relative cost/usage between bicycle tires and automobile tires

What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?
I recently replaced four car tires for about 200 dollars after about
three years. Sometimes I get a glass cut in bicycle tire and only get
one ride!, more typically I might get four months or about 2000 miles.
Even with a *budget* $20 tire this ends up costing me about twice as
much as the automobile tires for the same period. To make bike tires
last longer would require more material and cost performance due to
weight and feel less responsive, but it's kinda funny that the current
highest performance tires have even less material so should be cheaper
in some sense but cost more. Maybe it's just me but I can't tell any
difference between most road tires when riding except for the weight
differences.

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference in
cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires? I recently replaced four
car tires for about 200 dollars after about three years. Sometimes I get
a glass cut in bicycle tire and only get one ride!, more typically I
might get four months or about 2000 miles. Even with a *budget* $20 tire
this ends up costing me about twice as much as the automobile tires for
the same period. To make bike tires last longer would require more
material and cost performance due to weight and feel less responsive,
but it's kinda funny that the current highest performance tires have
even less material so should be cheaper in some sense but cost more.
Maybe it's just me but I can't tell any difference between most road
tires when riding except for the weight differences.



Dear Anon,

I understand that, on a weight basis, many of the garments available
from Victoria's Secret are scandalously overpriced and flimsy when
compared to sturdy coveralls.

Equally outraged,

Carl Fogel



--

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference in
cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires? I recently replaced four
car tires for about 200 dollars after about three years. Sometimes I get
a glass cut in bicycle tire and only get one ride!, more typically I
might get four months or about 2000 miles. Even with a *budget* $20 tire
this ends up costing me about twice as much as the automobile tires for
the same period. To make bike tires last longer would require more
material and cost performance due to weight and feel less responsive,
but it's kinda funny that the current highest performance tires have
even less material so should be cheaper in some sense but cost more.
Maybe it's just me but I can't tell any difference between most road
tires when riding except for the weight differences.



Dear Anon,

I understand that, on a weight basis, many of the garments available
from Victoria's Secret are scandalously overpriced and flimsy when
compared to sturdy coveralls.

Equally outraged,

Carl Fogel



--

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?
I recently replaced four car tires for about 200 dollars after about
three years. Sometimes I get a glass cut in bicycle tire and only get
one ride!, more typically I might get four months or about 2000 miles.
Even with a *budget* $20 tire this ends up costing me about twice as
much as the automobile tires for the same period. To make bike tires
last longer would require more material and cost performance due to
weight and feel less responsive, but it's kinda funny that the current
highest performance tires have even less material so should be cheaper
in some sense but cost more. Maybe it's just me but I can't tell any
difference between most road tires when riding except for the weight
differences.

Hmm, cost of tire would include.....manufacturing costs, shipping costs,
design costs, business overhead/profit, all in addition to the actual cost
of the materials invovled. Sooooo, it would seem reasonable that the costs
of the tires weren't in direct proportion to the amount of material in them.

Or you could just mount car tires on your bike.

Tom

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?
I recently replaced four car tires for about 200 dollars after about
three years. Sometimes I get a glass cut in bicycle tire and only get
one ride!, more typically I might get four months or about 2000 miles.
Even with a *budget* $20 tire this ends up costing me about twice as
much as the automobile tires for the same period. To make bike tires
last longer would require more material and cost performance due to
weight and feel less responsive, but it's kinda funny that the current
highest performance tires have even less material so should be cheaper
in some sense but cost more. Maybe it's just me but I can't tell any
difference between most road tires when riding except for the weight
differences.

Hmm, cost of tire would include.....manufacturing costs, shipping costs,
design costs, business overhead/profit, all in addition to the actual cost
of the materials invovled. Sooooo, it would seem reasonable that the costs
of the tires weren't in direct proportion to the amount of material in them.

Or you could just mount car tires on your bike.

Tom

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?

economy of scale i'd imagine.
--
david reuteler

Anonymous wrote:
What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?

economy of scale i'd imagine.
--
david reuteler

carlfogel wrote:

VS undies vs Overalls, they both have a very different mission in life,
don't they???

Just like car tires and bicycle tires.

Bernice


Dear Anon,

I understand that, on a weight basis, many of the garments available
from Victoria's Secret are scandalously overpriced and flimsy when
compared to sturdy coveralls.

Equally outraged,

Carl Fogel

carlfogel wrote:

VS undies vs Overalls, they both have a very different mission in life,
don't they???

Just like car tires and bicycle tires.

Bernice


Dear Anon,

I understand that, on a weight basis, many of the garments available
from Victoria's Secret are scandalously overpriced and flimsy when
compared to sturdy coveralls.

Equally outraged,

Carl Fogel

Anonymous wrote:

What exactly are we paying for that makes up the enormous difference
in cost/mile between car tires and bicycle tires?

Marketing, and the willingness of others to pay the price.

Matt O.