Originally Posted by
AngryScientist
i think its safer to say that the "masses" ride ultegra level stuff, not DA. i say the electronic shifting stuff isnt REALLY going to catch on until it starts coming stock on reasonably affordable bikes.
same with sram really. they gained popularity steadily, but i dont think they really "made it" until sram stuff started appearing as widely available at the lbs actually on a bike people could buy, because lets face it, only a few of us nut jobs buy a frame and a component set separately. the "masses" just buy a bike they can ride out the shop door.
It depends on how you define the "masses." If you mean enthusiasts, you may be right. But the true "masses" ride sora or whatever cheaper line is on the $100-$300 bikes from wally world or entry level bikes at the LBS.
It would be interesting to see how many drivetrains and/or derailleurs shimano makes/year separated out by group. My suspicion is that the "higher level" say 105/ultegra/DA make up less than 20% of their business.