interesting pics, but you’ve really got to stop wasting your time taking (and then posting) photos of sealed boxes. while they may be novel to you, i think we’ve all seen cardboard boxes before.
different topic:
i generally like shimano stuff, a lot of their designs (but not all) are excellent, but JESUS! does that company move slow as molasses!! i mean, how long has it been since if has been totally obvious to all in the bike biz that brake levers for aerobars (or for aerobar base bars) could be a highly successful (and profitable) bike product? uh, like 20 years? longer? and here it is, 2009, and shimano is finally shipping their first sets. it makes you wonder how a company with such a hugely slow market response time can stay in business.
I still prefer the 2009 campy slightly, but they are pretty close in shape and feel. The 7900 shifting is perfect IMO. I didnt like 7800, because it was too smooth. 7900 is just as smooth, but it gives a bit of feedback.
You can say that about everyone that makes an aero brake lever. Up until what, 2002/03 your only option was Diacompes and Syntace? Campy still does not have an aero brake lever either but they have been doing tt shift levers for pretty long as well.
Actually, Shimano “TT shifters” are simply bar end shifters that have been used on touring bikes for the past 15-20 years! Triathletes simply turned them around and plugged them into the ends of their aerobars. From a “gruppo” perspective, it’s logical to make a “bar end specific shiter” as opposed to a TT specific shifter without making a matching aero brake lever. But kudos to Shimano for jumping on the band wagon. More options = more choice = more competition = lower prices… at least in theory.
The same is for campy’s bar end shifter. The original design from the grip shift was for drop bars too, not aero bars that they became adopted for. Only sram’s levers were designed for aerobars as the primary and sole purpose. STI killed the need for drop bar end shifting.
. it makes you wonder how a company with such a hugely slow market response time can stay in business.
Cause they make some sweet ass fishing equipment.
I’ve always found that curious. Fishing and cycling huh? Who was the pitch-man for that idea? “Ok, what I’m thinking is we’re going to make fishing reels. While we’re at it, I think we could produce some nice cranksets and other random bike components with the spare parts.” Or maybe it was the other way around . . . . . fishing reels with spare parts from the bike components? Whew, anyway, hurts my brain to think about it right now.
That 7900 set is nice. Look how sweet that crankset looks. Love it. I’ll never be able to afford it, but I sure like looking. I’ll stick with my 7800.
i have been using the new Shimano aero levers for about 8 months now. I love them. No rattling, adjustable pulls and slick as butter.
How’s the return spring on those?
Actually, Shimano “TT shifters” are simply bar end shifters that have been used on touring bikes for the past 15-20 years! Triathletes simply turned them around and plugged them into the ends of their aerobars. From a “gruppo” perspective, it’s logical to make a “bar end specific shiter” as opposed to a TT specific shifter without making a matching aero brake lever. But kudos to Shimano for jumping on the band wagon. More options = more choice = more competition = lower prices… at least in theory.
do they make the shiters in carbon-fiber too?
carbon levered STI shifters. These feel really nice in your hands
notice no shift cable exit as on the 7800 and below. It is all routed under the bar tape like campy and sram
This is a **HUGE **improvement over recent offerings. Proper cable routing plus shifters that don’t look retarded. Nicely done, Shimano. You’ve finally caught up with Campy circa 1992.
