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bicycle pricing

pab_lowe · 2009-09-18 13:45:17

Hi there, please move if more suitable elsewhere but I believe this to be a general consumer issue rather than one for cycling alone. As many are aware, there is a cycle to work scheme in operation where people, through their work place, can avail of a bike at a reduced price. I decided to I wanted a piece of that and was…

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18-09-2009 2:45pm

#1
pab_lowe

Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭

Join Date: November 2008

Posts: 85
Hi there, please move if more suitable elsewhere but I believe this to be a general consumer issue rather than one for cycling alone.

As many are aware, there is a cycle to work scheme in operation where people, through their work place, can avail of a bike at a reduced price. I decided to I wanted a piece of that and was lucky that my work place was participating.
I wanted to utilise the full 1k euro value of the scheme while colleagues of mine have purchased bikes at varying costs between 3 and 800 euros. Because this was a significant purchase I wanted to do my research on what I was going to get for my money. I have come to the following conclusions based on my (not insignificant) research.

When shopping in a bike shop (as opposed to online), the first question that is asked is if you are involved in the bike to work scheme.

Bike shop owners/employees (presumably owners but I couldn't distinguish) will include anything you want, including more than one bike, on your invoice.

All bikes are more expensive than they were 3, 6 and 12 months ago.

In the case of racing bikes which were 900-1000 6 months ago, now retailing at 12-1400 euro.

Bikes in bike shops are significantly higher in price than non traditional outlets, web etc

People don't seem to ask what they are getting for their money because they are not paying for it. (as a friend of mine answered recently when I asked him what type of bike he got, 'I don't know, I gave him a voucher and he gave me a bicycle.

So my points are the following

Bike shop owners are doing really well (can't keep bikes in stock according to one retailer)

Prices have gone up

Even in recessionary times, we pay whatever the guy on the other side of the counter is telling us the price is

I would like to hear any comments on the above if you have them.

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