iron_mike wrote:
[..]today you can buy bikes off the peg for that much, and source exotic upgrades to double the price. wasn't look on here recently talking about $1200 pair of aerobars?
i guess bikes are 'better' in many respects, but then it's all relative - they're also made with 'better' technology and shipping through 'better' supply chains, and seem to have outpaced the rate of inflation by a decent clip.[..]
To be fair, Profile Design, TriRig, 3T, Zipp, Pro, and Enve all have bars in the $900-1200 range, with only two of those below $1000, so it isn't surprising that Look's is $1200 given their extension design.
Consider all the variables, not just price. Stuff is getting better
and manufacturers are choosing to cater to a broader market. The supply chains, for example are the reason one manufacturer can offer 5 frames with 3 builds each. Some companies use an improved supply chain to reduce price and offer one model in fewer sizes while other use it to increase their selection, offer more SKUs, or improve the product.
Many manufacturers still have bikes in the $2000 range, which was $1400 in 2000, and I don't remember many options in that price range in 2000, either. For $3000 ($2100 in 2000), which is was the bare minimum to get a basic 10sp carbon bike, you can now get you a fully integrated Kestrel 5000 SL with Ultegra parts, or a PR-Four with integrated storage and disc brakes.
Bikes are getting better for the $ and companies are creating higher offerings independently of that fact. There was no P5x equivalent 15 years ago (it's not $12k+ just because it has a beam). Analogies exist in many other industries. You can now buy a $2m+ Ferrari. But those models are in a new league, not the $200k league from 20 years ago. The base 360 Spider was around $170,000 and the current 488 Spider is 10x the car for $260,000, which is... $170,000 in 2000-dollars.