We all must have heard this famous saying that goes like, ‘The things which have more cost more.” It depicts that if you want something extravagant or perfect, you need to spend all your cash and empty your pockets to afford it. But is it related to mountain biking too? You often have seen outside a bike shop that these bikes cost from $800, ranging up to $15,000, and beyond. We must wonder why mountain bikes are so expensive?
Indeed, mountain bikes are one of the most expensive gadgets out there. There are no doubts about it. Various direct and indirect factors are incorporated to make these bikes super expensive, but technology and high-quality components involved in their building are the most common ones. The increasing cost for labor and shipping costs associated with creating these mountain bikes are another reason for the high prices. Other factors are market competition, supply, and demand. For a safe ride, you need a mountain bike that’s installed with proper parts, is extremely durable, and can beat any situation. This is what makes these mountain bikes so expensive.
There are various options for cheap bikes, but they are outright dangerous, especially riding on rough trails. Whenever we see the most expensive bike, we wonder if this is the maximum it can cost; something more advanced and expensive comes out. Let’s find out why mountain bikes are so expensive these days and how can you save that cost?
Why are mountain bikes so expensive
The cost of the components
While mountain bikes are quite expensive to buy these days and can cost you a lot, many cheap options might not cost you over 800 dollars or even less. But truthfully, cheaper bikes are not reliable and are made with cheap and low-quality components that can cost you something as precious as your life. Mountain bikes are specially designed for mountains, including trails with inclined slopes, deeper steeps, rocks, tumbles, and ledges. The better the components are, the better experience you have during your mountain bike ride.
The abuse that the mountain bikes have to bear, it’s crucial for their components to be high in quality, or you’ll end up getting injured or buying a new bike after every ride. As a beginner, you don’t have to go for a mountain bike that’s made up of all-carbon. You can easily start with an aluminum hardtail that will cost you less than $1000. But as you get more into this sport, you’ll need a bike that’s more premium and advanced. And the more advanced the components of the bike are, the more expensive it is. The strongest and lightest components always come with the heaviest price.
The evolving designs.
If you are inspired by any hardcore or pro mountain biker, you’ll often hear from them about how the designs of mountain bikes have evolved and how the features have completely changed over the years. Most of the mountain bikes’ overall frames and designs have undergone a major revolutionary change in the past ten years. Even if you go ten years back, the prices of these bikes were comparatively very lower. But when you compare the older bikes with the new ones, you’ll see many major differences. In the past years, when mountain biking was not so trending, bikes were pretty rocky. With heavy bodies and clunky angles, they were nothing like the advanced bikes we see today.
Riding mountain biking ten years ago was not an easy task. However, the past riders did it somehow through their hard work. But now, as time has evolved, mountain biking has gained its reputation as one of the best and fun-filled sports out there. This reputation attracted a lot of new and advanced bikes and top-notch manufacturers.
The recent manufacturing of mountain bikes is much better than what was made years ago. Even the cheapest mountain bikes you see today are much better than the most high-end bikes in the previous decade. But as the designs evolve, so do the price tags. Nowadays, the price of n equipped bike is directly proportional to the number of features it offers. With the rapid increase of the manufacturing industry, better and stronger components and designs are being made daily. The competition graph is rising each day, and so are the prices of these mountain bikes.
Light and strong wheels.
While every mountain bike component is essential and holds its value, wheels are a highly complex part. Manufacturers these days use modern technology to make good wheelsets that help you strike an effective balance between tolerance and performance. An upgraded wheelset is one of the essential factors to level up your MTB game. You might not notice this if you are a beginner; however, you know what big difference a wheelset can make if you are a professional rider. Some riders also say that if there’s one thing they can splurge on without any worry, it’s always the wheels.
Among many kinds of wheels, carbon wheels with stiff design and light weightiness lead the wheels industry. They can cost you two thousand dollars or even more. This is the main reason why these highly advanced tires can speed up even the slowest of riders. If you are a beginner, you can avoid carbon wheels, or you won’t pursue any other hobbies.
Each type of terrain and trail requires different types of tires. How your handle your bike completely depends upon your tires. If you are on a fast-track ride, you will need tires with good rubber. Higher TPI (Thread per inch) means lighter weight, which helps absorb road stresses and lower the chances of rolling resistance. And we all know that the lighter the weight, the pricier the cost.
Brakes
As a mountain biker, you vigorously depend on your brakes for your wellbeing. While it might be the most un-charming ability, slowing down can take some authority to accomplish better command over any trail. You will discover three sorts of brakes utilized on MTB brakes. These three sorts include; rim brakes, disc brakes, and coaster brakes.
Rim brakes, for example, V-brakes, caliper brakes, and cantilever brakes are less preferred these days since they need more slowing down power during wet conditions. Liner brakes, then again, were utilized by first-gen MTB riders and are making a serious rebound for some mountain bikes.
Disc brakes have been around well before the cycling industry embraced them. Furthermore, these hydraulic disk brakes have been the most favored brakes by practically all cyclists from that point forward. These brakes have changed blazing trail bikes with their super braking feature. You can go as fast as you can and feel the rush while these hydraulic disc brakes will help you stop just as harder as your speed.
Hydraulic brakes work on the augmentation standard of sending powers, starting with one point and then through the hydraulic liquid. Accordingly, power is expanded exponentially, empowering you to stop effectively.
A hydraulic brake changes with any condition that even when the street is all wet and tricky, you will not have to struggle to stop securely. That is the reason why hydraulic brakes, particularly with coordinated shifters on specific mountain bikes, cost more. They give you better control and require little support contrasted with cable brakes.
The ultimate biking experience it offers
With a costly mountain bike, you can hope to have an amazing riding experience. Great bikes regularly have first-class parts introduced to make the ride extremely smoother and more secure. This incorporates everything from more extensive tires with solid wheels to top-notch brake mechanisms.
The most widely recognized component of an expensive mountain bike is a suspension framework with high travel distances. These full-suspension bicycles have various benefits contrasted with hardtail choices.
While hardtail bicycles give riders various abilities, spending into a full-suspension bike permits riders to handle more testing trails than other bikes. When paired with other costly parts, mountain bikes are more than prepared to deal with the intense terrains.
At the point when riders buy an expensive mountain bike, they are making a speculation. As the prices increase, mountain bikes are recognizably divergent regarding execution, safety, and sturdiness. With better parts and further developed plans, purchasers realize that they’re getting a good quality mountain bike. By purchasing a less expensive model, riders are putting off an expensive update. This is why numerous bikers are always saving for more advanced models that stay with them through years of mountain biking.
How to save money?
We all want to get into this amazing world of mountain biking, where every minute is filled with rush and excitement. However, spending thousands of dollars might not be a possibility for many of us. If you are one of those people who cannot or doesn’t want to spend all your savings in the bike store with the flashiest options, don’t worry at all. It’s possible to buy a high-quality mountain without hurting your budget too much. The key is to spend where necessary. Here are a few ways on how you can save your hard-earned money:
Buying a used mountain bike
Buying a used bike can prove to be cost-effective for you. They entertain you with all the functions and facilities without you having to spend thousands of bucks. You can buy an advanced mountain bike with better suspensions, better brakes and wheels, and all other amazing features without burdening yourself too much with the cost. So, if you are a bit low on the budget, buying a used mountain bike can be a really smart approach.
Buying a used mountain bike gives you the privilege of going on rougher trails without worrying too much about the scratches and damage.
If you are a regular biker, you always crave the updated version of your mountain bike. Buying the new and latest version can be extremely expensive for your wallet. This is where used bikes come in to save the day. You can buy the latest and most updated version of your mountain bike, which has already been used a bit. This will cost almost half the cost of buying a new one. You can enjoy all the perks of a newer version without spending all of your savings.
While buying a new mountain bike, you do not have to worry about the damages due to the warranty provided by the manufacturers. However, if you go for a preloved option, you might have to worry about many things like your brakes might fail just after a single-use, your tires must burst within the first fifteen minutes of your trail, or any other problem. There’s no one you can blame for this damage, unlike new bikes where you can blame the company and have your cost reimbursed.
Building your mountain bike
Suppose you are one of those riders who like to customize their bike or can’t find anything in the market according to their customization; building your mountain bike might be the best option for you. You can order a solid frame from the market or any old low-quality assembled bike. Once you have the frame, you can order parts according to your customization. Parts that fulfill your needs and seem most interesting to you.
The best thing about building up your bike is that everything in that bike is according to your liking. You can get the best high-quality parts for your customizable mountain bike, from the wheels to the brakes or suspension. Once you are done buying the parts, installing them is the easiest part because each part comes with installation manuals.
As interesting as building your bike seems, it can be more costly than buying an already assembled bike if you don’t have enough knowledge. It would be best if you did intensive research before ordering high-quality parts. These parts can cost you a lot if you order or buy them from the wrong dealer. Prepare a budget and then order your parts accordingly from the dealers that charge the least. You can also try online markets that are regularly offering seasonal discounts to save even further.
Conclusion:
You might have to save for the whole year and cut off all other expenses to have the money to buy a good mountain bike. But once you have it, it can turn out to be the best investment of your life. If you are more into beautiful sceneries with your loved ones, smooth tracks, or a bicycle ride with your cat, buying expensive bikes can turn out to be a very bad decision. Even if you love mountain biking but enjoy it moderately and don’t experience much with the trails and terrains, you shouldn’t spend much on a mountain bike.
However, suppose you are a person who loves this sport to its extreme and wants to get rushed and excited. In that case, you experiment with new and harsher trails all the time, so buying a high-quality mountain bike can turn out to be your best investment.
