Oh crap.
SRAM read this. The reason I began using Avid's stuff to begin with was because I bent a '97 era Shimano brake lever handle in '99 (I believe it was still their current model), and at the time had no luck getting a replacement. Avid's replacement parts support was legendary on these boards, so I picked up a set of newly introduced SD Mag levers that I still use today. Dennis and later Lonnie were insturmental in building Avid's reputation as a customer service friendly organization.
Ed Najseti, if that's who you spoke to, used to frequent the drivetrain board. I appreciated his willingness to "be here", but to be honest, I never appreciated his "tone". To folks seeking advice, he was very often less than helpful.
SRAM, as an orginazation, has never been customer-friendly (with the exception of their Spectro internal hub guys). But I can fully appreciate a company of this size to require its customers to handle warranty, missing parts, and small parts orders through local SRAM dealers -- it's the exceptional company that deals with the customer direct.
If this is in fact the direction SRAM is taking Avid, it's sad but perhaps expected. Avid has a lineup of great products, but it was their outsdanding customer service that put them above the rest and generated so much impassioned brand loyality.
