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13 Posts
The big bike companies do everything to convince us that they make the best bikes. I started shopping around for bikes last year. I noticed that carbon fiber bikes from Specialized, Cannondale, and Trek equipped with 105 or Rival might be paired with cheap shimano wheels, tektro brakes, or a lesser crank set.
I test rode a Specialized roubaix with Apex a week ago, and enjoyed trying out a SRAM equipped bike for the first time. I'm assuming this is a 2011 model, forgot to ask, since Apex is pretty new. The bike was priced at $2000. I looked closer at all the components and was surprised that the crankset and brakes were not Apex. The wheels, crankset, and brakes had no branding what so ever on them. I didn't pay attention but I wouldn't be suprised if the handlebars or stem were no names as well. As I drove home I was disgusted that they didn't fit the bike with the full Apex group, which isn't too pricy, and that the fill in components were so cheap that they had no logo on them.
I guess Specialized feels that their frames are so freaking awesome that I should feel lucky to walk away with a new one for $2000.
The sales staff spewed out the marketing drivel "this will get your foot in the door...a frame almost identical to what the pros use on the cobbles...blah blah."
Is this a trend that is getting worse year after year?
I've just about decided to buy used and/or buy new components via ebay and pay a friend, who builds up a lot of bikes, to help put it together.
I test rode a Specialized roubaix with Apex a week ago, and enjoyed trying out a SRAM equipped bike for the first time. I'm assuming this is a 2011 model, forgot to ask, since Apex is pretty new. The bike was priced at $2000. I looked closer at all the components and was surprised that the crankset and brakes were not Apex. The wheels, crankset, and brakes had no branding what so ever on them. I didn't pay attention but I wouldn't be suprised if the handlebars or stem were no names as well. As I drove home I was disgusted that they didn't fit the bike with the full Apex group, which isn't too pricy, and that the fill in components were so cheap that they had no logo on them.
I guess Specialized feels that their frames are so freaking awesome that I should feel lucky to walk away with a new one for $2000.
The sales staff spewed out the marketing drivel "this will get your foot in the door...a frame almost identical to what the pros use on the cobbles...blah blah."
Is this a trend that is getting worse year after year?
I've just about decided to buy used and/or buy new components via ebay and pay a friend, who builds up a lot of bikes, to help put it together.