The "I just don't like those XXXXX brand bikes" thread

[Jaredp]

I am not sure if this thread will catch on but I was inspired by a recent post ride group discussion.

One person asked about a certain brand they were thinking about purchasing. One response was of a negative reaction. My observation was of a person with more of a general rejection rather than specifics.

His recommendations then inspired a similar response from someone else. This then set of a chain reaction of similar reactions to ANY brand suggested.

It was the classic Ford Vs Holden argument but with heaps more brands to pick on.

So I decided to open this discussion to more people.

What brand of bike do you..... "Just don't like"

It's hard for this not to turn to a slag fest. So restraint is required.

Please no "@&$)&@$$ are crap" if you decide to respond, please be literate and rashional.

Basically it's like this. For me it's Trek. My mate bought one and it never handled right. We spent ages and never solved its rear end woes. Whenever a bike would have a mechanical.... It was his. 7 different brands in our riding group and ALWAYS the troublesome bike. His bike. The list of parts this bike has had is enormous.

I have run into a number of people over the years and with far too much frequency I found Trek riders who Test rode, bought, loved and gradually hated their bikes. Or simply "updated" their bikes thinking their was just "worn out"

I love the look and engineering they design into their bikes but I just can't get past the lack of reliability in their construction.

Any way lets see if their is anyone else who is willing to share their stories.

 

[harmonix1234]

Due to the massive competition between the brands to get their hands on your dollars, and the trickle down effect of each years new grouppos, the general standard of quality in manufacturing and components means that you can't really buy a bd bike today. Just bikes better suited to different purposes.

I don't believe your mates bike was crap because it was a Trek. I believe it was more down to a number of possible factors such as lack of maintenance, improper bike setup, bad riding technique, wrong bike for the job or any number of things that could cause a bike to be unreliable.

I have owned

Trek
Orbea
Shogun
Giant
Cannondale
Specialized
Apollo
Raleigh
DMR
Avanti

And many more, and none of them have ever been unreliable, or generically inherent with something that made the brands hate worthy.
They have all been awesome bikes because I looked after them, maintained them, and rode them the way they were intended.

If it comes from a bike shop, and not Big W or Kmart, it's a good bike.

Shame to hear about your bad experience with trek. They really are great bikes.

 

[beardi]

I know exactly what you mean. Pivot. I'm sure they're amazing bikes, I have no logical basis to this but I just don't like em!

 

[strezd]

We are after all emotional beings.

When I was 11 or so a guy I though was uncool had a Cannondale so ever since I associated Cannondale with uncool.

This type of thinking mind you underpins 99.9 % of most human decision.
We think we are in control but most of the time we are having an emotional reaction.
Understand this and you will understand why the world is the way it is.

 

[Jaredp]

Due to the massive competition between the brands to get their hands on your dollars, and the trickle down effect of each years new grouppos, the general standard of quality in manufacturing and components means that you can't really buy a bd bike today. Just bikes better suited to different purposes.

I don't believe your mates bike was crap because it was a Trek. I believe it was more down to a number of possible factors such as lack of maintenance, improper bike setup, bad riding technique, wrong bike for the job or any number of things that could cause a bike to be unreliable.

I have owned

Trek
Orbea
Shogun
Giant
Cannondale
Specialized
Apollo
Raleigh
DMR
Avanti

And many more, and none of them have ever been unreliable, or generically inherent with something that made the brands hate worthy.
They have all been awesome bikes because I looked after them, maintained them, and rode them the way they were intended.

If it comes from a bike shop, and not Big W or Kmart, it's a good bike.

Shame to hear about your bad experience with trek. They really are great bikes.

I give praise to your legible and and we'll thought out response, unfortunately you have missed the point of the thread. Ford falcons are decent cars as are Holden commodores. Yet thousands of people around the country choose to take aligience to one or the other.

Let me try another analogy.... Why do so many people who follow AFL generally love it so much more when Their team beats Collingwood? Get it?

 

[flamin'trek]

Cannondale. When I started riding Cannondale were 'poser' bikes. I won't have one, completely emotion reason, not fact or otherwise. Could also be to do with the Volvo association.

When I started riding Yeti were unobtainable boutique bikes, the coolest. Now I have one, but so do lots of others.

Like strezd: We are emotional beings, doesn't take much to win or lose us as consumers.

 

[Mr Kurt]

Avid and truvative.

I do like Sram's products, I can't stand shimano shifting over Sram shifting, and I love my boxxers, but god damn do i hate Avid and Truvative. I had a very long streak of bad luck with Avid brakes ( 2 sets of Juicy 7's, 2 sets of juicy 3's, Elixer R's, Elixer 5's, Elixer CR's, watched a mates Elixer R's blow up, another mates elixer 5's are the most horseshit excuse for a brake on the planet ) And that has put me off them for good! Changed to shimano and BAM in love. Will never touch Avid again no matter what glowing report i hear.

Now truvative are alright, however i will avoid them and tell my mates not to buy them. Why? I don't even know, unlike my hate for avid brakes my dislike for truvative has no actual reasoning.

 

[rone]

I had a Scott Ransom 30 that was horrible. The main pivot bearings were tiny and the Equalizer shocks on/off platform performance combined with the flexy swingarm meant that under hard cornering the bike had a tendency to slide out and lowside out from under me.

Some aspects of the bike were great, but this trait, which happened several times during my ownership, meant I couldn't rely on the bike. No matter how you set up the shock, the bike just couldn't be trusted when cornering hard. It was pants.

I had an old Scott Genius LT however, that was great. Still the best climbing dually I've had, and with 130mm forks was an awesome all-rounder.

So I like Scott. Just think that the old Ransoms were turds.

 

[harmonix1234]

I give praise to your legible and and we'll thought out response, unfortunately you have missed the point of the thread. Ford falcons are decent cars as are Holden commodores. Yet thousands of people around the country choose to take aligience to one or the other.

Let me try another analogy.... Why do so many people who follow AFL generally love it so much more when Their team beats Collingwood? Get it?

Ah, I see.
I know what you mean.
In that case, I knew a guy, a real sleazy maggot of a guy who used to ride around on a stolen Mongoose BMX and brag about how awesome his bike was. He stole $10,000 off me.
I hated this guys guts, still do. So now when I see a Mongoose I think of him, and for this reason alone I will never ever own a mongoose. Even when I see that rounded font of the brand name published in a magazine I think 'Ick'.

'goose hater!

 

[brettjon]

Ah, I see.
I know what you mean.
In that case, I knew a guy, a real sleazy maggot of a guy who used to ride around on a stolen Mongoose BMX and brag about how awesome his bike was. He stole $10,000 off me.
I hated this guys guts, still do. So now when I see a Mongoose I think of him, and for this reason alone I will never ever own a mongoose. Even when I see that rounded font of the brand name published in a magazine I think 'Ick'.

'goose hater!

That's better haha let it all out now *rubs shoulder*

I'm all about Merida hate. I'm sure they're decent enough.... but when a bike store guy told me I was an idiot for not picking up a brand new reacto 909 with DA groupo and wheels.... I got on my Sram Red Felt F3 and never gave any attention to Merida or anyone riding them since.... Fuckers....

 

[richie_gt]

I know some people who own a certain brand of something (can be anything) and think everything else is $hit…these people really piss me off because they tend think what they own is the best, good old ‘what I have is better than what you have mentality’

I don’t think I’m like that as such…I don’t particularly have any brand loyalty esp. when it comes to mountain bikes, I’ve owned many different brands of bikes. I can safely say each bike I’ve owned has been a massive improvement over the last bike due to the advances in technology…not necessarily the brand of bike. (Just realised I must sound like a massive hypocrite as my username is richie_gt…meh!)

However I would say that I’m influenced from what I see, for instance in my early days racing downhill (1998-2000) I witnessed many bikes crack frames, snap in half and break components like there is no tomorrow. I also remember bikes being stupidly heavy and hard to ride – some had nicknames due to this fact. The bikes I’m thinking of are…

• Kona Stab Deluxe with Bomber Monster T’s – stupidly big and heavy bike
• Pro Flex – known as Pro Snap
• Cannondale – Crack’n’Fail

I have also been of the view that some brands are too overpriced for what they are, two examples are Trek and GT, the two bikes I own now are from these brands – go figure?!?!?!

 

[c3024446]

I'll list some things i hate for no real reason, and some things i like alot:

Hates:
Avids
Specialized, especially S-works bikes. They just seem like a Giant with a 25% mark-up, and the people who buy from the big S only buy it because they don’t want a Giant
SRAM push-push triggers.
Avanti – not sure why, they always look crap (i mean graphics and frame shape, not components)
Stans Rims and wheels - never ridden them, just don’t like them. Maybe because every reaction to new wheels is “Crests with XXX hubs, if you don’t do this you are a fool”
ENVE Components – trying too hard
Formula brakes – as above

Fanboi:
Cannondale (especially the Lefty)
Mavic factory wheels
Garmin GPS’s
Shimano drivetrains and brakes
KMC Chains
Thomson
Time Pedals
Selle Italia
Oakley

 

[richie_gt]

Fanboi:
Cannondale (especially the Lefty)

Oh man that is def a hate from me, I don't care how strong you tell me a 'lefty' fork is it just looks wrong...maybe this fits into my thing against Cannondale!

 

[scblack]

Giant.

I have owned a STP Zero and loved the bike. Eventually split it out to build up my current DH bike.

I walked into the Giant concept shop in Sydney CBD a few months ago, and asked to see the STP models, or their replacement. The sales guy said nothing has been replaced for the STP. He then proceeded to point out a 29er and say how good these 29er bikes are, having been introduced since the STP was discontinued.

I nearly laughed in his face. Here I am looking for a STP, and he suggests a 29er XC bike. Moron. Maybe some people fall for crap like that, but I no longer consider buying Giant, they can get stuffed.

 

[CHEWY]

You should commend giant for hiring mentally disabled people.

Good brands that I have never really taken seriously

Merida
Scott
Trek
Cannondale
BMC

No real reason, probably because they are poor value and overpriced for what you get

 

[Ivan]

I'm a lover, not a hater. I'll ride anything, regardless of the name on the downtube

 

[Capone]

Here is my list

Love:

Giant - Bang for your buck and pretty damm light too
Garmin - It just works, best mounting system
AYUP - Enough said
Mavic - Once you understand the freehub and how to fix it (Thanks Hub doctor) they are great wheels
SRAM and Shimano
Fox and Rockshox
Oakley
TLD

Hate

Yeti - Seriously the SB66 would have the be the most over hyped wankery every
The All Mountain fad - Rode 2 weeks in a row with people on the all mountain bikes, and my little anthem beat them up and down the hill each time.
SRAM and Shimano - Avid brakes kill me (New codes are great though) and Shimano for there rubbish support over parts, been waiting 5 months for a chain ring

 

[Shredden]

- "EMC" SERIOUSLY GUYS TRY A LITTLE HARDER TO COPY SOMETHING FFS.
- Avid, just not a fan
- Spinergy wheels. TOO WEIRD
- And this is the weirdest one - I love hope stuff, their brakes, wheels, stems etc are all awesome, but I never want to own a hope brake. All because of this picture.

 

[Sappa]

Oh man that is def a hate from me, I don't care how strong you tell me a 'lefty' fork is it just looks wrong...maybe this fits into my thing against Cannondale!

every time I see the Lefty I want to stand on one leg then fall over slowly.
Avanti I just think they look ugly.
used to love the idea of getting a Yetti, but now I would rather burn money.

Currently I am looking for a new bike and as my last two bikes were Giants I just want something else.

And I still can't make up my mind if I love or hate carbon.

 

[eastie]

yeah, and I wont let scissors in the house because of lorena bobbit. I'll save you the distatful pictures.


I love all brands - they give me choice: performance, technologies, durability, material, color, weight, price, warranty, service, individualism, groupism, .... what's not to love.
A wise little green monster once said "hate leads to suffering", and we all know where that leads to, yep, and no one wants to be as big a whinger and pussy as Luke... especially over a rear derailer, let alone how to correctly spell that stupid word.