EMTB manufacturers are price gouging.

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Prairie Dog

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Mar 25, 2021
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Ever wonder what pricing is like in a country like Japan? On a recent cycling trip over there we stopped in at a Trek dealership in the city of Kofu not that far a drive from my wife’s home town.

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Mountain biking in Japan is nowhere near as popular as it in other parts of the globe. The problem lies in the fact that even though there are potentially good places to ride, few Japanese seem to take interest in it. Hopefully, that will change over time as enthusiasm for the discipline grows.

So, I wasn’t surprised to see that there were only a handful of mtbs and even fewer emtbs on display. What I did find somewhat eye opening were the prices. A Trek Rail 5 is roughly the same price as what it can be bought back here at home on sale. Something like $6300 Cad.

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This Powerfly was found to be cheaper at around $5500 Cad. vs $6150 at a Cdn LBS.

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I was stoked to see a BC product on display at this shop in Oeno considered to be a somewhat upscale district of Tokyo.

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mmcengineer

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Jan 3, 2022
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True of cars & trains, you can walk? And cars are a component of CPI. When prices go up unnecessarily relative to inputs, people care and it's important.

Just to be clear, you guys work for bike companies I guess?
I took up walking g recently.....gore tex boots and an osprey back pack ....not to mention waterproof coats trousers base layers head torch .....aye I look like all the gear no idea but ffs I can buy a bike for less
 

mmcengineer

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Jan 3, 2022
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If I thought that my emtb supplier was "price gouging", I have a simple action to take: buy or not.

The fact is that a perfect market exists: many buyers and many sellers. The price goes up and down in line with the stock available to sell vs the demand. We have seen this before during and after the pandemic.

During the pandemic I sold my Focus Jam 2 9.6 for an unbelievably high price. All I had to do then was to buy another. After weeks of internet cruising (and many false leads), I found the bike of my dreams (Merida e-160 9000). It was the last one of its size that was for sale in the UK. Yet I paid £800 below rrp, plus some other benefits! Two years later, because of the same pandemic, that exact same spec brand-new bike is now up for sale £2500 cheaper! That has damaged the second-hand sale value of my bike, but I am not the least bit unhappy. I suspect that at the time, my supplier may have thought that I was the one doing the gouging!

You may not like capitalism, and it really is awful, until compared with all the other economic systems.
There's is where socialism would be great we could all pay towards the cost of a bike and share it
 

E-MAD MALC

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Nov 16, 2021
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I took up walking g recently.....gore tex boots and an osprey back pack ....not to mention waterproof coats trousers base layers head torch .....aye I look like all the gear no idea but ffs I can buy a bike for less
Your right there
I've kitted out with decent waterproof gear for cycling boots, trousers, jacket, gloves nearer £500.00 Worth Ouch
 

steve_sordy

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Nov 5, 2018
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Lincolnshire, UK
There's is where socialism would be great we could all pay towards the cost of a bike and share it
"From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs".
That quote from Mark means different things to different people, but to me it means that the hard working and the better off will pay more so that the idle and feckless get a better bike. Stuff that! The taxation system already bleeds the rich and gives to the poor.

Edit: I just Googled that and it's not an original quote from Marx, he just popularised it. Every day is a learning day! :)
 
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G-Sport

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Oct 7, 2022
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"From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs".
That quote from Mark means different things to different people, but to me it means that the hard working and the better off will pay more so that the idle and feckless get a better bike. Stuff that! The taxation system already bleeds the rich and gives to the poor.

Edit: I just Googled that and it's not an original quote from Marx, he just popularised it. Every day is a learning day! :)
This thread is already enough of a Troll fest without getting into the weeds on this...
 

mmcengineer

Member
Jan 3, 2022
70
68
Sheffield
"From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs".
That quote from Mark means different things to different people, but to me it means that the hard working and the better off will pay more so that the idle and feckless get a better bike. Stuff that! The taxation system already bleeds the rich and gives to the poor.

Edit: I just Googled that and it's not an original quote from Marx, he just popularised it. Every day is a learning day! :)
wooooooosh
 

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