Re: wool jerseys?

IIRC, good wool jerseys retailed for $35-40 in the mid-1980s.
According to the inflation calculator at Westegg.com, $35 in "1985
dollars" is $65.49 in "2006 dollars". so, the price of a wool jersey
has effectively doubled (adjusted for inflation) in the past ~20
years. I would consider a new wool jersey if the retail price was
$65-70; but at $130+, never!

You've pretty much nailed the reason a wool jersey costs so much then.
Add
the inflation calculator to the devaluation of the dollar that's
happened
during the same time frame, and you probably get darn close to the $130
current pricing.

Wool jerseys have been pricey for several years, whilst the decline of
the dollar is a bit more recent. And, do not inflation figures account
for currency value?- Hide quoted text -

Inflation figures show the overall average for everything a typical person
buys. There's no built-in adjustment for currency devaluation, beyond the
extent to which currency devaluation has increased the overall cost of
living. The relationship between the value of the dollar and overall
inflation is not positive, and over the course of time, may in fact show to
be negative.

But fear not; every once in a blue moon, important people meet to discuss
what should, and should not, be included in the various inflation indices.
Perhaps you can make a compelling case for them to kick out something
insignificant, like, say, a half gallon of milk, and replace it with wool
cycling jerseys!


- Show quoted text -

And of course the dollar devaluation in the past 3 years should only
affect imports. So any and all wool clothes made in the USA should be
unaffected. Unless the wool is imported. But I was reading on a wool
website that the US is a wool exporter in total. So I think marketing
is the reason wool jerseys are expensive, not currency fluctuations or
inflation. Wool is in so people will pay.

Domestic wool is not used in cycling jerseys. I don't know why; I don't even
know where it goes. I should, as my grandparents were farmers, as is my
Uncle, and they used to raise sheep. For info on who is actually producing
wool these days, check this out-
http://www.woolisbest.com/documents/woolfacts_0410.pdf. The US isn't even in
the top-10 anymore. Not for production *or* importation.

Not surprisingly, China sucks up a LOT of wool. More than 3 times the next
country (Italy), and that was in 2004. I'll bet it's even more lopsided
today.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




<russellseaton1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7c097b98-b9f9-4440-a9f4-2dd614e401cb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Nov 21, 3:57 pm, Ozark Bicycle
<bicycleatel...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Nov 21, 10:21 am, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <mik...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:





Why don't you just wear heavier synthetic jerseys? Or several
layers? I'm sure wool clothes work but as Ozark said, the price is
unbelievable.

IIRC, good wool jerseys retailed for $35-40 in the mid-1980s.
According to the inflation calculator at Westegg.com, $35 in "1985
dollars" is $65.49 in "2006 dollars". so, the price of a wool jersey
has effectively doubled (adjusted for inflation) in the past ~20
years. I would consider a new wool jersey if the retail price was
$65-70; but at $130+, never!

You've pretty much nailed the reason a wool jersey costs so much then.
Add
the inflation calculator to the devaluation of the dollar that's
happened
during the same time frame, and you probably get darn close to the $130
current pricing.

Wool jerseys have been pricey for several years, whilst the decline of
the dollar is a bit more recent. And, do not inflation figures account
for currency value?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

And of course the dollar devaluation in the past 3 years should only
affect imports. So any and all wool clothes made in the USA should be
unaffected. Unless the wool is imported. But I was reading on a wool
website that the US is a wool exporter in total. So I think marketing
is the reason wool jerseys are expensive, not currency fluctuations or
inflation. Wool is in so people will pay.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: wool jerseys?
    ... I'm sure wool clothes work but as Ozark said, the price is ... According to the inflation calculator at Westegg.com, ... I would consider a new wool jersey if the retail price was ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)
  • Re: wool jerseys?
    ... According to the inflation calculator at Westegg.com, ... I would consider a new wool jersey if the retail price was ... There's no built-in adjustment for currency devaluation, ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)
  • Re: wool jerseys?
    ... I'm sure wool clothes work but as Ozark said, the price is ... According to the inflation calculator at Westegg.com, ... I would consider a new wool jersey if the retail price was ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)
  • Re: Wool for winter riding in Oregon??
    ... synthetics I have tried is stay warm when wet. ... wool has a broader comfortable temperature range than any synthetic I ... I wear an Ibex merino wool jersey in a wide temperature ... around here and doing any of the longer descents. ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)
  • Re: Wool for winter riding in Oregon??
    ... synthetics I have tried is stay warm when wet. ... wool has a broader comfortable temperature range than any synthetic I ... I wear an Ibex merino wool jersey in a wide temperature ... around here and doing any of the longer descents. ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)