Scott Loveless view: flat | tree
Subject: Re: [BOB] $1200 Randonneur Bike
Date: 4/6/2011 6:46:38 AM
List: Internet-BOB
> On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 6:21 PM, David H. Diette <rollingtones@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> In a similar vein, I would love to see a $1200 steel randonneur bike, an=
d
>> being a randonneur bike of course it would be equipped with full-coverag=
e
>> fenders, permanent lighting front & rear (with concealed wiring), a nice
>> French bend in the fork, 650B 42mm tires, a leather saddle, steel toe cl=
ips,
>> a frame-mounted pump, randonneur bars and front & rear racks.
>> To meet that price point it would probably be a Taiwanese tig-welded
>> frame

On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 10:47 PM, John Wood <braxton72@gmail.com> wrote:
> To meet that price point, and include all the accessories that you
> mentioned, it would have to be a very cheaply made frame with very low en=
d
> components.

Or, it would have to be made by a large (bike industry definition of
"large") company. I think someone has already mentioned economy of
scale. Raleigh is currently offering the Port Townsend for about a
grand. It comes with fenders, front rack, barcons, compact double,
clips and straps. There's no technical reason they couldn't have
built this bike with 650b wheels and a different fork bend. A
sidewall dynamo with low-end lights could keep this under $1200. With
the current ridiculous leather saddle prices, I think they'd be hard
pressed to include it at that price point.

The Trek Belleville has all of the parts David wants, sans leather
saddle and toe clips, including a dynamo hub and internal wiring for
about $700. It also has a single chain ring and 3-speed hub, though
I'm unconvinced this configuration is significantly less expensive
than a low-end compact double setup. At the least, it's not $500 less
expensive. If Trek can make a profit on that bike at that price, they
could certainly make a profit on a similarly equipped randonneuse for
$1200.

--=20
Scott Loveless
http://www.twosixteen.com/fivetoedsloth/
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=A0 _'\<,_
=A0(*)/=A0 (*)

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