hybridbkrdr

I've been looking at various websites lately trying to find the bike parts I want for a build. Because this was a project I started last year but put aside for months, I noticed some parts don't seem to be readily available. Like, has anyone noticed that certain brake levers aren't available on some sites? Am I imagining this or are Shimano parts getting a little more scarce? Would this be intentional and why would they be doing this if it is occurring?

mrrabbit 

When you do your searches...focus on the European website that carry Shimano parts. They are much better about having actually on-hand and in-stock. Just take the time to thoroughly their catalogs.

Should take about 13 days when you do order stuff for it to get here...

=8-)

wrk101

Are you looking for new or used? There seems to be an endless supply of good, used stuff out there.

Jeff Wills

Not intentional- Shimano, like any other manufacturer, has a certain lead time for any product. This can be many months at best up to several years. They try to predict how many consumers will actually buy once the part makes it through manufacturing, shipping, and distribution... and sometimes those predictions are wrong. Unexpected manufacturing problems can slow their arrival or unexpected demand can empty the shelves faster than they can be refilled.

What exactly are you looking for?

hybridbkrdr

I'm looking at new parts. Actually, I already bought the brake levers but I mean, if I'm looking at them, I saw a number of sites that didn't even have any Shimano Deore brake levers available. I just thought of something though. It might be partly because the summer is over and maybe some parts are gone and some online retailers are waiting for next year's parts to arrive before next summer. I was just wondering out loud why this was occurring though wondering if anyone had any explanation for it.

skilsaw

Deliberate manipulation of Supply and Demand by the manufacturer to cause a shortage and raise the price of any available. Typical capitalist trick by the business class to extort exorbitant profits from the working class.

Brother Cyclists Unite. Rise up against Capitalist Tyranny.

LarDasse74

It also might be retailers who think they will be better able to sell other brands of the same part more easily and so stock less of the Shimano. For some things you pay a premium for Shimano parts that is not necessarily paid back with superior performance... Shimano crankset prices come to mind.

Jeff Wills

Like these? https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...51&category=10

IMO, it's easier to find upper-level stuff (like Deore XT) than middle-of-the-road (like Deore). The stores won't order the "lesser" stuff because it's less likely to be an upgrade and has a lower profit margin.

Also- you're right. A lot of stores will be sold out of 2010 stuff and waiting for the 2011 stuff to arrive. The 2011 stuff may not be any better, but it's what will get advertised. The big bike industry shows happen in August and September, which is when the orders are placed. Parts will start arriving next year.

operator

Yeah, becacuse supply and demand works when there's no supply.

Terrible troll.

surreal

as a supplement to what jeff wills is saying, ppl in the market for current-year mtb-style brake-levers are likely to fall into one of the following categories:
-gonna run hydro discs, which will typically come with levers, and will never work with the deore cable levers
-gonna want xt, xtr, or some other lighter, higher-end lever for their lightweight and/or vintage mtb sporting v-brakes for lightness/retro-ness/ol'-fashioned-goodness
-gonna want the cheapest thing possible for their hybrid/beater atb, so they'll get tektros or avid fr-5s

It may not make sense to stock the deore cable levers b/c the market in the states isn't strong for them

I have some paul love levers (expensive,light, ******y) and i have some xt levers that i bought new at jenson as a non-current leftover item. I've run avid fr-5 and sd-7 levers, too. Ranged in retail price from $15 to $110/set(in most cases, i paid less than retail), and they all work about as well as the next. I know you already got the deores (and they look like fine levers), but you'd have been fine with whatever v-brake levers you'd bought.

-rob

bradtx

hybridbkrdr, Sometimes we need something at the wrong time. When I broke my 8S XT rear shifter I had a difficult time finding a LBS that could get their hands on one and they weren't yet on the usual web sites, 9S shifters were everywhere and almost went that route. Seems suppliers keep some inventory for just X amount of time, then resell it to the places usually found on the web. I needed my shifter during that time most suppliers were selling off. That's the story I was told, anyway.

That was a few years ago and there are more web sites that I've found since that may've helped.

Brad

hybridbkrdr

Yes, those kinds of brake levers. I was giving an example though even though I thought it was one of the better examples of what I've seen.

I think if someone had Tourney stuff, they'd likely see Deore as a real upgrade.

surreal

i agree that deore is way up from tourney, but i suspect tourney ppl are going for maximum savings, so they;d rather have the few bucks than the deore levers. I think that the deore levers and similar is great mostly for ppl without a lot of cash who *really* want xt. Yes, the xt is nicer, but if you're nearly broke and need levers, the deore are really good levers at (what i see as) a significant savings. If you want ultegra stuff, but you're close-to-broke, grab 105 components where it counts, and tiagra stuff where it doesn't. Building a nice bike for cheap is a bit of a chess game. Ferret out the cheapest compatible thing that doesn't significantly lessen the whole bike's "niceness".

Best way to do that on road bikes is with bar-cons. On mtb's, it's with rim brakes where possible.
-rob

hybridbkrdr

Tell me about it. I want a dynamo hub and I mean it raises the cost of the whole bike man. I thought I was going to feel like bragging after I found the Nashbar frame and fork I bought for $112.50 thinking it would end up being a cheap but high quality build. Then I thought if I buy shifters I want to replace later, it's going to be a waste of time. So, I bought Ultegra bar end shifters because I want friction shifting with my thumbs. Now I have to buy the Paul Thumbies to put them on my bars. And then I want the dyanmo hub and lights. lol The thing with the dynamo hub is, I'll be able to at least borrow the front wheel from my other bike until I get the dynamo hub. I plan on completing the bike with X-mas money except the front wheel. Then I'll get the front wheel with the dynamo hub and lights with my birthday money.

surreal

dynamos are totally worth it in the long run. I got the cheapest shimano one, with the centerlock disc mount, and it's been trouble-free and reliable. got a b&m lumotec cyo senso plus, which is a long phrase that translates to "furiously bright headlight. i also got a b&m taillight, with a standlight feature. none of it's cheap, but it rules to have awesome lights without the waste and expense of batteries. i bought a SA dynamo for my wife's bike; comes with a drum brake. turns out all the electronics in the cheap dynamos Are made by sanyo; the sanyo hub is cheapest. Maybe look at buying that one?

-rob

hybridbkrdr

You mean Sturmey Archer? What kind of resistance do you have for those? Are you talking about the one with sealed bearings? How do you apply the drum brake if it's in the front wheel?

cs1

Deliberate stupidity by someone with no knowledge of business. Shimano is not a small boutique manufacturer of parts. Their business model is based on a small profit per item and huge quantities. Limiting production kills their bottom line.

I hope that post was just a joke.

phatjonny

...I certainly read it as a joke...

surreal

The drum brake is actuated by a conventional short-pull brake lever; the deore levers that inspired this thread are long-pull, and aren't recommended by sturmey-archer for the drum brakes. Road levers and "cantlever" levers for upright bars work nicely. The SA dynamo apparently does have sealed bearings, and the resistance is much like the shimano one; very noticeable drag at very slow speeds, and hardly any noticeable drag once you get rolling at "normal"+ speeds. The hub looks incredible, costs less than even the cheapest shimano ones, has the same electronics, sealed bearings, and it comes with a very nice all-weather brake, which takes forever to break in, but can go for a verrrrrrrrrrrry long time between changing the pads. So far, i'm jealous, but i want to see what long-term reliability is like. From what i've read, though, these are fairly trouble-free dynamo hubs. I believe some ppl on here have been running them for a l'il while.

-rob

ps-to everyone else, i'm pretty sure the guy (Skilsaw) talking about shimano manipulating the market for nefarious reasons was kidding