slimjimihendrix

@sonuvagun: I don't want to name names for 1-3, since I don't want to sully any relationships with people or companies for personal and professional reasons. All I'll say is that one of the big drivetrain manufacturers whose name starts with an S is a 2 and the other is a 3 (with a little 2-ness mixed in). The 2 has followed a traditional development path and been quite conservative while the 3/2 has invested heavily in marketing and design while cutting costs on their sourcing and production. I think that should be pretty clear, haha—I should say that I use both companies' new products and think both work pretty well and have enjoyed using them, and there are really great people working at both. But their production costs and quality have been reduced and prices have increased, and it's a shame. #4's are just about who'd you think of, and I'm happy to name lots! These companies are often small and run by folks who are seriously involved with their products. White Industries, Paul Components, Schmolke (and all those specialty carbon brands), a lot of established framebuilders (and some new ones!), and I'd even include ABUS locks (high-end standard w/o alarms, etc. more than the lower-end and more gimmicky ones) and some Campagnolo groups I think—although they're not rebuildable anymore and there have been some annoying new defects coming along with the 12spd groups, so... maybe they're in the #2 bucket after all. But it's Campy, they move at their own speed—and the wheels are still remarkably well made. Might include Fox too in a similar boat. Then it's your other smaller makers like Galfer, some Wolf Tooth stuff, Bike Yoke, Raketa, Chris King, Hope, Industry Nine, Cane Creek, WeAreOne... These companies are out there but there is still an abundance of good stuff being made. You just have to shell out more than you used to. (As a final example, I think I'd include Wera Tools in here. I have not met people as passionate about handtools as those fine folks! And the tools are great!)

@Monkeyass: I left the bike industry after 12 years this spring because I couldn't take the price-gouging anymore. So take this with the caveat that I'm disillusioned—but that there are many, many people like me in the industry and escaped from the industry. At this point there are basically only three types of manufacturers/companies in this industry: 1. Those using the same good materials they've always used and selling at prices outstripping their costs by a massive margin. 2. Those using worse materials than they used to and selling at prices that outstrip their old costs by a slight margin. 3. Those using worse materials than they used to and selling at prices that outstrip their old costs by a massive margin. I am aware of only a few outfits who aren't in these categories, and they are exactly the type of companies you'd expect. I guess you could fit them all into the definition of: 4. Those who've always used exceptional materials and exceptional manufacturing, who have always sold at correspondingly top-of-market prices. Maybe you sense the common thread here...

The other big Canadian distributor also just sold and has had some pretty big disruptions/changes happening in parallel. Nobody wants to say anything but big companies like SRAM and Lezyne are undergoing major restructuring at the same time. Big 6-12 months ahead for the industry. Expect continued corporate greed and yes, layoffs.

@jrocksdh: PPP loans maybe so. COVID shutdowns? Absolutely not.

That's awesome! (This is the type of person ruining cycling.)

@nace: I don't want them on my road bike either! It's bad tech that was jammed down our throats. Maybe necessary for road bikes to transition to disc brakes but... I don't want disc brakes on my road bike!

She just did an awesome Racing Point F1 team-inspired paint job on a rigid singlespeed. So cool.

@eh-steve: Correctemundo. Em's an em-f'ing bike rider good god.