UK bike prices

Don Pearce said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

Impossible to say until you tell us which bike you are looking at, and
which sources you have asked.

R.

Don Pearce composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

I'd guess that'd depend upon the bike, the price you find and the retail
price.

If it's a £50 Stove Pipe Special then it's probably true that many, many
shops, garages, supermarkets etc all sell them at a price-point, not to
a quality or to a specification point.

If you get towards mid-range bikes, indeed almost anything slightly
decent and sold by 'real' cycle shops, then I'd guess the price
variation widens. Probably not much price variation until about £ 200 /
300 ish, when real differences in equipment, finish and material
qualities come into play.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ... 😉
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Richard said:

Don Pearce said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

Impossible to say until you tell us which bike you are looking at, and
which sources you have asked.

R.

The bike was a Specialized Crossroads Sport, and the prices I have
found are:

Hargrove Cycles £299.99
Cycle Surgery £299.99
Dever Cycles £299.99
Bikescene £299.99
Leisurewheels £299.99
Bikebike £299.99
Evans Cycles £299.99

I think that will do to be going on with. Now I know what that looks
like...

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Paul - [censored] composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

Don Pearce composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in
forty years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources.
Not just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

I'd guess that'd depend upon the bike, the price you find and the

recommended

Quoted message said:

retail price.

If it's a £50 Stove Pipe Special then it's probably true that many,
many shops, garages, supermarkets etc all sell them at a price-point,
not to a quality or to a specification point.

If you get towards mid-range bikes, indeed almost anything slightly
decent and sold by 'real' cycle shops, then I'd guess the price
variation widens. Probably not much price variation until about £
200 / 300 ish, when real differences in equipment, finish and material
qualities come into play.

Seems a sentence went missing too, as follows ;

I'd also suggest that if it was _exactly_ the same bike, but from
different sources, then many manufacturers have a strict level of
discount available to shops. So, for example, a £300 rrc bike might
only attract a 10% discount, but anyone can get that same discount
level. Thus many shops might sell the same bike at the same price,
especially if that price falls to a price point, such as £49, £199,
£299 etc etc Everyone wants to sell at £99, not at £101 ... 😉

Just had a quick lookseee and it may be the same for bikes at the higher
end too. Discounts are not large in the cycle industry, so everyone
almost has to sell at the same price just to make the same profit to
keep going.

Have fun .. 😉

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ... 😉
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Paul - [censored] composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

Don Pearce composed the following;:

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in
forty years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources.
Not just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

I'd guess that'd depend upon the bike, the price you find and the

recommended

Quoted message said:

retail price.

If it's a £50 Stove Pipe Special then it's probably true that many,
many shops, garages, supermarkets etc all sell them at a price-point,
not to a quality or to a specification point.

If you get towards mid-range bikes, indeed almost anything slightly
decent and sold by 'real' cycle shops, then I'd guess the price
variation widens. Probably not much price variation until about £
200 / 300 ish, when real differences in equipment, finish and material
qualities come into play.

Seems a sentence went missing too, as follows ;

I'd also suggest that if it was _exactly_ the same bike, but from
different sources, then many manufacturers have a strict level of
discount available to shops. So, for example, a £300 rrc bike might
only attract a 10% discount, but anyone can get that same discount
level. Thus many shops might sell the same bike at the same price,
especially if that price falls to a price point, such as £49, £199,
£299 etc etc Everyone wants to sell at £99, not at £101 ... 😉

Just had a quick lookseee and it may be the same for bikes at the higher
end too. Discounts are not large in the cycle industry, so everyone
almost has to sell at the same price just to make the same profit to
keep going.

Have fun .. 😉

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ... 😉
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

All local bike shops will knock a bit of the price or give you slightly
more than that in free stuff if you buy a bike from them. It should also
throw in a free first service after a few weeks to address any niggles with
the bike (e.g. dodgy shifting due to stretched gear cables). They mostly
seem to display list price, but sell off last years models at a bit of a
discount.

Cheaper bikes can be found on the internet, but given what haggling in the
bike shop can get you, it's not so good unless you're going for a seriously
expensive bike and are saving hundreds.

Given that they will find it impossible to compete on price with a well run
internet operation, they probably don't bother to compete on price.
Providing good levels of service, professional advice and a free first
service makes up for it. Chucking in some free stuff for price sensitive
customers takes care of any price differential between them and the
internet lot but costs the shop less (the only pay the trade price).

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

All local bike shops will knock a bit of the price or give you slightly
more than that in free stuff if you buy a bike from them. It should also
throw in a free first service after a few weeks to address any niggles with
the bike (e.g. dodgy shifting due to stretched gear cables). They mostly
seem to display list price, but sell off last years models at a bit of a
discount.

Cheaper bikes can be found on the internet, but given what haggling in the
bike shop can get you, it's not so good unless you're going for a seriously
expensive bike and are saving hundreds.

Given that they will find it impossible to compete on price with a well run
internet operation, they probably don't bother to compete on price.
Providing good levels of service, professional advice and a free first
service makes up for it. Chucking in some free stuff for price sensitive
customers takes care of any price differential between them and the
internet lot but costs the shop less (the only pay the trade price).

Don Pearce said:

The bike was a Specialized Crossroads Sport, and the prices I have
found are:

Hargrove Cycles £299.99
Cycle Surgery £299.99
Dever Cycles £299.99
Bikescene £299.99
Leisurewheels £299.99
Bikebike £299.99
Evans Cycles £299.99

I think that will do to be going on with. Now I know what that looks
like...

That looks like the list price. I suspect if you go into the shop you
could negotiate either a discount or freebie accessories/upgrades. It
depends on time of year - you get good discounts at the end of the model
year and on last years models - and in the past year there has not been
much need to sell below list because there has been a shortage of bikes
and components due to steel shortages in the Far East.

Tony

Don Pearce said:

The bike was a Specialized Crossroads Sport, and the prices I have
found are:

Hargrove Cycles £299.99
Cycle Surgery £299.99
Dever Cycles £299.99
Bikescene £299.99
Leisurewheels £299.99
Bikebike £299.99
Evans Cycles £299.99

I think that will do to be going on with. Now I know what that looks
like...

That looks like the list price. I suspect if you go into the shop you
could negotiate either a discount or freebie accessories/upgrades. It
depends on time of year - you get good discounts at the end of the model
year and on last years models - and in the past year there has not been
much need to sell below list because there has been a shortage of bikes
and components due to steel shortages in the Far East.

Tony

"Don Pearce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

Retailers buy in at a price dependant on the volume of their sales, they are
given a RRP from the wholesaler/agent and depending on supply and demand
they will offer discounts and/or free/reduced extras at the point of sale.
The retailer has to make a profit it is not a dirty word it is a necessity.

£300 for a complete bike seems like a snip to me. How much have you been
paying to keep your car on the road for forty years?

Cliff

"Don Pearce" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

Impossible to say without establishing what the real selling price from each
supplier is.

Despite the end of retail price maintenance and the theory that each seller
can set their own price we know from other industries (e.g. cars and
domestic appliances) that manufacturers do, shall we say, discourage
variations in price. Indeed, companies such as Levi have specifically
sought to prevent companies such as Tesco from gaining access to their
products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell perfectly
adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the most dedicated fashion
victim might question paying boutique prices.

My experience has been that cycle shops are not willing to discount brand
name bikes -- but are willing to 'throw in' accessories etc. -- which
strongly suggests that manufacturers are 'encouraging' fixed prices (which
is, of course, verging on illegal) while bike shops know that they have to
attract the more bolshie/market aware customer.

T

Tony W <[email hidden]> wrote:

: products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell perfectly
: adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the most dedicated fashion
: victim might question paying boutique prices.

Anyone who has seen me will realise that I'm not a fashion victim, but
the only tesco jeans I've seen on other people were so badly cut
that it was obvious why they are £4....

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

Don Pearce said:

Richard said:

Don Pearce said:

I've just started looking at buying a bike for the first time in forty
years, and I decided to compare prices from a load of sources. Not
just close, but identical - to the penny.

I smell a price-fixing cartel - what are the feelings here?

Impossible to say until you tell us which bike you are looking at, and
which sources you have asked.

R.

The bike was a Specialized Crossroads Sport, and the prices I have
found are:

Hargrove Cycles £299.99

[snip]

I've got one of those, and have been pretty happy with it. It's
a good all-rounder with fairly decent components for the price.
The only thing I really didn't like were the pedals, but that
wasn't an expensive upgrade!

The price seems to be the same as last June, so at least it hasn't
gone up!

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

Arthur Clune said:

Tony W <[email hidden]> wrote:

: products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell perfectly
: adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the most dedicated fashion
: victim might question paying boutique prices.

Anyone who has seen me will realise that I'm not a fashion victim, but
the only tesco jeans I've seen on other people were so badly cut
that it was obvious why they are £4....

Yep, I'm wearing a pair now and they're horrible! Definitely "working
from home" gear only!

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

Jeremy Collins said:

Arthur Clune said:

Tony W <[email hidden]> wrote:

: products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell perfectly
: adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the most dedicated
fashion
: victim might question paying boutique prices.

Anyone who has seen me will realise that I'm not a fashion victim, but
the only tesco jeans I've seen on other people were so badly cut
that it was obvious why they are £4....

Yep, I'm wearing a pair now and they're horrible! Definitely "working
from home" gear only!

And as for the shape Tesco think women are... beggars belief.

Apparently, women have a waist larger than their [censored]. Or vice-versa.
With stick-thin legs...

--

Velvet

"Velvet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

And as for the shape Tesco think women are... beggars belief.

Apparently, women have a waist larger than their [censored].

I know women like that :~(

Quoted message said:

With stick-thin legs...

No.

T

:~)

Jeremy Collins said:

Arthur Clune said:

Tony W <[email hidden]> wrote:

: products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell perfectly
: adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the most dedicated
fashion
: victim might question paying boutique prices.

Anyone who has seen me will realise that I'm not a fashion victim, but
the only tesco jeans I've seen on other people were so badly cut
that it was obvious why they are £4....

Yep, I'm wearing a pair now and they're horrible! Definitely "working
from home" gear only!

you wear clothes when you work from home ?

Pete Whelan said:

Jeremy Collins said:

Arthur Clune said:

Tony W <[email hidden]> wrote:

> products 'because its is the wrong image'. Tesco now sell
> perfectly adequate jeans for £4 -- a price so low that even the
> most dedicated fashion victim might question paying boutique
> prices.

Anyone who has seen me will realise that I'm not a fashion victim,
but the only tesco jeans I've seen on other people were so badly cut
that it was obvious why they are £4....

Yep, I'm wearing a pair now and they're horrible! Definitely "working
from home" gear only!

you wear clothes when you work from home ?

It's cold sometimes. Actually I wear a giant romper suit, but that's between
me and my caving wardrobe.

cheers,
clive

Tony W said:

"Velvet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

And as for the shape Tesco think women are... beggars belief.

Apparently, women have a waist larger than their [censored].

I know women like that :~(

Quoted message said:

With stick-thin legs...

No.

T

:~)

Exactly :-) What is the point of a pair of jeans that swim around the
waist (at least two sizes bigger than the [censored] size) yet the legs are a
size, probably two, smaller than the [censored]... making total size variance
between legs and waist 3-4 sizes!

I've given up now - having tried and tried (they're convenient, I hate
going 'clothes shopping'😉 I've had to accept they're made for aliens,
not me, and have much better luck ordering cheap (though a little more
expensive at 12 quid a pair) online that fit great.

Oh, and I was doing to try the 4 quid ones from tesco, but a) they were
alien shaped, and b) the only size they had were for
extra-heffalump-sized-alien-shaped people, and I'm not *quite* there yet ;-)

--

Velvet