1997?

Could be.

I bought my old crack pipe in 1994 or '95. It was about $10 back then.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

The triathlon industry has taken a cue from the wedding industry. Tell people that you're planning a wedding and they pull out the thick book. Same great product. Inflated prices. Tack the word tri- or triathlon onto an existing item and you automatically get a price hike. Whether a bridezilla or a triathlefreak, mostly because we're all suckers and will spend regardless of the price.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

I think it was around the time bicycles started costing more than motorcycles.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

There's your problem.

Here you go.

And if you don't like Lezyne, there are plenty of others.

I'm not anti-LBS. If you don't know which crack pipe is "right for you." and you go to an LBS to have a conversation and they give you good advice, then buy it from them. Makes returns easier too.

But if you know what you want, why pay the markup?

Fall of 1998, Ironman North America opened entries for Lake Placid at, I think, $400, plus fees. Everyone realized that triathletes are a bunch of sapps and prices for everything went up.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Because I didn't know I needed one until last night. I didn't want to buy online and then have it show up on September 14th, since I have my only triathlon of the season coming up on the 13th.

I used to be able to pay a reasonable price for stupid little stuff at the LBS. I needed a tube, it was $3 to $5. My old one was about $10, which I got at the LBS. This stupid little Silca crack pipe is $40. They had floor pumps sitting there for $57. I was tempted, but I don't think the head would have fit on the trispokes.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I blame Carbon Fiber!

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“Bloom wherever you are planted"

CPI-U is up nearly 50% from Fall 1998.

Triathlon is expensive because, just like most recreational athletics, it's enjoyed mostly by people with discretionary income.

Fall of 1998, Ironman North America opened entries for Lake Placid at, I think, $400, plus fees. Everyone realized that triathletes are a bunch of sapps and prices for everything went up.

Part of the problem is that Ironman is at the upper end of the sport, it's not the entry level point - but that's what it almost is now. It's all ironman all the time or Triathlon = Ironman. Great for Ironman and kudos to them, but this is not so good or healthy for the whole of the sport.

In all fairness to Ironman, the costs to put on the size and scope of events that they put on have gone up massively.


The reality is that triathlon does not need to be that expensive. The largest triathlon series in Canada, The Recharge With Milk Series run by Multisport Canada, has an entry level geared triathlon called a Give-it-Tri it's 400m/10K/2.5K. These events are offered at every one of the series races. They are VERY popular. They get 150 - 300 entries for this and upwards of 1/2 are doing their first triathlon - they use any kind of bike, and many don't bother with a wetsuit.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I agree, it doesn't have to be expensive, and it isn't if you stick with local events, don't buy the latest wunderbike and wheels every year because $IPP came out with yet another "new and improved" rim

The tri I just signed up for (a sprint) was $55, not including the one-day TriNS membership. That's not bad.

I'm just ranting because a tiny little pump head, with no moving parts, cost me over $40.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Bingo. That's what you paid for.

LBSs have become the convenience stores of the bike industry since online retailing took over. Online retailing is cheaper, and in many cases more convenient due to shipping to your door. The "I need it right now for the race this weekend" is one of the few advantages the LBS has left. Can't blame them for charging for it.

I recently paid ~$40 for a "last minute" Silca crack pipe as well. I knew it wasn't worth that, but I also knew what I was really paying for.

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Are YOU in the Zone?
http://www.discomfortzone.com

$400 in 1998 = $585.61 in 2015 per CPI calculator @ http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...rent_post_id=5681120

Going price is $700-$750 for an IM today, but I bet liability insurance has increased more than inflation. Also, demand outstripped supply significantly for most of 2000-2010 which would justify charging a higher price to clear the market. Now that IMs no longer sell out in minutes/seconds, the rate of increase should be much less.

I wouldn't have saved much, if anything, by buying that same item online. The silca pump head is USD $30 from trisports or excel sports. Factoring in shipping / handling and exchange rates, I wouldn't have saved much at all.

The lezyne would have worked though.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

triathletes will buy bloody anything.

(and wear anything, too.)

'twas always thus.

-mike

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https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/

There isn't as much markup as you seem to think. I was surprised at the difference between most Park Tool stuff at the LBS vs. amazon. In some cases less than $1 a tool. I assume there isn't as much savings to be had when buying a quality product with an established supply chain. Offering a much much bigger selection of stuff made in/shipped from china, different story.

It's $100 to do an Ontario sprint, which is insane. They were $50 as little as 5 years ago.

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

I buy from the LBS when I need something RIGHTNOW and when I need service I can't or won't do myself (internal cable routing, press fit BB, etc.). Last time I was there a woman had what must have been a $300 bike in 1995. This was the conversation:

LBS guy: "Well a tune up starts at $95, but you will probably need new tires/tubes, a new chain, bottom bracket overhaul...."
Woman: "Ok, I guess that's what it costs to make it work"

They are going to charge her $200+ for a bike that will end up being worth maybe $100. After repairs.

If they had more integrity, the guy would have tossed her bike in the dumpster and had her ride out on the cheapest bike in the store. Would have been a major upgrade.

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/kj

http://kjmcawesome.tumblr.com/

You forgot one critical thing - the customer is always right in retail. . . even when they are, "wrong"!

Perhaps you missed the part of the conversation she had with the guy from the shop where she said, she really wants to keep that bike. Great, so she keeps the bike and they fix it all up for her. She's happy. The shops happy.

Too often with the very unsophisticated sales staff they have working in more than a few bikes shops, they start to force themselves and what the shop wants to do, on the customer. Customer, shuts down and walks out of the store, never to be seen again. Remember - in sales, it's not what YOU want, it's what the customer wants. NOW, the relationship could evolve to the point where you become a trusted source of information and advice, THEN, you can start to be a bit more free with your advice and knowledge - but early on, and particularly, in these sorts of situations - just give them what they want!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

This one is only $110. I guess because it has a moving part. http://www.wheelbuilder.com/...ng-presta-chuck.html

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Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com

When my wife found out what I paid for entry into next year's Chatt 70.3, she about had a fit. Now I have to buy her curtains. It's just like the NBA, for every dollar I spend there's a luxury tax over and above.

I hate you. The local sprint I did this year was $100 plus $15 for TriBC.

One triathlon costs the same as a season worth of bike racing.

Golf is the same way. I wanted an Under Armour hat from their golf collection. It was $35.00. As I walked around Dicks Sporting Goods carrying the hat I found the EXACT same hat (minus the word Golf on the back) for $25.00.

A golf polo shirt will always be more expensive than a regular polo shirt. Nike Golf Polo vs. Nike Polo. Price will always be higher.

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The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.

One triathlon costs the same as a season worth of bike racing.

But are you really comparing apples to apples here when say/do that?

I suggest not.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog