Wayne Stetina leaves Shimano after 37 years, joins SRAM

[mcteague]

WS has moved over to the dark side! Discuss.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...m#.Yd6qCVlOmUk

Wayne Stetina is leaving Shimano American, where he has held leadership and product positions for 37 years, to join arch rival SRAM, according to several BRAIN sources and an interview published Friday on RoadBikeAction.com.

Tim

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by mcteague

WS has moved over to the dark side! Discuss.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...m#.Yd6qCVlOmUk

Wayne Stetina is leaving Shimano American, where he has held leadership and product positions for 37 years, to join arch rival SRAM, according to several BRAIN sources and an interview published Friday on RoadBikeAction.com.

Tim

THAT is amazing. I've talked to wayne many, many times and he bled shimano blue blood. Must be some really ugly stuff going on at shimano for him to do this.
I wonder if he'll 'nudge' taco ed out..which wouldn't be a bad thing...

[buddybikes]

He's 68, how many more years in the tank for work would he have?

[blakcloud]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

He's 68, how many more years in the tank for work would he have?

Since it is California it might depend on how many ex-wives he has had.

But seriously, I agree with you. This may be a person who just likes to work.

[Velocipede]

He always like SRAM eTap. I know someone who worked for SNS and has a picture of Wayne riding an eTap bike. He used to say that if he could pick and choose parts, he would take certain things from each company cause some make select pieces better than the other. He's used Campagnolo brake calipers on his Shimano bikes for years because he felt they were better and had better feel and power than the Shimano ones. I do find it interesting timing. Supposedly he isn't going to be doing much other than "walking around with a SRAM shirt on".

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Velocipede

He always like SRAM eTap. I know someone who worked for SNS and has a picture of Wayne riding an eTap bike. He used to say that if he could pick and choose parts, he would take certain things from each company cause some make select pieces better than the other. He's used Campagnolo brake calipers on his Shimano bikes for years because he felt they were better and had better feel and power than the Shimano ones. I do find it interesting timing. Supposedly he isn't going to be doing much other than "walking around with a SRAM shirt on".

When shimano 11s was brand new, at inter bike and Wayne was foisting how great, smooth, 'like di2' that 9000/DA was..

And he 'quietly' mentioned that this 11s stuff was completely compatible with his 'favorite' wheel set on his personal bike..Shamals with a 11s Campagnolo cogset...

BUT the t-shirt isn't compatible with other sram t shirts....

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

When shimano 11s was brand new, at inter bike and Wayne was foisting how great, smooth, 'like di2' that 9000/DA was..

And he 'quietly' mentioned that this 11s stuff was completely compatible with his 'favorite' wheel set on his personal bike..Shamals with a 11s Campagnolo cogset...

BUT the t-shirt isn't compatible with other sram t shirts....

I wonder if his personal bike will still be a mix or if it'll be full SRAM? And I still say the Shamal Mille wheelset is the best one made in the last 5+ years. Love them.

[AngryScientist]

wow that's an impressive run. These days, it's super rare to hear about anyone at a single company for anywhere near that many years.

Wonder if Sram just offered him a boatload of $ to come for a year, tell them all the shimano secrets and retire.

"wayne, we just gotta know - why did you guys keep making hollow aluminum cranks that break in half, and why did you make grx shifters the ugliest thing on the planet?"

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

wow that's an impressive run. These days, it's super rare to hear about anyone at a single company for anywhere near that many years.

Wonder if Sram just offered him a boatload of $ to come for a year, tell them all the shimano secrets and retire.

"wayne, we just gotta know - why did you guys keep making hollow aluminum cranks that break in half, and why did you make grx shifters the ugliest thing on the planet?"

Gotta think it's something 'from the top' at shimano, Japan that drove this. shimano, Japan, values loyalty, almost above all else. Got wonder if some pix of Wayne riding a Campag 12 SR bike or something.

[prototoast]

Maybe he maxed out his pension with Shimano?

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

wow that's an impressive run. These days, it's super rare to hear about anyone at a single company for anywhere near that many years.

Wonder if Sram just offered him a boatload of $ to come for a year, tell them all the shimano secrets and retire.

"wayne, we just gotta know - why did you guys keep making hollow aluminum cranks that break in half, and why did you make grx shifters the ugliest thing on the planet?"

I’ve got the Di2 GRX and find the shifters as attractive as anything else but primarily I find them ergonomically quite good.

As to the aluminum cranks, yeah, that’s an issue.

[ntb1001]

Originally Posted by prototoast

Maybe he maxed out his pension with Shimano?

Could be as simple as this.

I maxed out my pension and retired last year at age 54 with over 31 years. Collecting full pension now and double dipping getting paid that pension and the pay from my new job in same industry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mistermo]

SRAM's biggest presence is here in Indianapolis (also w/ Zipp). The Stetinas are Indiana boys. In the days prior to Covid, Dale would show up to group rides and still hammered. I doubt Indianapolis has anything to do with it, to be clear.

"Stetina still holds the Little 500 record for most laps completed by a single cyclist, having completed 144 of 200 laps in 1973.

“There was actually a big crash that year, and I flipped but landed on my feet”, recalled Stetina. “I had to come in to change my bike and was within 10 yards of going down a lap. I was a rookie but I understood strong racing tactics. And it helps to have 25,000 screaming students and fans watching a bike race in a stadium.”

[witcombusa]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

wow that's an impressive run. These days, it's super rare to hear about anyone at a single company for anywhere near that many years.

Wonder if Sram just offered him a boatload of $ to come for a year, tell them all the shimano secrets and retire.

"wayne, we just gotta know - why did you guys keep making hollow aluminum cranks that break in half, and why did you make grx shifters the ugliest thing on the planet?"

I'm coming up on 41 years under the same umbrella

[Toeclips]

I remember the two Stetna brothers Wayne and Dale, they were a big thing in the 70's
I was lucky enough to see them race in Washington DC Rockcreek Park and at The Eclipse near the White House
When DC area had a major bike scene