Always fancied a yeti frame………….😳

Remember that you have to factor in the legendary Yeti support though . . .

Yep. As lovely as they are, even if I had the money (which I really, really don’t) the stories of abysmal aftersales support are enough to put me off.

Out of stock so price must include travel for salesperson to fly to factory to get it and bring it back...

Yep I know they get a bad rep, but that aside I feel they’ve pretty much priced me out of ever buying one

Even with a good shop discount it would still be insane

I can’t get my head around 4299 for a frame

RRP on Yeti frames has been over £3k since 2016 when the SB5 and SB6 launched, and over £3.5k for a while.
The slide of the pound against the dollar hasn’t helped either. But yes, £4299 is nuts.

Surely they are pricing themselves out of the uk market?

Unless this what all other brands carbon wise will do and follow suit

It’s just bonkers saying it out loud - there’s absolutely no justification for paying that regardless of Covid/brexit/import etc

I got one a few years ago, fell foul of the legendary support mashr refers to and now ride a Ti Salsa, not having another Yeti even at half that price. You aren't missing out OP.

Lovely bikes, not only the after sales reputation that pushed me away when I was shopping, the servicing of that extra shock thingymabob; couldn't be chuffed with that.

Santa Cruz, Pivot, among other ‘boutique’ brands have been in the £3500-£3700 range for a while too. I wouldn’t be surprised if their prices creep up over the £4k mark soon too. Crazy really.

Surely they are pricing themselves out of the uk market?

I don't think they're actually pricing themselves out of the market that buys them anymore so than say ferrari do with cars.

The people who will buy a one will buy it regardless of, and a good chunk of them because of, the price tag.

The ones who "now" won't buy one because its too expensive weren't actually buying them anyway or at least not until they were heavily discounted at which point they largely bought it because of the discounted price.

But they do have very nice paint. . .

Oh and just an observation - when did bikes get so sodding ugly? Why has everything morphed into an eBike with a steep downtube that goes horizontal somewhere around the front foot? Is this all in the name of fitting a bloody water bottle into a mountainbike?

Hideous.

It was only about £2999 a year or so back and absolutely nothing spec wise has changed nor any updates since it came out 3 years ago

It was never £3k... iirc it was £3799 when launched, a 15% price increase over the last 3yrs I would argue (given everything that has gone one affecting market prices) really isn't that much!

Besides, Richie Rude just won @ Inners on one yesterday, and Bex Baraona was 2nd on hers too... The bike has some pedigree!

I don’t think they’re actually pricing themselves out of the market that buys them anymore so than say ferrari do with cars.

The people who will buy a one will buy it regardless of, and a good chunk of them because of, the price tag.

The ones who “now” won’t buy one because its too expensive weren’t actually buying them anyway or at least not until they were heavily discounted at which point they largely bought it because of the discounted price.

Bingo... Those who are whinging about the price were never potential Yeti customers anyway in reality. The person who wants a Yeti, wants a Yeti. The cost of frame purchase is more than likely a very minor consideration, when you consider that it will likely have Factory Fox forks/shock/seatpost fitted, some bling wheels, SRAM AXS groupset etc...

I'd have one tomorrow gladly if I had a need for an Enduro race bike...

Wow mboy sounds like you are actually justifying a frame costing 4.3k 🤣

“Those whinging about the price of a yeti aren’t real customers anyway”

Wow some comment that, so as I’ve questioned the price I’m not a potential customer? I’d refuse to pay it on principle of it being insane and the fact it’s now 3 years old a new ones due early next year etc, all legit considerations…. I would try one and if the price was not insane It would be high on my list for next frame…. but at likely over 4299 when it’s released it’s a firm no even if it’s the fastest bike on the planet, it’s a carbon frame ffs there’s no justification getting ripped off like that and if you think there is then you are seriously deluded

They have totally priced me out of one and i was considering one when they release the new version next year but what’s that going to be? 5k? 😳

Seriously, it’s insane I’ve paid 3k for SC frames over the years and with a bit of discount not felt like I’m being ripped off too badly especially as always get a decent price back for them at the end

But 4299 is just madness even if it came with a bespoke tuned coil it wld still be a lot for a frame that’s not changed in almost 3 years old

Makes my 1900 quid alloy frame look positively bargainous

If they all start heading over 4K soon then that will be the end of ‘nice’ bikes for me 😌

mboy

Besides, Richie Rude just won @ Inners on one yesterday, and Bex Baraona was 2nd on hers too… The bike has some pedigree!

Richie could win on a penny farthing. The bike has little to do with it but it's a nice bit of marketing.

Unsure why it is an issue/concern/, consideration that the design is 3 years old? You'd be buying brand new - if buying new.

Makes the Hope HB916 a positive (relative) bargain at £3595, and that's with an Ohlins air or coil shock. Even £4099 for an Orbea Rallon with a Factory Elite X2 would be a better bet than the Yeti.

Although neither have the legendarily reliable Switch Infinity which was specifically designed for UK riding.

Because it’s old in terms of its cycle, your paying way more now than when it was released for a model that’s been around 3 years, that’s about as long as it gets per model in the modern cycling industry

Also has a huge effect on resale value if you were planning on swapping it after a year or something too

As I love to buy a frame and build up I feel like I have most certainly been priced out of the mainstream market. The only thing that would lead me to buy a 3k frame is the potential resale value.
As of 2 years ago I bought a Chinese carbon enduro frame+wheels for 1.5k, flawless and rides great, can't see myself going back to mainstream full suspension frames with current prices tbh.

This is what happens when inflation is high and supply side is messed up.

And as mboy says it's 15% increase on a frame that was already at the top end of prices.

I think we're all going to have to recalibrate our expectations of what we have to pay for frames and parts over the next couple of years (as well as food, fuel etc).

I suspect we'll see similar it greater % rises in the mid market too.

Exactly speeder the Richie rude thing is laughable

Most of the top 50 riders could all swap bikes and end up in pretty much the same position regardless 🤣

I cannot believe anyone (fanboy or not) would justify 4299 for a fekkin frame!!!

Didn't Rude (Youtube hughlights video) make a comment about the back end being all over the place? Not the greatest endorsement

I cannot believe anyone (fanboy or not) would justify 4299 for a fekkin frame!!!

That's the world now....

Decent motorbikes are £20,000+ decent cars are £40,000+, it makes sense that a decent level frame is £4000.

I ain't paying it... i struggled enough to self-justify my Fuel EX9.8 and never would have considered it at £6000.

So the serial bike buyers and resellers are going to have to dig deep if they want that, but those who don't serial swap bikes are probably not as bothered as if the bike was riding well when it was first released, then it will ride well when bought - getting a new frame with a tweak or 2 doesn't immediately make the current frame as bad.

I can see the thinking about it, but also know plenty people who buy and keep their bikes for a good few years - they ride them well and the bikes don't appear to be stopping them doing anything they are riding. For some people it is a lot of money but over more years it probably seems more palatable.

To be clear, I agree it is an eye-watering amount to spend, but I thought that when it was first launched as well, so it isn't something I'd be ever looking at buying. * EDIT * If people can afford it then no issues with them buying what they like...

I cannot believe anyone (fanboy or not) would justify 4299 for a fekkin frame!!!

People can, and do. If you can’t, there are plenty of other options. Just not ones that say Yeti on the side.

Whatever you do don’t look at top end road bikes if you care about being ripped off

Just picked up an sworks tarmac, frame and forks rrp is 4.5k, and that doesn’t even come with a fancy shock.

I didn't think twice about dropping 8k on my bike. Was a nice little present to myself for beating the clock. Second new bike in my lifetime and one that I plan to keep until it becomes obsolete or snaps. Whichever happens first!

People can, and do. If you can’t, there are plenty of other options. Just not ones that say Yeti on the side.

 

I get that, I’m not disputing people have plenty of spare income to splurge, i totally get it…. It’s just a insane amount of money for a run of the mill frame from china (or wherever it’s made)

I just can’t wrap my head around a mainstream branded frame company charging that amount for a frame - it has definitely put me out of the market for one, I used to swap my 3k sc frames pretty much every year and only ever had to put a certain amount towards a new one, now if was to do that on a yeti I’d be having to stump up double and then some to swap it every year or so

I guess it’s just the way it’s going/gone - I just can’t understand/grasp the price for it tbh there’s absolutely no value in it what so ever….

only way I could feasibly do it now would to keep it for 3/4 years (if it lasted that long 🤣) I get bored easily and like a change, but I genuinely think those days are done

Wow mboy sounds like you are actually justifying a frame costing 4.3k 🤣

“Those whinging about the price of a yeti aren’t real customers anyway”

Wow some comment that, so as I’ve questioned the price I’m not a potential customer?

The same logic applies to everything. Apple, Audi, Rolex, Gucci, it's all meaningless crap to me but they sell everything they make at sky high prices. If you want one you'll buy one and even though most of us are skint, there's just enough people who aren't. If you're whinging about the price you were never going to buy one anyway.

Look at Santa Cruz. They've been conservative bikes with ridiculous price tags for years and there's absolutely dozens of the things where I live because people with tie-dye shirts, cut off jorts and student loans want to buy into the gang.

Comment gold!

people with tie-dye shirts, cut off jorts and student loans want to buy into the gang.

 

PRice of Yetis now is mental. I bought a 575 back in the days, which was fantastic, I still remember chatting to the rep where I demo'ed one and being surprised that they were so well priced at £1200.
However!
If you've "always fancied a Yeti frame" - I can sell you my Big Top frame 😀 just £350. 😛

plenty of sb150's on ebay, a new frame with second hand shock is £2750, full bike £4-5k.
my friend got one late last summer second hand, its a cracking bike..
prices have gone silly, i'm just having a 21 model Arc built up, jumped at it as the new 2022 colours are +£300 on top.

its a cracking bike..

Ain’t nobody doubting that 😉

Anyone else spotted the absolute irony in this 'I just can’t wrap my head around a mainstream branded frame company charging that amount for a frame – it has definitely put me out of the market for one, I used to swap my 3k sc frames pretty much every year '

3k for a frame is a bonkers price to a large proportion of the population

A few things from me:

Yes that is mental expensive for an mtb frame.

Yes some people have enough disposable cash and are happy to spank that much just a because it’s a Yeti / Pivot etc

The above might change for a lot of people with a rising cost of borrowing (if it continues to rise - historically we’re still very low in the UK), rising energy costs, rising fuel costs, rising food costs etc. That said there is a low rate of unemployment right now so demand for workers is high and perhaps that’ll spiral into some higher wages

No way would I buy a Yeti - that switch infinity thing is stupid in the UK- silverfish often seem to make a meal of warranty - and considering Yeti are fairly low volume you find a lot of people with cracked ones.

I’ve never been their market though - I’m happy riding an alloy mtb frame with decent geometry and decent spec components.

Edit - if spending a lot of money on a carbon frame I’d be very tempted to look at the Atherton bikes - without paying the extra charge for full custom they offer hundreds of sizes with very small differences in geo so you can near enough pick exactly what you want. Will also be rarer than a Yeti.

I cannot believe anyone (fanboy or not) would justify 4299 for a fekkin frame!!!

Yeti bikes have always been expensive. You're complaining that expensive bikes are expensive. 🤣 the £10 grand bike has been around for decades now, and isn't going away any time soon. People buy them with zero interest over 3 or 5 years or whatever which costs a couple of hundred a month, and that's well within the scope of loads of folks. If you're desperate for a Yeti, you'll find a way to fund it.

I seem to say this a lot when the "why are things so expensive" question comes up, and the answer is: The market is massive. I worked for a short time in between jobs for a firm that installed very very nice garage equipment (drawers cabinets etc etc) and they advertised to wealthy folks. They'd bought a database with names of people with income declared at over six figures and the amount is millions and millions of folks. I went to one bloke who had a collection of 10 Santa Cruz, different colours and specs, all of them current years models and he buys more than one at a time...These folks aren't bothered if the frame is £4 or £5K.

I just can’t wrap my head around a mainstream branded frame company charging that amount for a frame

I think that's where you're wrong, they aren't a mainstream brand, that title goes to the likes of Giant, Trek, Specialized etc. they're a boutique brand with a good following.

It's like saying Lamborghini are a mainstream brand when comparing the price of an Aventador to an Audi R8, the former is twice the price for what is essentially the same thing - give or take a couple of cylinders 😉 And FWIW you can easily spend that on an S-Works Tarmac SL7 frame and that doesn't even have any fancy moving pivoty bits!

As said a fair few times, £4k for a frame is literally pocket change to some, to others it's a holiday Disney Land (probably) that they've spent a few years saving for, to others its a new pair of fun bags for the wife.

Anyone else spotted the absolute irony in this

That did make me chuckle tbf!! Instead of buying a new Santa Cruz every year, maybe slum it and only buy a new frame every other year? That way the yeti will cost you roughly the same

I mean obviously it’ll snap after 6 months and you’ll be left bikeless, but at least you’ll have a yeti!

Ps..I have a yeti…not broken yet

I remember when the previous generation ARC carbon hardtail came out and everyone was moaning about the frameset costing £1700. I bought one new 9 years ago and it is still my only mountain bike and I still love it. Great value for money if you actually use it and keep it.

to others its a new pair of fun bags for the wife.

Now there's something I hadn't considered. I can only see benefits.

It is nuts... but they will sell because of the pedigree. The local fast, enduro race-winning shop team also run yetis. I would have thought that would result in sales.

BITD my wife bought a 575 frame new for £800. It was reduced - a shop window one and white, not turquoise, but it built up into a lovely bike that did years of faultless service. They were simpler then.

Dipped my toe into dinghy sailing again recently and that is a world that has gone mad too. For example, if you were looking for a secondhand singlehander to club race on you could spend £1K on a very tidy laser or.......there are a couple of two year old foiling moths for sale currently that would set you back £28K each. Clearly massively different beasts with hugely different amounts of tech and material technology involved but very loosely used for the same thing. I suppose the difference to the bike scenario is that a beginner/intermediate rider could get on the silly money bike and whilst they might not appreciate or benefit from the difference, they could still use it and enjoy razzing about on a posh toy. The moth would be literally useless to most sailors and impossible to access.

My takeaway from the state of the bike industry (and the dinghy world too) is not to get sucked into thinking fun can only be had on the latest and greatest. Just because a £15K bike or £30K dinghy is available does not mean you need them to enjoy life or that their existence requires you spending or loan that volume of cash.

I remember an STW mag article years ago about a riding weekend on some super cheap BSOs and if fun could still be had on that little bike. We need more of that to balance the increasingly expensive baubles dangled in front of consumers.

it is a lot of money, but i guess we can justify things to ourselves if we really want to.

I used to quite fancy an SB130 LR, but over time have changed my desires.

And one mans treasure is another mans junk... for example i would much rather a Raaw Madonna over an SB150, which is approx £2500 plus shipping, plus import duties. So probably just over 3k to your front door.... which is also a truckload of cash for an alloy frame & shock, but is far more interesting/exciting to me than a yeti.

Yeti have always been in that completely out of reach bracket? 4k seems to be the current trend of high end frame only (predominantly US) brands.

Makes that carbon wasp frame featured in FGF a couple weeks ago seem like an absolute bargain.

If we're going by what the pros have been winning on, why not save a few bob and get a Canyon two sizes too small?

Yeti have always been in that completely out of reach bracket?

No they haven't. As I said on the previous page - when I bought a 575, £1200 was a decent price for a top end full suss frame from a boutique(ish) brand.

chakaping
Free Member

If we’re going by what the pros have been winning on, why not save a few bob and get a Canyon two sizes too small?

That comment expired at the weekend unfortunately (but hopefully valid again in a couple of weeks)

Of course they can charge that, have you tried to get a dentist appointment lately? They could probably add a zero

I've always loved Yeti's since the days of John Tomac when I was a kid. They've always been an aspirational brand like Ferrari, Ducati, etc and the prices match that.
I owned and loved a SB5c which I bought with a hefty discount when the SB5 was released. 2 main issues I had, riding here in the UK were 1) Insufficient protection of the pivot bearings, 2) Wear on the Switch Infinity sliders, regardless of how well it was greased and maintained.

Hopefully the new models will replace the Switch Infinity with the new SixFinity system used on the 160E

Frame for mine was £3600 in late 2019, not £3k. Can't fault it- only warranty issues I've had have been fixed quickly (beginnings of cable port wear, they sent out some alloy inserts FOC).

Its a big price jump, but I'd expect the likes of Santa Cruz etc to follow fairly soon..

I'm on my third Yeti, a SB130 bought in 2019. It was, even then, a pricey bike. And I love it. Would I buy another, even though I can afford it? Probably not. They – and some other brands – have crossed over my personal price/value threshold. It's why I'd never buy a Colnago, even though I'd love to have one. That threshold is different for everyone and I'd bet Yeti won't see a drop in sales, particularly in their home market.

That comment expired at the weekend unfortunately (but hopefully valid again in a couple of weeks)

I think Jack's injury mitigates somewhat.

Anyway, why not hang on for Yeti to update it with a high pivot and charge £5k frame only?

Of course they can charge that, have you tried to get a dentist appointment lately?

Good reminder. Just booked the next available slot for a check-up. March 2023... wtf.

but I’d expect the likes of Santa Cruz etc to follow fairly soon..

3.7k for their newly released Megatower which is their equivilent bike (so similar shock, and same anticipated riding and warranties I would imagine). Probably the other two re-vamped 29ers arriving this summer.

I demoed one 4 weeks ago and the paint chipped after the slightest stone chip. At £4300 its crazy money as is the Rallon at 4099 for a frame only and as said make the Hope and Santa Cruz frames seem more like a bargain. I do think over the next 12-18 months there will be more Alloy builds on the trails and fells. A sentinel at £2100 now seems like a bargain in comparison..but then again alloy frames from Stainland now with a linkage seem to be commanding a fair price 🙂

as is the Rallon at 4099 for a frame only

They do seem to be taking the piss a bit, only £500 more for a FOX/slx/raceface full build.
Some companies just really don't want to sell frame-only.

I do think over the next 12-18 months there will be more Alloy builds on the trails and fells.

If you think that will be price driven I can't say I see it happening.

Raw alu is up 60% in the last 12 months, over 100% since pre covid.
Extrusion is hugely energy intensive and if you think your electricity bills have gone up say a quiet prayer for the price cap on domestic supply. So that's up massively.
Powder coating is hugely energy intensive and the powder is oil derived. That's up massively.
Shipping isn't any cheaper than for carbon as the physical volume of the bikes is the same.

It's a different market but I'm seeing about 128% increase on delivered alu product since Jan 21, about 110% on steel.

Bigger consumers buy further ahead but the same things are going to catch up with them eventually and filter though.

If its price driven I'd half expect to see more carbon (where there's a much larger % labour component to the cost) about not the opposite.

Haha I was waiting for the irony posts about swapping my sc frames every year 🤣

I get it, but that’s my point I’m in a position where I could ‘afford’ to do what most people can’t, and now even with similar spare money it’s priced even me out of doing it with those sort of prices!! So who exactly are they aiming to sell to at that price?!

I’ve been in a lucky position to do so for years, albeit have had a change of direction this last year switching back to alloy for a bit of a mix up, but if I have the same spare cash that was enough to do that on SC for years I’m now out of the market on those brands should they all go up over 4K and I’m assuming a lot will be in the same position as me!

Ps I got a sentinel alloy (2022 model) and yes it’s weighty but I paid 1899 for it in January and it’s been so much fun to ride

I just wish it was a bit lighter, even transition seems more realistic with pricing as they are only around 3200 for full carbon frames with x2 shocks - great back up and other than the paint being shit they are bloody good fun …

Haha I was waiting for the irony posts about swapping my sc frames every year 🤣

I get it, but that’s my point I’m in a position where I could ‘afford’ to do what most people can’t, and now even with similar spare money it’s priced even me out of doing it with those sort of prices!!

how much of a loss were you making on a 1 yr old SC frame? What would we expect a used Yeti to fetch in 2023?

I can see that possibly the limiting factor is not what you can afford to buy but what the savvy second hand buyer is willing/able to pay out in cash for a warrantyless used frame.

@ayjaydoubleyou

Around 1k and that was part ex’ing so no hassle with idiots/fees on eBay

It seemed decent ‘value’ to me to do it every 12 to 18 months for a change

Sc quality is not comparable to any other brand, they sell well 2nd hand because they are very well made and good solid paint

Issue with a yeti 2nd hand trying sell is the fact the reputation is shit in uk and now if you tried sell it a year later you’d lose over half its value near enough no way I’d be swapping out of a yeti a year later for ~1k

Also Santa Cruz warranty is one of the best in the industry. Yeti on the other hand…

At £4300 its crazy money as is the Rallon at 4099 for a frame only a

Not to mention Rocky Mountain asking £4.3k for the Altitude frame-only.

Looks like an awesome bike, but come on.

But with all these silly frame prices, it's possible they are trying to discourage frame-only sales because they'll make more money selling full builds - and they've now got used to selling everything they can make.

What shop are/were you going through that offers trade ins?
We talking frame only? And guessing as a discount on a new frame, no cash option.
That seems like a pretty good deal (given the depreciation curve on mtbs) for them to presumably clean it up, new bearings, and then sell as second hand.

1k a year is still a bit steep for my wallet, and I say that as a recent purchaser/owner of a 5010. But if it worked for you...

Unsure it has actually impacted you that much though - given you were spending a small fortune to change every year, at the start of that you'd have had a greater outlay to get on your SC chain. You'd be doing the same to go for the Yeti, so the first one is always going to be the most costly for you.

Must be great to have that amount of cash available to swap every year, but any issues with you doing it every 2 years? That way the Yeti becomes available again for you...

As people have said, there is always a way if you really want something, as you don't seem to be really wanting it (otherwise you'd fine a way i.e. buy every 2 years or swallow the larger chunk of cash to get on the Yeti ladder).

I do think prices are going up at ridiculous rates, but costs are also rocketing...there are many more bikers nowadays so there will always be plenty folk who will spend that amount of money - just as there are many people happy to be riding round on cheaper kit as it works very well and provides enjoyment for them.

I'm not trying to talk down to anyone, but it is interesting to read people's comments and get an idea of thinking as there are some very different to me - I don't think I'm right but is good to see the other views.

sales because they’ll make more money selling full builds

Probably not, but they'll need to sell x volume of forks to get a decent price from fox, x volume of drive trains for shimano and so on. Frame only reduces that so its not desirable for helping you hit price point on full builds.
Also full builds give much more control over the spec and resulting failures, fat fewer folks buying a full build then sticking over length forks, cheap BB, adapted wheels, shimmed seat posts and so on onto the frame and knackering it then blaming the frame.

Speeder

Richie could win on a penny farthing. The bike has little to do with it but it’s a nice bit of marketing.

A penny farthing, and whatever drug he was/is taking that still hasn't been revealed....

Probably not, but they’ll need to sell x volume of forks to get a decent price from fox, x volume of drive trains for shimano and so on. Frame only reduces that so its not desirable for helping you hit price point on full builds.

I'm pretty sure full builds are more profitable, as bike brands get components for a fraction of the price they're sold aftermarket - so they've leveraging profit from those as well as the frame.

Of course if you're asking more than £4k for the frame alone, that might change.

Pauly

Also Santa Cruz warranty is one of the best in the industry. Yeti on the other hand….

Yeti have a really good rep for warranty on the other side of the Atlantic, it's just this side where you have Silverfish in the middle that they have a bad rep. That and the fact they break a LOT

@DickBarton I know what you mean, but difference is I now would refuse to pay that much for a frame full stop, regardless of brand if that’s how much sc/transition or anyone else goes in the future

I happily paid a 1k to swap as I said in my head I saw it as decent value to do a swap and try something new, I was happy doing that

I’m not in a much different position other than now I refuse to pay that sort of money for a frame, the cost of swapping would be well over 2k every swap not making it in my mind good value - I know it’s all relative etc but that’s my logic 1k to get in to a new frame is a lot of money but still represent some value …. Buying a 4300 frame from the off doesn’t represent any value what so ever on any planet

As some ones mentioned above I do wonder if they are trying to force full build purchase instead of frame only? I’ve never looked into this before as base models have always been shit spec but now if you got a full bike for maybe 500 quid more for the same frame then it would be worthwhile doing that and flogging all the bits off it recoup some back

Anyways I’m not on about my personal circumstances/choices etc

Its just 4300 quid is an insane amount of money for a Chinese frame and surely nobody can argue that

I get it, but that’s my point I’m in a position where I could ‘afford’ to do what most people can’t, and now even with similar spare money it’s priced even me out of doing it with those sort of prices!! So who exactly are they aiming to sell to at that price?!

I assume the target is people richer than you then, or folks with more disposable income. Or folks that think 4.5 k is an acceptable amount to spend on a carbon toy

Either way there are at least 5 guys in my cycling club with frames costing that amount. Me included.

Its just 4300 quid is an insane amount of money for a Chinese frame and surely nobody can argue that

99.9 % of the population would argue spending 3000 quid on carbon frame is insane though.

Its just 4300 quid is an insane amount of money for a Chinese frame and surely nobody can argue that

I think their carbon frames are made in Vietnam. Is it a crazy price? I guess it depends doesn't it? Most folks aren't going to buy frame only, they buy a bike (despite what folks on here say) and the entry price for the SB150 is about £6K. I paid that not long ago for a very nice Specialized (nearly at the top of their range) and I'm not paid dentist money. Objectively it's a lot of cash, whether subjectively one thinks it's "worth it" doesn't necessarily have to have any connection to the price of the frame.

@tpbiker

Exactly they have totally alienated me from purchasing one, so clearly I am not there target audience anymore and will be the same for any other brand that gets anywhere near 4K for a frame

I guess alloy FTW

tpbiker
Free Member

Its just 4300 quid is an insane amount of money for a Chinese frame and surely nobody can argue that
99.9 % of the population would argue spending 3000 quid on carbon frame is insane though

But again that’s my point when someone who rides and who happily splurged endless amounts of money on components etc decides enough is enough then surely it has become past insane

oscillatewildly

I guess alloy FTW

Get a Geometron. Mine is 2.5 years old, popped the bearing caps off for a look, found a load of fresh, clean green grease. Raw frame, no paint to scratch. Already has next year's geometry.No need to upgrade.

Its just 4300 quid is an insane amount of money for a Chinese frame and surely nobody can argue that

OK, how much do you think it should cost?

That infinity link thing isn't appearing elsewhere so they're not catalogue frames if that's what you mean by Chinese, yes they might be physically assembled in China* but so are most carbon frames.

They're "small" volume, heavily marketed, well supported (row anyhow), using bespoke hardware (infinity switch thing) with all the design and production costs associated with that.

They're not exactly going to be cheap.

Now compare with SC who don't have any of the bespoke bits and do much higher volumes and essentially up the price by £300 a year for different paint.

Then compare to a specialised/trek/giant.

I don't honestly think the yeti is priced out of the way, it's certainly out of my price bracket but I don't think it's bad value compared to a lot of others.

so clearly I am not there target audience anymore

If you were part ex’ing to cover the cost, sorry, you never were.

Not really, because there's always another layer of people who are capable and happy to spend the money.

The issue here is due to a price rise due to {insert reason} people are pushing back against being dropped a buy bracket or two.

When I bought my RM it was for cash with a lump sum payment I received. I did it because I could and I wanted to treat myself to a high end bike.

Doubtful I would have done so without the disposable, nor considered finance i'm not a fan of finance on bikes. I'd have probably just bought a almost new second hand frame like I've always done.

I just accept there's some stuff I can afford and some stuff I can't.

But again that’s my point when someone who rides and who happily splurged endless amounts of money on components etc decides enough is enough then surely it has become past insane

 

Now compare with SC who don’t have any of the bespoke bits and do much higher volumes

Aren't they (SC) owned by Pon Industries now as well? I'd imagine there's some economies of scale