Hey, if someone wants to buy bicycle wheels that cost, with a typical sales tax, $7,000? I say go right ahead. Capitalism at it’s finest. But what is hard for me to comprehend, is they are proud of their 1060g weight for the set. And hold everything, these are “climbing” wheels for road bikes.
Does that weight seem a touch unremarkable to you too? I mean if you go to the Berd website and build up a set of their gravel wheels, Sparrow, they claim 1065 for the set, $2195, or 1108 with tape and valves. Carbon rims, string spokes, their talon hubs.
This is not meant to do one of those “why would anyone, when you can get one cheaper” type of argument. But still, the amount of money humans are apparently willing to spend on the simple bicycle, and it’s components, continues to blow my mind.
When I first started blowing serious money on bike parts, circa 1992 or so, the absolute most I could spend on the most amazing, hand made bikes and parts was around $2500. Custom steel frame, boutique parts made in small shops, mostly all made in the USA. There just wasn’t a level above that.
So when bike companies figured out that someone would in fact pay, and gladly, $10K for a bike, then the 12K, 14K, and easily 20K bikes became reality for virtually every company selling them. Stick the Partington wheels on a bike that already costs $15K, and you are now well north of TWENTY THOUSAND dollars.
How far we’ve come. In another 20 years, will we see a $100K bike come to market? I wouldn’t bet against it.
Does that weight seem a touch unremarkable to you too? I mean if you go to the Berd website and build up a set of their gravel wheels, Sparrow, they claim 1065 for the set, $2195, or 1108 with tape and valves. Carbon rims, string spokes, their talon hubs.
This is not meant to do one of those “why would anyone, when you can get one cheaper” type of argument. But still, the amount of money humans are apparently willing to spend on the simple bicycle, and it’s components, continues to blow my mind.
When I first started blowing serious money on bike parts, circa 1992 or so, the absolute most I could spend on the most amazing, hand made bikes and parts was around $2500. Custom steel frame, boutique parts made in small shops, mostly all made in the USA. There just wasn’t a level above that.
So when bike companies figured out that someone would in fact pay, and gladly, $10K for a bike, then the 12K, 14K, and easily 20K bikes became reality for virtually every company selling them. Stick the Partington wheels on a bike that already costs $15K, and you are now well north of TWENTY THOUSAND dollars.
How far we’ve come. In another 20 years, will we see a $100K bike come to market? I wouldn’t bet against it.
