All I know* is that i bought all the bikes I will ever need** while the prices were still low.
* Actually that is not all i know. I know a lot of stuff.
** At least for a very long time.
I dont think prices will fall. When a company wants to reduce prices, they wont do that on existing models as that gives a bad public perception as if that model is no good. Instead, some new models will be introduced at a lower price and the older more expensive models will be removed from the market.
Did anyone notice a few years back when carbon frame bike prices were shooting up and YouTube "influencers" were talking about how awesome aluminium bikes were these days? I dont think its a coincidence that bike companies were in cohoots with said influencers to promote alu bikes. These days i see the same thing happening with steel frames.
Source of information: my noggin.
Indeed; I feel very fortunate to have bought my CdF just as the Covid situation was starting to bite and paid a lot less than a similarly-specced offering would cost me now.
I don't think new prices will fall either. I do think that we're living through the death-knell of rampant, casual and disposible consumption / consumerism and are returning to the days where everything is more expensive - and in turn a more considered, long-lived and cherished purchase.. which while painful for some is ultimately the way it should be.
I think the resurgence in love for steel is a bit different to that for ally though - the touting of aluminium perhaps being the result of industry shills pushing a lower-price alternative to CFRP to make it seem more viable / desirable in the face of rising prices.
Conversely steel on the other hand is, I think more likely to be a response to consumers who are sick of wasting their money on products that are ultimately disposible. In uncertain times, products that are stable and reliable gain fresh market appeal.
the cheeky monkeys.
