Why are gravel bikes more expensive?

Coopz

Coopz

Likes Dirt
Just a question as I was at my LBS yesterday and they had 2 bikes by the front door on special. I've forgotten the brand but they were the same company, one was a hardtail MTB with a suntour air fork, deore 11 speed and hydraulic brakes for $800, the gravel bike was alloy, drop bar with Claris gears and crappy cable disc brakes, it was $1100. Just wondering why it's more $ than the mtb? Cheaper gears, inferior brakes and just a basic alloy fork.

Just capitalism and higher markup?
 
Coopz said:
Just a question as I was at my LBS yesterday and they had 2 bikes by the front door on special. I've forgotten the brand but they were the same company, one was a hardtail MTB with a suntour air fork, deore 11 speed and hydraulic brakes for $800, the gravel bike was alloy, drop bar with Claris gears and crappy cable disc brakes, it was $1100. Just wondering why it's more $ than the mtb? Cheaper gears, inferior brakes and just a basic alloy fork.

Just capitalism and higher markup?
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Gravel bikes are trendy, I guess.
 
fjohn860 said:
It is nothing but trend tax
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Yeah i think that's the honest answer. The teenager that worked their just said 'herp derp smaller market, premium alloy blah blah' even though a road version of the gravel bike was around $200 cheaper.
Seen flat bar 'gravel bikes' with Sora gears for $300 more than the same spec mtb that has suspension and better wheels/tyres.
 
I would put it down to the stupidly expensive road shifter/brake assembly and then that they will also have front mech.

If you look at the Giant range, the basic road bike is $1799, identical sora spec gravel $1899. $100 extra maybe for Tubeless wheels/tyres and a rear flip chip.
$1899 hardtail gets you one more rear gear, no front gear, one stand alone shifter, hydralic brakes and a cheap suspension fork.
 
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Coopz said:
Just a question as I was at my LBS yesterday and they had 2 bikes by the front door on special. I've forgotten the brand but they were the same company, one was a hardtail MTB with a suntour air fork, deore 11 speed and hydraulic brakes for $800, the gravel bike was alloy, drop bar with Claris gears and crappy cable disc brakes, it was $1100. Just wondering why it's more $ than the mtb? Cheaper gears, inferior brakes and just a basic alloy fork.

Just capitalism and higher markup?
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I'm curious about which brand and models they are.
 
Chriso_29er said:
I would put it down to the stupidly expensive road shifter/brake assembly
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This.

Few points to note:
- Integrated sti shifter is more expensive than thumb shifters.
- MTB folks will buy a bike to upgrade, so having microshift 8 speed is not end of theworld. This means manufacturers aren't scared to mix and match.
- Brakes are not integrated so you get better brakes for less. For example, you can get tektro hydro brakes that will do the job, have to swap the whole thing for integrated shifters.
- Contrary to what we think, a carbon fork is probably more expensive than a lower end fork for oem (we get reamed in retail sales)
- The frame quality is probably a little better, needs to be lighter and the welds seem nicer. Most road frames will also be hydroformed (a lot of hard tails are actually not), you can generally tell by the shape.
- Frames are more standardised. A lot of entry level mtbs still running qr and IS mounts, then the higher spec ones will be completely new frames with thru axles etc. Gravel bikes tend to streamline their frame across the range so it may be thru axle to start with. Then the brakes will be flat mount, which is new and new = more expensive (new moulds etc.)
- Road bikes probably cost more to build. Just my expereince, for soem reason they take longer.
 
Calvin27 said:
This.

Few points to note:
- Integrated sti shifter is more expensive than thumb shifters.
- MTB folks will buy a bike to upgrade, so having microshift 8 speed is not end of theworld. This means manufacturers aren't scared to mix and match.
- Brakes are not integrated so you get better brakes for less. For example, you can get tektro hydro brakes that will do the job, have to swap the whole thing for integrated shifters.
- Contrary to what we think, a carbon fork is probably more expensive than a lower end fork for oem (we get reamed in retail sales)
- The frame quality is probably a little better, needs to be lighter and the welds seem nicer. Most road frames will also be hydroformed (a lot of hard tails are actually not), you can generally tell by the shape.
- Frames are more standardised. A lot of entry level mtbs still running qr and IS mounts, then the higher spec ones will be completely new frames with thru axles etc. Gravel bikes tend to streamline their frame across the range so it may be thru axle to start with. Then the brakes will be flat mount, which is new and new = more expensive (new moulds etc.)
- Road bikes probably cost more to build. Just my expereince, for soem reason they take longer.
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The integration with STI is not as tight as you seem to be suggesting, you can still upgrade the brakes (the hoses still separate at the olive connection) or the STI. I went with 105 R7000 just as an experiment and use cable actuate hydro brakes. So far after 6 months I can say they are pretty good.

A decent carbon rigid fork will always be cheaper and lighter than a decent suspension fork.

Flat mount are not new really, they've been around since road bikes went disc brake.

You might think wheels are more expensive because they need to be wider and stronger to take more punishment and mount bigger wider tyres on. However, I found they cost about the same really, even tyres are comparable. I pay around the $100 mark for either Conti GP5000/Pirelli PZero Race and it was roughly the same for Tufo Speederos (gravel specific).

Latest trend; I tend to agree with the proposition that is what makes it more expensive because I sure don't think they are any more expensive to build.

I built mine and it cost around 2K; frame 600 GRX FD+RD 140 GRX FC820 cranks 240 wheels 600 disc rotors 50 sti shifters 200 cable actuated hydro brakes 66 saddle 50 purple ano bits 50 plus cables and bar tape etc.
IMG_0453.JPEG


I've since changed out the susp post (at high speed it was like a pogo stick) for Specialized Pave and changed the tyres. Very much an experiemntal bike as it's my first gravel bike. I have to say I'm starting to wonder if I should just be using my Spec Stumpy HT. Though this thing is faster on the road.
 
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