Swapping out the bearings is still a lot of maintenance for a piece of equipment that otherwise requires very little.

> If you're in the market for their product, you can probably afford it.

You make it sound like they're ridiculously priced and only those with lavish lifestyles are their target market.

For the convenience that you get out of the product, it's well worth the price. It costs no more than a mid-range bicycle. With the recent price drop, they're even more affordable.