Trek prices , already gone up over the week end grrrrr

[paul-g]

Ah yes and given a global pandemic ,who in their wildest nightmares would have thought that the default comfort blanket would be mountain bikes rather than alcohol...the world truly has gone mad

if it was a "CARLSBERG" world we would all be riding something different
come on Zimm lets have a good pic

 

[Zimmerframe]

if it was a "CARLSBERG" world we would all be riding something different
come on Zimm lets have a good pic

Uhmmm ...

"CARLSBERG" probably the best reason to modify your bike for a shorter ride ?

Or "CARLSBURG" .. ditch the water bottle, you know it makes sense ....

 

[mooby77]

Just looking , was going to buy a analogue fuel EX, as electric is scarcer than info around how many kids Boris Johnson has already hard to find

Noticed gone up £100.00 since I looked yesterday!!!.

Sunlit uplands my arse

So Trek already going up , guess everything , on the analogue front and E too , I am now looking at the Marin Alpine Trail , Available allegedly March , anyone have a view on Marin ?

Also if anyone has a analogue FS Medium/Large , Stance , fuel , hawk hill type and want to sell let me know.

Thanks,

Paul

Well got sorted in the end , got a great deal on a new Giant trance e+ 2 pro 2021 , tried one out over a wk end and really liked the motor and giant tune , 10% off plus 5 % to spend in the shop, pick up this week , also , local ishh LBS to me , and also had a cycle to work vouch to use , so got a new analogue Orbea Occam H30 but with uprated brakes and a Fox 34 , my wife is now so pissed at me ,

 

[Bobj183]

I just read an article on Bike Radar that went some way to explain how prices have been affected by the new tariff structure we have with the EU in respect of the domestic content of goods (bikes) moving to and from the EU. The article was quite interesting but it didn't relate to the massive increase in some Trek prices even though some Trek bikes, according to my LBS, do come in through the EU. I bought a 2021 Trek Powerfly 7 for £3895 at the beginning of December. They are now priced at £4500......ouch.

 

[Mikerb]

Trek is a US brand and manufactures bikes in China/Taiwan/Netherlands/Germany. If the specific bike is made in the far east and imported direct to the UK ( e.g like Specialized) the trade agreement with the EU has no bearing. If the specific Trek bike is made/assembled in the EU and exported to the UK or you buy from an EU online site the bike will attract a 6% trade tariff in accordance with the "rules of origin" which forms part of the UK/EU trade agreement. The bike/product must originate or comprise c 53% by value originating in the EU for it to be tariff free as an export to the UK.....and virtually all bikes fail to meet that threshold. In all cases the disruption to manufacturing and transportation forms the majority of price increases we are seeing in bikes.

 

[Bontee]

I would agree with this,I have an import license for my bussiness and imports are quite the same ,no changes,no extra duties only an extra form to fill in so contrary to the brexit whingers it is no extra work ,however mikerb is right ,if you import from the EU ,under certain conditions the rules will change,I have imported from the EU for decades and from the rest of the world and quite honestly the rest of the world is a damn site easier to deal with.
I have just ordered a ducati TK01rr and despite all the fear monger the price has not changed ,the duties are the same,the price has not shifted,the sky has not fallen in,we are all not dead of covid

 

[Kernow]

I can see Hope components becoming even more popular in uk , wouldn’t be surprised if we see some hope specials for the uk market from some of our home grown brands

 

[Bontee]

yes I think it will be a good move for home grown.I love the way that brexit is blamed for so much...bollocks..Covid has far more to do with imports at the moment ,importing goods has happened for decades and it has never been a problem,200 countries on the planet and only 26 in the EU ,why oh why is it such a problem to understand that life goes on and the EU is a non issue.

 

[Kernow]

yes I think it will be a good move for home grown.I love the way that brexit is blamed for so much...bollocks..Covid has far more to do with imports at the moment ,importing goods has happened for decades and it has never been a problem,200 countries on the planet and only 26 in the EU ,why oh why is it such a problem to understand that life goes on and the EU is a non issue.

Looks like Ireland have shot themself in the foot staying with the eu

 

[Gary]

yes I think it will be a good move for home grown.I love the way that brexit is blamed for so much...bollocks..Covid has far more to do with imports at the moment ,importing goods has happened for decades and it has never been a problem,200 countries on the planet and only 26 in the EU ,why oh why is it such a problem to understand that life goes on and the EU is a non issue.

You've clearly not tried importing any bikes from the EU since 1st Jan.

 

[Gary]

I can see Hope components becoming even more popular in uk , wouldn’t be surprised if we see some hope specials for the uk market from some of our home grown brands

Hope components are pretty much all overpriced and mediocre and would carry far higher costs to any manufacturer specing their parts over say Shimano or Sram.
Hope are also miles behind on production so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for union jack etched components just yet.
Oh.. and Hope's overheads and raw materials costs have also just risen because of Brexit.

 

[Mikerb]

Companies that value the UK market will adjust their distribution systems to secure the lowest cost way to address that market. That is standard business practise. The vast majority of genuine EU products ( ie they meet the rules of origin criterea ) fall within the tariff free arrangements. Companies using countries in the EU as assembly/distribution hubs where rules of origin cannot be met will either change their assembly/distribution strategy to address the UK market or not. That is a commercial decision. Dont blame the UK for the problems that rules of origin throw up. It was insisted on by the EU not the UK. In general terms the UK is the 5th largest economy in the World and therefore an important target for many producers. Where the UK stands in terms of its value to bike brands is another matter, but wherever there is a viable market, it will be addressed by suppliers. They may be different to the ones we currently recognise. Plus ca change.

 

[d7e8wd]

I just read an article on Bike Radar that went some way to explain how prices have been affected by the new tariff structure we have with the EU in respect of the domestic content of goods (bikes) moving to and from the EU. I bought 2021 Trek Powerfly 7 for £3850 at the beginning of September. They are now priced at £4500......ouch

I hear you, I snagged my rail 9.7 in September after ordering it in may. Got a great deal at 4900 and they are now at an insane 6750. Tariff or no tariff, someone is making serious bank off the pandemic and surge in cycling.

 

[Bontee]

You've clearly not tried importing any bikes from the EU since 1st Jan.

Gary,I have been importing since 1993,EU and world wide ,not bikes I Grant you but what is your point.Are you an EU importer of bikes,are you simply complaining about prices,what is your particular issue ? I have done both,There are only a few changes ,forms and a minor number of financial issues depending on the type of goods being dealt with.What exactly is your issue,I am genuinely interested,?
If you are an importer ,tell me why it is a problem for you .If you are simply whining about price increases ,at least be honest.
What is your problem ?

I hear you, I snagged my rail 9.7 in September after ordering it in may. Got a great deal at 4900 and they are now at an insane 6750. Tariff or no tariff, someone is making serious bank off the pandemic and surge in cycling.

It is my opinion that substantial price hikes are due to importers adding “handling fees” then blaming brexit,or covid or the second coming ,and expecting the suckers (bike purchasers) to accept what they say,I am sorry to disappoint but a great deal of brexit hysteria is caused by importers who want to profiteer and blame the government.I am no fan of boris or of central government but blame should be apportioned to those who are taking the piss and that is the bussinesses who are adding their “pension” contributions to their pricing model and screwing the buyers.Sorry but as an importer I get really pissed at the self righteous profiteers who blame everthing on brexit.

 

[Bontee]

Hope components are pretty much all overpriced and mediocre and would carry far higher costs to any manufacturer specing their parts over say Shimano or Sram.
Hope are also miles behind on production so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for union jack etched components just yet.
Oh.. and Hope's overheads and raw materials costs have also just risen because of Brexit.

You seem to be determined to blame brexit Gary,you are aware there is aworld wide pandemic happening ?pretty much all raw materials from anywhere are getting more expensive.Fact 1 supply chains across the globe are in slomo
fact 2 guitars ,mountainbikes, fridgefreezers, and ,dental materials are all non existant,I am a dental surgeon I can’t get supplies ,I am a mountainbiker My new bike is delayed by 4 months,I am having a new kitchen fitted ,I cant get a cooker,I am retiring and want a new guitar ,It is going to be delayed by 3 months,I deliberately picked these 4 examples to illustrate the futility of your point,these 4 purchases are relevant and are issues right now.Non are due to brexit,all are due to Covid19

 

[Kernow]

Hope components are pretty much all overpriced and mediocre and would carry far higher costs to any manufacturer specing their parts over say Shimano or Sram.
Hope are also miles behind on production so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for union jack etched components just yet.
Oh.. and Hope's overheads and raw materials costs have also just risen because of Brexit.

Iam not a great hope fan , I agree in general expensive and not always great , their brakes are a pain . just thinking it could be good for the British brand .
I do quite like their hubs and wheels about the only brand I’ve found easy to get freehub replacement or parts off the shelf

 

[Gary]

You seem...

Ok. hold on there for a second.
firstly...
Millions of people in the UK voted for Brexit and millions voted against it. I don't actually care who voted in either direction or particulalry want to discuss it with either camp.
FWIW I didn't vote either way.
I don't ever vote and probably never will.
I also don't care about irrelevant importation ancedotes.

Fact of the matter is. All bikes imported from the EU to the UK have now incurred price increses because of Brexit. I'm not whining about it. and I'm certainly not "determined" to blame it on any one thing. I'm simply stating the fact.
You on the other hand seem determined to blame everything except Brexit for price increases when infact many contributing factors are to blame including Brexit.

Please don't assume you know anything about my views. Nevermind elaborating wildly in a frothing bile ridden rant from me simply stating "You've clearly not tried importing any bikes from the EU since 1st Jan" Which you have now confirmed to be true.

I'll leave you to it now though as you clearly have more to say on the situation than I.

 

[Gary]

I do quite like their hubs and wheels about the only brand I’ve found easy to get freehub replacement or parts off the shelf

That is the one solid reason to buy Hope components IMO.
spares availability in the UK is really great.
but unfortunately even though spares for pretty much all curreent products are readily available if you figure in the cost of the spares and labour it's still often cheaper to just replace the hope component with another brand.
but if you're the type of rider who loves to strip down and re-build components that's not so much of an issue.

 

[Kernow]

That is the one solid reason to buy Hope components IMO.
spares availability in the UK is really great.
but unfortunately even though spares for pretty much all curreent products are readily available if you figure in the cost of the spares and labour it's still often cheaper to just replace the hope component with another brand.
but if you're the type of rider who loves to strip down and re-build components that's not so much of an issue.

It’s mainly finding freehubs or parts for them them I’ve had problems with over the years , ended up scrapping a few hubs and wheels because parts were just impossible to find . You’ve got to be able to easily rebuild hubs , as replacement is a lot of work and expense

 

[The Hodge]

True,and lets not forget who mines the rare earth metals used in batteries.Some years ago someone in the motor industry stated that the rise and rise of electric vehicles would hand the motor industry to china “on a plate” I believe ,north america ,australia and china have the main reserves of materials to make batteries.it should come as no great surprise that the electronics industry is based in the east.
I just don’t think it is possible to cut prices any lower without a corresponding drop in quality,and chinese workers now want western wages.Touche.

Interesting ...it won't happen overnight but the UK is set to join the party ..

Lithium production planned in North East

Northern Lithium wants to extract lithium and other minerals from hot underground water in the Weardale area of County Durham

www.business-live.co.uk

..
I don't think that this is pure coincidence either ( when its original location was due to be in S Wales.)

Electric car battery plant for Blyth power station site - BBC News

Britishvolt says the £2.6bn plant will be the largest industrial investment in the North East for years.

www.bbc.co.uk

All good news ..however if they destroy just one decent bridleway in Weardale..me and my mates will be out protesting ..?

 

[Bontee]

I didn,t bring brexit up,but my bike is delayed by months ,yet no price hike ,just a delay due to lockdowns.No extra taxes duties nothing,I would phone a few importers and ask them to itemise the costs and show how much we are paying for what.

 

[Bobj183]

Iam not a great hope fan , I agree in general expensive and not always great , their brakes are a pain . just thinking it could be good for the British brand .
I do quite like their hubs and wheels about the only brand I’ve found easy to get freehub replacement or parts off the shelf

The problem for companies like Hope is making the step change to being a high volume production supplier. The investment needed is massive. I know that CNC machined, anodised goodies convey a feeling of substance and quality but the truth of the matter is that you are more likely to achieve really good quality control when you are making high volumes on proper production machinery. Before anyone feels like giving me a kicking over these comments I'd just like to add that I am a mechanical engineer with many years of experience in manufacturing and also R&D. So I really do know the difference between low volume (prototyping) and production.

 

[R120]

Putting Hope parts onto a bike is only going to make the bike considerably more expensive to the consumer. As other have mentioned Hope are having significant production issues themselves due to delays in their own supply chain, so not going to help anyone in the short term.

Aside from that they are not a business geared up to make the step up to OEM supplier, and I very much doubt they want to be either.

I am surprised we haven seen some frame/motor/battery sytem options become available. I for one would much rather buy a frameset than a whole bike.

 

[Bobj183]

I was responding to posts saying that the current circumstances may offer opportunities to companies like Hope. You may be right that it's not part of Hope's (or any other company's) strategy to become an OEM supplier but even if it were it would be a large and difficult step and I'm sure you'd agree that their pricing would have to reflect their new position in the market.

 

[R120]

I want really responding to your post, more a generic point - the point you made I would agree with.

 

[Marley]

Just picked up my Trek Rail 7 yesterday and it actually increased in price while I was swiping my debit card ?.......had to swipe again before I ran out in a haste.

 

[Mikerb]

Virtually all of the major bike brands and component suppliers like SRAM have a heavy dependancy on production in China, and they are all now seeing the same mix of factors preventing them from meeting demand. Production levels in most of the Chinese factories cannot be quickly or cheaply geared up in terms of volume, indeed most are below even existing capacity production due to Covid............and no one knows the full extent of Covid in China. Covid is also the main reason for massive shipping delays and cost increases.
All of them must be looking at potential solutions and part of that must be how to create centres of production closer to or actually within their major markets.
That need not involve the creation of new factories, in fact that would likely be too expensive and too slow to resolve current supply problems. There are however alternative solutions most of which would be more viable if the bike and/or component industry acted together rather than individually.
For example, Covid has shown that some existing manufacturing facilities can be re purposed, in part or completely to produce different products.
The politics surrounding China and Taiwan may well force some major decisions to be made...and not only in the bike industry.