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I've owned 3 Giants and been very happy with them and a Specialized before that. My Anthem X is the best bike I've ridden.
Just selling my Mongoose - it was well spec'd and seemed well put together but I simply couldn't get on with the Freedrive suspension.
Got a Nicolai on the way now though so will I become a boutique snob?
The sadddest thing is choosing a bike because you think it will make others think you are cool, knowlegable or trendy, or even to persuade yourself you are those things. No matter what the brand surely it's best to get the right tool for the job, preferably with great value for money? I try to ignore the brand and get the best bike I can for my cash. If I realise I'm being sucked in by someones marketing guff or image I try to stop myself and refocus on the bikes themselves - fit, spec, weight, suspension, value etc. As a result I've had bikes or frames from Giant, Specialized and Trek over the years and loved them all.
Same here - I'm about to be on my third frame, after the previous 2 developed faults in the lacquer finish. Both have been replaced without a quibble.
Out of interest, ditch_jockey, what has that looked like? I've got some funny sort of haze going on on my downtube in a couple of areas - only really visible on the laquered carbon bits, but it's been there for a while now. Should I chat with my lbs? Cheers.
I had a lovely Specialized bike pump. Far better than the many other pumps I've had.
Dropped it somewhere at Dusk to Dawn though. Sadly missed 🙁
I've got products from Giant (road bike) and Specialized (Enduro SL and a Transition TT bike) and can't find any fault with them. They just work, I've had a few dealings with Specialized and I find their customer service (and that of their LBS dealers) is excellent. The Body Geometry range is fantastic. The theory behind their Roubaix range - be comfortable to go faster was a bit of a revelation and to me this says a lot about them, I find them to be an innovative company and the fact that they make products that sometimes fail is a sign of this.
Interesting interview here with the legend that is Ned 'the lung' Overend:
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/interview-ned-overend-specialized-ambassador-18113
My first ever mtb was a Specalized, so have a soft spot for the FSRs though the rest of the bikes are a little bland, but mainly due to paint schemes as opposed to technology... (Although, why they have stopped using shock bushes on some models is beyond me)
Treks I used to think were dull as dish water, though my Madone changed that as it's the best road bike I have ever ridden (including some VERY expensive niche stuff). The ABP range of bikes are superb also.
Giants - not really a fan, though the reign and glory are both great riding bikes!
Big brands at the end of the day, have the budget to spend on fantastic technology and R&D. I can live with dull paint for that!
Says me with a carbon blur 😕
I don't hate Giantspecialisedtrek, I'd just never own one. What's wrong with wanting something different?
Specialized clothing is toss IMO, never liked any of the stuff I've had.
Their helmets are brilliant, as are their shoes, their glasses weren't bad, execution could've been better, but they're discontinued anyway now, so perhaps they agreed. Their gloves are very good.
As for bikes the one I've had the most problems with (both reliability, and trying to sort it out) was a Titus, and it totally soured me on ever owning anything like that again. The importers were utter sh1t, and I wasn't remotely happy with the resolution, nor the fait accompli they presented me with!
Had some shock problems with Spesh bikes, often resolved same day, helped by living 2 miles from one of the warranty guys. Never had any problems with any of the Treks I've owned.
The big manufacturers have more money to plough into R&D, it generally seems the case that you'll get a more 'finished' product, rather than feeling you're doing the 'beta testing' (or the bike equivalent!) which was how it felt with the Titus.
Love Giant, we have three in our garage, never owned a trek so don't really have an opinion on them.
It's spesh i dislike. The bikes just don't inspire me, tried an epic a while back and whilst i thought the concept was good i just thought that the shock was right in the firing line for all the mud and crap we have in this country and the lack of alternate products meaning you have to buy spesh products to replace it. Enduro was pants imo. Some of thier BG stuff however is quite good.
I also think the way they treated Eric at Epic designs was a bit shonky by telling him they own the word Epic. They like to throw thier weight around, it's not as if Eric was making a rival product.
For that reason i'm having my own little boycott of them.
Since nobody else seems prepared to put their head above the parapet, I'll admit to hating Specialized. That's only because of their big legal budget to support a dodgy patent though, and it doesn't actually stop me owning quite a bit of their kit! I suppose if I'm being picky I also dislike the way they have to have constant turnover of product and change their sizing, so their helmets no longer fit me, and that their concept stores don't stock shoes in my size and wouldn't get one in for me to try on without me paying a deposit - though that just means I bought a different branded helmet in one of my LBSs and bought the shoes through a different one (who also gave me a discount on them without me asking 😀 ) Oh, and also that Specialized UK wouldn't bring in the S-Works road shoe in black a couple of years ago, though that did result in me waiting for the newer, lighter, better fitting model.
I like my Specialized Langster. The Rockhopper I had was also good but a bit too big for me in 19". I would be tempted to buy another Rockhopper in 17.5" as it was a nice lightish xc bike.
I think hate is a bit strong, surely many of us just have a dislike / distrust of the big corporate image these brands have. They clearly make some very good bikes, and some average ones too, much like the niche brands.
Like many other consumer goods, many of us of a certain age / backgound just like to be a bit different from the masses 😉
Surely if the ultra niche brands were producing such good design concepts/ riding experience the big boys would buy them up no?
First bike a GT from Halfords second a self built Anthem X, liked the first loved the second. Don't think most people hate them just a vocal part of singletrack members does.
Oh what? Does everybody hate Specialized now? It used to be Marin. What happened to to Marin?
I have a Trek and two Specialised, and I love the two Speshes (FS/HT). But on holiday recently I rode a Saracen so really, what do I know? Except for me it's about the cycling, rather than the bike 🙂
Don't think most people hate them just a vocal part of singletrack members does.
Good point, those who like to be different often also want everyone else to knwo they're different 😉
Trek Warranty = Impressive
Had a beautiful Klein Palomino V with a bolt stuck in the frame. Got sent back to Trek for repair, but got 'lost' in the post.
No quibbles, they instantely replaced with an EX9.
Couple of years later, I managed to crack the EX9. Again, no quibble replacement (of the replacement). Was offered the new (and more expensive) EX9 or Top Fuel. Went for the latter.
I've never had a problem with the quality of a bike from a mainstream manufacturer.
I've bought four bikes from smaller outfits and had serious issues with each (missaligned frames, badly reamed seat tubes, dangerous welding, crap paint, wrong spec delivered, arrogant staff/company owners who refuse to acknowledge a problem to name but a few issues).
I'll be sticking firmly to the mainstream in future, although the Cotic Soul (which I've ridden) and the Ragley Piglet (which I haven't) are both very tempting, but previous experience puts me right off the idea.
Human Nature... cases of "mines better than your's" type insecurity. Personally my problem has always been of coveting... If I'm reading a paper on the train, for some reason the headlines on the paper the other guy is reading seem infinitely more interesting, although nothing stopped me buying that one at the stand.
Same with bikes, I don't profess to be an expert so if general consensus says it's "fit for purpose" then I'll consider it when looking for a purchase. Then when I'm out on the trails, the bike I really want is the one the other guy is riding... doh!!
Currently got myself a Trek Fuel Ex Mondeo - and I have mates who own a Lapierre Spicy 516 and a Yeti 575 respectively... and each of them has had a session on my Trek and loved it... although I wish I had their bikes.