Originally Posted by Expatriate
Damn, I didn't know Ti fillings were available! Seriously though, I feel bad that the prices here are so high, it's a big ripoff. From what I can see, it's the fault of "exclusive distributors", not your local LBS. But I import all my stuff myself, and that saves me heaps. I'm sure now that the AU$ is so high, we'll see a drop in prices. Not. You guys would make fun of my brother and his shiny bike, hey? That's fine. We only went with Ti for the tandem because that's what the builder uses. It's got couplers like S&S makes so we can take it apart when we travel. If the builder worked in steel, we would have gotten that instead. I'm just too big for a skinny tire road bike on Newcastle's poor roads. I hope you guys don't me having a sticky at this forum.
Good idea getting the S&S Coplers on that tandem. Can you imagine paying freight on it without them? Holy hell that would hurt. What brand did you get? I bet it cost you an absolute packet.
Man, I reckon retail, especially high end retail is dead. The only thing I buy locally is tubes on the rare occasion I get a flat, although I guess thats because I have a little bike company and can buy most things direct so I can avoid excessive levels of the chain of distribution. Every 'consumer' I speak to buys most of their high end stuff via US mailorder. The bottom line is, is that if you only have a 5% chance that you'll require a warranty, then why pay double the US price for the privalige of buying locally? It's a calculated risk.