How did cycling shoes get so damned expensive?

[rjsdavis]

as with the current consumer marketing trend for the latest/greatest (Apple products anyone? :roll, wait till the end of the season or product life cycle and get them at significant reduced clearance prices.

Yeah, but this only brings them down to an expensive price. They are far, far too expensive to begin with!

 

[suburbanreuben]

Price a pair of Wires.

If you have wide feet get Megas. Sidi offers them in most of their shoes.

Sidis are eminently re-buildable; treads, straps, heel thingies, etc are all available as spares.

Unfortunately their winter boots aren't available in mega.

 

[Mike Muz]

as with the current consumer marketing trend for the latest/greatest (Apple products anyone? :roll, wait till the end of the season or product life cycle and get them at significant reduced clearance prices.

+1

I always get my next Giro helmet that way when I need one. Old stock at a fraction of the original cost. Never paid more than £55 for one. Good quality at a good price

Mike

 

[velomaniac]

Cycling shoes have always been pricey as far as I've ever noticed. With the sheer volume of manufacturers there must be something that suits you and your budget surely.

 

[EggyBum6969]

more people own bikes then footballs an golf clubs etc
an the 2012 games, an tour de france wins have made roadies mainstream

men in spandex are now the new superstars

but the mtb an bmx guys are less popular like rugby is to football

but if that ever changes
and all the bandwagon jumpers in spandex sky logos
jump ship an become mtb riders,

then the few places that are suitable
to take your mtb to will be crowded with trendys an the price of gear will go up
an stay up after the peak of the trend has come an gone



warning sense of humor needed :mrgreen:

 

[PurpleFrog]

Re: Re:

BTW, I only use clipless pedals, nothing to do with marketing or mags.
I also have . . . . . a 29er Shhhhhhhhh ! Why? 'Cos I can, who's to say if it's right for me or not. WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS.
Again, just personal preference.

Mike

There are reasons to prefer clipless and I wasn't criticizing anyone who does. The point is not that no one should wear clipless but that the main reason *most* people buy them (well, leaving aside roadies who would be lynched if they rode anything else) ie power on pulling up, has been proven untrue by pretty damn rigorous sports science experiments. And more to the point they're an excellent example of how bike marketing works:

- You have a piece of gear that will be very profitable

- It possibly provides a significant benefit in the context of some racing events (say 0.5%) but not enough to get the punters to buy it (say 20%)

- If you made direct marketing claims strong enough to sell it, you'd lose your shirt when they were disproved and you were sued in a US class action suit

- So you keep direct claims vague, make sure your sponsored racers use them and get journalists to say they're a must have: punters buy them believing they must be essential, but you have no responsibility for the crazy bs selling them

..I have to admit that I can't bunny hop worth a damn without clipless, but that's one of the things I intend to fix. I do think I can control the bike better through the pedals with flats and the new more mid-foot position I can use, but I'm such a foot-freak (11.5 xxxxw, super high arch, etc) that this may be just me. If you've thought it over, thrown out the bs, and bought them for the real benefits because those are relevant to you, then "respect!" (As I believe the young people say.)

 

[The History Man]

"Safe"

 

[Radar]

Try Sidi Cafe, often have samples, strange sizes, odd colours, old stock. Sidis at a more reasonable price.

(I've used them for road shoes and mtb spares)