Day dreaming about the new Genesis Equilibrium 30, but for my own perverted/luddite/totally rational reasons (delete as appropriate) I wondered if a shop would consider swapping the BR685/785 hydraulics for equivalent mechanical Ultegra 6800 shifters with the fancy TRP carbon Spyres.
Retail values are in my favour, the hydraulic set appears to retail for £625 according to Wiggle while a new set of 6800 shifters with the TRP callipers would retail at £500 (£90 callipers + £320 shifters).
Not sure if a shop would really want an unboxed set of hydraulic brakes kicking about though, would probably need to be a shop that did custom builds...
Anyone had any luck customising a new bike like this?
They would probably sell you a set and fit them. You can then sell the brakes that came with it.
Free probably not, you would be doing a deal, cash wise you don't really know as Genesis won't be buying the brakes for retail price, it also depends how the bike comes from them how built etc. as that will give you an idea as to how long it will take to swap them.
there is of course a simple way to find out the answer 😉
Are you buying everything from them at full RRP? That would affect how sympathetic I'd be to your request.
Oh, and can you fit these brakes what I got from CRC?
😀
They would probably sell you a set and fit them. You can then sell the brakes that came with it
Yeah, that would be the simple option, but I'd definitely lose out, paying RRP for the new set (£500) but probably only getting ~£300 for the 2nd hand hydraulics? At least a shop could buy stuff in trade so they'd be able to sell the hydraulics cheaper and still be quids in (I'm assuming...).
there is of course a simple way to find out the answer
Still at pipedreaming stage Mike, I don't mind wasting STW's time, wouldn't want to waste a shop's time! 😉
Are you buying everything from them at full RRP?
Yeah, I don't typically haggle for discount as I'm not really a regular customer of any particular shop any more.
I'd ask the shop. This can be a quiet time of year so mechanics time would be "cheap".
but I'd definitely lose out, paying RRP for the new set (£500) but probably only getting ~£300 for the 2nd hand hydraulics? At least a shop could buy stuff in trade so they'd be able to sell the hydraulics cheaper and still be quids in (I'm assuming...)
If it comes part assembled the hoses will already be cut etc. and probably bolted to the frame so in reality they are second hand. You don't see many bikes that arrive at the shop as a frame and a box of parts.
Last full bike I bought the shop swapped out various parts and didn't charge me extra. (Stem, bars, tyres). They were very similar items in terms of spec level.
But, why would you want mechanical over hydraulic brakes?
Ultegra hydros are magical. You're plain daft!
Shop will not be paying RRP for anything: discounts will vary between Shimano & TRP and an even higher discount will be factored into the components of an off the shelf bike.
I wouldn't be surprised if they considered the hydro setup off the Genesis to cost them less than 50% of RRP of the boxed equivalent - maybe a lot less. Whereas buying in components just for you will be a lot closer to RRP. Plus the hydros won't actually be in a box, so their only option will be to sell it on another build... which may or may not come around soon.
Are you still central Scotland based? If so I'm certain that Synergy Cycles in Aucheterarder would do that for you. Not sure if they do genesis bikes, but they are great when it comes to customising and fitting a bike to your needs.
I'd ask the shop. This can be a quiet time of year so mechanics time would be "cheap".
I'd suggest this could be the opposite at this time of year, maybe better waiting until after Christmas or saying that you are prepared to wait for the swap over?
Genesis won't be buying the brakes for retail price, it also depends how the bike comes from them how built etc. as that will give you an idea as to how long it will take to swap them.
It doesn't matter what Genesis are paying for them, he's not dealing with Genesis. It comes down to what that shop feel they can sell a set of second hand brakes for. Market price on a set of those brakes is around £425 new so second hand £300 max depending on hose lengths. If the OP's bike is a smaller size it limits the number of potential buyers. The bike will come from Genesis with the levers on the bars and the bars taped, so swapping will take time for a mechanic.
Personally I'd keep the brakes as they are.
But, why would you want mechanical over hydraulic brakes?
Knew this would come up 😀 Lots of reasons, some only applicable to me perhaps:
-Still dubious about seals on Shimano brakes, I don't want a setup that may or may not develop a leak and start contaminating pads (I've still not seen the issue of leaky seals addressed by Shimano, I've seen and experienced it first hand so not willing to chance it. I really hate squealing brakes...)
-I've become a very lazy/ill equipped home mechanic, cables I can do, hydraulics I can't/won't
-Don't like the unpredictability of hydraulics, weird lever behaviour, lazy pistons, lack of adjustable pad gap (don't want chiming/rubbing discs on a road bike)
-The TRP brakes have fancy carbon looking bits and the mechanical 6800 shifters weigh 250g less than the hydraulic equivalents 8)
I see llatsni/Mister P's point though, the mechanical set up might cost them £300 say (rough trade price approximation) and they probably couldn't easily recoup that reselling a second hand hydraulic set up. Certainly not worth the extra labour it would cost them I guess.
Doing it myself would mean I could buy the mechanical set up discounted online (current wiggle price about £340 for the lot) and just gamble on getting that back on the hydraulics.
Give us a shout at the shop, I'm happy to at least do the numbers on this for you. Might get me some hydros on my bike 😉
info@18bikes.co.uk
Ultegra hydros are magical. You're plain daft!
This , stick with the hydros .
had the TRPs , will never go back to hose after he Shimano hydraulics
My LBS would fit brakes they supplied for free, they can usually do stuff below rrp but above internet prices. They would give me back the replaced brakes.
It seems a bit weird that you would pay money to defintely compromise outright braking performance for the sake of some 'maybe' scenarios.
Shimano hydraulic need far far less attention ime than any cable operated road disc set up and performance is just a an order of magnitude away.
Your list above doesn't cover the negatives of cable operated spyres... Such as grot in the cables, grot jamming the actuation arm, complete loss of performance on low brake pads, no self-compensation for pad wear, finickity performance based entirely on you getting the cable/actuation arm set up spot on which you lose as soon as the pads wear a bit, the need for expensive compression less brake housing to get even remotely acceptable performance which require relatively expensive regular replacements, variable actuation lever return spring performance which jams half way back on the return stroke etc...
I was glad to see the back of spryres.
I doubt it Iain, but worth asking!
To answer your question, any good shop would do the work and supply you with the bike as requested. Would it be cost neutral ? To find that out you'll have to ask around. Don't worry about wasting people's time it's their job. I'm assuming there'll be at least some chance of you ordering a bike.
Simon has already posted what I was going to suggest!
Have you considered buying the Equilibrium as a frameset and speccing up your components exactly as you want?
Not sure whether you could match the price of a complete bike but, if you can't buy a complete bike to the spec that you want (which seems to be the case) then a small difference in price may be acceptable.
I almost based my recent build on the Equilibrium, but was put off by the strange mix of post mount brakes on the back and flat mount on the fork (and lack of internal routing)
Ultegra hydros are magical. You're plain daft!This , stick with the hydros .
had the TRPs , will never go back to hose after he Shimano hydraulics
This*100
I've got the standard TRP spyres on my roady. I'm disliking them more the longer I've had them (18 months now). Fit and forget they are not, and the carbon ones will have the same issues. Very easily damaged by road salt, pads that need regular (fine) adjustment and potential for loss of braking mid ride if said pads not kept adjusted.
There's a few well priced frames about at the moment -