racehd wrote:
I didn't realize the Neo didn't come without a cassette until I read the post from DCR on my RSS feed. I already thought the price point was high for the Neo and really think they should consider pricing it closer to the Kickr, but now knowing that it doesn't have a cassette then I definitely think the price is too high. You're not only talking about needing to buy a casette, but also buying the tools to change a casette, paying a bikewrench to do it for you or bug a friend with the tools. I guess I'm fortunate that I have the tools to do it myself but that wasn't the case 2 years ago when I was in the market for a high-end trainer and went with the Kickr. Do I value the noise level (or lack there of) of a trainer: Definitely. But at such a high premium? No. I could definitely see the Neo doing extremely well at a lower price point but I think they're over-estimating people's value on the noise level. Or maybe I'm just not the target market.
If I were willing to pay as much money as a Neo/Kickr, I would definitely pay just a tad more for the Neo's quietness! Also, note that the difference in price isn't that big if you order either unit online (note the strong dollar can buy a relatively cheaper Neo priced in Euro). I'm just glad that there is a decent competitor for Kickr now. Maybe now, Wahoo will listen to users asking for a quieter Kickr...
With competition, prices can only trickle down over time (while features and quality go up) - it's all good for consumers