Why isn't there a German manufacturer of a road group set?

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

r_mutt
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:33 pm

by r_mutt

swiss for cheese? that would be france. the swiss are known for banks and watches.

:smartass:

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



fromtrektocolnago
Posts: 1145
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:15 pm

by fromtrektocolnago

What would a German manufacturer bring that say a Shimano doesn't already bring to the table. Top end German brands are known for quality engineering and reliability. Shimano has that.
Colnago C-59 (Dura Ace)
Firefly(Ultegra)
Colnago C-64 disc(ultegra) with Bora 35 wheels

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

r_mutt wrote:swiss for cheese? that would be france. the swiss are known for banks and watches.

:smartass:


Cheese fondue and Raclette are typical Swiss related cheese dishes :P

Famous cheese is for example:
Emmentaler
Gruyère
and of course there is a bunch of others


Other things aside banks and watches:

Swiss Army Knives
Swiss chocolate
Nespresso
Red Cross
Cern (Large Hadron Collider)
Swiss made = High quality standard

User avatar
Mario Jr.
Posts: 2174
Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:49 am
Location: Denmark
Contact:

by Mario Jr.

fromtrektocolnago wrote:What would a German manufacturer bring that say a Shimano doesn't already bring to the table. Top end German brands are known for quality engineering and reliability. Shimano has that.


So you mean that because Shimano is making a fine product, it would be a waste for an other brand/philosophy to even try and have a fresh go on what a group set could be? In that logic do you mean that SRAM, Campa and soon FSA and Rotor should just pack their things and stop what they are doing?

User avatar
prendrefeu
Posts: 8580
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:32 pm
Location: Glendale / Los Angeles, California
Contact:

by prendrefeu

In a similar notion:

Levi's makes good jeans. They also make the most jeans in the fashion market and dominate manufacturing runs. They also are the most famous brand.
But I'm quite thankful that there are other brands of jeans out there that are far superior (however more expensive they may be)
Exp001 || Other projects in the works.

User avatar
Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez
Posts: 2147
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:21 pm
Location: around Paris

by Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez

BRM wrote:
r_mutt wrote:swiss for cheese? that would be france. the swiss are known for banks and watches.

:smartass:


Cheese fondue and Raclette are typical Swiss related cheese dishes :P

Famous cheese is for example:
Emmentaler
Gruyère


Don't forget Viande des Grisons 8) 8) to eat with Raclette

User avatar
kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

+1
Another example:
There is Rolex. Works and looks fine, keeps a high resale value. For many people, the ultimate watch.
But there is also Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Girard Perregaux, Vacheron Constantin... For the true connoiseur these are superior.

Ritxis
Posts: 1119
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:00 pm
Location: San Sebastian

by Ritxis

BRM wrote:
r_mutt wrote:swiss for cheese? that would be france. the swiss are known for banks and watches.

:smartass:


Cheese fondue and Raclette are typical Swiss related cheese dishes :P

Famous cheese is for example:
Emmentaler
Gruyère
and of course there is a bunch of others


Other things aside banks and watches:

Swiss Army Knives
Swiss chocolate
Nespresso
Red Cross
Cern (Large Hadron Collider)
Swiss made = High quality standard


CERN is not Swiss, It is in Switzerland, but it is a collaboration of many countries........... :lol: :lol:

User avatar
Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez
Posts: 2147
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:21 pm
Location: around Paris

by Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez

To be picky and off-topic, it's half in Switzerland half in France, well underground... it passes right under my flat!

fromtrektocolnago
Posts: 1145
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:15 pm

by fromtrektocolnago

kgt wrote:+1
Another example:
There is Rolex. Works and looks fine, keeps a high resale value. For many people, the ultimate watch.
But there is also Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Girard Perregaux, Vacheron Constantin... For the true connoiseur these are superior.


I like Swiss Watches. Have a Breitling from 2005, but there are many watch aficionados who claim the Gran Seiko is at least equal to anything that the Swiss put out. They certainly price the watch that way. There are some excellent top end swiss watches, but the Japanese compete here quite well. Part of the allure of a swiss watch is pure marketing.
Colnago C-59 (Dura Ace)
Firefly(Ultegra)
Colnago C-64 disc(ultegra) with Bora 35 wheels

sebo2000
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:47 pm

by sebo2000

Everyone talks German, Italian... I have Dogma F8, Trek Madone, Cervelo S3, Speed Concept, but when I'm looking at those american hand build bikes: https://www.instagram.com/fireflybicycles/?hl=en I'm absolutely impressed with details and weld quality. I would never buy my mass produced dogma if I would see this manufacturer before. This is my next bike for sure.
I'm not advertising just admiring the work.

User avatar
kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

fromtrektocolnago wrote:
kgt wrote:+1
Another example:
There is Rolex. Works and looks fine, keeps a high resale value. For many people, the ultimate watch.
But there is also Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Girard Perregaux, Vacheron Constantin... For the true connoiseur these are superior.


I like Swiss Watches. Have a Breitling from 2005, but there are many watch aficionados who claim the Gran Seiko is at least equal to anything that the Swiss put out. They certainly price the watch that way. There are some excellent top end swiss watches, but the Japanese compete here quite well. Part of the allure of a swiss watch is pure marketing.


Breitling is not really at the top of swiss watchmaking. And Grand Seiko is cool but noone will claim that is anything special in comparison to what the swiss manufactures can make. Not even close.

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1925
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

4 pages of nonsense. Germany is too busy making chocolate to make bike parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOziWm_MJ9k

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

Ritxis wrote:
CERN is not Swiss, It is in Switzerland, but it is a collaboration of many countries........... :lol: :lol:


Sure, but it is not only related to origin of things, but also where a country is known for. :wink:

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



kulivontot
Posts: 1163
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 7:28 pm

by kulivontot

I think the typical characterization is that german bike companies (ax.lightness, tune, srm, Canyon, etc) are too busy making really nice precision stuff that only like a 1000 people worldwide would want to buy and price accordingly. For whatever reason they don't have the desire or capability to build something high quality, but manufactured in massive quantity at prices that are competitive with the big three.

Post Reply