another builder is seeing 'red'

[Climb01742]

from IF's blog:

http://ifbikesblog.blogspot.com/2012...11-or-not.html

you can see the cold-hard business reality of what sram is doing, but what sucks, IMO, is for sram to try to pimp the big boys and the little dudes at the same time. just be honest, sram. the big bike manufacturers are your true friends and true bread and butter. fine, cool. but then don't try to lock up smaller, cooler builders with a sorta-bait-and-switch dealio. as gary says, the craftsman builders really don't matter to sram. again, fine, cool, that's business. just don't lead them on.

[jr59]

Sram = ???

Campy is always faster!

[fourflys]

well, just like the other thread, there is one glaring sentence that stands out in my mind...

"We always allocated hot new product to customers with the most influence, not necessarily those with the most cash"

it seems IF is trying to say they have more influence than the "big guys"... let's think about the size of audience Trek gets and the size of audience ALL of NAHBS gets... I have a pretty good idea of how has more influence just by the number of units on the street...

just like the last thread, I think it would be great if SRAM ponied up the new stuff but I think they have a good point about fairness... if they give the new stuff to RS, IF, and Vanilla let's say... is it fair to not give it to DeSalvo or Erickson? I have no idea if this would be accurate, just an example...

I LOVE the small builders and will likely be using one when I move down from Alaska in 3 yrs, but if they think they have more influence or power than a Trek, Specialized, or Giant... I just don't see it, sorry...

[bargainguy]

Not a SRAM person, but after reading this and e-Ritchie's take, I'm even less of one.

Don

[Kontact]

I'm a little surprised that IF had chosen to equip all five of their show bikes with identical groups - especially since when they bought them there was no mention of them being new Red, just the same Red that had been out awhile.

FSA, Miche, Tissot, Microshift, Phil Wood, Mavic, Stronglight, Cane Creek, Feather, Zero Gravity, Rotor, Sugino, etc. all offer some nice alternative components to Campy or Shimano, and ones that better match the idea of the limited production custom bike.

If I was one of these NAHBS people, I would strongly consider not using SRAM at all for all the reasons stated - why showcase old news?

[54ny77]

hated red when i had it, dislike it even more based on how this has played out.

shifts about as loud and clunky as 4.10 straight cut gears.

i want smooth like a 7 speed dsg slushbox, thank you.

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

hated red when i had it, dislike it even more based on how this has played out.

shifts about as loud and clunky as 4.10 straight cut gears.

i want smooth like a 7 speed dsg slushbox, thank you.

+1

Most folks I know who tried it felt the same. Back to 7900 for me.

[tsarpepe]

What I don't understand is why IF are so hooked on SRAM. Because it's American? Just dump this sheet and never look back.

[97CSI]

Originally Posted by tsarpepe

What I don't understand is why IF are so hooked on SRAM. Because it's American? Just dump this sheet and never look back.

SRAM is hardly American. Made in China.

And, if I recall correctly, e-Ritchie got pissed at Campy back when and went with SRAM. As stated above, with his RS cachet, he is still really small potatoes (rather than old potatoe ) compared to Trek, Giant, etc.

[54ny77]

Yeah but Sachs and IF are like an elegant gratin, whereas the others....eh, bland & plain dehydrated potato buds. Which you you rather eat?

Originally Posted by 97CSI

SRAM is hardly American. Made in China.

And, if I recall correctly, e-Ritchie got pissed at Campy back when and went with SRAM. As stated above, with his RS cachet, he is still really small potatoes (rather than old potatoe ) compared to Trek, Giant, etc.

[97CSI]

Yes.......... unquestionably, we are all connaisseurs of fine bicycles posting here, but SRAM makes their living off the blue-collar buyer.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by fourflys

well, just like the other thread, there is one glaring sentence that stands out in my mind...

"We always allocated hot new product to customers with the most influence, not necessarily those with the most cash"

it seems IF is trying to say they have more influence than the "big guys"... let's think about the size of audience Trek gets and the size of audience ALL of NAHBS gets... I have a pretty good idea of how has more influence just by the number of units on the street...

just like the last thread, I think it would be great if SRAM ponied up the new stuff but I think they have a good point about fairness... if they give the new stuff to RS, IF, and Vanilla let's say... is it fair to not give it to DeSalvo or Erickson? I have no idea if this would be accurate, just an example...

I LOVE the small builders and will likely be using one when I move down from Alaska in 3 yrs, but if they think they have more influence or power than a Trek, Specialized, or Giant... I just don't see it, sorry...

Yep, sram couldn't spare say 10-15 red groups out of the 15,000-20,000 they will 'sell' to trekspecializedgiant..I can see it would really put a bind into their attempt at world wide dominance.

It's not about numbers or influence or power..it's about perception. This forum and the 3 others I am on have a very dim view of sram...VERY similiar to the cutthroat, take no prisoner, arrogant practices of special-ed.

sram are being pricks, and is in keeping with my dealings with those in their ivory towers...thanks, no sram for me or my shop. No demo bikes with it, no spare parts, shimano works just fine(better).

The outside sram guy wonders why I feel this way...he's needs to spend some time in the trenches. When sram isn't a price/great deal, only reason for their OE presence right now, they will disappear like suntour did.

AMF

[Kontact]

It seems very fashionable on this site to dislike SRAM, and love Campy. Other places you'll see very different opinions.

A lot of people have hated Shimano for decades, and they have certainly manipulated the bike industry far more than any other single entity, even having killed Suntour in the process.


SRAM is definitely an American company - US engineers and owners who make their products overseas - just like everybody else. But there has never been a US component group making company, so it isn't exactly a loss to US workers.


It sounds like IF and RS genuinely like SRAM for who they are and their products, but are disappointed in what they've done today - not in general. But that's a hard thing to understand if you're unable to get past a loud index click.

[54ny77]

Go SRAM go!!

This had to have been written by a bunch of product guys in the middle of a coke-fueled stripper party featuring Tony Robbins videos playing on an endless loop.

http://www.sram.com/company/about

[snip...]

"Narrow minded yet forward thinking."

[snip...]

Now that we have achieved total drive train nirvana, we will continue to seek and deploy technological and engineering advancements, as we compulsively refine and redefine the pinnacle of the ultimate ride."

[jpw]

Sram...scram.

DA is good - "... the heritage of Campagnolo and the precision of Shimano."