Just reading this thread and it got me thinking: if so many people don't actually demo bikes (myself included), has anyone bought a real clanger? Or something totally unsuitable?
I suppose my biggest mistake was a Cove Hustler. Bought on the back of a Cove HJ, the angles looked fine on paper, but in the flesh was too short (and on paper the next size up looked like a bit of a gate). A shame, as when it worked it was a great bike, but because of the length it just didn't work enough for me.
A friend of mine got an on-one 456 and everyone including myself who rode it thought it was shit, it got sold rapidly.
Wilier Cento Uno, with full Super Record and Fulcrum Zeros. Hated every second of it. Twitchy, nervy and no fun at all.
(Cento Uno Superleggera with Di2, however....wow!)
Test rode a stumpy fsr in 2007, climbed like an asthmatic pit pony and descended worse than a fully rigid tricycle, hated it
Whyte 905, bought it without testing and sent it back.
ridden some friends konas and i have never liked a single one.
my mate runs a soul with a 110mm stem. which is way too high (we are the same height) just makes the bike unrideable.
I bought a medium SC Heckler, having tested one a coupel of years earlier and decided I needed a large.
I did need a large, but the Heckler was oodles of fun. Gone to a good home now 
And a Cotic Simple (that actually replaced the Heckler). Didn't like that at all.
Borrowed a couple of Orange P7s and didn't like those either.
Although I did like the Orange Five I once had a go on 
Edit: apologies for excessive smileys...
Not bought a bike I didn't like yet but in the past I have tried some really bad full suspension designs. This sticks in my mind as the worst.
Orange 5 (bought an Alpine instead)
Orange Clockwork, in 1991. Not my thing at all.
GT Peace. That was really horrible. I gave it back to the owner mumbling 'Well it looks nice'....
224, 456 and any hardtail with long forks. also anything with a high BB, long stem, long Toptube or too slow rebound.
got a Mountain cycle Zen as a warranty replacement for my (Ace!) Tomac Eli.
Was like riding a dead horse. Did 5 miles on it, stripped it and sold it. Went with my first 29er and been far happier ever since.
Had a go in the car park on a Marin once. Awful thing.
I also rode a friends Trek Y frame and hated that too, which was such a dissapointment because I was desperate to try it and wanted one really badly.
My friends old 24" Specialized Cruiser. He removed the rigid forks and cruiser bars and fitted 130mm Marzcocchi Drop offs and low ride bars.
Rode awfully, he could ride it really well though. I think you can adapt to most bikes after a while.
Oh, another one. I fitted some Handsome Dog rigid trials forks to my DMR Trailstar, it was horrible. I took them off before I got chance to get used to it.
Mentioned it on the other thread but my 2002 Stumpy FSR was too light, had v brakes, radial laced front wheel, and a really flexy back end. I also took the saddle out to do a run in once and had an unfortunate frame - balls interface. stupid FSR interupted seat tubes 
Bought a Specialized Enduro S-Works, the monocoque one. Suspension at each end was rubbish (Manitou Minutes and a Brain shock) and never really liked it all that much. Quite glad when it was stolen, to be honest.
Tried a couple of Giants which were dull and were handed back after 30 minutes, and a Cannondale Scalpel (I think) which I really couldn't get on with. Tried it out at Mayhem and turned round on my demo lap and gave it straight back. Hated everything about it.
I always dislike my Mates Charge Blender, which is strange as I really love my own!
Must be his 'finishing kit'....
Gawd awful piece of [add you comments here]
giant yukon... 'orrible thing it was.
orange UFO from 96... well what do you expect. it was old and set up sooo wrong.
Pimpmaster Jazz - Member
I suppose my biggest mistake was a Cove Hustler. Bought on the back of a Cove HJ, the angles looked fine on paper, but in the flesh was too short (and on paper the next size up looked like a bit of a gate). A shame, as when it worked it was a great bike, but because of the length it just didn't work enough for me.
This reads like you bought on asthetics instead of actual size!!
Some hideous Marin FS with squealing Hope brakes. Was white and anaemically uninspiring.
And a first generation Scott Genius rental at Lake Garda - too tall with a top tube you had to hurdle but can see how it might suit arse-up, head-down racers.
Mongoose Teocali Comp 08 - bought brand new last year as it was so cheap and seemed worth a punt for £900 - kitted with Fox 32 140RL, RP23, XT/SLX group, is950 remote seatpost, Stans Flow rims, etc.
It turned out that I hated riding it completely - the geometry, the riding position, the suspension action, everything.
The only good thing was that it was so well spec'd that I made a decent profit on selling the parts when I broke it to sell.
Saracen kili. I built one up when I first got back into riding and it was cack. My old Diamond Back was much better.
Didn't like the camber either, couldn't see the point of it.
Sat on a Trek Remedy, the other day, felt awful. Just felt wrong - although a huge amount of the "feel" of a bike is a function of the stem and bars, there was still something about the Remedy that felt off - sat on a Spicy and a Covert and they both felt good from the first moment.
Does a Fuel injected Gas Gas EC400 count.
I didnt like it but got my best results on it, so what do I know
Cotic Roadrat. Horrible thing, neither fish nor fowl. Bought it, built it and sold it on within about a month, luckily they were in short supply at the time so I didn't take a hit on the money. Got back on my Cross-Check and rode off into the sunset. a wiser man.
Sweet baby jesus!!! That Klein is ****ing hideous!!
I instinctively hate any bike Hora owns. As does he after a week or so
5, 575, Hustler, Specialized bouncy bikes, ETSX
johnners - Member
Cotic Roadrat. Horrible thing, neither fish nor fowl. Bought it, built it and sold it on within about a month, luckily they were in short supply at the time so I didn't take a hit on the money. Got back on my Cross-Check and rode off into the sunset. a wiser man.
I quite like mine. You're right though, it's hard to know what it is, exactly.
24Seven Dark Angel DH
It was my very first dh bike and so I guess I thought it was okay until I knew any better.
It wallowed and weighed more than the combined weight of the Nolan sisters...
I brought a ragley mmmbop when they were going cheap and built it up burly with 160 lyriks. Took it for a ride around the W2 at Afan and hated it. Admittedly wrong bike for the job but that had put me off enough to not bother with it again.
Anyway it got boxed away in the shed for ages and I swapped the parts to another bike. Recently started to collect bits for a Soul build and while procrastinating over the frame I thought I might as well put the lighter traily bits on the mmmbop... and it's now a great fun bike for local woods rides.
On One 456; bought the frame off a mate, thought it would be fine as you hear such good things about them. Was okay I suppose, but felt a bit too long in the top tube. Okay for XC but that's not really my thing so I sold it and bought a second hand Chameleon frame, which suits me much better.
Had a Dialled PA for a while too. Never really got on with it at all.
As for full suspension bikes, there have been a few I've ridden which I didn't expect to like but did; original Big Hit, Giant AC and Giant Trance.
This reads like you bought on asthetics instead of actual size!!
It was the same size as my Handjob, which was great!
But then I bought a mk.2 Handjob and found I sat 'on' it rather than 'in' it - that didn't last either.
I think I just don't fit the Cove sizing blueprint...
Now you mention it, I had a Cove Stiffee for a while. I sold an Azonic DS1 frame and used the parts on the Stiffee. In the end, I bought the DS1 frame back and sold the Stiffee on. Couldn't tell you what was up with it but it was just not as nice as the DS1 - maybe it was the slacker head angle?
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