STI - why so expensive this year?

Steve I
Steve I Posts: 428
edited May 2009 in The bottom bracket
These things have never been cheap, but I'm gobsmacked at the prices being asked this year. Ribble want £180 for a set of 105 shifters. They seem to have jumped up about 50-70% on last year's prices. Single speed is looking more and more attractive. I think Mr Shimano can put his STI's where the sun doesn't shine, I won't be buying replacements if mine break.

Comments

  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    I know I was shocked to discover that a set of Sora shifters cost £130! I ended up getting 1 (not a pair) for £15 through my cycling club but the full price is shocking! I didn't even pay that for the whole bike they were attached to!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Well they haven't actually gone up in price - it's just the pound doesn't have the same power against the Yen now.

    Campagnolo shifters are far cheaper and work better anyway :wink:
    I like bikes...

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I can't believe the cost of some shimano kit now compared to Campy. If it was all compatible with my Shimano/Sram wheels I'd have a campag GS
  • captain_oakley
    captain_oakley Posts: 222
    The chap in my local bike shop, reckons that all Shimano stuff (Road & MTB)
    has gone up 30/40% this year.

    All to do with the weak pound against the Yen, this also applies to most
    stuff coming out of Japan, Hi-Fi, Camera's, etc



    'Another coffee or are we off.....'
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    Any bets that the prices won't come down as fast as they've gone up, and that the old stock which could be repriced to the newer higher price (I have a the box for a 105 cassette marked £29.99, it cost me £39.99) won't be able to be repriced in the other direction?

    Would be nice if the OFT could investigate this as it just doesn't seem right.

    (Not holding breath)
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • Wappygixer
    Wappygixer Posts: 1,396
    How can anyone investigate anything?A shop is entitled to sell for any price they see fit, remember you don't have to buy anything.
    Do you think shops enjoy such big price increases?
    No one has control over the stock exchange.
    Where I work we are still selling lots of Shimano items at last years prices due to us going around the UK importer but when our stock has all gone it will go up to our normal proffit margin.
    Thing haven't really gone up they have just gone back to normal prices like they were 10-15 years ago except we now earn more money these days.
    I remember XT sti's costing £125 a pair back in the 90's and road sti's costing £400 a pair.
  • volvicspar
    volvicspar Posts: 208
    I think Mr Shimano can put his STI's where the sun doesn't shine

    LOL. Was that intentional 8)
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    Wappygixer wrote:
    How can anyone investigate anything?A shop is entitled to sell for any price they see fit, remember you don't have to buy anything.
    Do you think shops enjoy such big price increases?
    No one has control over the stock exchange.
    Where I work we are still selling lots of Shimano items at last years prices due to us going around the UK importer but when our stock has all gone it will go up to our normal proffit margin.
    Thing haven't really gone up they have just gone back to normal prices like they were 10-15 years ago except we now earn more money these days.
    I remember XT sti's costing £125 a pair back in the 90's and road sti's costing £400 a pair.

    Where do you work? I was thinking of getting a pair of STI's for a bike I'd like to build but I'm rather put off by the excessive prices!
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    NapoleonD wrote:
    I can't believe the cost of some shimano kit now compared to Campy. If it was all compatible with my Shimano/Sram wheels I'd have a campag GS


    Ahhh yes, compatibility. I'm betting that you're a bit to young to remember when it seemed that everything was compatible(down tube shifters and all that). Those were the days.
    Not that I want to see down tube shifters again. What we have now is so much better.
    It's all right at your fingertips. Doesn't matter what "brand", it's all right there. Move a finger
    a half inch and you're shifted. What could be easier? Take your hand off the bars, reach between your legs, move the lever until you hear it shift, feather that lever a bit(rear)
    until the rear mech stops chattering. But it was all compatible. Mix and or match.

    Dennis Noward
  • OffTheBackAdam
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    Dennis, you'll be waxing lyrical about Brooke's Pro saddles & Maffac centre-pull brakes next, and when you finally made that jump from 5 to 6 speeds! :D
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    OffTheBackAdam wrote:
    Dennis, you'll be waxing lyrical about Brooke's Pro saddles & Maffac centre-pull brakes next, and when you finally made that jump from 5 to 6 speeds! :D

    6 speeds are available?????
  • nwallace
    nwallace Posts: 1,465
    Captain Oakley wrote:
    The chap in my local bike shop, reckons that all Shimano stuff (Road & MTB)
    has gone up 30/40% this year.

    All to do with the weak pound against the Yen, this also applies to most
    stuff coming out of Japan, Hi-Fi, Camera's, etc



    'Another coffee or are we off.....'

    Seems the Japaneese economy is bombing now due to the reduction in exports caused by the higher prices.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8058708.stm

    A box being marked £29.99 and it's contents being advertised at £29.99 are 2 different things. What constitutes advertising differs between English and Scots law.
    Do Nellyphants count?

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