The Retrobike Retail Price Index

Have you ever wondered how much a bike from Back In The Day would cost to buy in today's money? That £1000 bike that you spent lusting over for the whole of 1990 doesn't seem such a daft amount of money now, or does it?

Well worry no more with the new Retrobike Retail Price Index (or to use it's other name - how to justify that extra bike to your other half).

This index is calculated using the standard RPI that the government use to work out things like public pay increases and the like and will be able to tell you how much money is the equivalent of one 2009 pound sterling from almost all of the key 'retrobike' years.

Just find the retail price of the bike of your dreams and check the RBRPI next to it's year of production, now multiply the retail price by the relevant RBRPI and bingo - there's its 2009 price.

For example:

In 1990 a Pace RC100 cost £1500, with and RBRPI of 2.29 in todays money that is a staggering £3433!

In 1992 my Bradbury Manitou FS Frame-kit cost £2950, in todays money that is an eyewatering £6140!!

So if your otherhalf ever asks why you need that extra bike you can now tell her that it was too much of a bargain to resist 'in real terms'!



RetroBike Retail Price Index


Year - RBRPI
2009 - 1.00
2008 - 1.07
2007 - 1.13
2006 - 1.20
2005 - 1.26
2004 - 1.33
2003 - 1.40
2002 - 1.46
2001 - 1.53
2000 - 1.59
1999 - 1.66
1998 - 1.77
1997 - 1.77
1996 - 1.87
1995 - 1.87
1994 - 1.98
1993 - 2.08
1992 - 2.08
1991 - 2.18
1990 - 2.29
1989 - 2.50
1988 - 2.71
1987 - 2.81
1986 - 2.91
1985 - 3.02
1984 - 3.23
1983 - 3.33
1982 - 3.54
1981 - 3.85
1980 - 4.27


And for all you Klunker owners and early adopters I do have these figures back to 1901!

Data is taken from the Governments Dept of Statistics and from a House of Commons paper called 'Inflation: the Value of the Pound 1750-1998' and a standard extrapolation method to create the latest views, the value for 2009 is a bit hit and miss due to the 'financial crisis' but most of the figures are fairly spot on.

I take it that there is some bargaining going on at home with your better half?

Oh, it's very useful!

'It may have cost £500, but when you consider that it's 'real world' valuation is nearly £4000, then you'd have to agree that I would have been mad not to buy it, especially in this credit crisis, I mean you'd buy a pair of shoes if they were 75% off now wouldn't you, I've basically saved us £3500 by buying this bike and that is surely a cause for celebration not recrimination, just think what we can do with that £3500 that we just saved, I for one will be using some of that money to buy this great bike I've seen that is being sold at 60% off it's real world valuation etc etc.....'

Mainly it came about as I was doing a study on the govt spend per capita in the NHS and how the 'real world value' isn't far off 50 years ago despite what the politicians may tell you!

thanks pete, very useful information.

even though i have to jusify my reckless purchases to no one, it is still nice to appease the voice in my head.

Are you working for Alistair Darling Pete? I expect to see a follow up on the cost of money and the NPV

£2290 then for a 90 Bontrager OR, Comp fork and Salsa roller from NTi.