pete_mcc":22h4tcxy said:
Theres certainly no argument from me, on who did it first. i think trek introduced matrix as early as 88, cannondale with coda late 93.
would never have thought it cool to rebrand boutique components like grafton bulleye etc though.
what would be the need,? to me if you are just rebranding a small boutique U.S manufactured component, thats already in a current product range, this would merely cheapen the product... the already well desired part...? much like you have suggested with your coda 900 crankset ..?
Kona on the other hand, licensed/took a good product, like Curve and went to the far east, and copied a brake set, added the Curve name, (and subsequently "also" avoided having to buy shimano), but instead they give us a brake set as well performing as soggy cheese in comparison to the original companies original product.
Marin, did it with there mid level spec"d bikes and White Industries chainsets, not the real deal but a far-east version that look the same, (again less shimano,) and yet a brand name.. on a far-east product.
pete_mcc":22h4tcxy said:
Sorry Pete i thought we wer talking about the 90"s ....my mistake.
The 80"s were different, compaines were using suntour/campagnolo etc, bearing in mind, the early 80s, when companies were adding "the new mountain bike" to there portfolio, (trek for example already doing well with there road bikes... mountain bikes came in 1983). I dont think shimano intoduced Derore XT untill 83? there was competition, soon to fall by the wayside, even your point with the gripshift, again a cheaper alternative to shimano, as seen by the purchaser, (the bicycle company) only to eventually also fall by the wayside,. (except prehaps for all the bso"s we see in the mainstream today)
pete_mcc":22h4tcxy said:
I think it was Mr Pong From magic cranks was the instigator of negotiations
with cannondale ? And the plan was much bigger than just cranks, the original intention (if even plausible :? ) was to give "SHIMANO" a run for its money with a complete U.S owned/branded groupset/name and compete for market share?
It clearly didnt work, but they gave it a good bash...?...im no more a fan of branded in house products than i am of the dominance of shimano,.
Sram had to take Shimano to court, over the massive 15% discount it gave manufacturers for buying and not splitting/brake and gear sets.
Sram won, and went on to buy other companies (AVID/truvativ etc) to continue ther fight for a market share of Bicycle component supplies to manufacturers.
Today even with the presence of sram and all the big cycle manufacturers choosing to use there own branded product, "Shimano" still control 50% of the golbal market. (FACT)
pete_mcc":22h4tcxy said:
I remember the moulton Mono shock fork on dinky little wheels, ...lol.
