comparing the retail price of a brooks Ti saddle with manufacturers cost of a Ti frame is kinda ridiculous. So what if it's the same or less? The landed cost of a toyota Yaris the same as the the retail of a nice set of alloy racing wheels with tires. Point being.....? What exactly? Gold is a commodity, same thing with Uranium. They still god awful expensive materials and often dificult to work with. So maybe SJS has a sweetheart deal with brooks. In Germany, the exchange rate is 300 for the ti, and 140 for the steel rail versions. Maybe Brooks USA is determining the retail price based on what ppl are willing to pay, like their german, japanese, italian counterparts. Jerry would be supremely happy to hear that. It is interesting to see how the distribution modes play a part in determining retail pricing. my previous point of a distro change hasn;t made it any easier to supply brooks, but I think the pricing is reflective of each saddles supply according to demand.
all in all, I kinda agree with you Jerry, but under different circumstances. no doubt there is a very heavy premium to spec ti anything. I suspect the US market is subsidizing other markets lower prices.
Think of it as the bike industry version of prescription drugs.....they are cheaper in Mexico and canada!
tom martin annapolis md going round in circles in the usa
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Re: Brooks swallow (GULP...) To: "Tom Martin" <tom@voimports.com> Date: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:46 PM
I agree with you about the steel models. They are well worth their price and were underpriced under previous owners, but Ti has become a commodity to an extent. I'll bet those Chinese TI frame sets sold by UK and US mar keters don't even cost as much to make as the price of a Swallow Classic Ti . Note SJS in UK is currently selling the steel Swallow for $170.79 and the TI Swallow for $229.49, a premium of $58.70. I rest my case.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
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