Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Bike stuff that bugs you more than it bugs most people

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Bike stuff that bugs you more than it bugs most people

Old 12-30-20, 07:21 AM
  #101  
JohnDThompson 
Old fart
 
JohnDThompson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,936

Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3571 Post(s)
Liked 3,367 Times in 1,916 Posts
Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
something that bugs me, but I know it is just something that works for the owner/rider, is routing the toe strap through the little loop in the buckle, thus preventing the strap from being tightened or loosened....
Originally Posted by sincos
No twist in the strap either. What is this world coming to?!?
And why is the buckle on the inside of the pedal? Makes me wonder if the bike has ever actually been ridden.
JohnDThompson is offline  
Likes For JohnDThompson:
Old 12-30-20, 07:44 AM
  #102  
nlerner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,127
Mentioned: 480 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3788 Post(s)
Liked 6,574 Times in 2,580 Posts
Originally Posted by top506
How about 'goose neck'?

Top
I sorta remember seeing a catalog description of a 1930s Raleigh stem that was actually shaped like a goose neck and might have been labeled as such. Of course, there's also the LD stem.
nlerner is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 07:45 AM
  #103  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
Stuff that bugs me more than it bugs most people-

- front QR skewer installed on the driveside. i have switched the skewer around on many bikes(they are on bikes ridden by a youth cycling group and i help maintain em).
- bar tape that has gaps in it at the brake lever mount. either learn to figure 8 the bar tape or use the included little tape bits to cover the gaps.
- technomic stem. even as someone who is tall and is keenly aware of fitment issues, i just dont like the look. clearly im in the minority, based on how frequently the stems are used on this forum. but everyone comes to this hobby with different limitations, body proportions, yada yada so we must respect how all bikes look.
- saggy saddle wedge bags. i get it- you ride the bike and cant see the flaccid wedge bag flopping around under you so whats it matter? well it matters because they look terrible. a limp wedge bag is no way to go through life- buy one that doesnt sway so much it throws you off balance.
- slapping cheap slow tires on a refurbished road bike that someone spent dozens of hours and absurd money to bring back to glory. quality tires can cost $30 more for a pair than a lot of the stiff heavy junk that i see added to bikes at the end. spending dozens of hours and gobs of money to get all the proper campy from the correct year, then buying some tires from the local co-op is confusing.
- not riding the bikes you own, even when they arent 'museum' quality. the c&v hobby is quite wide in appeal- some love to reuse and refurbish, some like to relive their better years on bikes from that time, some like the simplicity, etc. i appear to be in the minority when it comes to people who seem to collect really nice bikes to display them. its something that i see and wonder why. of course, as a kid i also broke out an autographed football by the 1981 steelers team because i wanted to play with my friend and we couldnt find any of the half dozen footballs i never properly put away. point being, i apparently am not a good collector and displayer of things.
mstateglfr is offline  
Likes For mstateglfr:
Old 12-30-20, 07:48 AM
  #104  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,674

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
On other's bikes:
Brake release levers in the released position.

On my bikes:
Aero brake levers with center pulls or cantilevers--Never Again!

Not even bikes:
ebikes without big blue DISABLED tags.

Touring drivetrains on road racing bikes bugs a lot of people so I won't go there. 🤡
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Classtime is offline  
Likes For Classtime:
Old 12-30-20, 07:49 AM
  #105  
gugie 
Bike Butcher of Portland
Thread Starter
 
gugie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,641

Bikes: It's complicated.

Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4670 Post(s)
Liked 5,769 Times in 2,272 Posts
Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Stuff that bugs me more than it bugs most people-

- front QR skewer installed on the driveside. i have switched the skewer around on many bikes(they are on bikes ridden by a youth cycling group and i help maintain em).
I would wager that this bugs most of us.

Fixie idjit hacked off derailleur hanger really bugs me, but it also bugs most people, methinks.
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Last edited by gugie; 12-30-20 at 11:02 AM.
gugie is offline  
Likes For gugie:
Old 12-30-20, 07:52 AM
  #106  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
Originally Posted by gugie
I would wager that this bugs most of us.
Ha, agreed. I was coming at that annoyance from the perspective of cyclists in general. While it would probably bug most c&v posters, it really doesnt seem to bug the cycling population in general, based on how many i have seen that are backwards.
mstateglfr is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 08:08 AM
  #107  
Fahrenheit531 
52psi
 
Fahrenheit531's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,134

Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)

Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 800 Times in 390 Posts
On my bikes: Brake cable symmetry. Bar tape too. I will agonize over them every single time. (And yes, with bar tape I'm talking about the actual number of wraps, the way they get over and around the brake levers, all of it.) Mental disorder maybe.
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Fahrenheit531 is offline  
Likes For Fahrenheit531:
Old 12-30-20, 08:25 AM
  #108  
Chuck M 
Happy With My Bikes
 
Chuck M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,185

Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 868 Post(s)
Liked 2,278 Times in 1,100 Posts
Originally Posted by Fahrenheit531
Mental disorder maybe.
I have no idea what I'm talking about, but my wife has a bunch of letters behind her name on business cards that suggests she does. If I understand her correctly, it is only a disorder if it negatively affects your life functions.
Chuck M is offline  
Likes For Chuck M:
Old 12-30-20, 08:26 AM
  #109  
seypat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,758
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3192 Post(s)
Liked 2,461 Times in 1,490 Posts
Originally Posted by merziac
Not controversial for me, glad you can own your disdain, you have plenty of company and I get it but my comfort and ability to ride all day long trumps any problem you may have with it.

It bugs me when others try to dictate how I set my bikes up.

I'm going to assume you will quit riding when you can't ride them like that anymore.




From a pure geometry standpoint, these bikes are very appealing to look at. The racks enhance it even more. Look at all of those imaginary lines, angles, circles, etc. They're everywhere! If they had the funky Gitane Honeycomb dropouts and Stronglight cranks it would be visual overload.
seypat is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 08:44 AM
  #110  
Moe Zhoost
Half way there
 
Moe Zhoost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,955

Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times in 526 Posts
Long presta valve stems on vintage rims.
Moe Zhoost is offline  
Likes For Moe Zhoost:
Old 12-30-20, 08:47 AM
  #111  
seypat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,758
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3192 Post(s)
Liked 2,461 Times in 1,490 Posts
What about different colored valve stems on the same bike? I have some of those. You don't know the color until you pull it out of the box. Then you're stuck with it.
seypat is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 08:55 AM
  #112  
steelbikeguy
Senior Member
 
steelbikeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 4,450
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1820 Post(s)
Liked 3,330 Times in 1,564 Posts
Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
And why is the buckle on the inside of the pedal? Makes me wonder if the bike has ever actually been ridden.
I'm 99% certain the bike had never been ridden, even when not considering that toe strap. There were more than a few bikes at the show that seemed unlikely to have ever been on the road. Not my preference, but I can understand the urge.

What I don't understand is how someone can be so enthusiastic about a hobby that the person would commission a frame from Brian Baylis, but not remember how to route a toe strap (and then not see that it was clearly wrong when the pedal was installed). Even if the strap was installed late at night in a hurry.... I can't understand it.

On the plus side... it was an opportunity to bring another Brian Baylis frame into the world, thereby benefiting Brian and the world, so I have to give the owner credit!

Steve in Peoria
steelbikeguy is offline  
Likes For steelbikeguy:
Old 12-30-20, 09:03 AM
  #113  
seypat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,758
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3192 Post(s)
Liked 2,461 Times in 1,490 Posts
Until I saw it mentioned on BF, I didn't know about the strap twist thing. I came to cycling later in life after clipless pedals became a thing. I also put the strap though the little loop on the buckle..........because it's there. Maybe I should rethink it now that I know it's a Flintstone move.

I once installed a set of adjustable DT cable stops with the adjusters on the downside. I thought they looked like dual exhausts! Stayed that way for a year or two until someone pointed it out.

Last edited by seypat; 12-30-20 at 09:06 AM.
seypat is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 09:14 AM
  #114  
BFisher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,336
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 767 Post(s)
Liked 1,897 Times in 889 Posts
I gotta say it, because I see it often enough to think everybody else is ok with this:

Too thick lug lining, especially on high end bikes or bikes that the builder obviously put a lot of time into.

Guys, and yes I say guys because women would never do this, stop using blunt tip markers to line your lugs! It looks terrible. Always. From the front, side, and rear, and from 100 yards away where they are unfortunately still visible just like a toupee.

There. I said it.
BFisher is offline  
Likes For BFisher:
Old 12-30-20, 09:17 AM
  #115  
abshipp 
Senior Member
 
abshipp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Greenville SC
Posts: 4,192

Bikes: 1975 Motobecane Grand Jubile, 2020 Holdsworth Competition, 2022 Giant Trance 29 3

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3330 Post(s)
Liked 3,561 Times in 1,228 Posts
Originally Posted by Dylansbob
Bad fenderlines. I hate seeing bikes with plastic fenders all jacked up in one spot because the installed had no idea.
This one kills me. I spent 4 hours on my last fender installation and it's still not perfect, but I'd say it's 95% there.

​​​​​​
abshipp is offline  
Likes For abshipp:
Old 12-30-20, 09:29 AM
  #116  
Charles Wahl
Disraeli Gears
 
Charles Wahl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 4,162
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 504 Post(s)
Liked 364 Times in 213 Posts
Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
Long presta valve stems on vintage rims.
The many vendors who seem not to stock tubes with short Presta stems.
Charles Wahl is offline  
Likes For Charles Wahl:
Old 12-30-20, 09:35 AM
  #117  
Ex Pres 
Cat 6
 
Ex Pres's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,519
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 183 Times in 118 Posts
There are plenty of aesthetic choices I see routinely posted on BF that I wouldn't have in my stable, but I'm not airing those.
Except for modern 4 arm cranksets - I'm calling those out.

BUT WHAT BUGS ME THE MOST is cyclists wearing pavement camouflage.
Matte black bike with black components and wearing a black jersey or jacket, (shorts get a pass, they have to be black) particularly while riding in low light conditions and/or lacking enough lighting on their bike.
When I see a cyclist kitted out like this, I'm almost tempted to run them off the road so I can stop and lecture them,

Yep, I'm getting old and cranky, too.
Ex Pres is offline  
Likes For Ex Pres:
Old 12-30-20, 10:04 AM
  #118  
Kabuki12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,405
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 2,226 Times in 1,249 Posts
Originally Posted by Charles Wahl
The many vendors who seem not to stock tubes with short Presta stems.
Agreed! It has forced me to patch tubes that I would normally dispose of . The normal sources are drying up. My LBS that used to order them for me said they can get short ones , they came in at 42mm, that ain't short! I first had to get used to 32mm after years of 28mm , now 42? ARGH!!!
Kabuki12 is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 11:05 AM
  #119  
steelbikeguy
Senior Member
 
steelbikeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Peoria, IL
Posts: 4,450
Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1820 Post(s)
Liked 3,330 Times in 1,564 Posts
Looking at the posts so far, I notice at least a couple of categories. One is the "that's not the way we did it back in the day". My post about tucking the end of the toe strap into the loop on the buckle falls into that category ... even though some folks did it back in the day. Maybe it's more of a "that's not the way the cool kids did it.." sort of thing? I think this category also includes the matter of whether cloth bar tape should be wrapped from bottom to top or top to bottom (the answer is clearly "top to bottom"!!).

Another cagegory would be aesthetic preferences. Lots of opportunities here, but this post is about using large bottles in handlebar cages.

To illustrate this, here's a shot of my International with a T.A. bar cage. The bottle is a standard pint, which is all that existed when this cage was designed.



Bar cages still exist, which is great, and people often use whatever bottle is available. This is usually a large bottle, which is very practical and likely easier to grab than a pint bottle.
The problem is that the large bottle looks ridiculous! In the same way that your trousers don't have to go down to your shoes, they look ridiculous when the hem is a few inches higher. The trousers still work, but.... friends don't let friends wear them this way.

Anyway... we are all human and have our biases about what is right. Large bottles in handlebar cages just aren't right!


Steve in Peoria
steelbikeguy is offline  
Likes For steelbikeguy:
Old 12-30-20, 11:11 AM
  #120  
gugie 
Bike Butcher of Portland
Thread Starter
 
gugie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,641

Bikes: It's complicated.

Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4670 Post(s)
Liked 5,769 Times in 2,272 Posts
Originally Posted by abshipp
This one kills me. I spent 4 hours on my last fender installation and it's still not perfect, but I'd say it's 95% there.
​​​​​​
Ooh, that's damn slick. The words cafe racer come to mind. I'm not into single speeds, but if I were, that's how I'd do it!
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Last edited by gugie; 12-30-20 at 11:41 AM.
gugie is offline  
Likes For gugie:
Old 12-30-20, 11:18 AM
  #121  
halb 
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: eastern CT
Posts: 46

Bikes: yes

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 10 Posts
First, I want to congratulate Gugie for starting the perfect thread. Maybe too perfect when things started to get snarky.
While I share many of the views already expressed, from an aesthetic sense, shouldn't we just get rid of those damn cables?
I started thinking of track bikes and coaster brakes, but the limitations are obvious. How about "drive by wire." It's already here
in F1 and creeping into bicycle racing. Don't we all just want to control our braking and shifting with subtle little buttons?
Of course, my days of fooling with bikes would be fading fast.
halb is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 11:25 AM
  #122  
abshipp 
Senior Member
 
abshipp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Greenville SC
Posts: 4,192

Bikes: 1975 Motobecane Grand Jubile, 2020 Holdsworth Competition, 2022 Giant Trance 29 3

Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3330 Post(s)
Liked 3,561 Times in 1,228 Posts
Originally Posted by gugie
Ooh, that's damn slick. The words cafe racer come to mind. I'm not into single speeds, but i I were, that's how I'd do it!
Since I have a real track bike now that can scratch the fixed gear itch, I'm starting to think more and more about that Jubile RD I have in my parts bin...

I think this would be perfect as a 1x5 with those porteur bars and a chainguard. It desperately needs centerpulls too.
abshipp is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 11:38 AM
  #123  
Reynolds 
Passista
 
Reynolds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,586

Bikes: 1998 Pinarello Asolo, 1992 KHS Montaņa pro, 1980 Raleigh DL-1, IGH Hybrid, IGH Utility

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 866 Post(s)
Liked 711 Times in 392 Posts
Too long/too short cables. That is, longer or shorter than I set them up...
Reynolds is offline  
Old 12-30-20, 11:43 AM
  #124  
Goosecheck 
Junior Member
 
Goosecheck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Granite Bay, Ca
Posts: 88

Bikes: '84 Bianchi Professional, '94 Mongoose Rockadile(Dirt drop conversion), '10 Jamis Eclipse, '71 Peugeot UE8, '17 New Albion Privateer(Rando build), '96 Specialized Crossroads Cruz(Cross build) '72 Peugeot AE8(Porteur Conversion), 2010 Guru Magis

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 40 Posts
  • Laying a bicycle on the ground (when laying it on the ground is not the only option)
  • Laying a bicycle on the ground on the drivetrain side (when laying it on the ground IS the only option)
  • Standing a bicycle up on the handlebars and saddle
  • Use of aero/tri bars any place outside of an actual race.
  • Not calling out when passing another cyclist from behind
  • The inordinate pursuit of lightness, speed, data and upgrades
  • Not waving back to another cyclist

...whew! Glad to get that off my chest!
Goosecheck is offline  
Likes For Goosecheck:
Old 12-30-20, 11:55 AM
  #125  
masi61
Senior Member
 
masi61's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 3,673

Bikes: Puch Marco Polo, Saint Tropez, Masi Gran Criterium

Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1158 Post(s)
Liked 439 Times in 312 Posts
I like the bottoms of my drop bars to be almost parallel to the ground. Their position, then dictates the positioning of the tops of the brake levers which for me leaves the top of the hood nearly horizontal. Maybe a bit too extreme but I prefer it that way for when I ride the drops.

The opposite of this configuration - bar ends angled up and integrated shifters angled up looks downright dangerous. Usually a person who has their road bike set up this way has some sort of back issue - I get that. But doing handlebars this way makes descending in the drops dangerous.
masi61 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.