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iSpec …
What's the problem with ispec? You can still get band stuff, and you can get adapters too...
If they wanted to force us to buy new stuff they could easily have redesigned stuff like SPD cleats, mech hangers (ok so direct mount but they made it so you can use a simple adapter *which they give you free in the box*), brake pull ratios, centerlock rotors, brake mount specs and so on many many times over the years, but they didn't. They just change them occasionally when they think there's a need. The fact that consumers disagree about the need doesn't make it a cynical ploy, it might just be a mistake and a misjudging of markets.
I have a 2007 brake lever attached to a 2015 caliper. It works perfectly. In fact I have a mix of 2007 M970 XTR and modern stuff on several bikes.
Reluctantjumper 4000 miles isn’t much out of any rear mech.
It would be verging on miraculous for a SRAM Eagle mech...
Shimano did Octalink which was OK. ISIS was a FSA/Race Face thing.
All were shite!!
But how?
Many production engineering companies reference good Japanese management culture as a reason or method for success. It's lead from the top and the bottom equally.
I haven't dealt with many Japanese companies but in Germany, another company with a good rep for engineering, I have found that techies actually get respected and treated as the 'talent'; instead of the bothersome nerds who always complain, which seems to be the prevailing sentiment in the UK. I suspect this is the case in Japan and probably within Shimano too.
Sram R&D is in Schweinfurt, Germany. Although I've heard there are lots of septics working there and management is American led.
As they say on Germany, der Fisch stinkt vom Kopf.
https://enduro-mtb.com/en/sram-factory-visit/
I've hated SRAM ever since I smacked my nads off the stem of my new SRAM equipped Foxy in 2010, because I needed to change down a few gears on an uphill and naturally used my thumb to push the closest lever. Like I'd been doing on Shimano for 15 or 16 years. Bike stopped dead, because I had actually changed up. Because SRAM.
Bought a set of XT shifters and an XT rear mech and never had that trouble again. I hate SRAM.
SRAM matchmaker on the other hand works right back to Avid brakes.
Thing is, it's not very good (for me at least). Just two fixed positions neither of which allow me to run the shifters far enough inward from the brakes. I-spec offers a wider and very adjustable range of positions.