Berner Order Help

[rhane]

I'm trying to figure out how to place an order with Berner and pay for it, but don't speak german and have been unsuccessful at contacting them via email. Does anyone have experience dealing with this company or suggestions on how to get in contact with them? I read somewhere in another post that they offer a service where I may be able to send in my derailleurs for the pulley upgrade, can someone explain to me how this would work (obviously I'd need a way to contact them to pay and let them know I was shipping them parts.) I really appreciate the help.

[Ypsylon]

Have you tried info@berner-bikes.com?

I know they used to offer that service but couldn't find it anymore on their website.

[rhane]

Yes, info@berner-bikes.com is the email address I've been trying without luck. Does anyone know if this is a small company (i.e. one where when someone goes on vacation the email stops being read?)

[Ypsylon]

I don't know how small they are exactly, but they are definetly not large. It's absolutely possible the guy that reads the English e-mails isn't working this week and so you are out of luck for now.

What kind of RD do you have. I'm not sure, but I think Fibre-Lyte were thinking about offering something similar, at least for Shimano? If you have no progress to report in two weeks, let me know.

[rhane]

Thanks for the help. I'm on a SRAM Red RD, and if another company would offer something similar I'd be interested so long as the durability was up to par. I'll let you know if I don't hear back.

[Fibre-Lyte]

what were you hoping to get from Berner when you say a 'pulley upgrade'? I've seen their full custom enclosed aero sets and it's not something we've considered at the moment (lack of demand the primary reason) but we do offer pulleys and an inner mech plate already.

As for their email, I've never tried contacting them so can't help there, sorry.

[Ypsylon]

I'd think people buy the Berner RD to get the 15t lower pulley, which should make the drivetrain more efficient.

For that you need the appropriate size cage and, you guessed it, a 15t pulley.

[Fibre-Lyte]

A 15t lower pulley can be run with most medium or long cage mechs I think, the only thing that gets in the way is the lower chain jump stop on the inner alloy plate. We've done a few carbon inner plates to suit a 15t pulley already and of course, we can do a 15t pulley.

I'm not convinced with the practical side of switching to a 15t lower pulley though. The theory (about drivetrain efficiency) is fine, but how much of a difference it makes in practice, I wouldn't like to say.

[rhane]

What alloy pulleys does Berner use and do they manufacturer their own? My interest in the "upgrade" is really just some bling so long as it'll be functionally equivocal. I don't know much about carbon pulleys, but I would like to know more about how resilient they are and how long they last? My lean towards Berner was really because of the alloy pulleys, so if you can provide more information about carbon vs alloy and what I could expect from a 13/15t pulley setup from a functional point of view I'd appreciate it. Again, to clarify, whether the 13/15t provides 0.5-1% reduction in drag is - to me - not going to make any real differences in how I ride, but I do like the idea of using something a little different and that's why I was looking into the Berner RD.

[geoff]

Don't worry about the German. Timo's daughter does his translating. She is 12!