What's the worst bicycle you ever owned?
#52
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Resuscitating a necro thread, are we?
Mid 90's Cannondale. Gawd, what a buzzy, harsh, POS. The chain stays were slightly off so the rear wheel didn't center. I gave it away because I couldn't bring myself to take money from anyone for that POS.
-Kedosto
Mid 90's Cannondale. Gawd, what a buzzy, harsh, POS. The chain stays were slightly off so the rear wheel didn't center. I gave it away because I couldn't bring myself to take money from anyone for that POS.
-Kedosto
#53
Me duelen las nalgas
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Stingray, 1969 or '70. I really thought I wanted one, but it wasn't satisfactory to ride. The novelty wore out quickly. I much preferred my next bike a year later, a conventional 3-speed city bike.
Since then I can make just about any decent bike work. It's just a matter of fit -- getting the right saddle, handlebar, stem, reach, etc.
Well, almost any bike. I still can't get along with a recumbent a friend loaned me a year ago. I think I did one lap around the parking lot, hated it, never took it out again.
Since then I can make just about any decent bike work. It's just a matter of fit -- getting the right saddle, handlebar, stem, reach, etc.
Well, almost any bike. I still can't get along with a recumbent a friend loaned me a year ago. I think I did one lap around the parking lot, hated it, never took it out again.
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#54
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It was some forgettable Performance house branded road bike, my first one. From the first ride to the last, the thing was a noise machine. Something was always creaking or popping or clicking or whatever else. I was practically afraid to really hammer on it, or descend fast on it. I'm also a noise stickler, so I'm already predisposed to hating any noise coming from my bike. I don't even remember what I did with it, I may have returned it, but it was so forgettable.
#55
Senior Member
My first couple of bikes in the '70's. Friction shifters, hubs that needed repacking all the time, heavy wheels and tires unless you used sew-ups, and then you had to deal with flats. Don't let old guys tell you that their bikes were great - they weren't. Started riding a road bike again years later when integrated shifters were in use - what a huge difference! Most decent quality modern road and mountain bikes are amazing as long as you get the size right.
#56
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My first bike was my worst bike. I had already learned how to ride using my aunt's full sized adult bike, so my father was forced into buying me a bike. The one he bought was as cheap as he could find, we didn't have very much money. The bike he bought was awful. It was a fixed gear with no brakes. It was so poorly made that I broke the chain several times. He had to take it back and he bought me what was possibly the best bike I have ever had. My dad came through for me. He bought me a great bike
#57
Chases Dogs for Sport
It pains me to say this because I loved the bike. It was my first "racing" bike -- my first 10-speed (when 10-speed meant 10 TOTAL speeds -- 2 in front, 5 in back). It was probably a '72 aluminum-framed Mossberg. Amazing bike. Incredible bike. Beautiful paint. Very fast. But with one flaw. The frame didn't hold together very well. The head tube / top tube junction would crack and separate every couple months. I would have it brazed. It would crack and separate again. Brazed again. Cracked again. Within 18 months, it wasn't repairable or sellable. It went to the dump.
I miss the old Mossberg. But its aluminum frame wasn't ready for public consumption.
I miss the old Mossberg. But its aluminum frame wasn't ready for public consumption.
#58
What happened?
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Next Sierra Key. Was a surprise from my mom, yes, it was.
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#59
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Unknown name brand or what ever but as a child the bike with metal fenders cut my legs so badly i wear two long scars on my right leg from being cut up after a ride. Multiple stitches 🧵
#60
Senior Member
2009ish Fuji SL1. I've had several Fuji road bikes but that SL1 was the only one I hated. It was a hair too big and had this awesome front end wobble at 30mph, every descent sucked.
#61
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Long before joining BF and having not dealt/ridden bikes for almost 40 years: wife wanted that purple bike in the Goodwill.... Turned out to be a newish Roadmaster that fell apart quickly. Replaced with a Trek and stripped what little was salvageable.... That company and it's distributors should be locked up for fraud... those are not bikes!
#62
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BSOs sure are crappy these days.
BITD, the cheap stuff generally wasn't utter junk, except most of the design was pretty shabby.
My first bike was my worst; a Peugot folder. What a piece of ****.
As a mechanic, I've come across another class of terrible bike; a mid-range machine that should be half decent, but instead just has problem after problem. Saw a few like that, and it just seemed to be like a random curse.
BITD, the cheap stuff generally wasn't utter junk, except most of the design was pretty shabby.
My first bike was my worst; a Peugot folder. What a piece of ****.
As a mechanic, I've come across another class of terrible bike; a mid-range machine that should be half decent, but instead just has problem after problem. Saw a few like that, and it just seemed to be like a random curse.
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Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
Last edited by Kimmo; 07-21-19 at 07:27 AM.
#63
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Can't say I ever had a bad one. The most disappointing was my Giant TCR C2 I bought new in '06. I fell for the carbon hype and during my first real ride I knew I had wasted over 2000 dollars. The magic carbon carpet ride I had heard all about never materialized. Sold it after a year, I had other steel and alu bikes I rode more. Good looking bike, though.
#64
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Worst ever was a long time ago. Schwinn Sting Ray with the 5 speed stick shift on the top tube. Banana seat, horrible pedaling position, it was for really short rides, at best. I outgrew it pretty quick. Yes, I was pretty young at the time.
#65
pan y agua
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this thread is equivalent to asking " what was the worst sex you ever had?"
Some are better than others but none are worse than no bike (or no sex) at all.
Some are better than others but none are worse than no bike (or no sex) at all.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
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#66
pan y agua
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Horrible bike to ride a century on
Great bike to tool around with your pre teen friends
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
#67
pan y agua
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My first couple of bikes in the '70's. Friction shifters, hubs that needed repacking all the time, heavy wheels and tires unless you used sew-ups, and then you had to deal with flats. Don't let old guys tell you that their bikes were great - they weren't. Started riding a road bike again years later when integrated shifters were in use - what a huge difference! Most decent quality modern road and mountain bikes are amazing as long as you get the size right.
You get your Parlee F5, and any modern group set and wheel set.
Any course any time.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
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#68
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True, true...
I also had a Schwinn Corvette that I recently sold. But I liked that bike. It was a tank.
#69
Senior Member
I forgot the brand, but it was bought at Wal-Mart
#70
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I had a 1970s Raleigh Record with a Huret Alvit rear derailleur. I thought it was the greatest bike ever when I first bought it. Over time, the rear derailleur began to fail and not shift correctly. I mistakenly thought that all road bikes shifted like crap and gave up cycling. Many years later, I returned to cycling via mountain biking. I dug out the old Raleigh and realized the problem was the rear derailleur was a POS design.
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#71
Senior Member
So, I'll take a Reynolds 531 double butted frame (or Columbus SLS) with Campy Nuevo Record Group, with (horrors) hubs that need to be repacked occasionally and down tube friction shifters.
You get your Parlee F5, and any modern group set and wheel set.
Any course any time.
You get your Parlee F5, and any modern group set and wheel set.
Any course any time.
#72
pan y agua
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The weight would matter on hilly road course, but it would still be a small difference.
There's enough difference that it would matter at an elite level where every one is extremely talented, and hyper fit. Recreational riding, and even most levels of amateur racing, fitness and ability of the rider is still way more important than the marginal tech advances.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
#73
bike whisperer
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Brifters weren't a marginal advance; they were the final design element of the road bike that was too long coming.
Can't change gear while standing? You're getting dropped.
Can't change gear while standing? You're getting dropped.
__________________
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
Sheldon Brown's bike info ~~~ Park Tools repair help
Half-step triple, using double gear ~~~ 6400 STI rebuild walkthrough ~~~ Want 8/9/10s @126mm OLD? OCR. ~~~ Shimano cassette body overhaul ~~~ Ergopower Escape wear repair ~~~ PSA: drivetrain wear
List of US/Canada bike co-ops ~~~ Global list
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#74
Grouchy Old man
1989 Huffy
The worst bike I ever rode was a 1989 Huffy that I bought at Target. I rode it for a short amount of time, and had to get rid of it because the frame cracked. Just say no to Huffy!
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#75
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Worst bike? A Nishiki cruiser that weighed a ton, complete with a banana seat, high-rise bars, monstrously-tall gearing, and a flexi fork that folded on me. Those were the early '70s for you.