Crzubike featured in: 5 Expensive Bicycles with Unique Designs

[LarryOz]

It just stumbled on this YouTube Video this morning.
Initial picture misleading also, as that bent not even in the list.
Not sure I like that they are saying it is "expensive" - which it is not when compared to a high-end road bike that it can compete easily with. Did not give the Vendetta much screen time either. Lot of footage of Jim P - way to go Jim!

 

[chicorider]

The 4th one, "Bird of Prey," looks pretty scary. Like a Vendetta in reverse.

 

[bladderhead]

That is called a belly-bike.

 

[RojoRacing]

It just stumbled on this YouTube Video this morning.
Initial picture misleading also, as that bent not even in the list.
Not sure I like that they are saying it is "expensive" - which it is not when compared to a high-end road bike that it can compete easily with. Did not give the Vendetta much screen time either. Lot of footage of Jim P - way to go Jim!

To be fair the frameset cost of a cruzebike is very high compared to another Aluminum DF frameset and is on par with a mid to high end carbon DF frameset like my Trek Domane SLR. If you equipe a V20 with equal components to any $10,000 Trek you'll have a $10,000 V20. So yeah the V20 is pricey but what do you expect from such a small company right?

 

[ed72]

V20 frame are similar in cost to high end road frames. My last two road frames were a 2016 carbon Cervelo S3 for $2500 and a totally custom bespoke 2014 Zinn Magnesium frame with Enve fork for $3600 ish. When I approached a builder to make me a custom MBB recumbent out of carbon with a long tiller, he explained that a MBB frame is really like two frames and very expensive to make right. So, maybe the V20 is a bargain.

 

[ak-tux]

V20 frame are similar in cost to high end road frames. My last two road frames were a 2016 carbon Cervelo S3 for $2500 and a totally custom bespoke 2014 Zinn Magnesium frame with Enve fork for $3600 ish. When I approached a builder to make me a custom MBB recumbent out of carbon with a long tiller, he explained that a MBB frame is really like two frames and very expensive to make right. So, maybe the V20 is a bargain.

A cost effective carbon MBB is best built from cutting up a damaged or secondhand Carbon road bike/DF frame and bonding the pieces together with carbon. This is well documented by Marco Ruga in Italy:
https://biciclettereclinate.blogspot.com/2017/10/come-ti-costruisco-una-reclinata-da-una.html

 

[ed72]

A cost effective carbon MBB is best built from cutting up a damaged or secondhand Carbon road bike/DF frame and bonding the pieces together with carbon. This is well documented by Marco Ruga in Italy:
https://biciclettereclinate.blogspot.com/2017/10/come-ti-costruisco-una-reclinata-da-una.html

I have a couple of carbon road frames, would cut them up for me. My wife would be happy to have the garage back.

 

[RojoRacing]

A cost effective carbon MBB is best built from cutting up a damaged or secondhand Carbon road bike/DF frame and bonding the pieces together with carbon. This is well documented by Marco Ruga in Italy:
https://biciclettereclinate.blogspot.com/2017/10/come-ti-costruisco-una-reclinata-da-una.html

Yeah I've seen those but I'd never trust his builds to support the force I put through the frame when descending mountains. I'm amazed I haven't broken the stay welds on the V20 as overbuilt as it is.

 

[Opik]

Is it really expensive though?

I'm just thinking the scale of production and The RnD gap that makes Cruzbike and recumbent in general much more expensive then others.

 

[velocio]

Is it really expensive though?

I'm just thinking the scale of production and The RnD gap that makes Cruzbike and recumbent in general much more expensive then others.

It depends on what's meant by saying a product is "expensive" -- overpriced is not the same as expensive. I consider Cruzbike's to be expensive since their purchase price is high compared to other similarly equipped bikes or bikes with similar mission profiles. For example, my beloved S40 has a base price over $4K and is equipped with decidedly mid-grade (maybe even lower mid-grade) components, Kenda tires (eech...) and a generic Asian produced hydro-formed aluminum frame no more advanced than the typical $1.5K Trek/Giant/Cannondale/Specialized (heck, it might even be manufactured on the same production line, by the same workers, as those other brands). A $4K+ mass produced bike without even a generic carbon fork? Gasp! I suspect most cyclists would consider any $4K+ bike to be "expensive", even if it had a name worthy of bragging rights and chi chi components.

Whether some expensive bike is a good value considering your needs or if the expense is justified to obtain a decent ROI for the maker are different questions. For the record, the S40 is turning out to be well worth the expensive price-tag to me. Hopefully Cruzbike makes a decent ROI on it as well, so they can keep on doing what they're doing.

-Jack

 

[benphyr]

It depends on what's meant by saying a product is "expensive" -- overpriced is not the same as expensive. I consider Cruzbike's to be expensive since their purchase price is high ... Whether some expensive bike is a good value considering your needs or if the expense is justified to obtain a decent ROI for the maker are different questions. For the record, the S40 is turning out to be well worth the expensive price-tag to me. Hopefully Cruzbike makes a decent ROI on it as well, so they can keep on doing what they're doing. -Jack

So...
Expensive = an absolute measure of number of dollars (which is found to be high in $ to $ comparison to purchaser's personal cost comfort for that type of item).
Value = how much something is worth. Includes much more than only price tag $.
Overpriced then is a descriptor of when the ticket price exceeds the value (to the owner/purchaser). Or maybe exceeds the purchaser's anticipated price/value.)

Cruzbike has high value. That high value more than justifies the price (especially for the S40 and V20 models). [Beware: philosophical comment ahead.] A current general societal view simplifies value to $ and sum of physical parts, unfortunately that is a mistaken view of value which is much greater than just those factors. Several factors that Cruzbikers here value are health, comfort, quality of build, design, speed, ease of use, transportability, efficiency, in addition to price tag and component list. This is not to say that these values are not shared by other bike riders too (some just haven't been converted yet) but that a discussion of the value of an item is severely lacking if it emphasizes price tag and component list and ignores the other factors. Cruzbike as a company and as a community (tribe) has value beyond the value of a product: encouraging atmosphere, innovation, resource, etc.

An analogy would be a kitchen. If you are going to build a new/renovate your kitchen and if you use it to prepare food, consume food, and clean up after, then it is important to talk about the cost of the renovation (price tag) and the appliances/surfaces/finishings (components) but it would be an incomplete discussion without assessing things like ergonomics, design, spacing, people flow, frequency of use, intended uses (kitchen, dining, great hall - home, family/neighbourhood/community gatherings, etc.), health, produce flow, waste, storage locations, efficiencies, etc.

Well worth it. Agreed.

 

[Opik]

I mean unusual (which in this case means the numbers are low) bikes have a similar head cost but smaller production, so the price is more expensive. It's just like triathlon bikes price compare to road bikes. And the RnD in Recumbents is the most dynamic one, compared to MTB, Triathlon and road bikes. so much chop and change, trial and error.

An analogy would be making menu A which is what people are used to eat and sell in high numbers compared to menu B (which contains different ingredients) that can only be eaten by a little number of people due to some restrictions. Althpugh the price of ingredients, chef salary, lease, etc is the same, Menu B would be more expensive. That is what I feel with Cruzbike and recumbents in general.

 

[bladderhead]

In short, Raleigh etc get an economy of scale. Eventually we will see incorrectly-assembled Cruzbikes really cheap in the supermarkets outselling the MTBs.

 

[ed72]

In short, Raleigh etc get an economy of scale. Eventually we will see incorrectly-assembled Cruzbikes really cheap in the supermarkets outselling the MTBs.

Really?

Trikes maybe as Boomers age. Two wheel recumbent market is declining. There really isn't much interest in bents amongst current upright riders as far as I can see.

 

[Seth Cooper]

Since this thread really seems to be a referendum on CruzBike pricing, here are my thoughts on that:
It feels obvious to me that V20 profit margin is far higher than T50 or Q45. Does it cost more to make the V20 frame that a T50 or Q45 frame. Yes. Does it cost that ($2000) much more? No.

But is a V20 a good value? of course that depends on your own resources, and the TCO (total cost of ownership). I am in a financial position that sales pricing of a durable good is not a primary consideration, but rather the change in value (how long it will last, what can I sell it for etc). So if CruzBike comes out with a V30 that is far cheaper than my V20, or a competitor comes out with a clone that is far cheaper, that is good for new buyers, but bad for me, as resale will go down, and I will feel more of the initial purchase bite.

 

[benphyr]

It is interesting to note in the original video that the other four bikes though interesting design ideas are not practical nor suitable to be used for the purposes of an everyday regular bike. The Cruzbike meets that need plus solves the comfort issue.

 

[DavidCH]

I can only compare cheap knockoff chinese DF frame sets for $500 ... not exactly a Trek madone but it gives a hell of a ride.

The Vendetta though gives a Heavenly ride. You get what you pay for. I ride the Vendetta for 100km i get off with a smile and not much pain anywhere. Can't say that for any other bike.

 

[super slim]

Its NOT the bike materials, but the way the bike is designed !!!

 

[ed72]

Materials matter.

Ride a magnesium frame once and you will think differently.

 

[paco1961]

Or Ti! Nothing like it - although I’ve never ridden a magnesium frame to be fair. If I ever went back to DF (and my anatomy would have to change significantly) that’s all I would ever ride.