Originally Posted by
noglider
I've mentioned this belief of mine before: there is a lot of hype about high-end vs low-end bike components. Most of the price difference goes to profit. I know that from experience. A lot of it goes into the finish, not the materials that make it durable or perform better.
So your low end derailleur might last as long as a high-end one.
To me, it can be worthwhile paying extra for a good frame, tires, and rims, but with the rest, I think it pays to shop for value.
Of course, some people need super-durable things. Most of us do not. By their nature, bikes need a lot of maintenance per mile, no matter what you do, and high end components don't change that much.
One theory behind Suntour's demise is that they didn't charge enough for their high end components. People chose Shimano or Campy instead because they thought they were getting a superior product over Suntour based on the price. In reality Suntour just wasn't gouging as much.
We've been programmed to think of metal as quality and plastic as cheap and flimsy. A lot of times that's true. Sometimes it isn't.