Sunday, February 22, 2009

What recession?

I pride myself on brand loyalty. Honda, Mullers, Q-Tips. Cannondale, Specialized, Shimano. During my 10 year sabbatical from buying a new mountain bike equipment, Shimano XTR groupos have skyrocketed. The bikes I can afford ($2000 or under) are equiped with SRAM not Shimano XTR. Apparently XTR only goes on the high end frames now. XTR has gone the way of gold--UP.

I think I am getting last year's Specialized Era (pictured). I have been awfully reluctant to switch to SRAM after all the success I have had with XTR shifters and derailleurs. But the Era has SRAM, and I got a chance to test ride one today. Seemed ok, at least initially.

I started thinking--I have actually never bought a new mountain bike. I bought my first one, a Jamis, in the 80's used from a great friend for cheap, $200 I think. I bought a rigid Specialized Rockhopper used from Mike Shipp's personal collection in early 90's, about $650. Then I actually got a Cannondale factory sweet deal--all XTR, Super V frame--for dirt cheap in late 90's, probably $1000. I bought my current Cannondale from Robert a few years ago for $800.

Can someone tell me what loyalty I can expect from a SRAM X-9 rear derailleur?

4 comments:

SHAWN B. said...

I have been running/rocking sram components on my fisher for the last 3 years. I have not had any issues with shifting. I have not had the chance to drink from the XTR cup, but the sram stuff works better than the XT I ran for years.

Jerry said...

got the x-9 on my new cannondale. no problems yet.

Anonymous said...

I have the same sram grip shift set up on my Gary Fisher that I bought from Don Peterson (All About Bikes)9 years ago and it's still on that bike, now known as the Crazy Train. Jerry H used it at the Tidewater Mtn Bike Challenge in 2008, and aside from the tubeless set up, the 1st compliment he had about the bike was the perfect shifting. Sram Rocks the house PERIOD! Crazy has spoken.

Carey Lowery said...

I have used SRAM x-9 and x-o components for 6 years now and have not any issues ... at all. I love their stuff. The x-9 rear derailleur works as great as the x-0, just a heck of a lot cheaper. This comes from someone who used to be an xtr user.