"New" sram hydro

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tinozee
Posts: 764
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:53 am

by tinozee

FIJIGabe wrote:I don't see what the issue is with them releasing Hydro now, and their electric components later. SRAM suffered a very public black eye by releasing their Hydro offering before it was ready. They have to remedy that for the hundreds (maybe thousands) of consumers who dropped money on the equipment, and haven't had the ability to use it (or had to settle for "inferior" mechanical brakes, while waiting for their new parts to arrive). On the otherhand, SRAM isn't ready to release their electrical group yet. They're testing it (but notice how it's going on a development squad's bikes - if it messes up, who cares, they're just kids racing in an adult's sport), but it doesn't appear ready for prime time.

SRAM's electrical offerings are at least six months off. So the question becomes: do they hold off their Hydro brakes for six months, unnecessarily, and keep the spectre of their very public failure in the press until then, or release it for those who bought MECHANICAL SRAM Red with Hydro brakes, and then offer a Hydro version of their electric group in 6 months, when they're finally ready to take their product to market? I think they're doing the right thing: correct their previous mistake, before offering new components.


I guess I don't really sympathize with manufacturers, not at all. I'm just being honest as a consumer and could care less about their predicament,or that of the early adopters who got hosed. I work hard for the cash and buy stuff if it's good, period. So when I see this sort of stopgap situation whilst considering a new group set, I would avoid something like this and wait for the ideal. Either that or I'd buy another brand's group.

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FIJIGabe
Posts: 2241
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:07 pm
Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

I'm thinking about the industry, consumers (who placed their trust that the components were ready for primetime), the company (who had a good idea, and had the balls to put their money where there mouth was) and the shareholders (who are concerned about the bottom line).

In the end, SRAM has to release this product - failing to do so will open them up to lawsuits and the PR will be a nightmare. Sure, most consumers don't care, but then again, most consumers buy there bikes from Walmart, Sports Authority or other "big box" retailers. However, those with any knowledge of the industry would lose faith in one of the big component makers, which isn't good for SRAM, the industry or consumers.

Also, think of it this way: if SRAM didn't replace the brakes ASAP, would any of the big name bike builders (Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, etc) bother to make "special edition" bikes, like they did for the Hydro brakes?

Finally, you say you buy stuff "if it is good". Well, until some people started displaying problems with these brakes, did you have any indication that they weren't good? Would you buy DA9000? Is it "good"? How about Super Record? Is it "good"? "Good" isn't a quantifiable quality. Consumers and manufacturers strike a balance between "good" and "bad" all the time. Otherwise, everyone would be riding the lightest groupsets available, and paying top dollar for them. However, we make compromises, which is the nature of the business.

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