Black SL/BL R440?

ukmtk said:

Shimano have these enticing pictures of black SL-R440/BL-R440 components but I'm having trouble trying to get them in the UK (9 speed).

Do they really exist? My local bike shop phoned their UK distributor and they claimed that it wasn't possible to get them in the UK!?

Does anybody know of any internet based bike shop that I can buy them from!?

Many thanks in advance!

they do exist, they are on the shimano website. in ch and germany they are not available. if they are not available in the uk and us, your only hope is japan. maybe they come out in europe in '05, but so far nobody at shimano europe can tell.

Thanks for the answer.

How did you manage to talk to somebody at Shimano Europe?

ukmtk said:

Thanks for the answer.

How did you manage to talk to somebody at Shimano Europe?

i talked to them at eurobike friedrichshafen, because i wanted to know why i can't get everything they have in their (european!) dealerbook, like transparent outercasing or black xt cranks. their answer: not enough demand. i mean please, there isn't enough demand in a market with 400 mio. people? i think it's because most retailers don't even try to get this stuff and just say it's not available, it's easier and they don't have to make phone calls. if more people would call them or write e-mails and complain, maybe they would change their attitude. but i guess if you control more than 90% of the market you can do what ever you want, very sad.

cheers

I would like to know about 440/660 flat bar road shifters and fd for the new 3x10 Ultegra group. 🙂

edit:
Reply to post below.
When they will be available, which market, Aus, US UK, prices, etc.?

gclark8 said:

I would like to know about 440/660 flat bar road shifters and fd for the new 3x10 Ultegra group. 🙂

what exactly do you want to know?

gclark8 said:

I would like to know about 440/660 flat bar road shifters and fd for the new 3x10 Ultegra group. 🙂

edit:
Reply to post below.
When they will be available, which market, Aus, US UK, prices, etc.?

today i got the info that the flatbar stuff is available in black!!! at least in ch. until today i only had the '03 catalog.

there will be no change in the flatbar stuff and because the shifters are only in 8- or 9-speed, it will not work with 10s. very stupid of shimano. the only new road components for '05 are ultegra, tiagra and sora. shimano say on their website it should be available dec. '04 (everywhere in the world), but i would't count on this date.
the sl are about 140 euro, bl about 20 euro, fd triple 45 euro. based on ch price, ch sales tax is only 7.6%, so it might be more expensive elsewhere, but i don't really know.

ukmtk, check your private messages

i hope this helps