Bike Builds: Why the Cheapest Bikes Come with Front Derailleurs and the #1 Upgrade to Make

Aaron Abrams is Director of Product for Marin Bicycles and is currently based in Taiwan. The Marin bike brand has been around since 1986 and the company’s slogan says their bikes are “Made For Fun.”
In this episode we talk about how mountain bikes are specced, and how product managers make decisions about which parts to include.

When planning out the builds for a bike like the Marin Rift Zone 29 (three options, priced between $2,000 and $3,000), do you start with a set of say 3 price targets and choose the best parts that make those prices work?
How important is overall bike weight when it comes to build specs?
What is the purpose of speccing house-brand components like bars, saddles, and stems on bike builds? Is there a lot of cost savings by going this route?
Why did Marin recently start selling branded aftermarket grips, bars, and stems?
We rarely see full suspension builds that mix and match forks and shocks from different brands. Why is that?
How do you know if consumers are going to like a part, say a particular tire model, or if it’s going to perform as well as another competing part choice?
Why do so many entry-level, budget bikes include front derailleurs? Is it because no one is making a cheap 1-by drivetrain, or because buyers at this price point think they want a lot of gears?
What is the first component you would personally upgrade when buying an entry-level mountain bike?
Why can't customers choose from a menu of parts when ordering a mountain bike? Why are we still, for the most part, limited to just a few set choices when it comes to builds?
Have pandemic-related supply chain issues altered the way brands are thinking about bike builds going forward?
Do the athletes you work with weigh in on component choices and build specs for the models they ride? Do outside sponsorships make this tricky?
Where do customers tend to get the best value when it comes to buying a complete bike: at the low end, or the high end?

To get a better sense of some of the parts and builds discussed check out marinbikes.com.
✏️ A written transcript of this conversation is available to Singletracks Pro supporters: singletracks.com/support
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