> Cheaper does not eliminate the quality. They can both co-exist and indeed do.
It sometimes does, if it eliminates quality out of the market. Say a quality frame costed $500 before; then you have a new, cheaper technology that can achieve similar performance by cutting out more extreme loads / road conditions; as manufacturers jump at it to save money, suddenly the whole $100-$800 range uses just that, and the quality frame rises to $1500 due to collapsing demand. Can't say whether it's good or bad on the whole, but it annoys the hell out of me in cases where I could afford the quality product but I can't, because nobody is making it anymore.
Instead of middle range products you get low tier and high tier products and those absorb their different shares of the market from the middle.
This type of extreme seems to happen in all facets of human society over time including jobs, housing, cars, etc..
The middle becomes pushed out.
That's been a big issue for a long time.
Alot of access is given to people who previously had no access but the middle is somewhat eliminated.
You have a very solid extremely valid counter point and I think the person you're responding too created a false dichomtomy.
Cheaper does not eliminate the quality. They can both co-exist and indeed do.
The lower tier just opens the door for a group of people who never had access before.
Thank you for your input.