Some bicycling is really expensive for parts

On 2018-08-05 12:20, Roger Merriman wrote:
Joerg wrote:
On 2018-08-05 08:48, Roger Merriman wrote:
Joerg wrote:
On 2018-08-04 17:24, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I was looking at the Mountain Equipment Co-Op site for tires and a
cassette for a 700C hybrid that I'm tuning up for a friend. Whilst on
the site I saw 26" tire for $240.00 CDN. Vee Tire Co Snowshoe XL
Studded 26" Tire
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5047-2...ded-26%22-Tire
Btw the tire is made in Thailand.


Buy them elsewhere. Fat tires still have that "novelty mark-up".

https://www.amazon.com/XL-Studded-12.../dp/B00M2LME1S

However, I generally do not spend more than $20 for an MTB tire. IME you
often do not get what you pay for with bike stuff.


Then I saw a 12 speed cassette 10 -50 teeth for $611.00 CDN!
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5053-7...Speed-Cassette

What gives with these prices? Car tires are not nearly that
expensive and I bet motorcycle tires cost less too.

Baffled by these prices.



It's fashion surcharges. When I was in a bike shop in Placerville and
saw a 50T cassette for the first time my jaw almost dropped when they
told me it's "only" $299. No way. Wait a few years and live with 40T
until they come down in price. When they do I might put one on the road
bike as I get older.


I’ve found for road bikes there isn’t a huge difference in tyres, at least
23-28mm road race. But that MTB or even Gravel bikes more expensive ones do
matter, not so much rolling resistance but grip, ie better designed tread
with better ie softer gripper compound, if you live somewhere dry probably
doesn’t matter as much.


In the winter it gets very wet and muddy here but I haven't seen much of
a difference between low cost Asian MTB tires and Western "brand name"
ones. Regarding reliability there is a difference. I found the side
walls on Asian tires to be more sturdy and that is most important to me.
They might be an ounce or two heavier but, oh well.


I suspect Welsh wet and muddy is a scale up, bear in mind the hills swallow
stuff, like planes etc.


The Sudbury hill across from our house has also swallowed a plane, an
Aircoupe with a couple in there, didn't survive :-(


The posh tyres I use are trail/enduro so they have reinforced sidewalls,
not as heavy as a DH tyre but not far off, come in just a touch under a 1KG
and thus far have shrugged off rock strikes etc, they do come in a Trail
park Version ie hard wearing compound, but I like grip so take the wear
rate hit.

The cheap tyres I’ve used haven’t been worth it as ever mileage varies.


My experience is different but mine are 29". Maybe that market is
different. It isn't so much the compound that gives grip but the
knobbies. When those wear off fast or some tear out the grip on inclines
will eventually get so bad that the tire needs to be replaced. "Brand
name" tires usually lasted my 500mi, the Thai ones sometimes go up to
800mi. People use MTB for transportation and utility rides in this area
so cost per mile matters a bit.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/