What do I get by paying more for a bicycle?

Question

I am not experienced with bicycles, although I have been using them for years to get to work, as well as to go out in the countryside (dirt trails) to take nature photos.

I have used affordable B'twin bikes and I was generally happy, but after my last bicycle was stolen I am looking to step up a bit. There are countless articles on the internet suggesting not to spend too little. But I find it very difficult to find anything tangible or easy to understand about what precisely one would really get by paying more.

Take for example the Rockrider 520, 540 and 560. (I am linking the English Decathlon site so people here can read it, but I do not live in the UK.) I am looking at these: all of them are better than what I had. The price more than doubles when going from the 520 to the 560. I look at the specs, but I am unable to translate them into what I could do with the 560 that is not possible with the 520, or how the experience would be different. I am looking for help with this, especially advice that I could translate to other models as well, although it is these three that I am looking at now.

All of these are marked as:

Not suitable for XC, All Mountain, Enduro and BMX.

This restriction seems to cover all forms of mountain biking (which is puzzling) and some websites suggest to dismiss all of these bicycles from the start because of this note. However, the cheapest model from Decathlon that does not have this note is 50% more expensive, way more than what I can afford (where I live, it's actually 2x the price of the discounted 560).

To sum up:

For any bicycle I pick, it is easy to find another one that is two or four times as expensive. How can I better understand what one gets in practice for paying more? The specs often just mention components of a certain brand, but it is hard to even see which component is better, not to mention how having a better component translates into riding experience (please see the specification lists I linked).

When looking at the three choices above, my spouse asked me "Even the cheapest one is better than what you had. What would you gain by paying more than that?". And I could not answer. What I really wanted (bigger wheel, better gear range and theoretically better brakes) is indeed present in the 520 already.

As to the question "why a mountain bike", I would like to be able to go on rougher trails (rocks, roots) without too much worry. I would like to learn how to do that safely and efficiently. However, I am not young and sporty or physically skilful person. I also keep thinking that my own physical limits may be reached much before that of an expensive (for me) bicycle.

Answer 1

With so many good answers I hesitate to say anything.

But, in an effort to add something useful to the conversation...

The Value Curve
Part of the reason it's hard to understand the difference between more and less expensive bikes is that you do get what you pay for, but cost increases faster than value.

What is Value?
For the purposes of this answer I'm defining "value" as some measurable improvement.
For example, a $15 steel chain that will last 3,000 miles vs an $80.00 stainless steel chain that will last 8,000 miles (made up numbers - this is only an example)

Why is There a Curve?
The cost to manufacture increases faster than value. Each improvement cost more to manufacture than the last one.

For Example
It's easy to see a difference between a $50.00 bike and a $400.00 bike.
It's harder (not impossible) to see the difference between a $800.00 bike and an $1200.00 bike.
As price goes up it gets harder and harder to see an increase in value.

I would argue that at some price point there is no value increase and you are paying (hopefully) for craftsmanship, like extra polish or fancy lug work or exotic materials that are expensive but don't contribute to a measurable difference.

Suppose I agree that there is a value curve - what should I do?
There is a "sweet spot" in the curve. A place where you get the most bang for your buck. The problem is that I can't tell you exactly where that is because it changes over time and it depends on the individual's situation - finances and type of riding.
Bike shoppers have to balance their budget with the desired level of performance and decide where their sweet spot is.

Always test ride bikes before buying. Always ride more than one so you can compare.
A parking lot is not a great way to compare ride but it's much better than nothing. Bike feel matters.

Answer 2

Let's compare the specific bikes you linked: the XC 100 to the 560. The language used on the product page is quite different, because they're targeting a different audience, but we need to scroll down to see the concrete differences:

• The more expensive XC 100 is roughly one kilogramme lighter. That's a bit less than a 10% weight saving, but other things being equal, lighter is generally more expensive
• the XC 100 lists two distinct aluminium alloys used in its frame. Whether or not we care about the fine metallurgical differences, it's going to be more expensive to manufacture
• the XC 100 comes with the SRAM NX EAGLE groupset, and the 560 with the SRAM X5. That's easily a USD200 difference at list price

There are lots of small finishing kit changes as well (different bars, seatpost, grips, saddle etc.) which aren't listed in enough detail to compare. Generally though, the less expensive bike will have less expensive finishing kit too. Whether it is actually worse for your purposes, or less durable, is however debatable.

The 560 does have a review from someone whose chainstay cracked; this part of the frame is likely the stronger and more expensive Al 6013 alloy on the XC 100.

Now, whether you want the stronger rear triangle, the ~1Kg weight saving or the more expensive groupset, and whether they're worth the price difference to you - well, that's up to you.

Navigating rougher trails is not necessarily the same as throwing your bike around them at speed, and the 560 (which seems more accurately described as a mountain bike-styled tourer) may be fine if you keep the impact forces down.

Answer 3

Simply put, what you get by paying more is better features (more gear ratios, hydraulic brakes, better suspension), less weight, and better durability and reliability.

It's pretty obvious that stronger and lighter materials cost more. Better suspension and gear trains require more sophisticated designs with more components with lower tolerances, which cost more to design, test and manufacture.

The bikes you reference are at the bottom end of the price spectrum. These are pretty much intended for people who want a bike that looks like a mountain bike but will only be used on prepared trails. The warning is there because they are not durable enough for real trail use, and the manufacturer won't be liable if a bike fails and someone gets hurt.

At the price point you are looking at, you certainly will get a better bike if you pay more. It will be lighter, it will shift gears and stop better, and it will run more smoothly on rough trails. Like you said, there is always a better bike, more expensive bike. What you need to do is determine what riding you are realistically going to do and if these bikes are going to be suitable. If they are, then you are OK.

Answer 4

The difference is the same as with any other consumer good like a knife, a blue jeans or a TV set:

• When it is new it usually looks and feels good.
• Expensive ones still feel good next year.
• Even the cheapest TV will still show you all programs in color, even the cheapest jeans will cover your behind, and even the cheapest knife will cut your bread. But will it be fun?
• You can spend almost unlimited money if you want to (and have it).
• The benefit from paying more is roughly logarithmic.
• You are less likely to be disappointed with an expensive model, and it will probably last longer.
• Brand names cost extra.
• Above a certain level of reasonable quality it is often unclear what you are buying for more money, except the social signal that you spent money.

Specifically for bicycles others mentioned already that precision and material improve with higher prices, leading to lower weight, smoother operation and perhaps a longer life. In my experience the "longer life" improvements level off as soon as you are out of Walmart: I bough two bikes in 2001 for ca. $700 and $1400; they hold up equally well.

Additionally in some places more elaborate designs are possible which

• improve maintainability (screwed, nor crimped)
• extend maintenance intervals (better seals in bearings)
• on occasion improve operation (Shimano parallelogram V-brakes).

For really cheap parts maintainability is not important from a money standpoint because you simply buy a new part (e.g. a complete crank set including three inseparable chainrings for the price of a single high-quality chainring).

Answer 5

There are many things that cause the price to increase and give the rider a better experience.

Frame - more expensive frames will generally be lighter, transfer power better, and provide some small bump compliance to smooth the ride.

Suspension - The suspension components will be more sophisticated with more options to tune for the rider. This can range from lighter materials to special stanchion coatings (makes the suspension travel smoother), to multi setting dampers.

Gears - Again, lighter materials can be used. You can have more gears, or a wider range of gears. They will shift better when applying power, and have improvements (such as a clutch mech) to avoid dropping the chain on rough terrain.

Brakes - Better brakes offer improved stopping power (useful on very steep trails), improved modulation, and on XC models ligher weight.

Wheels - Wheels can become lighter, stiffer and stronger. They can also provide tubeless compatibility.

Tyres - More expensive tyres will typically have some combination of: lighter, more grip, faster rolling, improved puncture resistance.

Seatpost - On more expensive models you are likely to find a carbon seatpost to offer some comfort via flex OR a dropper seatpost for improved confidence in technical terrain.

On a purely personal side note, I would never recommend buying a new mountain bike without tubeless compatible rims (even for a beginner). They really transform how a mountain bike behaves, and i'd rather have a cheaper bike with tubeless wheels/tyres than a more expensive bike without

Answer 6

All of these are very good answers to your exact question. But lets not forget the reason you are buying a new bike. Your old one got stolen. A cheap and an expensive bike can both be just as easily stolen. As OP pays more for a new bike, the risk of having the bike stolen goes up. While it is very important to make the considerations you are for a better bike, may I please recommend you upgrade your storage/security method before upgrading your bike. While not an actual component of the bike itself, I challenge you to consider the cost of security included in the cost of the bike.

Answer 7

The rational answer to your question is quite straightforward: check the average price of each component and this price is roughly proportional to manufacturing cost. You will have then four broad categories:

• Cheap components are heavy, but nowadays they will do the job, although they may need maintenance often, and maintenance may not be straightforward due to poor design;
• not so cheap components generally are lighter and sturdier, they will do the job and maintenance will not be needed so often;
• expensive components, even lighter and very reliable;
• wildly expensive components, super light, reliability may be an issue, requiring expensive (time- and money-wise) maintenance.

But instead of doing this time-consuming internet surfing process, I recommend you to visit the nearest, biggest Decathlon: they usually have a small park to test the different bicycles. Start with the 560, then test the very expensive mountain bike, then finally go testing the 520. And back to the 560.

You will have a definite feeling of what are the differences among them, and you will discover if they fits you. Given the info you gave about yourself, I tend to think that a 520 will be perfect for you, with only one "major" upgrade: change the handlebar grips, they can improve massively the feeling of the bicycle.

Answer 8

I wanted to add another point of view - your personal enjoyment / usage of the bike.

As I was in the same predicament a few years ago, I decided to get something that is cheaper but I can improve over time if needed. In the lower/mid-end bikes, there will always be compromises - you might get great breaks but a terrible fork and etc. so it's important to choose the things that are important to you.

You know what kind of riding you do, so when picking a bike research the options that will benefit your enjoyment of the bike. For example, I hated the groupset my bike came with. I loved riding my bike, but after switching to SRAM's NX (1x11) I can honestly say I enjoy my rides at least 20% more. There are other parts that I don't care for and won't swap with better ones, because it doesn't make my ride more fun/reliable.