Why not a full shimano groupset?

richardjallen
richardjallen Posts: 691
edited May 2008 in Workshop
Looking around it seems off-the-shelf bikes don't often come with a full Shimano groupset. The crank is frequently swapped for an FSA or something else.

Why? Is it the look of the Shimano ones? Are they no good? Perhaps the FSA are much cheaper to OEM's, although I read otherwise recently. I don't see this with Campagnolo equiped bikes.

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    3rd party brake calipers and chainsets are used to keep the costs down.

    IMO though, the only thing that shouldn't come as standard is the groupset chain, with the 3rd party ones actually being better.
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  • richardjallen
    richardjallen Posts: 691
    Second that.

    The chain I mean.
  • Steve I
    Steve I Posts: 428
    Nothing wrong with Shimano chains, just the daft joining system. I'm sure Shimano would sell many more chains than they do, if only they used something similar to a Powerlink.
  • Gary D
    Gary D Posts: 431
    redddraggon wrote:
    3rd party brake calipers and chainsets are used to keep the costs down.

    IMO though, the only thing that shouldn't come as standard is the groupset chain, with the 3rd party ones actually being better.

    I don't think that is necessarily the case with chainsets?
    My Bianchi came with an FSA Gossamer chainset as standard with the rest of the groupset, including calipers, as 105. The FSA chainset is about £130, the 105 equivalent that matches the rest of the groupset is about £75.
    Maybe the OEM gets a much better deal though from 3rd party suppliers? But I don't think it is a lower grade component to save cost.
    Brake calipers are a different matter though. Specialized seem to make a habit of fitting non-groupset calipers particularly to the bikes lower in the ranges for each model which is undoubtedly to save cost.

    Gary.
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  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    Steve I wrote:
    Nothing wrong with Shimano chains, just the daft joining system. I'm sure Shimano would sell many more chains than they do, if only they used something similar to a Powerlink.

    They'd sell more than they do if they weren't covered with some obscenely sticky substance that meant cleaning your chain simply makes it twice as dirty :evil:
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

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  • Steve I
    Steve I Posts: 428
    Most new chains seem to be covered in that stuff. The KMC chain I recently fitted to my cross bike was definitely stickier than a Sram chain. I find it better to run the chain through a Barbeiri chain cleaner, hose off, and then lube, rather than run the chain as new and end up with it covered in grit and gunk.

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