difference between a bicycle that costs hundreds and one that costs thousands
Some friends who have just gotten into 'cycling' asked me why some mountain bikes and road bikes can be bought for a few hundred yuan, while many others cost thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of yuan. What exactly is the difference between them?
Don't underestimate a seemingly simple bicycle. The reason their prices can vary so much is, of course, due to several factors. Today, Bass Cat will explain the differences between bicycles that cost a few hundred yuan and those that cost thousands or tens of thousands of yuan.
1. Materials
Let's not talk about carbon fiber materials for now, because bicycles in the price range of a few hundred yuan almost never involve carbon fiber.
Generally speaking, bicycles ranging from a few hundred yuan to tens of thousands of yuan will involve steel and aluminum alloy materials. Although they are all called 'steel' or 'aluminum alloy,' the materials used at different levels have significant differences in craftsmanship, strength, rigidity, and weight. For example, a steel frame bicycle that costs a few hundred yuan, such as many 'fixed-gear bikes,' usually uses cheaper steel materials like manganese steel or high-carbon steel. While these materials are sufficient for general commuting, they do not meet the standards required for sports bicycles in terms of weight, rigidity, and strength.
A steel frame bicycle costing a few hundred yuan can almost only meet the standard for commuting.
On the other hand, steel frame bicycles costing thousands or tens of thousands of yuan will use chromoly steel or other special alloy steels from top bicycle steel tube manufacturers like Columbus and Reynolds. These materials have much higher strength and rigidity than the steel used in ordinary frames. During manufacturing, techniques like double-butted and triple-butted tubing are used to ensure strength while making the tube walls thinner, significantly reducing weight. Twenty years ago, the Tour de France was almost exclusively a stage for high-end steel frames to compete. A steel frame costing tens of thousands of yuan can be as much as one kilogram lighter than a frame made of manganese steel or high-carbon steel!
The frame tubes of this Colnago Master Mapei team edition bike come from Italy's Columbus.
The same principle applies to aluminum alloys. For example, a bicycle costing a few hundred yuan made of 6061 aluminum alloy (widely used for bicycle frames and parts) and one costing thousands of yuan made of Specialized M5 aluminum alloy will have significant differences in weight and rigidity due to differences in material formulation and casting processes. Or, when you use a regular aluminum alloy handlebar costing tens of yuan and an advanced aluminum alloy handlebar made of Easton EA70 material costing hundreds of yuan to perform a rocking motion, you can intuitively feel the advantages of high-grade aluminum. Despite having very thin walls and being very light, high-grade aluminum handlebars have much better rigidity and strength than cheap aluminum handlebars with thicker walls and heavier weight.
Different grades of aluminum alloy have significant performance differences. The picture shows a high-end frame made of American Easton tubing.
2. Craftsmanship
The frames and parts used in bicycles costing a few hundred yuan are manufactured with basic craftsmanship that only meets the minimum standard of 'usable.' In terms of welding and surface treatment, they cannot be compared to bicycles costing thousands or tens of thousands of yuan. For example, the weld points on high-end frames are uniform and neat, while the weld points on cheap frames are usually messy and may even have defects like blowholes that affect the quality of the weld points.
The welding craftsmanship of high-end frames is very exquisite. The picture shows the welding points of an aluminum alloy frame.
Additionally, the difference in manufacturing craftsmanship is also reflected in the precision of the parts. The manufacturing precision of high-end bicycle parts is much stricter. This can be intuitively felt during assembly—bicycles costing thousands or tens of thousands of yuan usually have parts that fit together more precisely.
Every detail of high-end parts is very precise. The picture shows a Chris King hub.
And the paint job, just like the difference between a supercar and a regular car—the paint finish on high-end bicycles often gives an amazing impression.
The paint job on high-end bicycles also gives an amazing impression.
3. Performance
Undoubtedly, in terms of performance, bicycles with a price difference of tens of times or even higher have significant differences in many aspects besides weight and rigidity.
Take mountain bikes as an example. The front fork on a mountain bike costing a few hundred yuan almost only has two springs as its shock absorption structure, with no adjustment functions. Using it can be very uncomfortable—the shock absorption effect is poor, and it may rattle as if it's about to fall apart, making you feel more secure with a rigid fork. In contrast, high-end mountain bikes are equipped with front forks from brands like Rockshox, Manitou, and Fox, which use more stable and comfortable shock absorption structures like hydraulic and air-assisted springs and dual air chambers. They also have adjustments for rebound damping and shock travel, as well as remote lockout, allowing the rider to switch the 'soft fork' to a rigid fork when the shock absorption system is not needed.
High-end mountain bike front forks have complex internal structures.
The same performance differences are also reflected in the wheelset, shifting, drivetrain, and braking systems. High-end wheelsets costing tens of thousands of yuan have excellent precision, weight, strength, and smoothness. If you stop pedaling at around 25 km/h with high-end wheelsets from brands like Shimano, Mavic, and Enve, your bicycle can continue to coast for hundreds of meters without stopping, thanks to high-quality bearings and well-designed wheel structures. In contrast, the coasting ability of wheelsets on bicycles costing a few hundred yuan may only be a fraction of that of high-end wheelsets. Moreover, high-quality wheelsets can withstand the weight of a person standing on them without deforming, while low-end wheelsets with lower spoke tension cannot withstand such 'abuse.'
High-end bicycle wheelsets are very precise components.
The same goes for the shifting, drivetrain, and braking systems. High-end shifting/drivetrain components provide a very smooth riding experience and quick, precise shifting control. The braking system also excels in feel and braking performance, while the components on bicycles costing a few hundred yuan fall short in these performance aspects and cannot match the durability of high-end components.
The precision of top-tier bicycle components is extremely high.
If you want to truly experience the performance differences between bicycles costing a few hundred yuan and those costing tens of thousands of yuan, you can try them out at a bike shop if possible. High-end bicycles feel light, solid, and effortless to ride, while bicycles costing a few hundred yuan fall far short.
4. Testing
Like cars, a significant portion of the development cost of high-end components is spent on performance testing for strength, durability, and aerodynamics. Parts from well-known manufacturers almost always undergo comprehensive strength testing and continuous durability testing to ensure quality as much as possible. Professional road bike frames, handlebar sets, wheelsets, and even high-end helmets and cycling clothing undergo a complete set of aerodynamic wind tunnel tests and continuous detail improvements before they are released to the market.
High-end sports bicycles undergo a series of tests before leaving the factory.
Due to cost factors, bicycles costing a few hundred yuan almost never undergo such series of tests.