Looks like Quintana Roo has become the latest manufacturer to imperil its dealers' and retailers' business models by moving toward direct-to-consumer distribution via internets. Seems this is the day Dan warned Tom Demerly about back in the era before personal computing...
Anyways, at $4500 for a PRsix frameset, these QR products seem overpriced vis-a-vis DTC competitors like Canyon, Diamondback, Premier Tactical. I can get a Canyon Speedmax CF SLX 9.0 LTD with Dura Ace Di2 9160 and Zipp 808 NSWs or I can get a PRsix with Reynolds Strikes and Ultegra 6870 -- not a tough choice. Or I can pick up a Premier Tactical with a dual sided power meter and a travel case for under $6k.
This seems like a problem for manufacturers that need to shift from traditional retail distribution -- they can't undercut and cannibalize their dealers too much by slashing e-tail pricing, so they can't be competitive and extend the price-value benefits of the virtual model to consumers.
It's too bad really, because with the new stem and bento options, the PRsix has improved a lot and it seems to be a very underrated bike.
Anyways, at $4500 for a PRsix frameset, these QR products seem overpriced vis-a-vis DTC competitors like Canyon, Diamondback, Premier Tactical. I can get a Canyon Speedmax CF SLX 9.0 LTD with Dura Ace Di2 9160 and Zipp 808 NSWs or I can get a PRsix with Reynolds Strikes and Ultegra 6870 -- not a tough choice. Or I can pick up a Premier Tactical with a dual sided power meter and a travel case for under $6k.
This seems like a problem for manufacturers that need to shift from traditional retail distribution -- they can't undercut and cannibalize their dealers too much by slashing e-tail pricing, so they can't be competitive and extend the price-value benefits of the virtual model to consumers.
It's too bad really, because with the new stem and bento options, the PRsix has improved a lot and it seems to be a very underrated bike.