Im an ashwood user and a fully pikemen, hoplites are meh ;)
I use the ashwood pike too. it's my favourite polearm. As I tried to explain, and which Gurnisson explained better, it's because of balance. Awlpike can be sheathed (pro), but not used with shield (con), and the ashwood can be used with a shield (pro) but not sheathed (con). Another way to think about it is that if they made it sheathable and kept the price, who would use awlpike over ashwood? Remember before when the awlpike was both sheathable and usable with a shield, and the ashwood was unsheathable and unusable with a shield. Isn't it much better the way we have it now?
PS: I want your MW Ashwood Pike!