Joe Bender-Zanoni wrote:
>...a fixed hub will be new to the marketplace and could sell well. I
>probably mislabeled my original post as I would propose a bottoms up
>redesign based on an ASC concept. I think of the design and tooling
>money that went into the Rohloff and I have to think a Nuevo ASC at
>a $150 price point would be a lot better investment for epicyclic
>venture capital.
Yes, that would be great, but I don't think it's realistic. Having seen the insides of an ASC hub, I'd be very surprised to see a new one retail for much less than $500.
You need to consider economies of scale. F'rinstance, the wholesale cost of a Dura-Ace front track hub is 10% higher than a Dura-Ace road front hub, and double that of an Ultegra front. This, despite the fact that the track hub is _much_ simpler and has far fewer component parts than a quick-release hub.
A Campagnolo Record track front hub costs _twice_as_much_ as a Record road front, and the road front has an aluminum axle.
The ASC is great fun, but it is never going to be a mainstream product, and would certainly not be sold in quantities to compare with even conventional track hubs.
Sheldon "Gloom And Doom" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts
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