Why are triathlon bikes (time trial bikes or TT bikes in cycle speak) so much more expensive than their road bike counterparts?
And why are women specific bikes so much more expensive than their traditional road bike (male version) counterparts?
For example take a look at these two Orbea bikes:
Aqua Dama and the Onix DTF
The Aqua Dama is the women’s specific bike and it retails for the same $2400...when you get it built-up with similar components to its road bike cousin the Onix DTF.
Please notice that they both sell for about $2400 and have a similar frame geometry.
Yet the Aqua Dama is made of cheaper Aluminum while the Onix DTF is an all carbon bike.
And it is not just Orbea. Now that women specific bikes are becoming very popular all the manufactures are putting a premium on these bikes, like they did and do with TT bikes.
So why do bike manufacturers charge women more for bikes? Do they believe that women are willing to pay more for the same bike and/or perhaps a more feminine color?
It would seem to me that just like with the TT bikes all this pricing strategy accomplishes is to shift the potential bike buyer into a more typical (read more value for your money) road bike. In other words, your typical budget minded triathlete, or female or, female triathlete is more likely to purchase a traditional bike because they get so much more bike for their dollar.
When will the bike companies learn that that they can make more money by selling more bikes by making the bikes cheaper and not more expensive? This seems like pretty basic business logic so let’s hope that somebody figures it out fast.
And by the way boys…women come in all shapes and sizes. I’m sick of bike shopping with my wife and her only being able to test the small version of the women’s specific bikes. Here’s a hint to all of you bike shop owners…some ( if not many) women are over 5 foot 4 inches tall. You may notice this by taking your head out of your you know what.
And don't even get me started on the complete lack of true women specific TT or tribikes.
HELLO!
