Should I hate Shimano?

[stackie]

Here's the deal. I've been a lifelong Shimano user. Had a Alfine commuter bike built about 18 months ago. Well, I was being stupid and had a low speed tumble. Everything OK, except brake levers snapped off at the clamps. LBS called Shimano. No replacements available. No idea when they might become available. Only one other hydraulic brake lever that Shimano makes would be compatible, but would cost roughly $200 per lever. I'm really upset by this. Why make a group if you're not going to follow through and have some replacement parts available? The group has been out less than three years now.

LBS dude recommended that I just buy a Hayes hydraulic set and move on. I asked about going to an Avid cable system, which he said would be just as good.

So, here are my options.

1. Buy Hayes system. Pros: most economical. Cons: still the hydraulic headache (maybe not a headache, but another thing for me to figure out how to service)

2. Buy Avid mechanical disc set. Pros: I'm more comfortable with cable systems. Cons: Cost more.

3. Wait for Shimano replacement. Pros: Satisfies my OCD desire for matched components. Don't have to replace calipers. Cons: Undetermined wait. Cost more than either of the previous two options.

This experience may just put Campy or Red on my next bike.

Jon

[Pegoready]

Going with the Avids, won't the whole setup cost way less than the $200 Shimano replacement levers? Plus, you'll have a huge choice of levers to use. Avid, Shimano, Paul, etc.

Bummer about the Alfine levers, but doing a quick search online I see a few sources that have the caliper/lever set for $62/wheel. What's the problem? Am I missing something?

http://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=details&PageID=30&SKU=BR2401A
http://aebike.com/page.cfm?action=details&PageID=30&SKU=BR2400A

[erector]

I do like the shimano stuff for my mountain bike, primarily because i'm not too keen on the sram stuff, and the trigger shifter is a brilliant piece of equipment (not brilliant because it'd take a genius to figure it's the best configuration, but brilliant because they patented it and made it well). Their XTR rear shifter is great also.

HOWEVER, i've dealt with a LOT of customer complaints about shimano and their stock of replacement parts. CAMPY has replacement EVERYTHING(S) which is why I use them. You can use the same pieces for years, and have them fixed through and through.

Shimano also changes their whole line up, mark up the prices, and drops all production for past stuff, so you have to buy a whole new set-up. 9spd, 10spd, new 10spd, computer spd... you get the picture

Stick to hydraulic (if you go down hill) - you will love the modulation, and they're NOT that hard to maintain - just get a mechanic to bleed your breaks

[stackie]

Pego,

You know, I had googled the levers a couple of weeks prior to going to the LBS and noticed that I couldn't buy just the levers. So, my mission was to go to the LBS and get only what I needed. I had forgotten that I had found the sets. I'll check with AEbike and see if they are in stock. That might be kinda cool anyway as AEBike was the LBS in my hometown and sold me my first real bike, a screaming yellow Trek 360.

Thanks for the craniums up/reminder.

Jon

[ty-ro]

Avid BB7's are nice brakes.

[gemship]

I do like the shimano stuff for my mountain bike, primarily because i'm not too keen on the sram stuff, and the trigger shifter is a brilliant piece of equipment (not brilliant because it'd take a genius to figure it's the best configuration, but brilliant because they patented it and made it well). Their XTR rear shifter is great also.

HOWEVER, i've dealt with a LOT of customer complaints about shimano and their stock of replacement parts. CAMPY has replacement EVERYTHING(S) which is why I use them. You can use the same pieces for years, and have them fixed through and through.

Shimano also changes their whole line up, mark up the prices, and drops all production for past stuff, so you have to buy a whole new set-up. 9spd, 10spd, new 10spd, computer spd... you get the picture

Stick to hydraulic (if you go down hill) - you will love the modulation, and they're NOT that hard to maintain - just get a mechanic to bleed your breaks


does Campy make mountainbike stuff? I have the shimano alivio drivetrain with cable operated deore disk setup and it works decent. I don't do offroading and the bike is set up with slicks and I have to say compared to my ultegra 10 speed road bike it's not quite as smooth but very very good at what it does considering the quality. I think the brakepads are sort of expensive and can wear very fast given salty, sandy,wet road conditions.

Although I must add that being Alivio grade if I was to ever need just the lever I would also be in the market for a shifter because the whole setup is designed as one piece shifters,brakes,perch(clamping to handlebar). It's kind of cheesy then again it's entry level. The funny thing is that ergonomically speaking my hands seem to like this more that the separately perched shifter and brake controls of the higher up Deore line.

[palincss]

This experience may just put Campy or Red on my next bike.



Do either Campagnolo or SRAM Red have disk brake options?

[stackie]

There's some confusion here. My next bike would almost certainly be another road bike because that's where my love lies. So, my frustrations with Shimano not being able to supply a new lever for my less than two year old Alfine group were being expressed by the comment of switching brand loyalty. Campy and Red don't offer disk brakes and we all know that.

Anyway, it looks like I was able to buy the whole shebang (levers, lines, and calipers) for about $125 which was not unreasonable given the absurd pricing of most bike stuff. So, assuming I don't get a disappointing email from AEBike saying that the stuff is not availble, I'll be ok.

Jon

[Pete Serotta]

Shimano has never been good at replacement parts or components....Just try to order a 9speed chain ring or a der. This has been a business that they have chosen to not play in. It costs $$s to stock all those items once a new model comes out. Campy is not as good as they use to be,,,,but still better for parts - but they will cost you dearly.

I would assume that SRAM plays by the same rules but I do not have 1st hand experience.

Yeah, you can get parts for CAMPY but try pricing a lever or individual component that is no longer in production.,, How about a CAMPY ti seat post?


This is just the way of the world today....Feel bad for the person who buys electronic and then in three years or more tries to get a replacement.


:confused:

[stackie]

That's why I'm constantly on the prowl for good condition 9spd stuff. I've got a decent supply of stuff. However, what's their excuse for not stocking parts for a group that they are, in theory, still making?

And we wonder why bicycling is not a more popular activity/mode of transportation. I guess we should buy the bike du jour at Costco, and when the tire goes flat put it in the trash and buy a new one. Oh, for simpler times...

Jon

[Brian Smith]

Shimano has never been good at replacement parts or components....Just try to order a 9speed chain ring or a der. This has been a business that they have chosen to not play in. It costs $$s to stock all those items once a new model comes out. Campy is not as good as they use to be,,,,but still better for parts - but they will cost you dearly.

I would assume that SRAM plays by the same rules but I do not have 1st hand experience.

Yeah, you can get parts for CAMPY but try pricing a lever or individual component that is no longer in production.,, How about a CAMPY ti seat post?


:confused:

Downstream availability of replacement parts has always been spotty for Shimano, as well as others, but as a retailer, I always found sourcing replacement parts for Shimano equipment much easier than their competition. The California warehouse had oodles of cool tiny replacement parts, and the dealer small parts catalogue would not only show you exploded view diagrams, but also often suggest substitute parts that were not an exact match, but would function fine. From a consumer's standpoint, that didn't mean that they could walk into a bike shop and purchase the part that they needed, but at least the dealer could order it.

AEBike sources their parts and part numbers directly from one of the most popular wholesalers of aftermarket bike components to dealers. If AEBike had it in stock, and the dealer said that it was not available, something is a little wierd.

I'm glad that the Alfine parts were able to be sourced and ordered, all is well, I suppose, that ends well.

[WadePatton]

Avid BB7's are nice brakes.
second.

and hate every company that changes its whole product line every year for no apparent reason but marketing.

yes, it's that simple.

[erector]

I think that Campy tried a while ago to make mountain components, but for some reason it didn't work out. I think they had issues with their shifters and getting the right set up. They're a relatively popular crossbike gruppo, but that's still road based equipment.

To be honest, the Shimano mountain drivetrains really do work well. I have an XTR/XTcrankset up, and the XTR stuff shifts REALLY well. But there's only 2 options (shimano and SRAM), and shimano wins out for me. I did also get my gruppo through a promotion they had for employees of the shop, so that helped out a lot. Their disk breaks worked out pretty well for me, but then again, you have to go for the higher end stuff (i've found).