[KNine]

Kona came out with the 2011 line today. One of the things i have notice is that the Spec for the price is just not there. The other thing is that there seem to be allot of off brand parts on there bikes for 2011. Is this the way the industry is going? High price no bang..

 

[Skookum]

No i fully agree, i noticed this when Specialized came out with their pricing 3 years ago or so.
When i first started mt. biking so many brands were still made in America. The argument that American wages were too high to be competitive. Then all those jobs were shipped to China. Fast forward to today and prices are trending skyward.
i've heard the cost is in the research and development. Hey bikes are really dialed when compared to the tech when i first came into mt. biking. But to me all the technology is just adapting technology stolen from Road cycling, BMX, and moto-bike components.
When i see 8000 dollar bikes in this economy it puts a justified fear in the future of mt. biking as a viable recreation and sport. Mt. biking should not be a rich mans sport, it would not and cannot go as far as it has without the masses of regular wage earners. Price out the regular joes like me and watch opportunities dry up.