From: lloyd@leland.Stanford.EDU (William Koenig Lloyd)
Subject: Re: MBA LX review.
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 00:57:40 GMT

In article <C0I0Ax.JBn@cs.uiuc.edu> tthiel@cs.uiuc.edu (Terry Thiel) writes:
>craigb@sdd.hp.com (Craig Bosworth) writes:
>>Despite the painted components, MBA did say that LX is "the best mid
>>priced component group ever made."
>
>Right they did.  I guess $800 bike are what passes for mid-priced these
>days.  Except for the MB-3 with Deore DX. ;)
>
>>I don't mean to start a war here or anything, but why are some people
>>so put off by painted components?  Sure, they get trashed looking
>>after a few rides (mine did), but cosmetics aren't that important to
>>me.
>>Just wondering...
>>Craig Bosworth  (619) 592-8609
>>Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
>>craigb@sdd.hp.com
>
>If it was a cheapo bike that would be one thing but an $800+ bike?  Nope.
>I want the bike and components to last alot longer than that. It's true this
>is not as important on a mountain bike since it will get trashed pretty
>quickly anyway but it looks like the quality of the LX materilas have also been
>compromised to save cost. So not only will they lokk crappy sooner they will
>wear out sooner.  I just don't see it as a big enough improvement over DX
>to justify the extra cost and loss of durability.  You know what's really
>ridiculous IMHO are the Altus bikes with suspension that we're starting to
>see. What's the durability of these things like?  It looks like you could
>break them with your fingers.  The question is how much of this is
>marketing driven?  If Bridgestone can afford to put out $800 bikes with
>DX then why can't the others?  The yen rate hasn't changed from last year 
>so that's not the answer.  Is it because Shimano want's to keep introducing
>new stuff? 


Ugh...  More "Bridgestone knows all, Shimano knows nothing" diatribe.  First,
let me say that I think Bridgestone makes good bikes.  I don't feel, however,
that because Bridgestone makes a decision that decision MUST be the right
decision.

Yes, Shimano LX stuff is ugly, and it is probably less durable than XTR.  But
what do you expect?  When it is new it supposedly works as well as XTR.  Of
course, LX is a whole lot cheaper than XTR, too.  The decrease in price had
to come from somewhere.  Cheaper materials are one reason.  If you want 
something that works as well as XTR and lasts as long as XTR, there's a simple
solution:  buy XTR.  

As for this stuff about Bridgestone and DX, I don't know what your point is.
I'll bet the new LX stuff is at least as expensive as DX is, but I haven't seen
the group prices so I can't be sure.  The new LX stuff (according to MBA at
least) works better than DX, too.  Ohhh, but wait.  Now I know.  LX doesn't
offer thumbshifters.  That settles it.  LX (and XTR) are bad things because
they don't offer thumbshifters.  Never mind the fact that quite a few people
think they work really well, as whoever yells the loudest wins.  We all know
who yells loudest around here.

As for the Altus stuff:  If someone buys a bike that has suspension and the
Altus stuff for $500 and expects it to be durable, they've either been lied to
by someone in the shop or they're fairly ignorant.  What they're gonna be 
getting is a $200 (retail) fork on a $300 bike.  We know what kind of bikes
sell for $300, and they're not too trailworthy.

Have a pleasant day now...

Bill



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