Frame and Wheel attended the Downeast Bicycle Specialists open house in Fryeburg, Maine on Sunday. Frame and Wheel had the opportunity to meet representatives from manufacturers including Shimano, SRAM, Michelin, DeFeet, Park Tools and many others. Frame and Wheel also met mechanics and bike shop owners. This was the first time Frame and Wheel attended such an event. It was great fun.
There was a Di2 component group on display that Frame and Wheel inspected with great interest. The Shimano mechanics were very helpful and had some good ideas on how to solve the elusive front derailleur tab problem. Frame and Wheel hopped onto a Di2 equipped Felt and found the shifting to be very satisfying, particularly for the left hand, which has lost some of its strength over the years. The group retails for $3,800 according to Shimano representatives, but has been quoted to Frame and Wheel at as much a $4,200 from retailers.
Just across the hallway was SRAM Red Black, the newest offering from SRAM, was on display. Frame and Wheel likes the glossy black look of the components, but has never tried out the group. Frame and Wheel was informed of the benefits of SRAM by the representatives, which include among other things, a lower price, a lower weight and a more simple design. Frame and Wheel notes that half of its viewers would like to see SRAM on their bikes.
Frame and Wheel had lunch with a regional bike shop owner who pointed out that trying to compete with the big manufacturers at the $2,000 price point (for a whole bike) was going to be very difficult. He also noted that targeting markets that were under served by the big manufacturers was a smart idea. Frame and Wheel made some good contacts and looks forward to attending these events in the future, hopefully as a vendor.
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