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I've just been on the phone to my LBS, and they tell me that Shimano have put their prices up by 30% over the weekend. An XTR chainset is now over £400!!
Shimano have put their prices up, or the UK distributor (Madison)?
This is where one then goes to CRC as they're a bit cheaper, and can take the hit for a while and your LBS then closes as they're not making any sales. Shame 🙁
Don't buy it - simple as
If people don't buy it they'll have to reduce the price or withdraw it from sale
Agree with Jimbo and uplink
So come the time you need a Shimano part (crankset f'instance...), you do what, exactly? Buy something that's not to your requirements and just as expensive, thanks to the weak pound?
Better to keep an eye on the £/$/Yen and see if retail prices fall as (hopefully!) the £ strengthens, assuming commodity prices remain the same...
...in the long term. In the short term the retailer goes t*ts up.
What tends to happen is that people simply make stuff last longer which means reduced sales
Jimbo if the pound strengthens I doubt we'll see the distributor dropping RRP prices.
See, this is the recession working on you. Bank of England lower interest rates to "help" the banks out, Pound falls in value, imports become more expensive, people stop buying them, shops go bust.
Bloody brilliant idea. Not.
Dibbs, I'm assuming your LBS is an indy, and not part of a big chain?
Try the Madison site - XT over £200 as well!!
http://www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk/products/list.aspx?ref=14480&vertical=1
Buy a middleburn;-)
I heard from a friend who manages a bike shop about these price rises. xtr crank is now £430, xt mech is £80 xt crank is £200!
Best watch for those rocks and tree stumps then!
staggering prices!!
They don't display much MTB stuff on the site but it might be worth having a look at www.cyclingbargains.com for alternatives. I use them a lot for road stuff.
Look at the positives. It opens the door to new competitors to the market.
You've got a willing audience receptive to new manufacturers/products etc.
Plus how many rocks etc do you people ping off? I still have my 2001 XTR on my only bike.
I think the simple fact is currency.
1 Year ago 1 gbp was around 215 yen
Today, 1gbp is around 120 Yen
Now find a way that anyone can absorb that?
Madisons pricing last year was based on the J Yen being 230 to the £.
This year its 130, hence the 40% price increase.
Surely this is now a great time for Hope to diversify and step into a new market?
Harah for Hope Hora!
just popped into my LBS and in passing asked about component price rises. He wasnt aware of the very latest Shimano rises but said that SRAM/Truvativ/RS Prices had rocketed of late but was happy that his 09 stock of Giant bikes hadnt had much price increases esp the cheaper end (i.e. +£25 on a £300 HT) put on them compared to some of the other large manufacturers.
Plus how many rocks etc do you people ping off? I still have my 2001 XTR on my only bike.
I think this depends on how much you ride, and where.
Can't afford new XTR? It's a sad day for humanity 🙁
[i]Can't afford new XTR? It's a sad day for humanity[/i] [:(]
soon be can't afford Deore the way things seem to be going
maybe its time to buy a rohloff
[i] richc - Member
I think this depends on what new product marketing is out or how clumsy you are.[/i]
Totally agree.
Wow, ridiculous price increases. I don't know whether to sell my spare XT shadow for a quick buck, or keep it for what could be an expensive through the spokes moment. I'm glad I bought my new bike just before all these price rises.
rohloff has also gone up
The reason I rang my LBS in the first place was to order a 975 XTR outer chainring, I was afraid to ask the price 😥 it doesn't really matter, I've got to have one as the old one's skipping like a skippy thing.
shit, glad i got my xtr cassette and shadow rear on thursday...
Dibbs just checked the list on that chainring....
Best take them some biscuits 😉
Merlin?
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=category&categoryId=12
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=category&categoryId=118
I suspect that once Merlin have shifted their current stock they may have to jack their prices in line with Shimano.
the increase in prices will really hurt the MTB market.
lots of people buy as upgrade, not as necessity, and the market is therefore fuelled by want, not need.
when prices are OTT and unjustified, people will naturally react by not spending money.
this is bad news all round however as the manufacturwers will see profit loss, and be forced to up their margins, even if currencies recover and international trade stabilises.
basically, were all screwed for the time being 🙁
I've just been in the LBS the new RRP for a 44 tooth M970 XTR chainring is £169.99!!!
I'd be better off buying the chainset from Merlin and using it for spares.
Hang on- chainring?
£170 for a big cog? That's taking the p*ss! It probably cost them <£5 to make...
EDIT: Yup, the chainring:
http://www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk/products/details.aspx?ref=14219&pRef=79852&vertical=1&v=
Bad news for buying new - anyone know what the RRP on the XTR cassette is now ?
Great news for anyone looking to sell Shimano parts though 😀
£161.48
blimey, i've just had to accelerate the purchase of the whole drivetrain for my new build, was going to hold off but just did a little wee when i saw the new XTR Chainset RRP of £430 😮
got the cranks, mechs, shifters, chain, cassette and pedals all from stif for £550 - saved about £450 off the new RRPs!
seriously, anyone needs any gear get it quick - i reckon the estimate ^^^ of £450 saved is conservative, got the M970 pedals for £78 and they're listed RRP now of £135... unbelieveable.
stif have got 15% off over £150, serious savings to be made before they up the prices...
Dibbs i was chatting to Barry yesterday, looks like i'll be staying with a singlespeed for good now, just need to get me some tough ridged forks and that's me sorted.
wasn't there a thread on the old forum with people moaning about the price of XTR? and the general comments were its for elite racers (and accountants) so if you want the very best don't be surprised if it costs.
Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between XTR and LX in a blind test, so the extra is for the sticker.
do you think CRC prices will rocket?
I'm ashamed to say it but...
...Singlespeed looks like a good option! 😥
RRP of an XT chainset in 1994/95 (without BB) - £140
SRP of an XT Chainset in 2008 (inc HT2 BB!) - £140
Yeah prices went down quite a bit in the last few years as pound was doing well. Was chatting to LBS about this, prices are going up, bad news for customer and in turn cos no ones buying LBS, prices then drop later on, good for customer really bad (short term) for LBS cos all his stock that he paid old price for no-one will buy so they end up selling at a loss.
We're doomed
"when prices are OTT and unjustified"
but they aren't. i happen to know the person who sits there and works out the shimano prices and the margin they need to make, unlike a lot of importers they will drop the prices when/if the pound/yen changes.
if you want somebody to blame it's the people wanting to buy bling bling xtr level bikes, cars and houses with cheap easy credit and the banks that gave it to them.
And I can't see gordon brown giving 10p to the bike industry to help it out never mind the 500 billion he gave to the banks who ****ed it all up in the first place. yes I know the banks are a *bit* more important than evans but it still smarts that our money is going to the irresponsible lenders - who then wont lend said same money back to us.
Prices are returning to normal with the fall of the pound.
Bikes, frames and bits have been getting better and better value in recent years, mainly because most are imported and a pound sterling was worth close to 2 dollars, something that wasn't maintainable.
There can be exceptions though: looking at my main ride (Cotic Simple with Hope hubs, Middleburn cranks etc) it wouldn't cost much more than it did a few years ago. 10% more perhaps? Not much above inflation over three years.
I think the big shock will be when current UK stocks of complete bikes start running down and the import prices for new ones start hitting the shop floor, it may be enough to put off new riders, and that's not good in terms of getting cars off the roads on short commutes.
Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between XTR and LX in a blind test, so the extra is for the sticker
My guess is that you have never used XTR as there is a big difference, even from XT. The shifting action for a start, is much lighter and takes quite a bit of getting used to as it's quite different from the rest of Shimanos groupsets IMHO. Not to mention the huge weight difference. I know many people who prefer XT due to the different feel of XTR.
Of course, you are paying a premium for the top of the range, but to say most people couldn't tell the difference is utter rubbish.
Well you can still get one for £226- from cyclestore. Actually I might just do that.
( http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=10717)
Deore rear mech now £49.95.....
Don't Middleburn make decent chainrings? If Madison are mad I'll support the small companies.
XTR wheelset £780!!!!
just spoke to stif, they're honouring the prices agreed when i placed the order, despite the fact that they've not despatched them or charged my card yet... lucky, just in the nick of time!
Pretty easy to see why:
£ vs $
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=GBP&to=USD&amt=1&t=5y
£ vs Yen
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=GBP&to=JPY&amt=1&t=5y
Just remember kids, no more boom and bust.