Coolwall Jan 2011 - Shimano MTB groupsets

Why?

I'm quite enjoying your posts on the subject.

Cool for me

just because , If Shimano had never existed, we would perhaps here , on Retrobike ...
After , to the design , progress is progress ...

This poll had people pouting about smilies, so...


Uncool.

no need to get all sinnerman with the exclamation points(thanks for leaving out the ellipses). I thought that's what threads like this were for? see your next statement below

now we're on the same page.

not really, I'll explain why in a moment

some of em



yes




yes, some are. see above



so on the one hand you argue that shimmy is uncool because



like I said if your basing your uncool vote on that new carbon clad mech(on a site called retrobike of all places), well, thats just seems silly. but shimano must have made some cool stuff(go look at some m900 derailleurs, just look at em), just as toyota made some cool cars(look at that pic up there!). right?

I've seen it argued that functionality has nothing to do with 'cool', so components that work well shouldn't be penalized for it, true?

but non of this has anything to do with your original statement
this I think is the true heart of the matter. it was trendy to hate on the corporate giant that is shimano for a while. "I'll be an individual(just like all my friends) and get something other than shimano". reeks of trying to be cool, and trying to be cool seldom is

ymmv

Shimano is the cycling equivalent of "the man"

not cool, not even a little bit cool

What a plum

al.

One of the smartest posts in the thread so far. Nail, head, bullseye.

So a third of the members on here are trying to be cool?

I have news for you, we are men riding push bikes! 99.9% of the human race think we're just weird. So from what you and hollister are saying, I along with many others on here are trying to impress you?

Gets better and better.

al.

I think someone can say Shimano sucks if they have that opinion and prefer to use some other equipment SRAM, Dia Compe whatever... But I'd like to know why

But if you go out and buy Shimano stuff and use day in day out is it 'not cool'?

So are the guys saying 'it's not cool' users of other stuff?

If not - It's doing the job for you and you chose it...?

For me:

- Personally I think Shiamano have made some fab kit that looks great and doesn't cost a stupid amount

And they have innovated time and time again - HyperGlide is my favourite Shimano innovation or is it the freehub or maybe the wheel bearings AT THE ENDS of the rear axle... the list goes on and on (BTW the last are Shaimano patents before somebody claims otherwise)

But as I say if someone wants to feel some other way about good luck to them - choosing alternatives, which do exist

Although how and why does Shimano suck? I've yet to read a sensible explanation of what's (universally) uncool about Shimano

In my original post I said: '80s -'90s all below LX is uncool and later all below STX uncool

My reason is: the cheaper groups are too heavy

But all else is cool, therefore Shimano cool

- Also the fact that Shimano make stuff at ALL price points while not being perceived as 'cheap' that is business and marketing genius

- They have achieved it I beleive, by making the groupset's name into sub brands

Note: we say it has XT/XTR/LX or whatever, no need to say Shimano

Back on topic:

Certainly I do not think you can say 'it sucks' while freely buying and using it how could you explain that?

Those who are saying uncool should try explaining themselves! Lets have a debate!

Yes. And I count myself as one of the 33.3 per cent.

Running bikes with as little Shimano as possible, or even with no Shimano kit whatsoever, has kept me busy for years, ever since I got the Dave Yates in 93 in fact. Out of 7 MTBs, one has a complete M735 groupset and another has nearly complete M950. Three have no Shimano except for chain and cassette and one other component. The remaining two are running Shimano transmissions but nothing else. As for the road/Cross/track bikes - All Shimano-free, except for one of my cyclo-cross bikes and the POS sat on my home trainer.

But all it boils down to at the end of the day is the feeling that my bikes are more individual than most and not that they actually work better or ride better.

Which is geeky, because it is thinking too hard about kit rather than riding the s..t out of it. And therefore only cool to other geeks.