by Johnny Rad on Wed Oct 23, 2013 8:42 pm
@53x12: Totally agreed on $2.3K not being a great deal right now. I think MSRP was ~$2,700-3K depending upon configuration and generation. If MF doesn't come back and/or there's no good news on the warranty front, it's not hard to imagine the pricing coming down as sellers find it more difficult to find buyers.
I bought my MF's because of their "price to weight" ratio while still offering aero benefits. Based on the same online reviews you've all seen, I trusted they were lighter than ZIPPs, but not as aero. It was a trade-off I was willing to make when I found a deal too good to pass up. Assuming I didn't already own a set ... I wouldn't pop on a set until the prices came down significantly to offset the distinct possibility of no warranty, crash repair prices, technical support, etc.
With respect to crosswinds, yup they sure can get pushed around just like many of the reviewers online have written. Some riders are just more sensitive to to it than others for whatever reasons, so know yourself before buying. I'm quite happy to ride them as an everyday wheel and crosswind performance won't be the reason I'd ever part with them one day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
What are the most likely scenarios for MF?
1. Closed for good to only live on in our memories (aka M2Racer). If they didn't make enough profitable sales, this may be their only option.
2. Re-enter market with new strategy for existing, slightly different and/or new products WITH support for previous products (like a Phoenix rising from the ashes). To maintain whatever goodwill they've created, I think they'd have to continue supporting their current users in one form or another.
3. Re-enter market with new strategy focused on new products WITHOUT support for previous products (like the Lew wheels allegations). Ugh, let's not go here.
4. Closed for good, but license their name, technology, etc to another party WITH or WITHOUT support for previous products. Seems like a real long shot because I'd argue they don't have much brand to leverage and their skinny wheel technology is out of favor with the market. See option 1.
5. What else?! The good, the bad and the ugly...