Bicycle Mechanics - Why is Shimano so expensive

I was looking for some new brifters when I couldn't believe what I saw. Nashbar has 105 brifters for the same a Chorus. There is a world of difference in the two. http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?category=104&subcategory=1194&storetype=&estoreid=&init=y&pagename=Category%3A%20Shifters%2FBrake%20Levers

It is almost impossible for Shimano to justify asking that much for 105.

Tim

Yeah, that's crazy. I don't think it's about which is better but instead which is newer. Notice that the size of the discounts seem to reflect how long the product has been available.

Al

I think the real question is that why are brifters so freaking expensive? I picked up a 92 Paramount that has 600/ultegra on it, and saw that the brifters on it sell for over $100 on ebay.

Yeah, that's crazy. I don't think it's about which is better but instead which is newer. Notice that the size of the discounts seem to reflect how long the product has been available.

Al

You mean even the MO guys charge whatever the market will bear?;)

Only fools discount heavily desired parts in short supply...:D

What's the real difference in the 105, Ultegra, and DA birifters? I'm sure theyre the same mechanics, just bling and weight. What I'm saying is that the 105 brifters mechanically could be rated just as high as DA in my opinion. That could explain one reason of the cost. Let me know if you disagree.

Check out the rest of the Campy group though, the Chorus rear derailer is $102 more than 105 and $44 more than Dura Ace! That's with the same discounts!

Shimano's ten speed stuff -is- very expensive. That said, it's very nice. Right now I'm running 105 10 speed brifters on my road bike and they really do feel 'that much' nicer than the older 9 speed 105 stuff, to justify the increase in price...

As for internal differences, I think the main difference betwewen 105/Ultegra/Dura-Ace nowadays is the material of the levers and the pivots.... ultegra and D-A have more bearings in them, and D-A I think has 'lighter' levers.

The Dura-Ace and 10-speed Ultegra shifters are double and triple specific. If you have a double it's nice not having the extra unnecessary clickstops on the front shifter.

Al

Check out the rest of the Campy group though, the Chorus rear derailer is $102 more than 105 and $44 more than Dura Ace! That's with the same discounts!
Most of that is the carbon fiber and European labor. Shimano outsources lots of it's components in SE Asia. Campy still makes it all in Italy.

Tim

You mean even the MO guys charge whatever the market will bear?;)

Only fools discount heavily desired parts in short supply...:D

true. if they weren't selling the prices would be lower. also, i think if you shop around you can get a much better price.

capitalism 101 :eek: .

ed rader

Do the Chorus have thumb shifters (a la Sora)?

Do the Chorus have thumb shifters (a la Sora)?

All Campy brifters have thumb release levers. They are better positioned than Sora but every Campy group has them. BTW, they are a "feature", not a "bug". :)

Seriously, I have both Campy and Shimano brifter-equipped bikes and they both work extremely well.