Bike Descriptions Misleading or Common Practice
I am in the process of upgrading the bike and was wondering if it was common practice or misleading the way the descriptions / packages are shown. I have no set package in mind but looking through various offers, I can understand the confusion out there, for example>
Supersix 1 Dura Ace only parts that are Dura Ace are the front & rear derailleurs and shifters, all other parts FSA or Ultegra
Supersix3 Ultegra Ultegra front & rear derailleurs & shifters with, FSA cranks and Tektro brakes
CAAD10 1 Dura Ace Shifters & Levers dura ace, brakes ultegra and FSA cranks
If a bike is advertised as Dura Ace, Red or Chorus (had to cover all brands to cover different tastes) should not the whole groupset cranks, shifters brakes etc be the same or do stores change packages to be price competitive.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gary Mills on -
Stores don't change components on bikes, it's the way the company specs it's bikes. Some use full groupsets, others use higher end in drive train and lower specs in brakes, wheels and other parts. You need to check all the components, not just the obvious ones. Often see Ultegra or 105 bikes with lower spec brakes, chain, cassette etc. Worked on a very well known brand bike recently that was sold as a 105 equipped but only had rear derailleur 105, the rest was Tiagra and FSA.
Even components such as BB and headset can vary. Seat, posts, stems and bars, tyres, wheels can be generic with the bike brand boldly labelled or they can be specific brands such as Selle Italia, FSA, PRO, Vittoria, Shimano etc.
They're not trying to con you, just cutting corners to save a few dollars and sometimes but not always, lower pricing compared to some other competitors. Do your homework, ask questions and make an informed decision.
Tektro brakes and FSA cranks is a common downgrade over the rest to lower costs but bike name branded tyres, wheels, etc are becoming more common but are usually a rebranded generic item
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Permalink Reply by Mick Adams on
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@ Gary, when checking the manufacturers web site they display specs, but at dealers sites they have the description of the bike the same heading but lower specs. You see the same bike at different sites with up to $ 500 difference thinking its a bargain, but have different components. I will buy locally just curious how packages where put together.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Mills on
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I'd think it's very rare that a shop would bother to swap parts from original, although some might. This would also impact on the manufacturer's warranty. Some manufacturers have different specs for each country and if you look at a USA site, the specs may vary to the Australian spec.
Can you give an example?
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Taken from Cannondale web for CAAD 10 Dura Ace
http://www.cannondale.com/2012/bikes/road/elite-road/caad10/2012-ca...
Taken from seller site
http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/bicycles/cannondale/road/caad10-1-du...
Although not much between the 2 both advertise Dura Ace but more neither have full groupsets.
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Permalink Reply by Roger ... on -
the Cannondale BB30 bottom bracket system originally was only made by Cannondale and FSA. Even today I don't think you can get a Shimano BB30 crank (they push their own systems).
If you are concerned about the integrity of the groupset buy a frame, components and wheels get it put together for you, to your specs. Although I have to say in my experience it will cost quite a bit more than getting everything OEM and factory built.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on -
Interesting. The only difference is the front derailleur I think. I wonder if that is just a typo ?
Michael
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
people buy in price.
If you can tell what you are getting have you been deceived?
105 equipped is not a 105 group set.
However id you found out your compagnolio equipment was made in china from cheap plastic you would have grounds to grizzle (unless the told you is was the special Chinese one that is only $2)
Of course there would never be counterfeit bike parts:-)
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Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
Wouldnt be hard to tell a cheap Chinese Campag knockoff......after a couple of metres you'd immediately notice the very quiet rear cluster.
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Permalink Reply by greg looyestyn on
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Its the italian alternative to a bell!
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Permalink Reply by Frank on
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Campy cassettes are brilliant, how are they noisy?
Perhaps the pawls in the hub are but no more than Chris King or zipp or any other quality manufacturer.
In regards to rip offs, it pays to know what u r looking for!
A mate trained for a half tri last year, he bought what he thought was a bargain which was a total lemon, half this some of that, much like you described!
If you looking for longer term, buy well, buy once buy italien campag record 10 speed with ti cassette. Often voted as best group set ever made than choose a frame u like and wheels to suit riding!
It's that easy!
Oh, and get a seat that suits you not one that comes with the bike!
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Permalink Reply by Paul Inglis on -
Cannondale are the company that started BB30, they need to support that standard themselves and Shimano do not make a BB30 chainset. Therefore they spec their bikes with FSA or their own Hollowgram chainsets. As long as most of the groupset is the same(shifters and derailleurs) then I don't think it matters what a company calls their bikes.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Mills on
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Not a big fan of FSA cranks. The cheaper alloy cranks don't change chainwheels anywhere near as well as Shimano and the BB's don't seem to last very long. If a bike has front shifting problems, chances are it has FSA cranks. I've also had two sets of FSA carbon cranks. On the first set the pedal insert came loose within 12 months and on the second replacement set, the RH crank became loose on the integrated axle and drove me crazy with continuous creaking. Less than 12 months again and less than 2500k in both cases.
But FSA stems, bars etc are generally good products.
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