Is Sram going mad

[Larry King]

I downgraded to the new XT a while back and have been super happy.... I went to Thailand on holiday with the Sram money. On a serious note, the xt has been solid and only 250g heavier as a package. Now i can ride in the rain too and not worry about how much life i am taking out of the 7k cassette.

[anybody seen george?]

Bike industry is sucking the hind tit dry, a bicycle worth more than an adventure motorbike or in the same ballpark??? I dont think so.

 

Stage race organisers also ripping the ring out of it, but kudos to them... supply and demand.

 

I personally would rather go away on a riding weekend somewhere than do an overpriced stage race, theres a whole list of positives and it probably works out cheaper too.

Granted you dont have the racing vibe but thats the least of my worries since Im nowhere near the top guys anyway.

 

Cycling will end up like golf in the next 3 years.

100% agree and feel the same. A weekend, few good mates, beer & braai and you got a way better vibe that a race! 

[Patchelicious]

I would love to know what performance difference there is between the Gold at R22000 and GX at R5k. I'm willing to bet very little.

Definitely not 4 times better.

 

In the same way that a GS1200 is not twice as fast as a GS800

[NicoBoshoff]

Personally I don't care if bikes end up costing R500k. That's the free market at work.

 

But what pisses me off is the industry just lifting the bar across the board, so value goes out the window.

 

That seems to be turning around a bit with more and more sub-R50k bikes appearing with really solid spec that I'd happily get on and go.  Merida, YT, Giant, even Spez all have bikes in that class that have the important specs nailed and the geo up to standard.  In the end you buy those bikes and ride them till the wheels break and you buy some Stans off CWC and you're done.

 

To me the future of bike innovation is value / pricing innovation - how to get to that magical R40k mark with a trail ready build?  I think there are enough contenders in each component segment to put something really good together.  Question is which brand will get that ball rolling (I think some are already busy).

[gummibear]

If you are going to try and logically justify te costs of high end things it won't work. People love premium things, it's in our genetics to want more and better than our neighbors.

The 1% of the 1 percenters is still a huge market for the bike industry to tap into [emoji3]

[usxorf]

Personally I don't care if bikes end up costing R500k. That's the free market at work.

 

But what pisses me off is the industry just lifting the bar across the board, so value goes out the window.

 

That seems to be turning around a bit with more and more sub-R50k bikes appearing with really solid spec that I'd happily get on and go.  Merida, YT, Giant, even Spez all have bikes in that class that have the important specs nailed and the geo up to standard.  In the end you buy those bikes and ride them till the wheels break and you buy some Stans off CWC and you're done.

 

To me the future of bike innovation is value / pricing innovation - how to get to that magical R40k mark with a trail ready build?  I think there are enough contenders in each component segment to put something really good together.  Question is which brand will get that ball rolling (I think some are already busy).

Add the silverback surface and slider LT to the list of value for money bikes. Don't have to ride a "boutique" bike with insane pricing.

[Paddaman]

So what was wrong with the 9x3 set up in the first place?

Okay for the super agro XC rider (Pro type) I can understand not wanting a front derailler, but for the rest of us who do a bit more casual riding and marathon than the XC specialist, what is fundamentally wrong with the cheaper and more robust set up?

 

The silliness of providing a solution to a problem which never existed in the first place just smacks of marketing hype. 

[Patchelicious]

So what was wrong with the 9x3 set up in the first place?

Okay for the super agro XC rider (Pro type) I can understand not wanting a front derailler, but for the rest of us who do a bit more casual riding and marathon than the XC specialist, what is fundamentally wrong with the cheaper and more robust set up?

 

The silliness of providing a solution to a problem which never existed in the first place just smacks of marketing hype. 

 

There is nothing wrong with 3x9, just like there is nothing wrong with a 1992 Toyota Conquest, it will get you to work an back. It will do the job....

 

Just because it was never a problem for you does not mean it wasn't for somebody else. Not everything is marketing hype, some of it is called innovation and without innovation the human race will all still be smacking each other over the head with 26ers. Companies need to innovate to stay ahead of their competition, they need to do this to survive, they definitely don't do it "to screw" anybody.

 

But here its the kicker about free market, you don't like it? Don't buy it! It couldn't be simpler.

[Eddy Gordo]

I dont have much experience with the high end parts, but I prefer using XT shifters and derailleurs over most shimano groups.

As far as sram goes, I only used X5, X7 and X9. Almost no difference between those 3. 

For me the sensible choice would be the gx group, but should I upgrade to 11 or 12 speed, then I will be looking into shimano first.

[Paddaman]

There is nothing wrong with 3x9, just like there is nothing wrong with a 1992 Toyota Conquest, it will get you to work an back. It will do the job....

 

Just because it was never a problem for you does not mean it wasn't for somebody else. Not everything is marketing hype, some of it is called innovation and without innovation the human race will all still be smacking each other over the head with 26ers. Companies need to innovate to stay ahead of their competition, they need to do this to survive, they definitely don't do it "to screw" anybody.

 

But here its the kicker about free market, you don't like it? Don't buy it! It couldn't be simpler.

This is why I still cycle a 26er and lust after a 1960's MGB......

[Aurora]

For me personally, I still ride my XX1 groupset which I found shifted better then the new Eagle.

I now use an XT cassette (R4000 cheaper then the XX1) and a KMC chain and have not had any issues ever.

 

The Eagle is great if it comes on the bike you are buying but then if you can afford that bike, you can afford the new cassette and chain which will be close to R7000 (that's madness).

 

Unless I get sponsored by Sram, I would never use the Eagle at those prices.

 

My hardtail still uses 1x10 Sram XX and works perfectly!

[Patchelicious]

This is why I still cycle a 26er and lust after a 1960's MGB......

And thats really cool, other people lust after carbon, 1 x 14 and Strava KOMs, if we were all driven by the same desires we wouldn't have topics like this.

[DIPSLICK]

I still say we are to blame,,,we pay therefore prices go up

 

as said above look what you pay for a top end bike vs motorbike

 

there is no reasoning on the price other than us planks pay the prices year on year,,,so why would they change the price???

 

DEMAND supply

 

if everyone keeps their hands in their pockets for 1 year,,,boooom what do you think these parts are going to cost, and the bikes

[Eddy Gordo]

And thats really cool, other people lust after carbon, 1 x 14 and Strava KOMs, if we were all driven by the same desires we wouldn't have topics like this.

Funny you should say that.

I just came across this

Shimano 14 speed XT Samurai:

1. 10-54 gear range
2. Rhythm Step gearing – 10 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 34 | 37 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 54
3. Standard/regular freehub body used – no XD aftermarket driver needed  - SELLING POINT?
4. Expanded Rhythm Step gearing options (56 tooth option available)
5. XTSS™ (XT Samurai Shifting) system for improved transition between gears – no harsh jumps
6. Shadow SS™ (Samurai Shifting) rear mech with multi adjustable clutch retention system and Ultra Range™ jockey wheels
7. Sprocket spacing the same as Shimano 11speed – uses the same chain. SELLING POINT?
8. XT M088 Samurai™ 11-54 cassette | £73.99
9. XT M088 Samurai™ 11-56 Expanded Rhythm cassette | £78.99
10. XT M088 Samurai™ Ultra Range™ Rear mech | £74.99 
11. XT M088 Samurai™ i-Spec II shifter | £40.99
12. https://factoryjackson.com/2016/04/01/shimano-14-speed-xt-samurai-unveiled/

[Odinson]

 

Funny you should say that.

I just came across this

Shimano 14 speed XT Samurai:

1. 10-54 gear range
2. Rhythm Step gearing – 10 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 34 | 37 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 54
3. Standard/regular freehub body used – no XD aftermarket driver needed  - SELLING POINT?
4. Expanded Rhythm Step gearing options (56 tooth option available)
5. XTSS™ (XT Samurai Shifting) system for improved transition between gears – no harsh jumps
6. Shadow SS™ (Samurai Shifting) rear mech with multi adjustable clutch retention system and Ultra Range™ jockey wheels
7. Sprocket spacing the same as Shimano 11speed – uses the same chain. SELLING POINT?
8. XT M088 Samurai™ 11-54 cassette | £73.99
9. XT M088 Samurai™ 11-56 Expanded Rhythm cassette | £78.99
10. XT M088 Samurai™ Ultra Range™ Rear mech | £74.99 
11. XT M088 Samurai™ i-Spec II shifter | £40.99
12. https://factoryjackson.com/2016/04/01/shimano-14-speed-xt-samurai-unveiled/

 

 

 

 

*ACTUALLY, NOTHING CHANGES. THIS WAS ENTIRELY MADE UP JUST FOR FUN. APRIL FOOLS DAY, AND ALL THAT. 1ST OF THE 4TH = 14. GET IT? 

 

No way in hell that Shimano would slap a name such as 'Samurai' on one of their products.

[Eddy Gordo]

I saw that