Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite

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2005-05-12 6:57 AM

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Subject: Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite
This may have very little to do with the actual gear. What I am wandering is how can Giant sell a bike with Ultegra/105 combo for $1k MSRP while everyone else (let's take Speci Allez Elite) sells bikes with 105's for $1.2k?

It was pointed out to me that Giant probably doesn't get any better pricing out of Shimano than the rest of the guys like Trek, Speci, etc. So it has got to be in the frame. Do you think there's any merit to this statement?

2005-05-12 9:49 AM
in reply to: #156362

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Subject: RE: Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite

Could just be marketing costs, same reason you pay more for a Coca Cola than you do for a Shasta Cola.

As a result of greater marketing, Specialized and Trek have greater brand recognition, making them more desirable to the general population, thus able to command a premium.

Also consider that MSRP is just a benchmark, doesn't mean that the bike has to be sold at that price.

You can look on ebay and find full Ultegra bikes for <$900 (Motobecane, Mercier).

2005-05-12 11:48 AM
in reply to: #156362

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Subject: RE: Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite

As for greater brand recongnition, I certainly more Giants around here than Trek (only a few), and I seldom see Specialized on the road. Mainly Giant & Schwinn. It might have to do with what your area's LBS carries, and in my small town, only one bike shop carries road bikes, and the chief brand is...Giant. Most bikes on the road here are MTB.

As for the frame, I can't offer a real comparison to many other bikes, but my TCR has perfect welds, is light and responsive and most of all, the compact geometry fitm me perfectly. It may also be more conduscive to converting to tri with the shorter top tube and smaller rear triangle.

Just some novice meanderings...

2005-05-12 2:20 PM
in reply to: #156408

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Subject: RE: Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite
the bear - 2005-05-12 9:49 AM

Could just be marketing costs, same reason you pay more for a Coca Cola than you do for a Shasta Cola.

As a result of greater marketing, Specialized and Trek have greater brand recognition, making them more desirable to the general population, thus able to command a premium.

Also consider that MSRP is just a benchmark, doesn't mean that the bike has to be sold at that price.

You can look on ebay and find full Ultegra bikes for <$900 (Motobecane, Mercier).



To build on what Bear has written, Trek and Cannondale are typically more expensive b/c these bikes are built in the U.S. of A. and not overseas. May I suggest, and against Bear's recommendation, checking out a Felt bike.
2005-05-12 4:07 PM
in reply to: #156597

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Subject: RE: Giant OCR1 vs. Specialized Allez Elite
I went out and bought the only medium-sized OCR1 in this area and asked the shop owner this same question.

Turns out that Specialized doesn't build their own stuff; they resell it; they are a middle man. What's even more interesting is that Giant builds some of the stuff Specialized resells and some of the stuff Trek resells. (Trek is a different story. Apparently they have their own plant in the mid-West, so they are not strictly a reseller.)
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