davesails7 wrote:eree wrote:no wonder, if for the price of the bar only you can buy pretty decent mountain bike with the lifespan ten times or more longer.
BigPaul wrote:All that said I never look out of the window and think what an awesome day to go riding like a do with kitesurfing
Exactly. You can't compare riding a bike to kiting!
I agree that the price of equipment is getting pretty ridiculous. BUT look at what you are getting: A giant wing that weighs just a few pounds that flys in the air while you steer it and ride a little board at
25+ knots behind it and launch up
20+ feet in the air at will with nice soft landings at the end!
i don't compare riding a bike to kiting here. but some young potential kiter material guy can compare prices on gear and decide to ride a bike.
AND i look at what i've got: A giant wing that is made of cheapest textile material possible! it is all polyester, it can not turn to gold just because you weave it one way or another in the thinner teijin or thicker dacron. they make this cloth on looms which work 20 hours every day, they make big batches - nobody runs the loom for short time just to make lets say 30 yards of yellow colored teijin for one small buyer. that would be expensive.
Jono 111 wrote:Well, its even more ridiculous to compare it to the cost of a low level bike.
My last hardtail cost me circa £2000. Its a decent bike but still not over the top. The transmission will last a year and a bit, then cost £600 to overhaul + tyres, tubes, grips, pads, fork servicing and so on. And any decent full susser will cost you a minimum £3000. So the analogy is pretty flawed....
If you have the same interest in bikes as kitesurfing, you're not riding around on a £350 quid bike.
at least you have a choice with bikes, and your hardtail is made of high tech metal alloys and not of PET bottles!
i'm not competing in kiteboarding and i'm not competing in cycling. so i'm quite good with 450eur bike.
i am aware that probably 80% of this forum users are affiliated persons so it is pointless to argue. you know that each one of you cost me money every time when i buy a new kite, giving me back pretty much squat.
so i'm sure kite brands could easily manage with half of todays prices.