Finally getting the feel for and enjoying riding my new soul, and for a while I really did think I'd made a huge mistake!
So I was thinking, you know how when someone asks the classic 'what bike...?' question, most people seem to reply with what they're riding. I wondered if anyone has made a big purchase and really real disliked it? I mean, you've spent £100's or £1000's on so you're almost determined to like it, no matter what, but has anyone just thought "this was a huge waste of money and a massive mistake?
Hora to the thread...
My LBS owner had a Giant Defy for a while, he really really disliked that I think. Too rattly with the internal routing.
Yup. I bought a GT i-Drive (was tied into Halfords by insurance) and hated it. It allowed me to jump a bit further than my hardtail but it felt like riding a sofa. Eventually some thieving bastard nicked it and I got something half decent.
Funnily enough yep. My Cotic soul.
I have an El Mariachi that does everything I ask it to, but I feel no connection to it. My head says "keep it", my heart says "sell it". Is that close enough?
Weird. Soul for me too. Persisted with it for a couple of years, bought a Scandal to check out the 29er thing and sold the Cotic immediately thereafter.
Bought one of the early Marin Mount Visions back in the late 90's - probably 98. Went downhill well, but bounced like a pogo stick everywhere else. Only rode it for a few months before going back to a hardtail.
Yup, my Heckler... Tried everything to love it, but it just wasn't to be..
Was built up with a dream spec, but just never got on with it.
I should've sold it long before I did.
got a dialled prince albert, rode it once hated it so much I sold it after the 1st ride and bought another 456.
funnily enough I loved the love hate I got.
Heckler5. Never got on with it. The guy I sold it to still loves it. Different folks, different strokes.
You're not trying hard enough. You can hate it without even riding it. Maybe even before it's been delivered! 😉
Mongoose teocali super - hated it from the moment I rode it. An impulse online purchase as it was massively reduced and the price was less than I could get breaking it for parts.
Hated the suspension action, the weird moving bottom bracket, the geometry was wrong. Instead bought a Nicolai helius frame and transferred the parts over. Still got the helius cc and love it.
Did not get on with a Nukeproof Mega I bought. Not totally sure why, longer back end than I was used to? Dunno. Just didn't feel quite right.
Ti456, blooming hated it, just couldn't get it to work for me, sold it, got a Helius cc.
Yep, bought a Cotic Roadrat, all rat and cock-all road. Got it 'cause I'd loved my Soul right from the off, and was loving my Soda because it hadn't yet cracked in a quite inexplicable way. Built it up, rode it a few times but couldn't wait to get rid because it just felt so wrong. Went back to a bike that was actually good on the road. Luckily the STW new product BS (aware of the irony!) Was still in full flow so I didn't take a bath on the resale.
Cove hustler for me.
Bought it as I broke my Meta and couldn't afford something better (second hand purchase).
Never could get happy with the suspension or feel. Sold it to a mate and he loves it.
Much happier on my Bandit
Meta 5 and a Marin Attack trail. Disliked both for different reasons.
Would gladly have back the rest of the bikes I've had over the years though.
Another vote for my Dialled Bikes Prince Albert, I sold a Saracen Zen as this was supposed to be better and really didn't get on with it!
heckler, was far too low at the front.
Nicolai helious fr, far too much bike for me
3 x fisher 29ers, all too long in the frame
cannondale tourer, stiffer than a stiffee
2 x cove stiffees, far too stiff
fisher fat possum, flexible noodly rubbish
I could go on.
I never hated it, but never got on with an SX trail, rode it about 4 times in anger, sold it pretty quickly.
Another Helius mention - I didn't like mine at all when I first built it. Took loads of tweaking to make it right but now love it.
scotroutes - Member
I have an El Mariachi that does everything I ask it to, but I feel no connection to it.
I have a singlepeed rigid mariachi that Ive been bimbling around the autumn woods on and I love it.
On the other hand I hated my Titus FTMc from the first, as much as I loved its predecessor Motolite 🙂
I had a Scott Scale a few years back, I sat on it in the shop and it felt just like my Orange P7 which I really like. I new after the first technical ride I made a mistake. I tried adjusting the forks and changing the seat, bars and stem but I could never get happy with it. The head tube cracked when just out of warranty, I had all parts swapped onto a Kinesis xcthree and I started riding like I used to.
My riding had actually deteriorated as I didn't get the feel of the bike and I found myself getting off for some techy bits. I would never have done that before!!
Ibis Mojo - the first one, after the SS.
I was the envy of my friends but I just didnt like the ride, totally unforgiving.
Turner 5spot dw (2009). Just couldn't get to grips with it - not slack enough head tube to be a proper silly bike downhill but too short in the top tube, too heavy and too much travel to feel very xc like. Felt like a bimbling bike for a middle aged tubby bloke and I just wasn't ready to admit I was on my way to that.
Intense traser 2, could never put my finger on it but never really liked it, releaved when the swing arm broke, still hangs in the garage waiting for the price of scrap to go up!
Pace Rc305 - looked like it'd be a similar ride to a Chameleon, which I loved. It wan't. All the disadvantages, with none of the charm or finesse. The frames still hung up in the shed
SX Trail.
I hated it, I really really hated it. It wasn't a downhill bike but it was equipped with a coil shock and weighed 36lbs. So it weighed as much as a downhill bike but didn't perform like one. To top that the DHX5 was a pile of crap (I actually prefer my Pushed Monarch), it had no rear end feel. It pedalled like a mammoth stuck in quick sand. Etc etc etc ad nauseum.
Did I say I hated it?
Merlin Rock Lobster 853. Loved the paint colour, the details, the light weight and springyness.
I bought a 17", should have bought a 19". So along with it being too short it was also to steep and a ride characteristic best described as 'unfriendly'.
My SX Trail too, it was pish. Pedalled like a downhill bike, descended like a trailbike, worst of both worlds. Maybe it was good in 2006, I dunno.
I never got on with my Scandal,mostly because I believed it when they said it'd work well with a 130mm fork. I tolerated it for a while, then one day I rode a Soul and that was game over. Shame as I've ridden a proper xc-built one since and it was mint, but mine just rode like any other 100mm bike with a long fork stuck in it would.
Wouldn't say I hated it, but the one I expected most from and felt delivered the least (so sold it fairly quickly) was a Cotic BFe. Nothing to do with the geometry either I might add (though at 5ft 10 I really should have got a Medium, not a small) which was pretty spot on with a 120mm fork (though BB could have been perhaps a tad lower still). It was all to do with the fact that the frame was the most rigid, lifeless, hunk of steel I've ever slung my leg over!
Perhaps not helped by the fact I fitted it with Saint Cranks, Thomson Post, Wide/Stiff wheels, a 50mm stem etc. I'd have been far better off with a Soul with a much lighter build I think...
Did anyone buy one and hated it to begin, before loving it? I've liked my bikes, I suppose I clearly havnt had enough of them!
Like someone else on here i made the mistake of buying an early Marin Mount Vision, t'was a 1997 Mount Vision Pro, fully blinged up with top end kit but i managed 65 miles on it before i realised it was a bag of bouncy marketing shite and sold it to a mate, i went back to my 1994 Indian Fire Trail wi rigid forks running 1x8 with a home made chain device (lathe turned delrin rollers) and that lasted me till 2004.
Not been on a FS since despite selling/servicing them in the shop (zesty's/mojo's etc) and i have absolutely zero desire to ride one, in fact i plan to build up a steel rigid 1x10 when i get my broken/soon to be repaired Soulcraft back from Ben at Kinetics.
For my type of riding i just prefer something simple, perhaps i'm a bimbler at heart.
Despite everyones love for them, it took a hell of a lot of tweaking to get my Kona Lava Dome riding anything like when I bought it in '97.
Narrow bars and low front end had me falling off on flat singletrack
thegnarlycenturion - MemberDid anyone buy one and hated it to begin, before loving it?
It took me ages to get properly into my Hemlock... Changes of forks, changes of parts, it always felt like it should be better than it was. Finally got it all sorted and love it (literally) to bits now but it was a bit shaky.
Rather pleasingly, none of my planned 2014 purchases are on this list 😀
I cracked a 1997 cindercone in early 2000. they, and it pains me to relive this, gave me a 2000 aluminium thing. It was night and day (day = awesome, night = ****ing shit)
If only I knew about framebuilders and repairs. foolish younger version of me.
Stumpy Evo 26". Not even 5% the bike the 29" is.
I bought a Trek 8500 a few years back as I fancied an XC bike, it fitted well and rode ok on smooth singletrack but it was it was horrendous as soon as it got rough. [b]I hated that bike.[/b]
On-one c456. Still got it but really don't enjoy riding it. Geometry is a good match for previous bikes on paper, but just doesn't feel right at all.
Ti456. It never felt right. I was so happy to see the back of it.
Yes, My Bionicon Supershuttle, felt 'wrong' and all weird at the front end. Looking back, maybe I should have kept it and battled on as it really was a do it all kind of bike
also the Yelli Screamy that I bought expecting it to be too large for me...sadly... it was.
Pace RC405. Nice looking thing, decent geometry, and suspension which simply didn't work. Too hard at the start of travel, but with a significant falling rate so you were constantly bottoming out the rear shock. And when it did bottom out, the rocker hit the frame. 👿
It got 5/5 in most reviews, so I assume either they never actually rode the thing or it wasn't made right.
I've had a few. The most notable was a Ellsworth I.D frame. Very tall and confused feeling so it bloody hurt me.
For me, if you don't like it instantly, get rid or don't buy. Bar a couple of changes it should feel 'right'/you should know?
Another for a ti456. I saw the glowing reviews and thought 'how come I think its ****'? Maybe you need to be a lighter rider as the c456 had 'too rigid etc' yet I found it compliant/good - maybe its a rider weight thing as the testers are all race snakes..?
I bought a virtually brand new Zesty off a guy a few years back and took it straight to Cannock chase for a dabble in the woods. Well the thing was horrendous on the climbs, went alright when it got moving but I was dying and I know my fitness wasn't so bad and Cannock doesn't have mounatins so to speak.
Anyway, I was thinking I'd made a massive mistake, all the reviews and praise are wrong, this thing pedals like cack. How can it be soooo bad.
It was then I looked more closely at the tyres and realised the gentlemen had replaced the spec'd Conti's with [u]dual[/u] ply Minions.
Needless to say things improved drastically after I removed that upgrade 🙂
I wouldn't say hated, but there's quite a few I was distinctly underwhelmed by (including a Lynsky built Soda and an air can Chumba). BITD I had a Trek 990 that lasted all of three months.
However this can be balanced by instant love of others (Soul, Rocket and Labyrinth Agile).
Go figure...
Three stand out for me.
1- fsr stumpjumper 2009.
A dull bike that's was sooooo dull and boring to ride. dull, dull, dull.
2 - giant SL3 carbon road bike.
The integrated seatpost was I can't and had absolutely no flex or comfort.
Just an uncomfortable bike no matter how it was set up.
3 - litespeed obed
Bendy hideous snorefest of a frame.
there's alot of bikes mentioned here that have had a lot of hype, maybe there's expectations not being met.
some pretty good cases for test riding.
Speshpaul +1
Not owned but bikes that surprised me on demo in a negative way were trek fuel EX (just felt wrong for me - the wheelbarrow effect) and a stumpy. Both great holes by all accounts but I just couldn't get on with either.
Only owned 1 hike ever, so tough if it's not good - but in this case ignorance (of other bikes) is bliss!!!!
Orange X1, a full suss Massi which fortunately only lasted a short time before I broke it and my Cotic Soul.
The first two were just rubbish, the Cotic...just felt all wrong. I just couldn't get it to work whatever I tried so I sold it on here many moons ago.
Pace RC405. Nice looking thing, decent geometry, and suspension which simply didn't work. Too hard at the start of travel, but with a significant falling rate so you were constantly bottoming out the rear shock. And when it did bottom out, the rocker hit the frame.
A mate had one (it replaced a Scott Genius) - it took him 2 years to admit it had been a terrible mistake. He's now got a Scott Spark 720 which he loves.
He had interfaces between the rocker and frame too. We assumed his was just a bad one.
Surly Crosscheck. Very heavy and very flexy. Don't know why everyone rates them.
Also, possibly an Orange Patriot 7+.
hora - MemberMaybe you need to be a lighter rider as the c456 had 'too rigid etc'
I think the only place I've seen that for the C456 was that terrible what mountain bike review where they declared you couldn't ride it down a rocky descent without stopping for a rest... Just nonsense, I think the fork was knacked and they were too busy looking for things to say about the frame to stop and think.
thegnarlycenturion - Member
Did anyone buy one and hated it to begin, before loving it? I've liked my bikes, I suppose I clearly havnt had enough of them!
My 2011 5-spot was exactly like that. Initially it felt really tight and cramped. Coming from a pitch its not surprising. I had absolutely no confidence riding anything techy.
NOW though, that bloody bike puts a smile on my face every time i ride it. There is absolutely nothing it does not do well. From big mountain days to xc bimbles it just excels 🙂 . I get a case of upgradeitis now and again looking at new frames, then i go and ride and i realise very quickly i have everything i need or want. LOVE IT!!!!
Soul 17.5" and Soda 19" both just felt wrong for my size...I needed an 18.25". - tried for a couple of months, but sold both.
Ti456 - It just felt weird to me on anything other than a fast descent; on the flat and when climbing I felt like I was teetering on top of it. Sold after 8-10 rides.
Ibis Mojo - Initially I couldn't get on with the squidgy suspension and low bottom bracket after my ETSX, it also didn't climb as well. I persisted and tweaked and now...by God it's good! Still in the shed.
Sort of had it with my Chameleon. Front end seemed too low with short forks so I had to run them a fair bit longer than I like on a hardtail. However I think its actually just the way the fork is set up as my Blender has a similar feel which I never had with the old one I had before. So gonna try a firm spring rather than the standard it currently has!
Intense 6.6
Just couldn't get along with it. Sold soon after purchase
I had a bit of this with my Kinesis FF29. From the first ride it was obvious that it loved to climb, ate up road sections and was fun to hussle along on tamer trails. But as soon as the downward gradient got a bit high what little confidence I have went out of the window. It felt too steep, unbalanced and hard to move about on anything technical.
I've thought of selling it a few times and even thought of relegating it to a winter road bike. But I love the way it climbs and since I have a Five for fun on the downs I've stuck with it. I've tried various bar and stem combinations with it and I think I may finally have hit on a setup I like. Whether that is due to the latest bar/stem combo or whether I've got used to it, or whether riding the Five has given me a bit more confidence on the descents, I don't know. But I have been having fun on it the last few times out, so maybe it is worth sticking with these bikes that you don't instantly like.
Another Nicolia Helius FR. It felt like it was too short and too tall, the numbers on paper looked fine, the reality however....and the other was a Kona Explosif. Borrowed one as I was just about to she'll out for one as a replacement for a scandvik Hummer, and it was just dull, nothing really wrong with it, but it was just...mleh.
Meta 5 - must have had some extra gravity fitted as it shot off downhill then refused to go along the flat let alone up again.
Rc305, all the compliance of an extremist girder.
My 06 Heckler took some sorting out, mainly rear shock settings, but it didn't last long before being sold on. I had a Corratec xc hardtail, that was below par on just about every measure. And finally a c456, try as I might I could not get it to feel right.
My 06 Rocky Ridge lives on and I think my 13 Bandit will be a keeper too.
Orange 5. Dreadful thing. Felt like sitting on a fence panel trying to balance. Kept it for nearly 3 years trying various combinations of forks, stems, tyres, etc. Never felt good.
A Chumba VF2 - terrible thing, flexy rear end and it just didn't ride like the angles suggested it should.
Cove G Spot - bouncy sofa no matter what shock I tried and not even that great pointing down. Lasted about 3 months
Evil Sovereign, built it up and rode it once, hated it, I swear it was actually trying to kill me. Took it apart as soon as I got home and rebuilt my Inbred.
2001 Stumpy FSR XC Pro. I thought it was going to be amazing with SID's and XTR and Fox Float-R, my first full suss bike too.
I knew within about 4 rides that I had made a huge mistake chopping my 1999 Rockhopper A1FS in for it. Cheap as the rocky was, it fit me like a glove and I was faster everywhere on it.
I used it for 2 years but it's the one bike I look back on as a mistake.
I've had a few, mostly due to not test riding, buying the wrong size or generally not feeling the hype
meta 4- load of dung, did nothing well, heavy, flexy, crap
cotic soul- felt dead and clunky
cotic soda- felt like it had an elastic band instead of a top tube
orange 5- test rode an 18" and felt cramped, bought a 20" and felt way too tall, replaced with current stumpjumper. would still have another if they did a 19"
orange 5- test rode an 18" and felt cramped, bought a 20" and felt way too tall, replaced with current stumpjumper. would still have another if they did a 19"
Well you're in luck then 🙂 The latest iteration of the Five comes in 14", 16", 17", 19" and 21"
Oh yeah, and my Ellsworth Dare, but to be fair I was reasonably sure it was going to be rubbish before I bought it so I should give it marks for that. And it [i]did[/i] ride slightly better than it rode.
Specialized Tricross, it was bloody heavy for what it was (about 25lbs IIRC), the head tube was 7 feet long and the brakes were dreadful.
Just a terrible terrible bike. Others love them.
Another DW 5 spot vote here.
Mine was a 2011. Sorely dissapointed and spent a while trying to convince myself I'd gel with it. It was too short and steep. Back end was great but it just rode like a pig.
Bought a 2012 Banshee Spitfire frame to replace it and it did everything I wanted the Turner to di.... I won't ever get rid of it until it breaks.
JCL - Member
Stumpy Evo 26". Not even 5% the bike the 29" is.
I find that 8008.5% hard to believe.
Specialized tricross - had it a week before selling it, a bike that half ticks every box but does nothing well.
XTC composite 29- Couldnt get comfy, bike either felt cramped or a stretch no matter what set-up i used, and for a carbon frame it didnt climb well but was still uncomfortably stiff. Broke it and sold it, luckily didnt loose too much money. The only Giant bike ive bought i regretted.
Kona Four Deluxe. First FS bike and hated it. Put me off FS bikes for a wee while. I still prefer HTs, but have at least found a FS that I get on with (Cotic Hemlock).
Surly Crosscheck, just a piece of shite.
Scott Ransom - just felt wrong, like sitting on a sofa.
456 - Bought the 18" which was supposedly the right size for me but it just felt way too big and would have preferred the 16". Turned it into a commuter in the end, then sold it.
Ghost 6500 ltd. Too short. Rescued by an insignificantly longer stem (60mm changed to 80mm), and 40mm wider bars. Transformed the bike hugely.
2010 DW 5-Spot...it's fine, in fact, it's much better than I am (not hard tbh) but I've never really gelled with it. I always feel perched on top rather than as an integral part of the bike (reach & stack not suited?).
Can't decide whether to tweak the setup (longer stem, more rise on the bars) or just strip it & sell it, then buy a Canyon or YT for next year.
Bought a Cotic BFe to replace a Rocky Ridge. I've had it 2 years and still am not convinced. It wanders all over on the mildest of climbs, and feels rather tall in general. My Alpine 160 simply does everything better. The BFe now hardly gets a look in. I've tried to like, I really have. I've also kept the Rocky Ridge frame.
RestlessNative - Member
Evil Sovereign, built it up and rode it once, hated it, I swear it was actually trying to kill me. Took it apart as soon as I got home and rebuilt my Inbred.
See, I spent ages trying to get an 06 Heckler to feel right, had just managed it, and then bought a Sovereign and we 'clicked' immediately (previous HT had also been an Inbred). Heckler got sold, but I miss it now and am secretly hoping the local I sold it to will get bored with it.