Price whinge - Trek bikes.

[Wellsey]

I was just looking at old mates Session 88 thread in Post Your Ride. Beautiful bike for sure, but Trek have gone stupid with some of their pricing.

I am looking for a longer travel all mountain bike that is still very light and well specced out. I am very aware that a bike that meets all the criteria is not going to come cheap, however when I got a price from the distributor on an 09 Trek Remedy 9 I just about shat with shock - 9300 smackers!

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/remedy/remedy9/

They are seriously nice bikes with awesome specs, but that is ridiculously expensive.

And the retail industry whinges about online sales hurting them. I can build a bike with the same travel frame, which will be lighter and more exclusive, with the same or better parts for 7k (ish)

Am I justified in this line of thought or are there things that I am not considering? What do you guys think?

 

[alchemist]

What do you guys think?

Trek have had to reinstate the "Lance Tax"

Pricing seems similar to Cannodale, Specialized of similar specs so if they're moving them at this price point it must be what they're worth to their target market.

 

[floody]

I was just looking at old mates Session 88 thread in Post Your Ride. Beautiful bike for sure, but Trek have gone stupid with some of their pricing.

I am looking for a longer travel all mountain bike that is still very light and well specced out. I am very aware that a bike that meets all the criteria is not going to come cheap, however when I got a price from the distributor on an 09 Trek Remedy 9 I just about shat with shock - 9300 smackers!

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/remedy/remedy9/

They are seriously nice bikes with awesome specs, but that is ridiculously expensive.

And the retail industry whinges about online sales hurting them. I can build a bike with the same travel frame, which will be lighter and more exclusive, with the same or better parts for 7k (ish)

Am I justified in this line of thought or are there things that I am not considering? What do you guys think?

Trek have always been quite expensive at a given spec level for their high end machines, but then again that thing is top shelf spec. The unfortunate reality is that all bikes have gone up as well, so it may have previously been in the high 8k or even in the 7k range before.

What's your alternative build?
Is exclusive necessarily better?

 

[downhiller_1]

yer trek have always been pricey... i remember there top spec full suspension xc bike was something like $9,990 that was in 2005/6 too!

i was going to get a trek session 77 but opted out due to the price

 

[no_3]

If that is the exact spec of the bike, in the pic from the link, I would be gobsmacked too!

for $9300 you would be getting ripped off!

Nice bike, but not "$9300" nice

 

[chuckrockswell]

people that ride Trek's pay that sort of money.

thats about it really.

 

[Baileys]

If they dont over price there bikes how else are they going to pay for lance.

 

[fezi]

I can see where your coming from however, it is stacked with high end parts and newish frame tech. I'd like to see someone build a comparatively similar bike for less bucks that weighs similar and performs similar. I'm sure it can be done. Have you haggled on it yet? My guess is there is plenty to play with at that price....

On the Lance thing. He's riding for free hence the Lance tax should be officially abolished.

 

[Daver]

Without being rude, but what bikes can be bought locally that would be better built, better specced and cheaper?

A Nomad is pretty average quality, and the new ones are more expensive than the Trek. An Intense 6.6 is going to be more expensive, as is a Nicolai Helius AM and a Cannondale Moto (although the 'dale does have 8" of lateral travel... i mean flex... or travel?). To be honest, the closest bike to the Trek would be a Reign X0, but even that has lesser specs than the Trek...

Feel free to correct me...

 

[Blues]

off topic slightly!

I could be wrong here, but by the time Clarence st cyclery get the 2009 stock in of Fuel Ex and Remedy Trek would of made the 2010 bike.

Supposedly the US bought all the bike which were heading to Aus due to the GFC and decline in manufacturing. I was looking at buying a Fuel ex since September last year and gave up waiting.


If you're lucky the Dollar may improve by the time the bikes arrive

 

[The Dude]

Get serious

I was under the impression Giant actually makes the Nomad, so I can't imagine they would be any less "quality" than many of the other high-end frames they make - including their own
Maybe that's your point........

If you want suspension performance, you won't do better than the Intense / Santa Cruz VPP bikes - not too many people would argue with that
But they can't offer "value-for-money" if you just want to look at the actual parts specs.

 

[Wellsey]

Floody - re exclusiveness - Not at all, but you have to admit that if you can get something that is rarer by far that still works out to be much better value then it's win win isn't it?

Fezi - No mate, I havn't haggled on it at all yet, I was actually asking the dealer if there were any 08 models left in the country, with the idea of trying to get one on run out pricing. The 08's were well specced also.

Daver - Not rude at all mate, but I was comparing the Remedy as a whole bike to something that I could build myself, mostly sourcing parts from online and LBS, and still get the same quality, if not better, features and spec.

Blues - If Clarence street havn't got their stock yet then they need to get onto Trek Bikes Australia, because they assure me they have stock in the country.

Anyway, don't get me wrong guys, I know the Trek is a very high-end build, but it is still a very expensive bike. I am a regular guy with a regular job, so value for money counts for a lot with me.

I will post up an alternative build complete with break down of component price and sources later tonight and we can compare them. You guys might have some of your own helpful tips and ideas too.

 

[Lorday]

Without being rude, but what bikes can be bought locally that would be better built, better specced and cheaper?

A Nomad is pretty average quality, and the new ones are more expensive than the Trek. An Intense 6.6 is going to be more expensive, as is a Nicolai Helius AM and a Cannondale Moto (although the 'dale does have 8" of lateral travel... i mean flex... or travel?). To be honest, the closest bike to the Trek would be a Reign X0, but even that has lesser specs than the Trek...

Feel free to correct me...

...Craftworks FRX is similiar not as high end...

...saying that, I believe trek make the most overpriced bikes out there BUT best looking bikes out! Can't comment on preformance (haven't ridden it) but I'm sure it rides awsomely!

 

[Blues]

Blues - If Clarence street havn't got their stock yet then they need to get onto Trek Bikes Australia, because they assure me they have stock in the country.

You'll find that Clarence street are the sole Australian importers of Trek and maybe even Gary Fisher. So if they haven't got the bikes in stock, no one has.

 

[John U]

Blues - If Clarence street havn't got their stock yet then they need to get onto Trek Bikes Australia, because they assure me they have stock in the country.

That pricing is pretty crazy. In line with Specialised, and Cannondale pricing though, which is also crazy.

Like Chuck said, people who ride these brands are prepared to pay these prices, and if they can sell bikes at these prices then where's the issue.

I wouldn't buy one.

 

[Wellsey]

You'll find that Clarence street are the sole Australian importers of Trek and maybe even Gary Fisher. So if they haven't got the bikes in stock, no one has.

Well the national sales manager from Trek Bikes Australia must be talking out his arse then.

 

[Blues]

Well the national sales manager from Trek Bikes Australia must be talking out his arse then.

Sorry if I misunderstood something.

I'm not saying anything about the Trek rep and I really like the Trek bikes and tested some of the 2008 stock. Unfortunately I couldn't get my hands on the 2009 bikes. When I contacted the wholesaler they were hoping they would be coming out in Feb 2009(now). But that conversation I had with them was late November last year.

In your conversation with him did he say the bike was actually in the country? Better yet have you called any of the local TREK dealers.

 

[shore_2]

I don't know how TREK aren't pricing themselves out of the market. I looked into getting one just recently. Ended up with a Giant antham. Trek just didn't offer enough for the money.

 

[b_S]

I am a regular guy with a regular job, so value for money counts for a lot with me

Then don't bother look at Trek, as they're a premium brand. DUH.

This thread baffles me a bit. They're incredibly nice bikes, made really well with no corners cut. As soon as you hinted at "exclusivity" (ie, small imports) being better is when things went downhill. Take a step back and look at it all again.

The Remedy is made to high standards with quality parts. Just because Trek also sell <$1k bikes doesn't cheapen the brands higher end stuff - they are after all, as I said, essentially a premium brand. So you pay premium prices. Can't afford that, then look elsewhere. That's all there is to it...

 

[Wellsey]

Then don't bother look at Trek, as they're a premium brand. DUH.

This thread baffles me a bit. They're incredibly nice bikes, made really well with no corners cut. As soon as you hinted at "exclusivity" (ie, small imports) being better is when things went downhill. Take a step back and look at it all again.

The Remedy is made to high standards with quality parts. Just because Trek also sell <$1k bikes doesn't cheapen the brands higher end stuff - they are after all, as I said, essentially a premium brand. So you pay premium prices. Can't afford that, then look elsewhere. That's all there is to it...

Read what I said mate.

I had originally contacted the distibutor looking for an 08 model that might be on sale as the new stock is now out.

I didn't mean to "hint" that exclusive was better, I was just making the point that you could build a rarer or more "boutique" bike with the same or better spec and come away with change from 9k.