Any theories on Specialized steel return?

The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. Why are they doing this, any
theories? And do you think the other majors will follow?

On Sep 24, 1:21*am, Cicero Venatio wrote:
The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

It's so the less wealthy master fatties can get a new bike that
doesn't require a mortgage. It gives the MF the ability to say that
he's "retro" and into "classics", while attempting to save face for
saving money. The same rationale applies to mid-life sports cars.

R

On 9/23/09 10:37 PM, in article
,
"RicodJour" wrote:

On Sep 24, 1:21*am, Cicero Venatio wrote:
The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

It's so the less wealthy master fatties can get a new bike that
doesn't require a mortgage. It gives the MF the ability to say that
he's "retro" and into "classics", while attempting to save face for
saving money. The same rationale applies to mid-life sports cars.

It provides a blame-deflecting excuse for FMs. They can say, "well I got
dropped because of my retro-cool steel bike, if I had a USD$10K bike, I'd
be able to hang..."



Jim

On Sep 23, 10:21*pm, Cicero Venatio wrote:
The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?


$610
Amazingly, that's about how much they cost back in '85

hey, the perfect bike to require all juniors to race on in domestic
races. This would make racing so much more affordable for teens
(well, their parents anyhow). Level the playing field. How many
juniors are on $4,000 bikes that they will outgrow by next season and
others show up with a wallymart mountain bike for their first crit.
And a lot more durable than all those disposable plastic bikes.

On Sep 23, 11:37*pm, RicodJour wrote:
On Sep 24, 1:21*am, Cicero Venatio wrote:

The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

It's so the less wealthy master fatties can get a new bike that
doesn't require a mortgage. *It gives the MF the ability to say that
he's "retro" and into "classics", while attempting to save face for
saving money. *The same rationale applies to mid-life sports cars.

R

Here is my allez: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2522424...7611598456438/
I score the frameset on ebay for $150 and it was new. It looks much
better than the tig welded Specialized that they sell. While I am not
sure I think that mine is made with prestige tubing. I ride it next to
the latest conlnagos, time, look, kuotas and other cf monsters that
retail for at least $4,000 to $10,000. those bikes don't go any faster
than mine on flats. On hills, i get dropped right away but it is not
because of the bike.

On Sep 24, 10:49*am, Geraard Spergen wrote:
On Sep 23, 10:21*pm, Cicero Venatio wrote:

The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

$610
Amazingly, that's about how much they cost back in '85

In 85 you could get a fully lugged SBI with superb pro, a 660 Trek
with 531 tubes and campy derailleurs

Specialized is selling steel bikes for the very same reason Surly, et
al... haven't gone out of business yet. Believe it or not, there's a
market for them.

On Sep 24, 12:29*pm, " wrote:
On Sep 24, 10:49*am, Geraard Spergen wrote:

On Sep 23, 10:21*pm, Cicero Venatio wrote:

The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

$610
Amazingly, that's about how much they cost back in '85

In 85 you could get a fully lugged SBI with superb pro, a 660 Trek
with 531 tubes and campy derailleurs

Food for thought:

http://www.vintage-trek.com/images/t...TrekRacing.pdf
http://www.vintage-trek.com/TrekPriceLists.htm
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

In 1985 a Trek 460 with True Temper, Suntour ders and a
French six speed freewheel cost $400, a Trek 670 with 531 and
Campy NR derailleurs/crank cost $710 and a Trek 770 with
531 and Super Record was $1300. The 460 had Rigida
rims and galvanized spokes; the 670 and 770 had Matrix
rims and stainless spokes, a significant upgrade.

The Suntour probably shifted best of all those. No index
shifting on any of them. Inflation from 1985 to 2008 is a
factor of 2.0, so those prices are $800, $1400, and
$2600 (!) in today's dollars.

I have a 1985 Trek 460 (now a commuter bike; blessed
with stainless-spoke wheels, woohoo) and it's a bit cooler
than a modern boring tig-welded Specialized steel bike, but
today's bike is a better value, especially after you correct for
inflation, galvanized spokes, and 6-speed Atom freewheels.

That said, I don't think I'd recommend buying a new bike
with DT shifters. Eventually the rider will want STIs and
the upgrade is expensive after the fact.

Ben

On Sep 24, 3:28*pm, " wrote:
On Sep 23, 11:37*pm, RicodJour wrote:

On Sep 24, 1:21*am, Cicero Venatio wrote:

The Specialized 2010 bike lineup is out, and if you haven't heard they
have a Allez version called Allez-Steel. *It's a retro steel bike with
downtube shifters. *Like one guy said, it looks like the bikes in that
movie "American Flyers" with Kevin Costner in it. *Their price is $610,
and they are using Reynolds 520 steel. *Why are they doing this, any
theories? *And do you think the other majors will follow?

It's so the less wealthy master fatties can get a new bike that
doesn't require a mortgage. *It gives the MF the ability to say that
he's "retro" and into "classics", while attempting to save face for
saving money. *The same rationale applies to mid-life sports cars.

R

Here is my allez:http://www.flickr.com/photos/2522424...7611598456438/
I score the frameset on ebay for $150 and it was new. It looks much
better than the tig welded Specialized that they sell. While I am not
sure I think that mine is made with prestige tubing. I ride it next to
the latest conlnagos, time, look, kuotas and other cf monsters that
retail for at least $4,000 to $10,000. those bikes don't go any faster
than mine on flats. On hills, i get dropped right away but it is not
because of the bike.

it's not what you have, but what you do with it that counts. the nice
thing about a cheap frame is that it becomes disposable- ride it in
the rain, sleet whatever- it's not going to matter