Shimano is better than most at keeping secrets. Ask Pinkbike Tech Editor Mike Levy. He spent a good deal of time at the 2017 Eurobike Expo drilling product managers for any tidbit of intel that related to Shimano's upcoming XTR group. Levy was not very successful, but he took a flyer and used his often vivid imagination to paint a picture of how the new XTR might go down. It was 99-percent speculation, but it still caused quite a stir in Japan.
| Truth is, a hell of a lot of people knew about XTR 9100. How could an entire industry be trusted to keep a secret? |
Bike brand product managers would be among the first to know. They must finalize their component specifications and estimate sales numbers six months or more in advance of production, so parts makers like Shimano swear them to secrecy before showing them pre-production samples, printed mockups, and specification charts of their following season's components. It's hard to believe then, with all that information floating about, that
anything can remain a secret in this sport.
Leaking next season's secrets can (and often does) backfire, when customers decide to keep their wallets safely in their pockets during peak selling season and wait until next year's models arrive. That alone is reason enough to zip your lips. But, do component makers have any recourse? I've never verified a single case, but rumors (there's that word again) persist that critical product deliveries and special race team deals have been known to "fall behind" following major intel breaches.
Hiding in Plain Sight Test Pilots: Innovators need real-world test riders, so another option is to hound dog the sponsored racers and hired guns who are paid to evaluate prototypes and early production samples. You'll have to be fit, though. In just a few seconds, the likes of Ritchie Rude can make you very small in his rearview mirror. Test session are usually staged in remote locations, but you'd be surprised to know how much goes on in plain sight. It can get comical. Last time I was riding in the woods near Santa Cruz, California, Ibis, Specialized, and Santa Cruz Bikes were all testing secret stuff. Everywhere we went, someone was hiding behind a tree - including me, riding a prototype Ripmo.
Detectives: Playing detective is a great game for the media, but we are bound by secrets as well. If someone shows up with it at an event or Whistler bike park. it's fair game. Spy shots are always in demand. Visit a factory, however, and you don't have to look far to see unreleased models in production, often from a handful of brands. To gain access to a story, we often agree to not see this, or speak about that. They trust us not to divulge that knowledge and most journalists don't.
Sneak Previews: Often, bike and parts makers will bring in journalists well ahead of production, sometimes before the patent processes are complete, so there are no surprises when a potentially revolutionary concept is going to be released down the road. Wholesale rejection is easier to deal with before a business commits a few million dollars to full production. Occasionally, that trust lasts for a number of years before a word is spoken.
Embargoes: Media Embargoes are the present rage. It's like a time-release promise. Bike and parts makers use them to corral a number of media outlets in one location for a dog and pony show, tell them all of their secrets, and then schedule an advantageous embargo release date for all parties to publish their stories. Bike brands like embargoes, because they provide time to put out fires from any negative impressions at the launch, and it gives media a grace period to access them for more information.
So, back to Shimano's big secret. To begin with, in a conversation I had with Nick Murdick, the mountain bike product manager for Shimano American Corp, XTR9100 was on schedule for a redesign this year. Shimano's time frame for discussing what changes or improvements may be necessary begins shortly after a new XTR group debuts. Reportedly, it takes about four years from "napkin sketches" to first production, but the heavy lifting begins about two years before the upcoming version's release date. That's when design teams must commit and start making prototypes.
Eight years ago, the landscape was much different, and as Shimano's XC/trail heavy M9000 series reached completion, the long-travel trailbike began driving the market in a different direction. Shimano knew early on that they had missed the mark, so there was consensus (not the rumored shakeup) at the planning meetings, that the upcoming XTR series had to be completely refocused.
"Enduro, the EWS, made it easy for us." says Murdick. "We could get back to XTR's purpose and redesign it purely for racing, because enduro had turned all-mountain into a competitive sport. Now we only had to make XTR to do two things: cross-country and enduro."
How did Shimano keep XTR 9100 under wraps for so long? The answer is, "All of the above." Only the most trusted were allowed in on the planning stages, but ridable prototypes and visual samples have been circulating for quite a while. Chances are that nobody would have seen a finished product until this week anyway. Shimano manufactures XTR in its Osaka, Japan, facilities and almost every step is automated. A recent factory visit revealed that first production of the new XTR was just rolling off the production lines - a testament to the lengthy setup times required for robotics, and also to Shimano's ability to manage "just-in-time" manufacturing. Nobody saw XTR 9100, because essentially, the real thing didn't exist. If you don't have it, you can't show it off - maybe that's the big secret.
And, Mike Levy's predictions? If you want to see how well Levy's crystal ball was working back in August, 2017,
click here and see for yourself.
Step 2: release to chainreaction.com
Step 3: Buy Sram
Uh...ok
Nobody in the bike industry will call Shimano on their BS. Shimano knew they screwed up four years ago. The bike media knew they screwed up. All we got was some dancing around the edges of the problem. Nobody called it out for being what it was.
Plenty of people have been asking for these updates, thus why Shimano released a 46t 11 speed cassette, launched a 42t 10spd deore drivetrain. Made lots of improvements to what they already had because the market "Called them out".
Haha.
People have blindly followed Shimano brakes for so long (and with good reason) that they won't accept that SRAM has actually put out a stellar product line with their new brakes. Oh that 12 speed drivetrain they released a year or two ago seems to be decent too.
Sram, you can add one more gear, and ,make it bigger. Now what?
I'm not a shimano 'fanboy' by any means.. I'm just not gonna buy sram with my experience of them an they're reputation
SLX is all I need. Always works and dirt cheap.
How it that wrong?
I needed new jockey wheels for a sram mech, they cost nearly as much as a new mech. Again, real experience
Again, tell me how that's wrong
You only have to read a few mechanic forums to know about the problems with sram brakes, charger dampers an reverbs...
Again, please tell me how peoples real experiences are wrong.........?
@thenotoriousmic ever hear any complaints about shimano releasing a product loaded with inherent flaws.....?
nope me niether.
sram will release an innovative product early just to be the first, whereas shimano will wait untill that product is perfect
THAT is what I mean when I say sram innovates an shimano perfects. Eagles durability issues are well known in mechanics forums. same for a lot thier stuff at all price points.
sure shimano brakes have gone a bit iffy in the last couple years but they're so cheap theyre almost disposable. or they used to be anyway before the £ shit the bed. please feel free to compare the level of sram brake issues to the level of shimano.
I cant guess as to why your'e having/see'ing performance issues with shimano stuff but, my experience is that both brands perform equally (when set up correctly) sram is a bit lighter an smoother but in NO way to a level that justifies the low durability an inherent QA problems sram are having atm
@Johny-W Nail on the head there, I see it as QA problems at sram. consumers run the risk of getting a sram product that works or, has problems. friday afternoon bike parts maybe
shimano stuff.. just works an keeps on working
but, hey. that's just my experience, with no bias towards either brand. Just a bias to bike parts that don't wear out prematurly or fail for no reason
Seriously??
Or did you just choose to ignore the issue with shimano brakes I brought up in my last comment???
Fkng retard
Also
Ooohh stalker
Prick
What is the f*cking difference. You either set gears properly or not. In ALL my years bike meching this is the first time I have EVER heard this
I fail to see how that's gonna help issues with brakes, charge dampers reverbs etc etc
an the conversation at this point has turned towards srams obvious QA issues
prick
because I have an opinion based on experience that doesn't match your own?
because I've offered valid basis for that opinion based on many others similar experiences?
valid points you have chosen to ignore when I do agree with you because that suites your cognitive bias
when you based your debate on where I live in the country means that I don't require as good bike parts as you so my opinion is therefore invalid????? (despite me having transport to ride any where in the UK........)
maybe you could take a bit of your own advice or, please continue to embarrass yourself
Well if you live in a area where you can’t really even go mountain biking then your opinion has no value even before you started spewing your retarded bullshit.
Listen to people who know more than you and maybe you might learn something. Anyway I’ve had my fill off silly little children. Have a nice day.
nice
How am i being a hard man? do you not like being being called a prick when your being one? It's you that's TELLING other people to stop talking because you don't like their opinion....
how can i not ride a mountain bike in or out of where I live?? You have stalked my profile so, see the cover pic? Yeah That's in Suffolk.......
silly little child??? i'm 44. An even though I'm providing legit arguments in this debate. It's you that coming with the "I know you are but, what am I" attitude..... niiice
I always listen to people that know more than me, an learn things but unfortunately. In this case that isn't you. You are just spouting un'supported rubbish arguments
I'm having an awesome day, there is nothing like getting paid to troll idiots like you when I should be working.
please, keep digging your own hole
Hopefully Shimano will release a 10 speed XT wide range when it gets updated as I don't really need 11 speeds and like the gaps between gears.
Colin Chapman style :-)
Someone else can guinea pig that sh!t.
Plastic caliper and mylar rotor? That seems like a fair bit of false info?
Even Shimanos techsite states "New high rigidity brake hose and 1-piece aluminum caliper" and i seriously doubt that the braking surface is Mylar, Perhaps the cooling fins are wrapped in it.
Come on! Give us something please! Or tell us when it is due to be released!
also usually with Eagle you have bigger chainring so you should be faster
I don't think so, gx can be had for under $400.00...and it's good.
The question becomes if the huge price difference is justified with performance or durability (but the same question can be asked about SRAM's hugely expensive top-tier groups).
XTR isn't made for those who'll settle for "good". Shimano makes Deore and SLX for those riders.
I wouldn't think it's putting people off cycling all together.
Possibly what is happening is some people are starting to realise that the industry is churning out 'innovations' at a fast rate, making it difficult for consumers to keep up.
Personally the best solution to this is to ride my bike, then I tend to forget about needing that new bit of technology.