.
  • 1 2
 "Mountain biking is way too expensive....."

Depends! Buying US designed, Asian fabricated frames for a 200-300% markup is the fault of the people buying them.

When I get another frame, that frame will have been made seriously close to me(Transition, Intense, Cove, Banshee), or I will buy a frame from the fabricators who sell to companies like Giant and Trek.
  • 1 0
 I always thought the huge cost was what attracted a lot the of bikers as many are conspicuous consumers. I love when I hear, "so and so is so serious about biking...their bike cost..."
  • 3 0
 @XCMark I am sorry, but your language is barely comprehensive. If you want people to understand you, I think you should try some more human way of communication. Otherwise people, or at lease me, will perceive you as a person with some mental issues. Everyone commits mistakes sometimes. There is nothing wrong with it, but if there are too many of them and no conclusions over time, you will get no results and in the best scenario, the society will ingore you. Anyway from all of what I managed to understand, there is some point in buying products that are made near, but by the way Banshee bikes are made in Taiwan possibly exlusively. It is quite far from Portland.
  • 1 0
 I think the high end bike industry is producing quality, in terms of weight/strength, technology and aesthetics nearly, on par, or even surpassing the high end automotive and aerospace industries, and look at the costs of those things. At the end of the day you don't need a $5000 bike to have a really good time, but quality does feel special, and riding something with similar tech to a $1million bugatti feels pretty awesome.
  • 1 0
 Hey Bradfreeride, I think that is also what frustrates me the most about the prices. If I pay a lot of money for a bike, I expect it to perform very well and be reliable. Last year, I spent $4000 on a bike, which is more than I've spent on anything aside from my car. And the thing is, it still doesn't perform all that well and I've had lots of reliability issues. So apparently, I have to spend more like $7000-9000 to get a decently performing and reliable mountain bike. But at that price, I might as well get a nice new motorcycle.
  • 2 0
 Hey Bristecom unless your performing at the pro level when your paid to use the parts instead of buying them yourself it isn't worth it to get the $7000-9000 bike. It seems like the bike industry tries to price people out of the sport. The price for the cheapest most basic new Dh bike is around 2,600. An enduro style bike is about 3,600 for a basic one. Simple parts are kind of ridiculous especially on things like tires where its minimum of $80 for a DH casing tire with no cheaper options. The industry seems to be in the catch 22 of they don't sell enough because of the price to produce parts but can't seem to drop the price because the production costs are high since they aren't producing huge volumes.
  • 1 0
 We have seen all types of riders. Some buy a new whip every year for $7-8K + and can't ride for shit, other's keep the same setup for 8 + years and continually progress every season. Natural talent will always out perform an average rider with unlimited budget.
  • 1 0
 Look, DH is not a segment of the sport that the industry expects to make much profit at as there's just not enough people doing it (never has been, never will be). So low production volumes and high strength/durability standards now being enforced by laws (and lawsuits) results in expensive bikes and parts. Fat biking is now more popular than DH and has seen the "entry-level" price for a production bike cut in half in only 4 years. In this region, where we have several alpine ski hills that run chair lift DH programs in the spring/summer/fall, there are now more people who own fat bikes than DH bikes, and that's saying a lot for an area that's produced several national DH champions as well as at least one famous freefrider and several well known videographers of DH/FR. We have maybe TWO shops that actually cater to DH/FR riders with bikes specific to those diciplines as part of their regular inventory and combined they might sell fifty bikes a year for that. Meanwhile we've a dozen shops now selling fat bikes representing several hundred bikes a year.
  • 123 7
 Buying a bike to ride on the neighborhood sidewalk isn't expensive. A $200 department store hardtail will do the trick.

Buying a bike to ride burly trails at a high level or race (and do well) is expensive.

Buying a car to drive around town is much more than a department store bike. But manageable for most.

Buying an car that has elite performance is decidedly much more than any bike I know of.

Tired of the lame comparisons. Want cheap, buy cheap. Want awesome, spend some cash.
  • 10 3
 How much is all the equipment to make a serious riders image ?
  • 31 4
 I don't understand why people don't get this. People bitch about an $8k+ price tag of some of the flagship builds today. Well, you're getting the same spec as the pros at that point.

To continue the car metaphor, a full blown race car (depending on the series obviously) is easily 6-7 figures. And this doesn't even touch formula racing: the top f1 teams are spending hundreds of millions per season. Red bull averaged something like over $12 million per race in 2012.

Expensive? Of course. But as ride-801 said, you get what you pay for. Just because I would like to be able to afford an f1 car doesn't mean it "should" be cheap enough. Same thing goes for bikes. $10k for the same damn bike that the top paid athletes in the sport are on doesn't sound so bad now.
  • 4 11
flag jedrzeja (Oct 24, 2014 at 1:13) (Below Threshold)
 Your are both right but you don't get the point "why". Professional riders/ drivers don't think about buying equipment. They train for most of their lives to perform well. We, normal riders, watch them riding expensive bikes, commercials of pro riders promoting expensive bikes and we think it will make us riding like pros. I don't need any f1 car to use in my life, but I would probably fall into this trap if there were commercials of my idols promoting f1 cars and if all of my friends had some and if they did not respect me without one.
  • 3 1
 @jedrzeja:
Depend what you do,i would say:
Dh/Freeride;about 3000-5000$ for DH (5000$ is for racer) and 2000-3000$ for freeride if you can find good deal!
Dirt:700-1300$ but if you build your own jump you have to find shovel,saw,etc...
Enduro:near to 3000$ if you only want a good bike,4000/5000 for a "ready to race" bike!
  • 4 6
 Well if you can spend this amount of money, than lucky you. From my perspective a brand new complete bike for more than $5000 is like offering a space shuttle. I know it is beautiful and probably works well, but I won't buy it anyway. Afterall it is only a bike and there should be some limits. An apple costing $20 would be equally weird to me. Trying to set pricess like you do, is too simple solution. The gist stays in human nature. For example people that don't have enough money prefer to buy superior quality parts that will work and last for couple years. This way they can devide the cost of a complete bike building it a little bit longer. If a new season comes and there are plans to change something, it is usually only an upgrade of some parts. If it is a frame, most of components are reinstalled from the old bike. It is very rare for me to see somebody buying a new complete bike that costs more than $2000. Also because planning to spend more money you know a lot about bikes and you have more better ideas how should a complete set look like. Ironicly people who don't have too much money buy the most expensive parts hoping that they will last longer. It becomes a comedy when there are new standards like new wheel sizes. I can see people totally ignoring the 650b size in dh, fr bikes mainly because it means everything new.
  • 4 0
 But in the price i count helmet,knee pads,jersey,fixing,new part,bike rack,etc...and everything which go along with biking!Wink
And for me,riding in enduro and freeride,i think i spend near to 3000$ since i start biking seriously 5 years ago!
And i totally agree with you about people who don't have a lot of money are the people who buying very expansive stuff...
  • 4 0
 @theblackrider One the other hand you got me thinking now. The last 5 years of riding had me spent more than enough to buy the most expensive and complete set for this sport just at once 5 years ago. So why not to buy everything I dream of, all at once now and stop using Pinkbike for next five years?
  • 2 0
 Cooks and Ride-801 get it. And just to beat the point home some more, how many of us would buy a Porsche 911 if we had the money? Or, for off roading, a brand new Honda Crf450? Or a Ford F150 Raptor? These are the motoized vehicles that while not for racing are the equivalent to the quality of bikes and equipment we're riding. I for one would if I could but thats just not a reality for me at my income. I love anything with wheels but my car is a '79 F-150 because its all I can afford. We ride amazing bikes that take a boatload of punishment that require little maintenance and keep coming back for more. I love the industry and buy what I can afford and go out there and have a blast.
  • 5 5
 Dude you can go right now and go by a top of the line MX bike for what you can buy a top of the line DH bike. Tell me that bike prices aren't stupidly inflated. Plus all the moto parts dont break all the time. I'm getting out of the sport for this reason.
  • 3 0
 Couldn't agree more. For under 1500 bucks i can buy a HT that would take me anywhere in the world, just not at warp speed. If you want a Lambo, your'e going to have to pay for a Lambo.
  • 2 5
 For 1500 bucks you could buy a pretty nice used mx bike and go anywhere at warp speed. And its got more / better suspension then a 6K DH bike. I agree with the "you have to pay to ride the best" sentiment. You are right. But, the best in MTB shouldnt cost a much as it does.
  • 9 4
 Those who can afford the bikes, buy the bikes, those who cannot, complain on web forums.
  • 2 0
 it's not a question of not affording, but the plain fact is mid range bikes are being priced around 5-6k all in. high end, something that would truly compare to a lambo, is 12-15k +.

i dont think it makes sense to dismiss the argument by saying 'you can't afford it so sod off' - even if there are ways around paying full price (i.e. second hand, potentially damaged and non warranteed product) - if it wasnt an issue the above survey wouldn't be here.

I pay to play every day, and i love supporting this industry, it's an important part of myself and my children's future. i just feel like the sport is being hijacked by marketing twerps and investment bankers. i could be wrong,
  • 4 2
 Stop comparing to cars... entry level for bicycles is department store at $200... entry level for cars is like nine thousand for a clearout stripped down toyota or something. Surveys on pinkbike are useless because the majority of people who take them AREN'T the clientele the bike industry really listens to.
  • 1 1
 The level of engineering refinement in cars is crap compared to MTB. Even modern mid-high range cars have more in common with agricultural machinery than what you see in MTB Care may look polished but thats just a pretty skin, if you get the wrench going you'll see they're nasty underneath and actually not unlike supermarket bikes but profit margins are sickeningly high or Autos and parts. As far as MX goes yeah you get a lot of performance but I still think most higher MTB stuff is still a level up being honest. That said it is too expensive. That said again, its down to market forces, prices reflect the value the customer may be prepared to pay. As Deelight says the industry is listening to those spending the money and lets face it we are all sealing our own fate there..
  • 1 0
 Auto makers have annual revenue in the hundreds of billions. Trek is lucky to break one billion in annual revenue. Toyota supplies jobs to over 300,000 people, Trek employs almost 2,000 people. It's easy to see why bicycles are still expensive relative to anything motordriven, people are just to dumb to think rationally.
  • 38 1
 I like nice shit, nice shit costs money......always has, always will.
  • 4 1
 Carbon is just so Fricken Sexy - Period.
  • 31 1
 We're missing the point here. Prices are set to what we as customers are willing to spend. If we'd buy more zee instead of xtr trails, it wouldn't be that expensive. But somehow we believe that anything less than what Briceland uses is total crap not worthy to the spoilt princesses we really are. I used my m3 for 9 years. Spent heaps this spring to replace it. Full bling, king hubs etc. I tell myself it was worth every penny. But if i'm honest i'm not much faster. and not having proportionally more fun. I only get chicks easier.
  • 12 0
 And by chicks you mean dudes who eyeball your ride like crazy lol!

Jokes aside, It blows my mind how people are disconnected with what they WANT to pay and what things ACTUALLY cost. If you want the top, you pay top level pricing, it's as simple as that. There's a reason why XTR stuff is so expensive, it's where Shimano put the largest amount of their time (in the mtb side) developing and testing stuff, to then offer the best possible equipment for top-level athletes. This technology then gradually trickles down to less expensive stuff and is more accessible. If you're not willing to pay 600$ for a top of the line crank, do like @badfastard said and buy freakin' Zee ffs, it's the same damn top of the line stuff you would of had on your bike 6-7 years ago anyways.

People need to realize that there is way more work then what they "think" there is in the development, production, and marketing of products we all dream about. Stop whinning, man up, work for your shit and buy what you can afford. If people judge you on your bike's components rather then your abilities, just tell them to F*ck off. Buy stuff that is in the "What you want to pay" bracket and stop whining that "everything is so damn expensive, boohoo I can't afford XX1 or those super-thin-ultra-lite titanium axle pedals". And like lots of people have said, be smart as a consumer and shop around, there's deals everywhere nowadays, and almost nobody actually pays MSRP anymore.

Just my 2 cents
  • 2 0
 Exactly. I'm always amused how smilar this attitude is to how kids always say "its not fair!". No, its not "not fair" just because you don't like it.
  • 2 1
 "Prices are set to what we as customers are willing to spend." Yes and no. Companies are in it to make money by providing us with a product we want. If they are trying to sell us a product, and the cost is too high, of course we won't buy it. But the cost can only go so low before it's not worth a company's efforts to supply us with said product.

Take your example of buying Zee instead of XTR. Fair enough. Now say we all decide to buy Zee and not XTR. OK. So Shimano lowers the prices to sell XTR, and still no one buys. They lower the price again... If no one buys it, sooner or later if the "no buy" trend continues there will be no XTR line, only Zee, because it will not be worth Shimano's time and money to develop XTR when people are only buying Zee. That might not necessarily be a bad thing, but then you lose the innovation of XTR, and that flows down into the lower-level components.

The point is the market decides the price up to the point where the manufacturer decides it's just not worth what the market is paying it, and then stops producing the product.
  • 2 0
 I think people also focus too much on what the material and manufacturing costs are, so when people see $200 for a pedal, they think that you can go and buy a piece of metal, whack it in a CNC machine and there's a pedal for way less than $200.
But really, there are countless hours and dollars put into researching, designing, testing and prototyping a set of pedals and THAT is where a large portion of money goes. To cover those costs and still make a profit, they have to up the prices.
For example, an iPhone costs about $900ish to buy outright and the reported cost to manufacture a single unit is just over $200. The money they would spend on the marketing and the actual design of the phone and software would be immense, so to pay it off, an iPhone costs $900.
Apple is probably not a very good example because you definitely pay for the brand name but you get the gist of it!
Having said all that, I do wish things were a bit cheaper and a bit more "uni student budget" friendly!
  • 1 1
 If everyone raced every discipline on a hardtail like they used to, we'd still have a level playing field. I'm all for it. That would drop the cost of MTB to a more acceptable level. That, and if pinkbike would shut up about the weight of everything, and those bloody sealed dampers and come to think of it, anything new.
  • 36 3
 MTB = mountainbuying
  • 15 0
 where's the how much a neckbrace should cost?
  • 21 0
 It is expensive, but doesn't have to be unreasonable. If you shop around there are good deals to be had, but it's nice to have the option of buying top shelf products. Gym memberships are ridiculous these days, and there you just pretend to ride a bike.
  • 5 0
 I like you already man
  • 1 0
 haha yep had the same thought during 2 week gym trial. They want over $500/year...I'll save that and put towards lift tickets, busted parts and small upgrades!
  • 20 0
 Is it possible to hide the poll results before you answer? Many voters are sure to be swayed by being able to view the totals of votes already cast. I imagine it could have a significant impact on the results of the survey.

I also have no experience building web pages, so not sure how difficult it is to set up like that. I would suggest hiding the results until someone answers a poll or maybe add a "show results" button for those who don't wish to vote but want to see the results?
  • 17 1
 Is mountain biking too expensive? No. Are the top end products that you WANT probably out of your price range? Yes. You all know thats the same in any industry right? You also realise that you can have fun on a bike that costs less than a grand?

The problem with the moutain biking industry is not that it's too expensive. The problem is we are all conditioned to think we need the best kit to actually be able to do it. Which is total BS.

15 years ago I was having a hell of a lot of fun riding my totally rigid heavy steel bike with canti's, plastic covered, mild steel crank arms, 15 gears that didn't really work, narrow flat bars with bar ends and rims made of paper. That said, at the time, I would have cut fingers off to have a Cannondale M800 Beast of the east which was (by 90's standards), seriously expensive (Just under £1000). The bike I ride now (A Boardman FS Team) retailed at £1000 when I bought it. Design, technology and spec wise it simply kicks the pants off that cannondale.

I'm saying this because I find anyone complaining that mountinbiking is too expensive particularly irritating these days because you don't seem to realise how good you have it.

In the end, sitting around wishing you could afford a better bike is only ever going to detract from the fun of riding the one you have got. So get over it and be happy you have ANY working gears, brakes and suspension.
  • 11 1
 Mountain Biking has never been so affordable. On the bike websites and forums we tend to concentrate on the high end bling, but walk into a decent bike shop and see how much you can get for your money from one of the big brands like Specialized, Trek or Giant

The Giant Stance really blew me away for 2015 - £1000 for full suspension with Rockshox fork / shock and Shimano drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes.I test rode it too, and was very impressed with the ride quality, not just the value / price

I don't think we've ever had it that good. Look how darn good components like Shimano SLX or even Deore are!
  • 1 0
 Damn straight @hampsteadbandit , you know the score!
  • 5 0
 hamp do you not work for Giant ha ha
  • 1 0
 Deore; the best kept secret in the industry. Ed at Dirt has asked the question many times over the years: why do Shimano make Deore perform at levels virtually identical to many components 2 or 3 levels up the brand? My 2013 Deore brakes are by far and away the most amazing value compared to other offerings: less than 100US for front and rear bulletproof brakes that work. A mindset that makes MTBing with great gear at affordable prices is the only thing stopping anyone from not spending the kinds of money that so many complain about.
  • 1 0
 @klerric

no, I am not employed by Giant
  • 1 0
 You should be dude....
  • 1 0
 @klerric

people said the same thing when I worked in a Specialized concept store (all independantly owned like the Giant brand stores)

Funny thing is Specialized UK would refer to us as "their staff" even though none of us were ever employed by them...plenty of good staff came and went because of problems with the owners of the stores.
  • 2 0
 That's a shame if you look after your staff you get a good return of productivity. Good staff are happy staff.
  • 13 0
 if you're going to make a comparison, it should be comparing equal product.

A $10k DH big is a race spec bike. this is not the same as an off the shelf MX bike.

Race ready DH bike $10K= race ready MX bike $25-30k
race ready XC bike$10k = race ready car $100-$200k
a race ready dH tire $100= a race read car tire$600-$1000
$10K Kia = $400 huffy

a $60 car tire = a $25 bike tire-----can't race on a $60 car tire. sure as hell can't race on a $25 bike tire

Don't say you can buy 2 motorcycles for the price of a high end MTB. you can't compare a used or low end motorbike to a new high end MTB

This sport is as expensive as you want it to be. You can go to walmart and buy a $20 helmet that will protect you. But most people don't want tha they want a higher end helmet.
  • 4 0
 $1000 Head = $1000 Helmet
  • 16 4
 Take $90 tires tubeless tires for example. You can get car tires at the same price. Brake pads costs almost the same as car pads.

The price of mt bikes are going up much more than inflation. 4 years ago my carbon mt bike was about $4000, now with the same build it is $8000. I don't see cars or motorcycle prices double in 4 years.
  • 1 1
 They haven't doubled but MX bikes definitely have gone up a bit. I watched my dad drop $11k on a new KTM 500 EXC a while back. Same model would have cost somewhere around $7k 5 or so years ago. The only real development I can think of is EFI and perhaps some better suspension from the factory.
  • 4 0
 @ddobluis "The same build" would cost you a lot less than $4000 now if you go by what it can do rather than what letter designation it has. A 4 year old XTR drivetrain is probably no better than a current XT or even lower. The same is true for forks, shocks, frames etc. So yes, the top of the line stuff has got more expensive because it takes more to make it, you can still get great stuff for a lot less money.

The tyre example is spurious at best too. You aren't taking into account economies of scale associated with the larger numbers of car tyres rpoduced and you are comparing top of the line bike tyres with bottom spec car tyres. You can spend $90 on a bike tyre and you can spend $90 on car tyres but for that you are not getting the equivalent, you are getting the car equivalent of this: www.xxcycle.com/mtb-tire-michelin-country-dry-2-gw-26-x-2,,en.php?FROM=froogle-uk&wwm=ls&wwp=5&sgaayyvz=N337500000440200000200000416980000100000L&FROM=ADW_PLA_UK_PNEU&gclid=CMqc3vOaxcECFfHKtAodXhwAgA
  • 2 5
 Yea, I agree that it's fucked that car tires are the same price as bike tires...and don't get me started on rims...
  • 2 1
 That's his fault for buying a KTM!
  • 1 0
 Have you guys seen what rims cost for Harleys? www.jpcycles.com/product/206-035
  • 1 1
 @Patrick9-32 ""The same build" would cost you a lot less than $4000 now if you go by what it can do rather than what letter designation it has. A 4 year old XTR drivetrain is probably no better than a current XT or even lower. The same is true for forks, shocks, frames etc. So yes, the top of the line stuff has got more expensive because it takes more to make it, you can still get great stuff for a lot less money.

So lets say your 5 year old bike gets stolen and the insurance wants to pay you for SLX parts instead of the XTR that you had on your bike, is that fair? According to you, it performs the same. Honestly would you accept it? I don't think so.

You know the markup is pretty big, if last years model is selling at 50% off. You don't see cars and motorcycles have 50% off.
  • 11 1
 As a bit of perspective, high end boutique guitars that could be analogous to top end Yeti and Santacruz bikes cost around $4000-$5000. It's not until you get into individual hand made ones, or endangered materials, that you start pushing the $8000 mark, and even then it's usually a supply/demand/famous name thing. You can also get a pretty descent mid range guitar for under $2000. Pretty much only pros, collectors, and the exuberantly wealthy have guitars that cost over $5000.

Food for thought.
  • 15 0
 I'm twice as screwed as I love mtb and guitars...hmm, crossword puzzles are cheap
  • 5 0
 Shit, I just realized my guitar/amp quiver is bigger than my bike stable... time to sell some gear!
  • 2 0
 A key difference between high end guitars and bikes (aside from knowing how to play actually WILL help you get chicks), is that high-end guitars hold their value way, way better than high-end bikes. And some even become more valuable with age.
  • 14 1
 I think the problem is most of the members on pink bike are just broke asses Wink
  • 10 0
 WAAAAAA WAAAAAA!!!!! I CANT AFFORD CARBON XTR ENVE AWESOMENESS!!! I'M GOING TO DRAW IRRELEVANT COMPARISONS TO THE AUTO AND MX INDUSTRIES AND BITCH ABOUT HOW BIKES ARE WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BOTHER PICKING UP THAT ALUMINUM FRAME WITH SLX COMPONENTS ON CLEARANCE FOR UNDER A GRAND, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I CAN HAVE A TON OF FUN ON IT THATS JUST UNCOOL MAN!!!! god, what a huge pack of whiners... grow the fuck up. You want something expensive, work harder.
  • 16 3
 Carbon wheels? Haha
  • 6 0
 I choose to see it as an investment with a good ROI for my overall health. Eating junk food everyday may appear inexpensive but overtime your body will have paid the ultimate price! You get what you pay for now go and ride already!!!
  • 8 2
 Although expensive is bad, it does mean that trails never get to broken up and the area never gets too busy because people who arent really in to the sport are not going to spend that much, so the trails are left to the dedicated riders.
  • 8 2
 I think the price for mountain bikes is ridiculous. With prices this high, it's no wonder the sport can't grow. I love my bike, and will bloody well have to pay exorbitantly for another, but I wonder how many miss out?
How the heck could parents afford to get there teenage kids into DH or Enduro or even XC on a decent ride with the bikes costing as much as they do.
It's any wonder most of the riders I see on the trails are late 20s or older.
If the manufactures don't curb the cost, they will dwindle away the supply of buyers as the years move on....no young people riding, no market for the future.
  • 6 0
 I totally agree with you on this..I have always said that the mountain bike industry is its own worst enemy.
  • 1 0
 If parents want to seriously get their teenage kids riding mountain bikes competitively, they have to be wealthy. Same as if they wanted to get them into motor racing or karting or whatever really. So what? That's life. I wish when I was a teenager my parents could afford to buy me everything I wanted. As it happens, I had plenty of fun riding cheap second hand bikes as a teenager. Now in my early thirties I still buy second hand bikes and actually they are more bike than I could ever need. If people want to pay top dollar on new bikes that's fine by me because it keeps the used market healthy.

Would companies really sell more bikes if they dropped their mark ups? I don't think they would actually as there is so much competition all trying to get their slice of a limited market. Therefore the companies know how they need to mark up their products in order to meet their financial projections. If they sold more products they could drop mark ups. But realistically the market just isn't big enough for that.

I would love to see new bikes and kit more affordable, don't get me wrong. I just think people get too worked up on wanting to have what they don't need.
  • 2 0
 This so much. When I was in high school my first job was at a bike shop and I was able to save up and get a top of the line Specialized XC bike with full XTR with my summer pay. Now this was 15 years ago, but kids in a bike shop really make hardly any more than that now and the dealer cost of a top end XC bike is 2 to 3 times more. When I go out riding around the front range of Colorado, you're far more likely to see someone in their late 40s to 50s riding than an actual teenager. I think the fact bikes are so over priced also really hurts the local shops too because it forces a lot of us who are on a budget but would like to support local business to go to online retailers. In my mind a top end mtn bike just shouldn't cost more than 6k and I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that there are 12000 mtn bikes in my local shop.
  • 1 0
 I am right there with you...we have 6 year old twin boys who took to dh like fish to water. I know it sounds silly...but they love it. Now they want to race next year. The bikes they were on this year we retrofitted as much as we could without dropping an insane $2500 (x2) on some Lil Shredder 20's. It would just not make sense. We did say that their 24"s would be more substantial, and we would drop some cash into them. We have purchased one used kona 2-4 and are looking for a second race bike. The problem came this past summer where their ability outweighed the bikes they were on. They literally disentigrated ( and are continuing to do so with the punishment that is being given) One is a GT Aggressor and the other is a Scott Voltage jr. Both solid kids bikes...but not made to do what the boys were doing on them. By the end of the summer, there were some pretty epic crashes, and we had one broken collarbone. All from they going pretty big and fast and not having the gear to compensate. I can see that down the road, we will be spending some cash to keep them safe. I saw firsthand what the difference between a $2500 kids bike can do vs. A $400 retrofitted one. For kids, it is a safety thing...but, yes, you need a small fortune, or some good leads on decent hand me downs to get you through the growth spurts. The industry needs to sort this out somehow..
Maybe a rental...or a buyback program or something. These kids grow!
  • 4 0
 I used to ride trails on my heavy dh bike. I now broke down and bought a light 27.5 hardtail trail bike. Honestly I'm not any faster. Only on climbs because it isnt a 1-by. The high cost excuse I keep hearing is "innovation" when realistically it breaks down to fitness of the rider. A 10k bike isn't gonna make a pro level rider out of a first timer. I remember in the mid 2000s bikes had like 4 versions of the same bike with various prices. Now they only sell pro grade bikes and throw the innovation card to jack up the price. The owner of a local shop told me the amount of up pricing on rims is nearly 200 percent on what they actually cost to make. Innovation my ass.
  • 1 0
 Seriously. If you aren't consistently racing, your bike isn't going to matter as much as the time you spend on the trail, how willing you are to push yourself, and how much fun you're having.
  • 4 0
 Feel like the cycling world would be much bigger if a nice bike didnt cost between $7000-$13000... Working in a bike store, i see this on a daily.. People come in because they see their friends riding, hear about the prices and get discouraged to easily. Its unfortunate and the bike industry needs to take their heads out of their asses and be realistic on this stuff... I remember when a Full XTR bike was $6000... Now they are $12K....
  • 2 0
 Nice to hear from someone who knows first hand!
  • 1 0
 OK, the more expensive bikes are getting more expensive. That's fine. But look at stuff like the Kona Precept, or the base model Giant Trance. Both of these bikes come with hydraulic disk brakes, air suspension front and back, a decent drive train and proper tires. The precept is 1750 and the giant comes in at 1950. These are both incredible. And it doesn't stop there with Norco, GT, Mongoose and others jumping into that sub 2000 dollar market.
  • 2 0
 I couldn't agree with you more, but now try convincing someone who came in with their mind set on a trek or specialized or even Scott, the top 3 brands going right now in Ontario, that they have to get a kona, or a gt or a mongoose.. It just doesn't happen. In canada mongoose and GT for instance is known as a sportchek brand. That won't fly when they want a Scott or a specialized. The bike buisness is tough, give me the older folk who want that 600-900 dollar multi sport bike. They are a delight to deal with.
  • 3 0
 From the results this poll, I think they are skewed by our current market view. Reason being? I say you're mistaken if you want your thin flat pedals to cost less than your protective gear knee/shin pad.
I do absolutely think that you get what you pay for, after all its all economics. The market determines the most appropriate price for a good. If it was too high you would no buy it, you could not buy it. And vice-versa if that new frame was priced too low, the manufacturer would be losing out and wouldn't be in business for much longer.

all that said, i don't wear knee pads, or use a full face. too expensive
  • 2 0
 Deity flat compound pedals for $40. Best pedals I've come across. And you should look into protecting your face if you plan on using your penis for the rest of your life.
  • 1 0
 Markets are not infallible...
  • 2 1
 LOL at this entire thing. The last question, $3500 for a full carbon with mid to upper level components ??
  • 1 0
 It's what an XO kitted bike cost 5 years ago, entry level evil uprising is priced pretty close to that as well.
  • 1 0
 It's completely unrealistic.
  • 1 0
 Evil uprising with x9 is priced at 3900. Am I missing something?
  • 2 0
 Yt is 3300 euros. Damn close
  • 1 0
 I didn't realize the Evil was 3900, it looks to have mostly very mid level components though at that price. It looks like a very good deal, and with that in mind, people are answering "under 3500" which is a bit off from $3900.
  • 3 0
 A 2008 demo 8 ran you 2600-3000 depending. (Wa state) in 2008/9. A 2004 bighit FSR cost 1475 new in 2005. 2015 demo cost what in just 7 years?
Performance is performance but let's face it. 95% of us wouldn't do any better on a 2015 Wilson vs a 2008 Wilson.

If it makes you feel better.. Well then...

You be the judge.
  • 3 0
 I would be very interested in an article on the profit margins in mtb tyres. Over £50 does seem pretty scandalous! Is it really about cost of development vs small quantities sold or is it really about charging as much as we are willing to pay?
  • 1 0
 Buy them from Germany and it works out at just over 2for1 including postage. I recently bought Conti Xking and Rubber Queen racesports(rubbish by the way don't touch 'em- silly weight vanity purchace!) And now a set of Hans Damphfs for just over £50.

Anyone want some conti racesports? Super light and fantastic....going cheap!?
  • 2 0
 Sanks. I am aware of zee Germans. Sometimes zo zey are out of shtock.
  • 5 2
 Some Mtb's cost as much as a Motocross bike these days, that's just Wrong! also Mtb tyres that cost as much as car and motorbike tyres, Wrong Wrong Wrong.
if the companies can afford to Massively discount their bikes/parts towards the end of the season/year then im sure the prices could be reduced throughout the year, IMO of course
  • 3 0
 not sure if anyone has said this already, but.... Second hand? older bikes? I mean i saw some people saying "how can parents get their kids into riding when it costs so much". an old secondhand DH bike can be found for 500 euros+ 200euros worth of padding, helmet... ok fine you might have to get a new chain and brake pads. lets say 750-800 euros. remind me now how much iPhones, gaming PC's, XboX One's and PS4's cost?
  • 6 1
 I'm sorry but this is Capitalism, there's no 'what should it cost?' in capitalism. It's 'what can we charge and still have people buy it?'
  • 3 0
 Remember, there's a supply chain (manufacturer - distributor - shop - consumer) where each part of the chain wants a slice of the profit. If the consumer buys it from the shop for $100, the shop probably buys it from a distributor for $60-$70, the distributor in turn probably buys it for $40-$45 from the manufacturer, who probably makes the product for around $20-$25. No one is getting really rich in the cycling industry.
  • 3 0
 I see people comparing dirtbikes to mtn bikes and it simply cant be compared. The amount of design/r+d in just the cyl head alone is FAR more then what would go into a modern mtb frame. Then we have the rest of the engine to design/build along with suspension that is better then what current mtb have. All this for $7-11k new. You can race these bikes right off the showroom floor and frankly are too much machine for 95% of all riders. They also sell for about 2/3s or more of their original price a couple years later.
Now a top end mtb is about the same price, wont be nearly as durable, has far less tech/materials/r+d, oh and its human powered. They are also better then 95% of all riders. They sell for 1/3-1/2 of new price after a season if your lucky.
The biggest issue i see with the mtb industry is the constant "standards" shifting. Its a great way to make everyones current bike "obsolete" so when someone goes to sell their 1year old super bike its now worth pennies on the dollar. Great for business, not so much for the consumer.
Im looking to get a more modern mtb and i will be buying used. The lbs said a "decent" bike is gonna be around $3-4k. They didnt even have many bikes under $3k. I can see why people trying to get into the sport are turned off, after a trip to the lbs, a bike and gear will be $3-5k, that in a year or so will be worth 1/2, even if it was only used a couple times because a new "standard" has come out and made their ride outdated.
  • 5 0
 Here's a survey for ya PB How many riders pay full rrp an how many wait for stuff to be discounted in last year's model cLear out sales
  • 3 0
 I think a lot more manufacturers are going to go down the direct sales route as seen recently by commencal. Especially in tough financial times and when people are starting to say, why should I pay more. It would mean that a lot more lbs would suffer but I think with the amount of online competition they are going to decline a lot in the near future anyhow.
  • 3 0
 "Should cost" based on what? Based on the technology and materials I don't think bikes and parts are over priced. You can't have it all. The average rider doesn't need to spend $10,000 on a bike. If you have the cash why not, but lets be honest, not having the top end parts is not what is holding us back from going pro.

Although it happens in mountain biking I think spending on gear just for the look is far more common in road biking. I am basing this purely on observation. Although I have lost count the number of times I have passed a rider on the street in spandex from head to toe given'er on carbon road bike while I am riding my commuter wearing flip flops and have a 6 pack in my hand.
  • 4 1
 i think "relative" has to come into play here. yes its expensive, but so is jumping out of a plane and thats a few hundred a go. this way the fun can keep coming.
try formula 1 if you think its expensive
  • 3 1
 But its only ~17 bucks a go if you have your own stuff and you go with a group of people and jump solo.
  • 3 0
 My dad was the one that got me into mountain biking thinking it was pretty cheap for a 500$ used hardtail and a 20$ helmet... Couple of grand and few bikes later was he ever wrong
  • 2 0
 Carbon bikes and carbon rims are going to cost a fortune! Also depending on what aspect of riding you will be doing, you don't necessarily need pads and a full face, an open face lid would be fine, you could get rolling on a decent £500 setup with helmet or Sub £1000 decent set up if you know where to look.
  • 3 0
 Mountain biking is so expensive, I had to give up smoking, drinking and I had to sell my jeep. To pay for 1 mountain bike 1 trials bike 1 DJ bike 2 bmx bikes and a road bike. Worth every penny!.
  • 2 0
 Mountain bikers in fashion costs money shock! No one "really" needs the newest carbon wheelset /forks / gloves / enduro specific tyres (!), the mags / pros / shops want us to buy them and will tell us they are better to make more money.
Buy with your head and it doesn't have to be expensive, buy with your dick and it will.
  • 3 0
 MTB is really espensive for me, my salary is $1500 a month. and a MTB costs more than $4000. it means that i need to work 3 monthes to afford a mountain bike.that is a lot of money. my wife will kill me.
  • 2 0
 At least house burglars have the decency to wear a mask when they rob us!!!!!!!! But then again I suppose wether you wanna play keeping up with the jones's or your a latest kit tart or just wanna try and keep with the sponsored pros, end of the day it gets dark and like somebodies already mentioned it's not as if all this really makes you faster,personally I think that's down to your riding style and how good you are and how often you ride " the more you train the better you are"!!!!?????
  • 2 0
 I think we as riders should be more savvy on what we spunk our wages on. There are so many products in the market that really are just fashionable items. Do your research into what sort of riding you do and make your purchase based on those decisions. I made the mistake of going out & buying a 26" weeks before 27.5 launched. I see the value in larger wheels & lower gauge suspension due to the type of rider I am. I love my Mondraker as I got it at 40% of the ticket price. The thing is regardless of quality a bike smile will always be a bike smile. I use a scrap bike found in a skip to go on rides with my girl and I love that just as much as pulling a line on my favourite trail. The bike market can afford to be one of the most innovative out there because someone will always have the cash & preference to buy things. I'd love a quiver of everything but man it's an addiction where would it stop?
  • 2 0
 No matter what anybody says. I am 66 years old and mountain bike several times a week. In my life I have watched Greed Rule. Everybody has the right answer in there own mind and point fingers at everything but our own fees which we think are right. This sport will fail if the cost are not brought back to reality.
  • 2 0
 Honestly, its one of the cheaper hobbies out there. Tons of kids are into cars. Cars have got to be one of the most expensive hobbies with no ceiling. When I played around with muscle cars, 5-8k was standard for a forged rotating assembly, and then add the cost of heads, fluids, maintence, transmission, suspension, tires, brakes.... all huge costs. I've reverted back to Mt Biking because the cost to have a completely built up rig is a fraction of what car hobbyists pay. Not only that, but Mt Biking is much more fun, then struggling with installing new valve springs on your car, timing belts, water pumps... fuck that shit. I got car with a warranty now, costs a little less then all my bikes combined.
  • 2 0
 The cost of these bikes are high. Anyone who says bikes are no better today than they were even 5 years ago is foolish. Anyone who says you need to have a $6000 bike to have fun is even more foolish.

All the awesome stuff we have come to love costs money to design, prototype, test, redesign, tool up, and finally produce and market to the mob. Icetech rotors, thick-thin chain rings on hollow carbon crankarms, cassettes milled from one solid piece, frames with 160 mm of travel that pedal just fine uphill are all examples of things that don't happen by accident.

Trickle down is something that everyone complaining about fails to remember. The carbon bikes that the wealthy are paying for today is funding the technology that will be standard in the next years lower priced model.

Its not worth comparing bike prices to other products.
  • 2 0
 Profit margins would be larger if prices for quality were lower. because a store like walmart can sell a "mountain bike" for under $200 means that a boutique can sell a Mountain Bike for $4K. because there is junk on the market there is a barrier to entry to the sport. I have been in the game for 20 years. I bought a used dh bike this year. This is the first time I have purchased a used Mountain Bike, and it is due to price escalation. I have found the experience very fun and am now constantly browsing used bikes. 27.B and enduro has been a major boon for the used market, as errybody is up grading. I hope by 2016 there is another major gotta have change in tech to keep the used market full of cheap used bikes.
  • 2 0
 Too right! Sooooo many sexy, rideable 26 inch wheeled bikes out there for robbery prices.
  • 2 0
 It is as expensive as you make it. The market has stepped up enough to allow there to be a bike for just about any budget. Just because there are bikes that are worth more than motorcycles and cars doesn't mean that you need to buy THAT bike. That is what commercialism does to you.
  • 3 0
 A suggestion for these polls. You should really change them so they do not show what other people have answered until you hit save. The current format induces a ton of bias in the results.
  • 2 0
 DH is almost dead in eastern Canada. The tech got unaffordable & the ski hill trails were no match for the tech because of the lawyers. Add in the real estate developers closing off land to DH (aesthetic control), and you have a perfect storm. It is like driving a Ferrari on a farm field access road - you can do it, but it is not going to be a lot of fun. The car was designed for race tracks.

Love the tech, can afford some of it, but walked away two years ago because the investment was not worth it. Not impressed with "Enduro" either. Riding less tech, against all odds, is actually more fun. Picking lines over airing over features has value. If I want to fly, I hit the local jumps with a cheap DJ bike.
  • 2 0
 Is it really necessary to purchase a full Troy Lee Designs kit when there are cheaper alternatives?

A D1 helmet costs 3x what a Giro Cypher does, why buy the Troy Lee? Because some dufus in the lift line makes you believe you should.
All helmets must meet the same safety requirements regardless of the sticker price, but people believe that they buy the most expensive one out there because that's what the rich kid rides.
Cycling is an expensive sport, I will not argue with that, but you don't need carbon anything on your bike, you don't need adjustable on the fly anything on your bike, and you don't need to look like a douchebag in the lift line with a matching kit.

All of these things are available to the people who really want to ride on the dime. I think fashion should stay the hell out of the bike park and stick to the swimming pool.
  • 2 0
 I recently dropped a bunch of cash on 2 slightly used carbon all mountain bikes to have 3 bikes total. I know the cost was close or equal to a couple of MX or used waverunners. my teenage boys ride with me and would have prob picked the waverunners. BUT - yes going faster is fun, MX and waverunner, but combining the cardio with biking and sense of accomplishment is greater than the motorized toys and MX has a higher penalty for mistakes. GAS is not cheap - waverrunners can run $100 a day in gas for all day fun. After setup - MTB is cheaper than the other sports. MX may have the same entry price, but long term cost is more. Less places to ride MX and local riding areas are often packed. More effort to get prep'd, storage, transport, etc.

I saved for three years for those bikes. My Raleigh 500 hardtail finally snapped and I pulled the trigger. I cant wait to ride every week and neither can my two boys. I am totally satisfied with the choice.
  • 2 0
 Mountain biking is expensive compared to some sports (soccer, tennis etc) but compare it to another action sport, like snowboarding and it's about the same (if you ride DH).

Let's assume that a rider replaces their gear every 4 years.

Snowboarding:
Board 600
Bindings 200
Boots 300
Jacket 300
Pants 200
gloves 60
Helmet 100
Goggles 75
Gear Total: $3,200

Plus four years of $80 lift tickets at 10* per year ($3200) Totals out at $6400.

Mountain biking:
Bike $3,500
Shorts $60
Jersey $50
Shoes $60
Helmet $100
Gloves $40
Accessories $100
Gear Total: $3,910

Plus 10% of bike value each year for breakage ($350*4=$1400) totals out at $5310. That's for an XC rider who doesn't have to pay for lift tickets. If you ride DH, a season pass at Mountain Creek will run you $309, times 4 years $1236 for a total of $6546.

So, 4 years of snowboarding versus 4 years of MTB, a difference of about $150.

There's no getting around the argument that Skiing/Snowboarding is expensive. MTB doesn't have to be.

Let's start with a new top-of-the-line Bronson for $10 grand. Too much? Okay, get an Aluminum Bronson that does pretty much the same thing for $3200. Too much? Used Nomads here on PB are running around $1700. Still too much? Get a used hard tail for a couple hundred bucks off Craigslist and then kick everyone's ass. It's as expensive as you make it, there's a bike for every budget.
  • 2 0
 Bike prices are going up way faster than inflation. I don't have any data but I think it is safe to say >5%, even higher.

Average inflation rate for the past 10 years is 1.7% If this hold true for the next 10 years, a $5,000 bike today, with same component brands, will cost close to $6,000. Yeah that's not going to happen. More like $10000.

On the contrary, everyday items and durable goods seems to have slow price increase:
1. TVs and Stereos are actually cheaper now with better options
2. Cell phones/tablets have more capabilities now but are pretty much same price.
3. appliances same price as few years ago with better options

Please don't bash me. I am just very concerned that if these prices continue, it will be common to see an average mountain bike >$5000 and we the consumer can't do anything about it. 10 years from now, $10,000 bikes will be common. We already see a few in that range now.
  • 1 1
 why does inflation have anything to do with technology? And how does anybody take anything you say seriously when you start off with "I don't have any data but...."

TV's DO go up in price. yes, a plasma is cheaper than it was 10 years ago, but go buy a shiver that is 10 years old and it will be pretty cheap. Best Buy has a $40,000 TV right now that you can purchase
you are going to tell me a Surface Pro tablet at almost $1000 is the same as what a kindle was when it first came out?
  • 2 0
 " why does inflation have anything to do with technology? And how does anybody take anything you say seriously when you start off with "I don't have any data but...."

Yes I don't have any data but it doesn't take a genius to figure out a bike retailing $4000 4 years ago and now $8000 (with same specs) is >5% It's more like 20% increase every year for 4 years.

I am comparing apple to apples here bud. My Sony 55" LCD was $1200 4 years ago, and now I can buy a better "smarter" TV for less than $800.

I am sure we are on the same page with not liking how fast the prices are going up. This hobby is out of reach for some becoming out of reach for many, and many have already left
  • 2 0
 AT my last job we could get trek bikes at trade price, honestly if you saw how much profit shops are making on bikes you'd be shocked, there's three people in the chain - trek (who make their profit), who sell it to a supplier (who make their profit), who sell it to a shop (who make their profit). At my last job we cut out the shop and it was about 50% cheaper for a new bike.
I reckon if we were buying direct from manufacturers we'd be paying 33% of the current cost for bikes and parts.
  • 2 0
 I dont care what anyone says I have never and will never pay more than $40 for a set of pedals, I dont care how great they say they are its just outrageous to pay $100 + for a CNCed 4"X4" peice of aluminum with bearings in it.
  • 2 0
 I built a dream bike in 06 which cost £4500 intense, fox 40 rc2 and all top components.
Another intense this time has cost me nearly £8000. It's crazy! You need to have a good job to ride nice bikes. Yet a friend has been to Canada and bought a bike back for half the money.
  • 2 0
 Isn't it all relative, you can purchase products that are affordable, or you can bankrupt yourself trying to buy the highest end product out there. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones', you can still have a ton of fun on a bike, while living within your means. Riding bikes is only as expensive as you want to make it. Bitch less, ride more!
  • 6 1
 Life is too short to ride shit bikes! Bike industry is the only one I don't mind robbing me.
  • 2 0
 I'm considering a new bike in the next year or so, and am thinking of going for a Stanton slackline frame and building it up with a) parts I have on current bikes and b) slowly evolving it over the years as my riding style changes/develops. The frames are about £380 and I have about £800 worth of stuff to go on it. Surely the bike industry knows we all do this kinda thing, and surely there must be a niche in the market for big companies to just sell framesets. I personally would like to see more big brands doing framesets as well as whole bike builds. Perhaps if consumers want to buy into a brand and get a sparkly new bike but cannot afford a full kit build, but can afford a frame only on a finance option... I dunno, just my thoughts.
  • 2 0
 It really is getting out of hand. The biggest problem I have is the constant shifting of "standards". Headsets, steerer tubes, thru axles both front and rear, press in bottom brackets... They're changing for the sake of change, making it harder and harder to keep your old parts going strong for years.

My Haven wheel set that I purchased in 2011 won't work on half the new frames I want, because it's a QR rear hub, and 142 is all the rage now. It's a 15mm front hub, which was fine for my last bike (with a Sid RLT ti), but I can't use them with the Pike I own for a new longer travel bike. I was a shop employee when I bought the wheelset so I could afford it. I can't afford a new set of wheels that nice now that I'm in a different industry.
  • 3 1
 Im leaving the sport due to bike prices. Im taking mx up again instead. That should speak volumes. The bike industry is screwing itself. There could be so many more people involved if they didnt bend people over for their stuff.
  • 2 1
 I have a pretty cool old bike Im selling too if anyones interested. Gonna use it to buy an mx bike again.
  • 1 0
 biking industry is only as expensive as you want it to be...



www.pinkbike.com/buysell --- save money
  • 2 0
 I don't really think that the "If you think biking is expensive, try blah blah blah>" argument is fair. There are always more expensive activities, so that doesn't really mean much.

My wife and I recently got into the sport for about $2k for both of us, we got two Trek X-Cal 8s and all the gear to go along with it. I was surprised at how inexpensive it was, but the limitations of what we bought have become very clear early on, which is a little disappointing. That said, keep in mind that this is the observation of a newbie, not someone with a lot of experience with more expensive bikes.

You always pay a premium for the best products (cars, boats, airplanes, houses, whatever) and I think the "scale" of pricing is fairly reasonable with bikes and gear. That said, I think the manufacturers can do a better job of providing quality entry level bikes with decent components. For what we have available in the US, I don't really feel like bikes in the ~$1k price point are really that great, their faults show through really quickly and they aren't worth holding onto.

I felt like, with what we wanted to spend to decide if it was something we were gonna stick with (~$1k/ea), my choice was mediocre, mediocre, and crap. I'd rather see something stand out at that price point as at least being able to cope with abuse and not something I'm gonna want to sell after 6 months. I think the VooDoo Bizango is a good example of this (Halfords), but it's not available in the US anymore Frown I don't expect to have a super awesome bike for $1k, but I think the components and build could be better, even if it raises the price slightly.
  • 3 0
 I also think magazines and websites can do a better job reviewing entry level gear. I read a few magazines and tried to find really detailed reviews by experienced riders on the entry level bikes (e.g. Rockhopper, X-Cal, etc). I couldn't find any. The reviews I did find were very brief or by inexperienced riders. I'd love to see PinkBike or other magazines reviewing entry level bikes to the same level of detail they review the $3k+ models. While this doesn't necessarily have an impact on the price point of entry, it would make decision making easier, allow us to see what the limitations of the bikes are early on, and puts pressure on manufacturers to improve on the faults of their bikes.
  • 2 0
 Now we need a poll for how much various bike industry employees/owners/corps should make.
(Would be interesting to see if all the low ballers also say wages, and therefore profits, should be lower.
*note that the left in usa deem those that gross $250k to be rich, eventhough their net may be @$50k
  • 2 0
 Well, when one of my relatives asks,"How much was your bike?" I say,"Well I paid about $2000 for it, I bought it piece by piece online, but if you walked into a bike shop and wanted it, $4200". Always get a "WHAT? Are you crazy?" I might be, but I've never seen a doctor about it.
  • 2 0
 It is only as expensive as you want it to be.Lost my job this spring and sold my DH rig. Replaced it with a steel hardtail(Chromag Stylus) and 160mm fork. I ride everything on it. Dirtjumps,trails,and a bit of DH. Not having money wasn't going to stop me from riding. When I have the cash I might not even get a new bike I love it so much. Probably a new Pike and dropper post though.
  • 2 0
 There are people who just gotta have the latest
There are people who want the latest but cannot afford it (complainers)
Then there are people like me that don't give crap, as long as the components under us allows us to focus on the ride.
You don't have to break the bank to own a good bike.
  • 2 0
 You just have to look in the right places. I picked up a 2012 scott gambler with fox 40's, DHX RC4 shock and full saint components for $2300 CAD. Previous owner only used it a few times, it's mint. I bought my norco range 3 brand new in 2012 for $1700. It was sitting in the back of the shop on clearance.
  • 2 0
 MTB Action tried to justify $10k mountain bikes compared to $8k 450cc MX bikes, and it was complete horseshit.
The R&D ALONE that goes into cutting edge motorcycles(MX/Sport bikes) is astronomical, especially compared to mountain bikes, and lets not forget, a mountain bike is basically just a CHASSIS. An MX bike has the chassis PLUS the MOTOR, which itself is filled with expensive titanium bits.
I also remember I think MTB Action (yet again) this time defending SRAM for equipping ONLY their rider's forks with DLC-coated stanchions, as it'd be WAY too expensive to do it on their mass-produced forks.
Funny thing, KAYABA/Kawasaki equipped the 2004+ ZX6RR with DLC coated forks, and the KX 250F/450 has been coming with em since 2007.
I guaranty you SRAM sells WAY more forks, both to OEMs and retail than KAYABA/SHOWA/KAWASAKI does-and they do so with a MUCH higher margin
  • 3 0
 Mountain biking is an expensive hobby. I love it, always have, but here I am selling my bike because I can't afford this anymore. Sad face.
  • 1 0
 We get jacked in Canada too. My AM bike should have cost me around $8000CAD total (including an extra set of Novatec Diablos as back up wheels). Luckily, I didn't have to import through proper channels (OGC) because I was in California, and paid significantly less. I feel bad, not buying locally, but my funds aren't bottomless, sadly.
  • 1 0
 Of cause Biking is Expensive. Like every other hobby too. Other people spent thousands of dollars for rc airplanes, Kameras, Motorcycles... But mostly the price difference between the prices of components in the aftermarket and the prices that bike manufactures pay for it should be smaller. It should not be that a fork and a rear suspension are the same price as a WHOLE BIKE with this components!
  • 1 0
 It's too expensive. Yeah if you factor in how often you ride your bike vs one time costs of other sports and benefits to your health both mental and physical it can seem a little less mental but that's just what we all do to make ourselves feel better that we just spent half the house deposit on a bike.
How many people are driving a car worth 1/4 of the bike? And mines a nice car!
  • 1 0
 My first proper MTB was $1000
My first car was $2000

My current bike is $600
My current car is $40,000

That first bike and car I went faster, used more, jumped higher and further (including the car).

Had more fun with them than anything else.
Dreamed that one day I would own the bike I do now.

I can afford the bike and the car I have now.
Because it's 15 years on and I have a good job.
Miss so much the ridding I did when I was 18.
  • 2 1
 You can buy a f***ing ferrari of mountain bikes for $10000. As my friend once said, if you buy the most expensive stuff it will hurt you once (when you pay for it), but if you buy cheap stuff it will hurt every time you get your leg over it. A motto I live by Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I understand we pay for the reliability of being able to slam down mountains and drops but 10 years ago we paid a lot less for the top end parts & bikes.
I'm worried that with the evolution companies will stop putting the money into their lower/mid product ranges and we'll end up paying even more!
  • 2 0
 What a bunch of cry babies. Buy nice or buy twice. I just used the buy sell feature on this very site in the past year to put together a kona supreme operator dh bike for a third of the price new. Quit whining!
  • 1 0
 It is expensive yes, but it seems worse for a lot of us because the top spec'd bikes are so close to being affordable for us that we consider many options just to be able to afford one. I've always wanted a GTR but I have never been able to bring myself to spend that much! But I have bought a GTR of bikes, just because it is less on the grand scale....
  • 2 0
 Canyon and YT are setting the bar at what bikes should really cost and i hope that they don´t only make reasonable priced bikes, but also that they lower the prices of the big players in the Mountain Bike game.
  • 1 0
 rose too. i ride rose, very happy
  • 3 2
 Total scandalous waste of money! I bern biking all my life, now 47. I see the silly prices rise every year, and resale value getting harder to sell even a chain ring! The sport is too expensive, top bikes worth £2500 max! It's gone from a love to hate relationship, and I have spent thousands! At the moment, I'm having more fun with single speed city/track bikes based on ease if maintenance, less hassle on shock setting, no oil/air to mess with, just back to basics, and having much more fun. I would never pay more than £300 for a used frame off any company.
  • 1 0
 it's probably already been said, but it's as expensive as you want it to be. look in the but/sell section or ebay. there's currently a 2008 commencal meta 5.4 on ebay going for less than £500, buy it now not auction! that is probably a perfectly capable mountain bike for most people it just doesn't have high end spec or carbon parts, and it's 6 years old. Carbon schmarbon. xtr, Saint, whatever..... if you can afford it then good for you but if you can't then don't worry about it, who are you trying to impress?? sure more expensive generally means better quality and durability but not always and certainly not always £200's more quality and durability. have a big crash and you just as likely to break your xtr derailleur as you are your deore one.
  • 1 0
 It's a con job for the most part. Where I would spend my money is with smaller more bespoke owner maker type outfits, machine shops or perhaps at a push things designed at home, parts amufactured at home and assembled abroad....I am finding out that this isn't always the most expensive option.
  • 1 0
 Others have referred to the increased # of units of cars produced (of a given model) as being the reason 4 lower (relative) cost. Is it then possible that part of the problem with MTBs being excessive amount of options? My kid recently (god help me) expressed interest in getting into MTB. I have been looking 4 a decent hard tail & like the Rockhopper; going by memory but there were about 7 versions of that bike! & that's just 1 model by 1 manufacturer amoung many. The cliche in capitalism is that more competition = lower prices; that is true to an extent, but the counter-weight is that excessive options necessitates higher manufacturing costs as machines have to b tweaked 4 every different model. As a comparison - a Canadian airline (Westjet) broke into the industry years ago and kicked ass, largely because they had only 1 or 2 models of aircraft; thus lower production & maintenance costs. In my opinion the vast array of options in MTB has reached fetisist proportion.
  • 1 0
 Considering I just bought a dirt bike two days ago, that can hit 115 mph and only spent 2300 on it, and is 6500 new, they should a whole bunch less. Everything on that bike has trickled down to mountain bikes anyways. I do kinda wish we had hand clutches on bikes though
  • 2 0
 It already exists... Grip Shift!
  • 1 0
 My problem is, I'm always comparing mountain bike prices to motorcycle prices. A lot of prices are way to close. If a MTB part like for example a seat cost more than my motorcycle seat, I'm not going to buy it, unless I find it on eBay or sitting on the clearance shelf. I guess it all depends on what you love more and spend more hours on.
  • 3 1
 Dirt bikes, which are not massed produced like cars, are more similar to MTBs but still cost LESS!? That's a little ridiculous and shows the greed that has taken over the industry.
  • 1 0
 it is what it is, I'm not sure what average person is buying a $10 000 bike,but I will say the avid average cyclist, whether it is road or mountain or cross will spend around $3000 and up,my Specialized Epic Carbon cost over $5000 and there is not a day that goes by where I look at my 1998 Toyota mini van with rust and say to myself ( I could have bought a good used mini van for the cost of my bike) but am enjoying my bike and really never regret it and when the day comes when I have to replace the van, I will. but for now I will enjoy my bike, since I enjoy riding the bike over the van any day.
  • 1 0
 Does anyone ever consider how much these bikes actually cost to design, produce, manufacture? Considering that a lot of companies are employed with riders do you think that they all are just trying to screw you over and make a buck? I imagine there is some truth to these exorbitant prices, more likely than not it costs them quite a bit to produce the actual thing(would be interesting to have numbers if people knew), then the dealers raise the price so that they can't reap some profit it also. All this get transferred onto the consumer. It's expensive theres no doubt about it, but do I think cycling companies are really trying to screw every cyclist out there over by charging exorbitant prices, no.
  • 1 0
 The way people treat their bikes and how everyone has to get the latest and greatest on a yearly basis, it's basically made the mountain bike a disposable item, just like cars.It's basically made buying a new bike, even bikes at department stores expensive. I bought a used Stumpy that was a year old and saved over $1000 on it. Then, my rear shocks on it went out. So, now, I'm riding my 199x (pre-disc brakes) hardtail. I can still go up and down a mountain. it's not as much fun as the Stumpy, but I'm not going to go out and spend over 2G's for another bike just to replace my Stumpy that's still sitting in my basement until I get a replacement shock. The Devinci hardtail that I got was also second hand and it has served me well when I don't have a full suspension bike. I think it's just nuts buying a $3000+ bike only to use it 6 months of the year. Biking has now become something like skiing - it has become rich man's sport.
  • 2 0
 If all the middle men were cut out, Mountain Biking and everything else for that matter would be AFFORDABLE! Too many companies have their hands in the cookie jar and that's is purely why mountain biking costs what it does.
  • 1 0
 There is too many bike companies making too many different bikes and different spec levels. This means nearly every bike is a "low quantity" run. There is no "Honda civic" in the MTB industry that is a competent bike that is sold the most. There is thousands and thousands of MTB options and each year the frames and components get redisgned from the ground up... This is why I think pricing is just silly now. I'm not sure how it can be solved without a bunch of companies going bankrupt, but the choice level is way higher than needed in this industry. Frames should be redesigned every 2 years at most, wheels forks etc the same
  • 1 0
 The difference between bikes and other hobbies is that generally speaking, once you have the equipment the price is static aside from occasional replacement parts (chains, brake pads, tires). What would is cost me to go play golf 3 times a week for a year? What would it cost to take a sports car to the track every weekend? What if I was an avid skier? Each of those activities and the required gear is going to cost a few thousand bucks to get your foot in the door and cost more the more you do it. You might fork over 5K for a bike and another 1K for your kit, but you should be set for years. That's like $160/month over 3 years. Not too bad when you consider a gym membership alone will cost at least $50/month.
  • 1 0
 Any enthusiast in ANY sport, past time, recreational activity will have a low end and a high end...

You can buy a camera for 50USD and a camera for 10,000USD

People generally complain about the price of something when they can't afford it... know that sounds kinda obvious, but there will ALWAYS be a market for people willing to pay for the very best stuff, which is why companies make it.

If no one bought the most expensive item, companies simply wouldn't make it.

Some people will buy the most expensive seats at a football game, some will say why bother when you can watch it on TV.

There is an economic (actually a natural law) called the Pareto principle or 80/20

Its why 20% of the countries in the world have 80% of the wealth (strangely the US is one of the 20%)

It's why 80% of the taxes paid in the world is paid by just 20% of the population (funnily enough they are the richest too)

So seeing that 20% of the mountain biking population will be spend 80% of the money spent on kit, I think there is definitely a good market for some really expensive stuff...

My take on this is don't fight it, accept it... buy what you can afford to buy, enjoyment is not necessarily increased by how much you spend... plenty of 2nd hand kit, or stuff on sale that was the "best kit to buy" just a few years ago
  • 1 0
 And here i write this as a huge fan and follower of the sport, yet having never owned a mtb due to how ridiculously expensive it is even living in PMB home of Greg Minnaar. I sold my BMX years back to buy a MTB but had no idea of what i was in for... so with that said still much love & respect for the sport & all the riders out there. Maybe one day ill get my chance!
  • 1 0
 I feel like most of the poll answers are what people WANT things to cost rather than what they SHOULD cost. You'd be surprised how small margins are on alot of things.Of course we'd all like a $200 full carbon enduro rig but it's just not realistic, like alot of these votes.
  • 3 1
 Frankly, I wish it were more expensive. It's not like I want to spend more money; I just don't want a bunch of low-born rabble clogging up my trails with their diseases and questionable attire.
  • 1 0
 and another thing, I can't help but think that there is some price fixing going on specially with the big mfg. Competition is suppose to drive prices steady and sometimes lower.

Even bike shorts, $110 dollars for bike shorts. common man.

For once I'd like to see an add that says: New for 2015: Faster, lighter, stronger and less expensive.
  • 1 0
 everytime i see the prices of new mountainbikes im wondering how such prices are justified.
compared to a motocross bike (which costs about the same as a good DH) the prices are insane.
a motocross bike has all parst of a mountainbike. the suspension (front and rear) is as good as on a MTB and for example.
PLUS it has an engine and a gearing.
its like all good things in life...they are too expensive Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Remember the US housing market 10 years ago. Prices increased more than salary increase and more than what people can actually afford. Real estate marketing kept pushing prices up! Buyers overbidding each other and spending $500K for an average house. Then the crash came and $500K house is now worth $250K.
I'm just saying.
  • 2 0
 Generally the problem was buying a house as a speculation investment, not as...well... A house to live in. Nobody buys a bike as an investment. It's a recreation tool.
  • 1 0
 Its as expensive as you want it to be. I know kids shredding harder faster and bigger and much cheaper on bikes and gear and of way less value and have a far better time. Although saying that they do lack any responsibilities, jobs, kids or any other meaningful shit that gets in the way of older peoples enjoyment.
  • 1 0
 Alright i should keep my mouth shut because i hardly ride at the moment. But here's how i ride. I don't live in the Alps or the Rockies, there isn't a chairlift to be found in hundreds of miles. I'm not racing anyone else than mates. I'm not gonna win any events. I don't care about dresscodes and hypes. I have one bike. a do it all bike. it happens to be a dirtbike. but you know what it could've been any type of bike. might wanna change brakes and tyres, but the things that counts are: blood, sweat, tears, skill, heart, dedication. If you have loads of dough and are willing to spend it, by all means do, but let me snap up a second hand dirtbike. if i have money I'll put big forks, big brakes and big wheels on one of those and have myself a poor man's dh bike. Yes I will not be able to hit rampage, but let's face it: do I have the skills or the cohones to hit rampage? no. and a big bike is not gonna change that if you're just a normal weekend warrior like me (and that's counts for most of the PB readers, I'm pretty sure). A lot of us may ride big expensive rigs but actually ride one, two hours of sloppy "enduro" . Or quite possibly even - you don't want to admit it, but you know it's true - XC. with cigarette breaks. And you know what, there's nothing wrong with that. but as it happens you can do all of that on a simple (singlespeed) dirtbike.
  • 1 0
 or anything else that comes cheap second hand, because there are enough people throwing tons of cash at new equipment because buying (or should i say curating) makes them feel good, possibly more so than actually riding stuff. Yeah old shit and dirtbikes are heavy as f*ck, but did you get into mountainbiking because you were afraid of sweat? or do you think you're still going to win the tour the france with that beer gut of yours? Hardtails teach you how to ride. low tech bikes keep you riding while others are fixing theirs. you can't hit the big stuff? you can if you've got the balls. no matter on what bike, if you push it to it's limit you will feel that same blast of adrenaline. yeah it'll be shit at whistler, but you know what? those couple of big mountain days I'll grab myself some mediocre dh rental rig and feel like i'm riding the best bike in the world (you probably spend the same amount of money on a new pair of tyres and whatever you happen to break during your week). But most important of all, on a daily basis, when others are sitting in the office earning money for a new ride, I'm out riding an old banger! overtaking someone on a shiny 6000 quid bike, while riding some deadbeat clunker: priceless.
  • 1 0
 Currently the most overpriced items are the SRAM X1 drivetrain. Less parts than a top of the line 2x10 system for twice the price. And don't give me that economy of scale excuse for SRAM - they make millions of products for OEM's and retail worldwide. I'm pretty sure they can be sold for cheaper.
  • 1 0
 Overpriced is when demand is much smaller than supply. If you don't really ever see it on sale, it's not overpriced, it's priced accordingly. Demand and supy are equivelent. When you see prices rise, it's because demand exceeds supply.
  • 1 0
 Another general comment. I notice people often compare the price of a mountain bike to a dirtbike as justification that mountain bikes are too expensive. It's a valid point, bikes without engines can cost $10,000; the same as a pretty high end KTM dirtbike. Keep this in mind. A $10,000 bike is damn near a "works" mountain bike. I realize the pros are riding stuff that isn't obtainable to you or I but the differential isn't that big. With dirtbikes, a "works" dirtbike is over $50,000.

In terms of technology compared to what the pros are riding, a $10k dirtbike is more equivalent to a $3k mountain bike.
  • 1 0
 It is a shame it is so expensive, it will put a lot of people off MTBing, there could be so many potentially amazing MTBers out there who have not even considered the sport cause it costs at least £1000 ($1500) to get something marginally trail worthy. I think this is something that sports like Parkour, Skateboading and BMXing have over us, access is so much easier and not dictated by your bank balance or socioeconomic status. We are members of a sport where you have to be of the economic elite to be a part of - which isn't really cool.
BTW I love MTBing, and ride a lot, but am just being critical.
  • 1 0
 The price you pay for safety and enjoyment, will actually determine the cost of mountain biking; and they are inseparable.

It is indeed good to know that there is an array of options out there in the market, in fact there's a jungle of choices out there. But don't let these temptation consume you, be wise and know your limit (skill and pocket-wise) and get a gear that fits in the latter two aspect of your capacity.

Knowing and using your equipment appropriately are essential for safety. But the bottom line; is that the intangible cost of ENJOYMENT is what makes mountain biking a priceless sport to pursue.

Speaking from a hobbyist point of view.
  • 1 0
 This thread was doomed from the start. And in all seriousness it shows you what the next generation of riders wants... Something for nothing. This desire to have top tier components for little to no money is what will end the growth of mountain biking, yes it sucks to only be ably to afford a stinky dee-lux. BUT, as you make more money in life and as your talent level grows you can afford to buy he nicer things and the amount you can afford is relative to your income. Its a valuable lesson in life and it takes time. Work hard to play hard
  • 1 0
 How much should it cost is dumb. I would say that 95% of us as consumers don't really know what it costs to put out a quality product. We have no idea what R&D costs, what the engineering costs, insurances, office and warehouse costs and overhead in general.

I know a lot of people that work in the industry- in shops, at factories, as outside sales reps etc. No one in this industry seems to make any "real" money. Even while working for companies that are considered the highest of high end. For you guys to ask us how much we as consumers should pay is a joke.

Of course everyone is going to say that they should pay less.

You get what you pay for. Period.
  • 1 0
 it shouldnt cost more than a reliable car/truck. no amount of R/D should jack up prices to ungodly heights when a beginner could tell you the same thing(we dont need 10-11 gears on a dh bike). so why must you pay so much for a half reliable 6-7sp drivetrain? if you were to reinvent the derailleur that would make sense, but when common sense points you in the same direction that world cup riders and equipment end up using...... well, that's the company's fault for just now applying it. dont take it out on our wallet. suspension and brakes are a different story to me, but parts like cassettes, cranks, stems and rotors that dont have moving parts...... we have computer programs that show strength, weak points, and easy ways to produce them. if they cant get super close to a final design with all the technology offered today, they are employing the wrong people. i really feel like you pay for the company to uphold their patent and screw potential competition as compared to charging for what it actually takes to produce the part and still make money.
  • 1 0
 I think very important issue should be mentioned here: GDP per capita
in the US (GDP per capita 53,143) a cost of $3500 would not affect on consumers budget as much as it would in Poland (GDP per capita 13,432)

so my answer for the question:
yes, mountain biking is very expensive sport
  • 1 0
 mountain biking can be as expensive as you want it to be. unfortunately for me i really enjoy laying down loads of money for a really high end part. im a DJer so it rarely improves my riding capability but it is nice to have nice things. im not gonna answer any of the questions because i believe that things will cost you how much you are willing to spend on them. if you don't want to spend £800 on a fork then don't. if you do then you have justified some way that you are ok with spending boatloads of money.
  • 1 0
 There's an old saying... "If you can race it or sleep with it, you probably can't afford it."

Nobody ever said the sport was cheap, just cheaper than a lot of other options. Anytime you want top ahelf goodies, it's going to cost you.
  • 3 2
 A bike costing 1/3rd the cost of a new entry level car is mind boggling. You can argue engineering, but the engineering that goes in to even the cheapest western cars is an order of magnitude greater than anything that happens in mountain biking. They have massive teams of the best guys in the business making sure each of thousands of components will last tens of thousands of kilometers.We're talking dozens of parts manufacturers as well as the car companies themselves.

The only justification for it is the streamlined nature of the car market's distribution and logistics network. And also numbers of units being built and sold.

Still, bikes are over priced. No way around it.
  • 1 0
 its the same really no matter what sport / past time you pick, luxury lines are just that

www.therichest.com/luxury/most-expensive/the-most-expensive-golf-clubs-in-the-world

look at that and think they are worth it? nah probably does the same as a walmart set but a bit better. Thing is some numpty will buy em and so the story goes on
  • 3 0
 The engineering costs in the automotive world are comparatively small relative to the production costs, as they produce stuff by the tens of thousands, on exceptionally efficient production lines. Some car parts (eg ABS systems, with which I have first hand experience) that are produced by OE suppliers for the car companies but used on many vehicles, will be produced in the tens of millions over the course of their lifetime. Mountain bike products don't see anywhere near the same volumes, nor the same concentrations of engineering focus that exist in the automotive world. Bikes are high performance vehicles that use some seriously high-end production methods and materials (nobody is making affordable carbon fibre cars either). You can buy an equivalent bike to a $15,000 car - it costs $250, comes from a department store, and will work fine as long as you ride it like you drive your cheap car - at controlled speeds on smooth roads with regular maintenance. No hard braking, no jumping, no rallying it up rough roads. You want a car you can do that in, it's going to cost you a lot of money.
  • 5 0
 Knee pads an helmet Can't answer the rest as I'm not enduro enough
  • 3 2
 Yes its stupid expensive, but if you dont smoke/drink (much!) etc then its not too bad.

The problem that angers me is that the average joe/young kids getting into it cant afford this lifestyle and put them off.

How many times have you seen rich, yuppy city boys on full XTR carbon nomads and cant ride for shit? Its too blingy
  • 3 0
 The price doesn't change in ridiculousness because you don't smoke/drink. Its still ridiculous.
  • 2 0
 Mountain biking is way overpriced and they keep raising the price because they know once you have tried it, you will be addicted to it and you will buy their stuff for even ridiculous prices just to keep yourself rolling.
  • 1 0
 The massive discounts as the new models are released give you an idea of mark-up on complete bikes, parts etc.

Saracen Myst Team 2014 was just under £5k RRP when it was released around this time last year. This is the top model with Saint everything, Fox 40 air, RC4 shock, all the kashima bollocks, exactly what the WC team use (give or take a few things). The same bike is now discounted to £2750.

That's a big %age to drop off.
At least Madison / Saracen put a decent amount of money back into a race team..
  • 1 0
 Try Trucker Co, and EBC brake pads. Cheap and better than most oem options. Keep in mind that all CF parts must have skilled workers to properly orientate the fibers which adds to the cost as well as the molds being about $250k per part/size. Also keep in mind that the technology utilized in these bikes is pretty cutting edge so yet again prices will be high for the top shelf products.
  • 1 0
 I think a lot of you are forgetting the actual value of a product, apart from money. For example. The time and effort that goes into making a carbon wheel set, a full face helmet (design, paint job, construction/technology), a carbon frame and even a suspension fork, its still a lot. Of course technology is becoming better and better and the creation of one of these products is a single trip around the factory machines, making it easier and faster to create them. Although it might become easier and faster for the producer, the part that a good helmet plays in mountain biking is to protect one of the most important parts of our bodies - the head. Life comes at no cost, because you cannot repay it in any way (neither does time, that it took making the products). Although you cannot repay time, the producers are offering products that you pay for and that make up for the time spent, simply because that is their area of expertise or their passion, or because they need to make a living. Either way, I think we should acknowledge the that most of you guys seem to lowball what you think it should cost (judging from what is shown above), but that is perfectly reasonable. Of course we want our products as cheap as they get, but what I am trying to say is to not forget the products value. Mountain biking is very expensive, I agree (I mowed my whole neighborhood, raked all the leaves and cleaned all the garages after school, to get money and save up for a full suspension frame), but after all, all the products on our rides lead to allowing us to do the one thing that unites us all - our love and passion for mountain biking.
Cheers and shred on Smile !
  • 3 0
 Get a job. Mountain biking is cheap. If you think it is expensive, try spending money on doctors when you are fat and sick.
  • 1 0
 mutinational companies such as trek, giant, and gt should havr a more efficient production process. Im sorry, but human welders are not the future especially when the majority of the process can be laterally integrated. I believe a company should change the game in cheap production, and hit a new wave of the global market. that of people turned of to serious rising because the expense
  • 2 0
 Does anyone actually pay retail in the MTB world? I mean, with all the bro deals, "sponsorships", leftovers, blowouts and used deals, when's the last time someone you ride with actually paid retail on a frame or complete?
  • 1 0
 You hit the nail on the head..If you're paying full price you're doing it wrong.There are plenty of online deals and some bike shops are willing to work with you on the pricing.
  • 2 0
 It wouldn't be so expensive if we all didn't buy in to the hype. Black Diamond riding,? Enduro?29er? 27.5? We feel for genius marketing and accepted the price tag of all of it... pay to play bitches!
  • 1 0
 I am fine with the cost of high end stuff, I just want the low end to be cheaper. I want the 2800 bike to come with a fat stanchioned fork (no more 32mm forks on bikes with over 100mm travel please).
Things have gotten better. I see that. The bike build that cost $3000 5 years ago would cost 2200 now,. You get more bang for your buck with sealed bearing hubs and through axles, and all that jazz. Forks have gotten better across the board with low end offerings that are pretty sweet.
The only problem is I am just as broke now as I was then. The economy hasn't improved for me.
  • 1 0
 For everyone trying to compare cars/moto's with bikes, think about this. Yes you can get a car for $2500, but how much does a carbon tubbed Ferrari LaFerrari cost? Over $1M and it doesn't even include carbon rims! Show me a carbon framed vehicle for less than $300K.

How much does KTM spend on Dungey's race bikes? $50K? $100K? The rumor is that Pro Circuit's transmissions are north of $20K alone. They run no carbon because it would simply be too expensive for them to manufacture.

Now compare that to bikes where I can walk into any dealer and buy almost the exact bike that is raced by the top pros for less than $15K. I also can go buy a bike with the exact same chassis as the Pro's for less than $5K and in some cases around $3.5K.

What I am getting at is that people are comparing apples and oranges. I can buy a bike at Walmart for $150 that has two wheels and 18 speeds. It will get me up the hills and down them, albeit at a much slower pace to make sure it stays in one piece. If you really want to compare, compare what the race teams use at the highest levels. A used Ferrari F1 car will run you about $5M because you can't buy a new one which would be north of $50M. Even something as basic as a Porsche GT3 Cup car will run you $300K and will not be even close to race ready. Factory MX bikes are well north of $100K. One of the links I found said Reid's suspension alone was $62K. So please stop saying that you can buy X car or Y moto for less than the cost of a full XTR bike with carbon frame, bars, cranks and wheels. It is not a valid comparison.

La Ferrari link

auto.ferrari.com/en_US/sports-cars-models/car-range/laferrari/#innovations-chassis-2

McLaren 12C link (currently the lowest cost carbon tubbed vehicle that I am aware of)

cars.mclaren.com/home/models_link/12C/innovation.html

Chad Reid's Suspension (scroll down halfway)

www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/inside-the-2013-supercross-works-bikes-91495.html
  • 1 0
 For everyone trying to compare cars/moto's with bikes, think about this. Yes you can get a car for $2500, but how much does a carbon tubbed Ferrari LaFerrari cost? Over $1M and it doesn't even include carbon rims! Show me a carbon framed vehicle for less than $300K.

How much does KTM spend on Dungey's race bikes? $50K? $100K? The rumor is that Pro Circuit's transmissions are north of $20K alone. They run no carbon because it would simply be too expensive for them to manufacture.

Now compare that to bikes where I can walk into any dealer and buy almost the exact bike that is raced by the top pros for less than $15K. I also can go buy a bike with the exact same chassis as the Pro's for less than $5K and in some cases around $3.5K.

What I am getting at is that people are comparing apples and oranges. I can buy a bike at Walmart for $150 that has two wheels and 18 speeds. It will get me up the hills and down them, albeit at a much slower pace to make sure it stays in one piece. If you really want to compare, compare what the race teams use at the highest levels. A used Ferrari F1 car will run you about $5M because you can't buy a new one which would be north of $50M. Even something as basic as a Porsche GT3 Cup car will run you $300K and will not be even close to race ready. Factory MX bikes are well north of $100K. One of the links I found said Reid's suspension alone was $62K. So please stop saying that you can buy X car or Y moto for less than the cost of a full XTR bike with carbon frame, bars, cranks and wheels. It is not a valid comparison.

La Ferrari link

auto.ferrari.com/en_US/sports-cars-models/car-range/laferrari/#innovations-chassis-2

McLaren 12C link (currently the lowest cost carbon tubbed vehicle that I am aware of)

cars.mclaren.com/home/models_link/12C/innovation.html

Chad Reid's Suspension (scroll down halfway)

www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/inside-the-2013-supercross-works-bikes-91495.html
  • 1 0
 I don't consider it any more or any less expensive than other high-end hobbies I have: wakeboarding, snowboarding, car modding, eating healthy, rent in the Bay area, phones/TVs/technology..... I'll pay whatever I need to have a great piece of equipment that lets me enjoy the activity. Plus, it's not like a HQ bike dies out....my Mojo HDR will be solid for years and years and years.
  • 1 0
 Should cost $3.50 or so.. But like $5 on the weekend? Seriously though, pricing has gotten into the "Ride my 26 till something breaks" with me at least. A new bike would cost as much as converting a 26 frame/fork/wheels to 27.5, or somewhere around $3000 which is an entry level bike. Not chump change when you have kids and bills. Have my rigid, cheap, steel 29er that won't go out of fashion, but it was never intended to be my everyday ride. I'm an online troller for parts now. Some things I do get from my LBS, but if I can save $75 for 2 tires. Hopefully it will level out, but with electronic parts coming, I don't see it happening..
  • 1 0
 Bike parts cost what they cost. And when they break, they break.. Building your own bike and buying parts online makes it afforable for me over time(part by part) That first paragraph described my life.. And if i need knee pads i tape my lil bros old soccer shin guards to my leg and pull my jeans over top. Didnt see that option..
  • 1 0
 Are bikes expensive? Yes. Do mountain bike companies make millions of dollars? No.

There are dozens of great bike companies out there, and they compete very harshly for our business. No one goes into the bike industry for the money. For the time, energy, skill, and dedication that most bike mechanics, engineers, etc put in they could all make tons more money in a different industry.

Bikes (and components) cost what they do because thats how much human effort it takes to produce frames and parts made out of space-age aluminum and carbon thermoplastic. There isn't a ton of room for prices to go down.
  • 1 0
 MTB is expensive because the companies take advantage of us.

In Spain I can buy a tire for my car for 50€ and a set of brakepads for 25€, same prices to bike tires and brakepads when they are much smaller and less durable.
  • 1 0
 That's where I don't fit in. Can't I get fully functional gear that isn't super flashy or grams lighter than the next bike. I don't want cutting edge, I want reliable. Carbon should be expensive. Aluminum should be affordable. I don't want cheap entry level, or flashy light and expensive. I want cheap durable functional heavy and ugly. I guess that's why I buy used all the time...
  • 1 0
 What about racing? I don't think it should cost anywhere near 80-100 dollars for anybody,even a pro,to race a single day enduro.Since it is the new thing and everybody is jacked up about it,it seems most will pay whatever the guy running the race wants.i understand what it takes to put on a race.
  • 1 0
 Want to compare prices go into a motorcycle shop and look at replacement parts... Not cheap. Need service done? Oy vey. I paid $150+tax for three hours of effort drilling out two broken wheel lock bolts on my car wheels at my garage. It also included them using the hoist to lift the car into the air to pry bar the wheel to snap the much thinner bolts apart from underneath.
  • 1 0
 A guy could get into fishing as a hobby for the cost of a license and a $5 rod from the flea market that will serve him well, meet all his needs, and bring him many hours of great pleasure. A guy could alternatively buy a $40,000 bass boat, a $50,000 truck to tow it with, license, registration, insurance, and fuel for each, and stuff each to the rails with gadgets and accessories. Whether or not he enjoys fishing more depends on the guy, but I recon the fellow with the boat is more likely to complain about the cost of fishing when he's at the bait shop and is asked to pay 5 cents more per worm then he did last time.
  • 1 0
 Most of us will NEVER use our COOL bike to its full potential. These bikes are high tech compared to the motocross motorcycles of the 70s. The suspension on my Endro Comp is better than what I had on my Husqvarna 250 mx in 1973, In reality we are driving MX bikes with no motors. The cost makes sense up to about $5000.
  • 1 0
 Don't sweat it people. The beauty of technology is that five to ten years from now bikes will shift for you... shocks will have electric auto dampening.. stems that extend with a switch.. you get it.. and then.. bam! My Rocky Altitude becomes an entry level bikes.. patents run out.. the SR suntour fork becomes a fox 34.. Just gotta hang in there a little longer. See yall on the trail!
  • 1 0
 Yes mtb'ing is/or can be expensive. I remember 13 years ago my top of the line dh bike cost me just under $5000 to build. Or I could have bought one for that price as well. A kona stab primo was $5000. That was their most expensive bike. One perfect example for me recently was when I wanted (no I didn't have to) to upgrade my SRAM x9 9spd setup to a 10spd with clutch derailleur. Now I've always been more partial to shimano drivetrains than SRAM , I did consider the SRAM xo1dh. But I'm sorry, $300 for just the derailleur!! I ended up with brand shimano saint derailleur ($135), shifter ($70), xt cassette ($65) and kmc SL gold chain ($35). It would have cost me 3 times that if I had gone with the SRAM stuff. For me this is a perfect example of how some companies really over price things. It isn't even close to being competitive. Maybe that xo1dh is better than saint? Not by $600!! No way.
  • 2 0
 The price of accessories & components are outrageous, it's a niche market & that's the problem. Living in Australia makes it even more expensive with shipping etc.
  • 3 2
 Way too expensive. It is cheaper to dirt bike. plus way more saddle time I can ride from my house, 2 hours and I'm not missed. To get 2 hours dh I'd be gone all day and burn 50 bucks of gas.
  • 5 0
 I'm sorry but with all due respect, you are so wrong. I raced MX since I was about 10 and hung up the boots around 19, I'm now 22. I rode 3-4 times per week just like I do on my motor-less machine now. To properly maintain a motocross bike and equipment, get to the track or desert, fuel, hospital etc. It is easily 4 times the amount of money I spend mountain biking, and that is a major reason why I have transitioned to this sport. I cannot afford to fuel my needs through a motocross bike anymore with my income, yet I seem to ride my DH and trail bike religiously on a budget that is next to nothing.
  • 1 0
 Sorry I should clarify, I just mean riding trails in the woods. Not racing at a track. I can ride from my house, it is a lot cheaper for me. Also moto parts seem a lot more durable and reasonably priced on my opinion.
  • 2 0
 The one good argument is tires. I just picked up a rear tire today for a KTM 500 for $90. The same MSRP as a Schwalbe Magic Mary, yet there is probably 10 times the amount of rubber on the MX tire and it will last nearly the same amount of time. Its crazy but in a niche market like mtb you have to pay the toll
  • 1 0
 gotta think outside the box a little. yes, there is more rubber in the MX tire, but the R&D is the same. The mold costs the same and the marketing/sales is the same. the fact that there is more material is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of the product.
  • 2 0
 Bikers (including myself) are just a bunch of cheapskates. Stuff cost money and manufacturing such high quality stuff at low volume costs even more money!
  • 1 0
 If bike companies wouldn't charge so much the volume would go up. People dont get into riding (or stay in it) because stuff is too expensive.
  • 2 0
 so u wanna ride the pony but the big boys hold all the cards
tell me what you gonna do about it? nothing, so pay the ferry man
  • 2 0
 Don't pay the ferryman. Don't even fix a price.
  • 2 0
 £5k gets more bike than 95% of its users have the talent for.

That said I still love a nice marketing gimmick or "race winning" bike!
  • 5 1
 Is mountain biking too expensive? Yep.
  • 3 1
 Don't do it then, or at least the same way that leads you to perceive this. There are far more inexpensive ways to do it, and it all comes down to choice. "too expensive" is totally relative to what your expectations and standards are. Buy an $800 hardtail and you can go mountain biking. Hell, buy a used $250 hardtail and you can ride.
  • 1 0
 You have to do what you can afford obviously but I think the point is that companies sell high end stuff for way more then it took to produce because people are used to paying for it.
  • 1 0
 I don't know about that - I don't work in the industry, but I get a distinct impression that it is rather competitive, and generally most companies have people that spend a lot of time and effort marketing bikes/parts at a price that they think is competitive. I would imagine that the mark up that manufacturers get would be similar to many other industries (ski, vehicle, etc...). If someone has inside knowledge, please correct, though!
  • 2 0
 And don't forget kids, from an economist's viewpoint, the consumers aren't competing against the buyers, they're competing against eachother.
  • 1 0
 I look at it this way, people spend a lot of money on an engagement ring (then the wedding ring, then the wedding, then the house, then the kids, then the devorce...). Suddenly mountainbiking seams cheap
  • 1 0
 Riding will always be expensive if you're a brand whore. The used market is saturated with cheap nice bikes and parts - generally from the shatter dreams of some spoiled rich kid who saw a couple of youtube videos.
  • 2 0
 I think a 10,000-square-foot mansion with a four-car garage and glorious mountain views should only cost $150,000, but it doesn't.
  • 1 0
 Mike was really clever creating this survey. Pay attention to what everyone voted... almost every category is well within the bounds of pricing that already exists... Clever Mikey...
  • 1 0
 One of the best sports in the world but costs an arm and a leg. I get companies want to make money but we need some better budget products or just cheaper prices in general.
  • 2 0
 It is expensive, but I like it too much to stop, juSt save up a little is all
  • 1 0
 i bought a clearance bike new, Then slowly bought $400 boxxer wc and x7 stuff ect... as i broke it and found good dealsand i try to shred as much as possible, i love it.
  • 1 0
 "$400 boxxer wc" what? where?
  • 1 0
 Probably the old 32mm boxxers used?
  • 1 0
 yep
  • 1 0
 I love this way of life. I work several jobs to pay for it. Saving up to buy one that will not break as much (if there is such a thing).
  • 1 0
 I love it. I wants it. I needs it. No matter what it costs I can't stop. Meth heads can go to rehab. I'll be in the woods. Drop out of life with bars in hand!
  • 1 0
 It should actually cost more. We're expecting the latest and greatest technology at slave labor prices. Support your local shop and ride what you got!
  • 1 0
 People complaining about expensive to bike.....But only 2 categories top answers were the "Less than"...
But that's not my business...
  • 1 0
 Too many people care about having the latest thing, or how expensive their gear is. Instead, they should just enjoy their riding, whatever bike they're on.
  • 1 0
 The bikes we buy are the Ferrari's of the mountain bike world. You pay a premium for that. If you don't want Ferrari prices buy a Chevy.
  • 1 0
 I have $2000 invested in my daughter's 2006 105cc KTM Racing motocross bike & ~$1800 in my 2004 Iron horse SGS pro downhill bike... why??!?! I suppose I'm an idiot!!
  • 1 0
 I wish the last question was true. like I am getting a 2015 Norco range 7.2 alloy for $2500 and the specs are okay but I mean I could buy my first car for that!!!!!!!!.
  • 3 0
 Mountain biking should cost as much as you want it to.
  • 2 0
 Build a bike that's lite = $10,000.00
Build a bike that will last =$5,000.00
Lesson= don't be a weight weenie.
  • 4 1
 Coke is better, gram is cheaper and gets you more chicks!
  • 1 0
 Maybe a few fingers and toes - but not an arm and a leg. It's all about justification and happiness, otherwise money has no value.
  • 1 0
 safety products should be cheap or a tax right off. I know food for the bike couriers is a right off and so should safety equipment.
  • 2 0
 Surely its relative to production costs? The mark up should be reasonable.
  • 1 0
 Everything is relative but not everything is reasonable.
  • 1 0
 I don't mind paying for quality, I wouldn't be happy riding around on a bike that didn't do the job...
  • 1 0
 If you can ride it then it's doing its job.
  • 1 0
 If I'm paying the money then I'll decide ...
  • 2 0
 Buy used goods off pinkbike = save $$$
  • 3 0
 I bought my bike, fork, and numerous parts off pinkbike, all no more than a few months old and in "like new" shape or "take offs" from guys who have packed them up and shipped them better than most online bike shops. It is a risk but I've have never been disappointed. Most of the guys I have to deal with at the LBS are roadies and don't know a thing about suspension so I've learned to do almost all the servicing on my own. I can justify any tool or part purchase by the money I've already saved. I would love to own all new and top of the line but I don't need it, I have a blast on what I have and if I do need it, I check here first. If the price is fair it helps two bikers get what they need.
  • 1 0
 we're all just getting screwed. yet we keep buying it, doing it, and paying for it. so not like we can complain right?
  • 3 1
 Look at it compared to skateboarding.. F yea its expensive!!
  • 1 0
 Go to Silverfish and look at some quivers people collect... $400+ longboards.. And then you flatspot a set of $60 wheels with a bad slide..
  • 1 1
 chris king rear disc hub....400$$
  • 1 1
 Full wheel set with Novatec hubs and carbon rims for the same price. Complete 29r hardtail with reliable components, under $2k. Nobody needs Chris King.
  • 1 1
 Complete Powell Ripper--60$, all you need is shoes. No one needs Bones swiss ceramics
  • 1 0
 I am not going downhill sideways on a Walmart special. Minimally good set of wheels is $40.
  • 1 0
 I said skateboarding, not longboard
  • 1 0
 Which is a discipline of skateboarding.
  • 1 0
 That is true. My point being it is still much cheaper than mtb. Look up Powell sometime, far from Walmart quality.
  • 1 0
 Most prices for bike parts are dumb but I'm only bothered by the insane price of forks.
  • 1 0
 Summary of this poll:

Shit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fills up first.
  • 1 0
 Nice question...but sounds like enduro bikes to me .....carbon, 160mm fork, light weight pedals. FADS Are EXPENSIVE!
  • 1 0
 To every idiot saying MX is cheaper obviously aren't running Showa suspension which run $10k plus just for a fork.
  • 1 0
 Crap! I better keep my mouth shut before I give the mtb industry any ideas.
  • 1 0
 I imagine the 57 people who think over $7k for a bike is justifiable are all the industry big wigs.
  • 1 0
 MTB costs are like the cost to your health, you can't put a cost to it really
  • 2 0
 To pedal is to breathe, and they are both free.
  • 2 0
 Surely it should cost only however much you are willing to spend?
  • 1 0
 This is true (hopefully) but stuff retails for way more then its worth therefore the used prices are inflated too.
  • 2 3
 This poll has executive power over the evil industry and so I cry: Too expensive!!!

Now, can I get S-Works Enduro 29 with carbon roval wheels for 1000$ please? That will make me a fulfilled man and a better mountain biker.
  • 1 0
 It's expensive as you want it to be, there's lots of budget options, bikes are better than ever.
  • 1 0
 There are lower priced options for biking... but for the good stuff its gonna cost you.
  • 8 7
 The industry rob you every chance they get
  • 2 3
 Life itself is all robbery, and in the end we have nothing left.
  • 1 1
 Welcome to capitalism
  • 1 0
 was it just me that winced at the cost of all that fox kashima?
  • 2 0
 Supply and command
  • 1 0
 No questions on 700$ dropper post?
  • 1 0
 its the baby boomers fault, really!
  • 1 0
 shut up and take my money.... Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Pinkbikes data mining lately.... Sheesh.
  • 1 0
 You get what you pay for Mother F'ers!
  • 1 0
 Bikes and kit are a rip off here in Australia compared to back in the UK
  • 1 0
 Racing is an addiction cured only by poverty
  • 1 0
 a whole lotta money for something that doesn't even have an engine...
  • 2 1
 bah. it's too expensive.
  • 2 0
 we only live once!!
  • 2 0
 Pay to play.
  • 1 0
 BIKE SHOP OWNERS....DON'T READ THIS!
  • 1 0
 Cost+10%
  • 4 4
 It shouldn't cost more than motocross, yet it does easily.
  • 4 1
 No it does not. Compare total expense for the same relative level of equipment.
  • 4 3
 It really does. Top of line DH bikes go for 8-10k now. Top of line mx bikes go for 8K. 12' of suspension and high end motors vs mtb? MTB's are overpriced dude. I love them but I've decided its too ridicoulous to support.
  • 3 0
 It's because the my. Bike equipment changes every year! MX bike's don't change that quickly. You can still win races in both MX and Mt Bike racing on 3K $ bikes. My kids do it!
  • 2 0
 I hear you bud, I just think that a 3K bike shouldn't cost 3K. They are great performance levels for the average person, I just don't think you should have had to have paid 3K for your sons bike. I read something one time on what it cost specialized for instance to manufacture a demo 8, it was nowhere near what they sell them for. I wish I could find it again.
  • 2 0
 It really does not.

High end motor weights more than the whole DH bike which has to support the same rider at similar speeds and jumps. Amount of R&D that goes into making a light part is much, much higher.

And then honestly, add up ALL expenses over a long run.

You can buy a very, very nice mountain bike for under $3k, and it will serve you for years.
  • 3 0
 This guy has it! You can make more ponies cheaper than change the power wt ratio There are no CF wheels in moto that I've ever heard of ( if there are I bet they really ain't cheap) Why? The motor in 400cc puts out 60-70hp, 70cc moto (mini bike) lays out 7-10hp. A human 0.25 to 0.35! Yeah, for real! Humans have a pretty narrow power band, yes even you! Wanna go "fast" with 0.30 hp gotta make it light, freaky light. That ain't cheap. FYI me 230lbs + 400cc @ 250lbs about 0.15 hp/lb vs me + bike is 0.001 hp/lb roughly.

Mtb is approaching a zenith. There really are no sh#t suspension designs. Prices overall dropped this year. You get more bike now for $1900 - $2500, all types (XC -DH) than you did for $4500 - $5000 10 yrs ago (Been riding 24yrs seen it happening)

I could write an article on this subject. Don't get me started!
  • 1 0
 Reply fail.
  • 1 1
 Gotta pay to play
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