Valuing bikes 20 years ago (Kona content)

Reposted by Kona themselves...where to start on this article?

http://ride.io/news/bikes-getting-expen ... lava-dome/

A 97 Lava Dome but it shows a 94 catalogue shot
The LD wasn't the bottom of the range bike in 97
I'll take STX over the quality and longevity of that modern drive-train
The % of disposal income is very different today compared with 97

That said, always nice to see love for perfectly capable steel hard tails!

"Or would you rather support the progression of our industry, and enjoy disc brakes, suspension, and not be crippled!"

not crippled yet!

I'm not sure my purchasing habits are at all influenced by a desire for the manufacturer to invest in its future models. What an odd thing to say.

To be honest if that "investment" part was true, then they would all be not for profit companies.
But they are for profit companies, so the companies invest and change to make themselves more money. Not to make things better.

But generally he is right for the 'cost more', but misses the point that they just use whatever will sell and is available for that price point.

Can't argue with that.
Tbh I have as much fun on old bikes as new bikes.

A poor article. In terms of the thought behind it, I regularly see much better posts here...and on Twitter.

I'm off to treat my arthritis, because after 20 years riding non disc-braked bikes that's apparently what I've got.

price of materials and slip in pounds has made an impact if you ask me.

dont have to go back 20 years, in 2007 i paid £360 for a gt avalanche 2, by 2010 it had gone up 50% to £600.

as for inflation and disposable income i havnt had a pay rise since 2010!

STX hubs and brakes were ok. Even the shifters were passable. The drivetrain was the worst bit, with the cheap steel pressings in the derailleurs - front especially - flogging out in no time, crack prone cranksets, proprietary bolt pattern and chainring mounting...

I don't disagree with any of that, which shows just how sh8t some, including this, modern drive-train is.

Of course Kona put a Sugino chainset on instead of that dreadful STX one!

This 'progress' they speak of, somebody please explain?

Can I not ride my 30+ year bicycles anymore? Have my brakes and gears suddenly stopped working because of 'technology'?

There are some very biased articles out there. I blame them for my cynicism - I never used to be this way and was happy to jump on any bandwagon that came by and get my wallet out. Now I just hear the voices screaming in my head 'its a business, they just want money for the shareholders and nothing else' and 'kill the rich!' (I usually ignore that last one).

I do find modern bikes so very dull but then the same happened many moons ago, so bought the best I could afford at the time. Back then, bikes were a bit samey until suspension muscled in and took my attention, some worked but most didnt and the fun was finding which ones did.

Now, they are a bit samey again and have been for a while and nothing takes my fancy at all.

So Ive gone back to my roots of old steel with new gears and skinny 700c tyres!