Cannondale lefty forks, the lack of symmetry is horribly displeasing to the extent that I wouldn't buy a bike with a lefty fork. Just looks wrong.
On the same theme, bikes where the seat stays are at significantly different heights.
A couple from me, all covered already:
- Most ebikes
- Orange full sus frames
- Rear mudguards on an MTB
- Seat stays above the top tube
- Full face helmet and glasses
- Half shell helmet and goggles
- Lycra and knee pads
- Short/trainer socks on any bike
- Rubber ducks on handle bar
- To much ano, a bit here or there is ok though
And I'm sure there's more!
I've just mentally gone over my bikes and think I tick a large number of the sins, but all three are mostly lacking in bling, so I guess my biggest crime is the mis-matched tyre brands on the Stumpy. I can live with that.
One thing I don't like though, or at least my eyes find displeasing, is on full sus bikes when there is no continuous line between the top tube and the rear triangle. It's not relevant to all bikes (Scott doesn't do this on some models), but I see this on some bikes at rest and it looks like the whole bike has collapsed in on itself. Yes, I accept that there will be sag when I sit on the bike, BUT I WILL BE ON IT THEN AND WON'T SEE IT. If I am off the bike and looking at it, I'd like it to look nice to me.
Colours? Some suit a bike, some don't. I have a matt black road bike with red sidewall tyres on, a green/gold HT with normal tyres on and a red/white Stumpy with more cables that a Russian shadow fleet tanker's anchor on. And mis-matched tyres. At least I colour matched the mudguard thing that stops clag getting on the shock.
WTF is this rubber duck on handle bars thing? I haven't seen this before but it sounds ****ing rediculous! How do they even stay on there? Can you buy bike specific rubber ducks???....
Edit: just googled it!😱 WTAF, the world is truely dying. More plastic tat from china, great....
Schralp
Eugh. worse than oxbow singletrack
Orange bikes?
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are you mad. Lovely. (the new ones are all gross, thats fair)
I was coming to ask if the rubber duck thing was real, as in the post above. Is this an area-thing? Where are people riding with them?
Full face helmet with glasses (especially when riding around a trail centre), Fox's new podium mudguard, Amflow ebikes, the latest version of the Trek Slash, phones mounted on handlebars (especially if they're way off centre for some reason)
I think my biggest ick with other peoples bikes is horrific cable management out front. Two of my bikes - Levo and Boardman have the cables entering the wrong side of the frame (came that way), but I'll be buggered if I'm taking them out and re-routing them, I just make the best of them as they are.
Anything that I have a hand in putting together myself - the loops have to be even length and held together in some manner - sometimes it only takes a single cable tie to make all the difference.
Sort it out you scruffy oiks
I'll be buggered if I'm taking them out and re-routing them, I just make the best of them as they are.
I think that's the reason many of us scruffy oiks have bad cable management.
I can't stand when a dropper is not slammed. Any post showing looks weird to me. And obviously means that you're missing out on travel.
I’m surprised we’ve got this far without anyone mentioning spoke protector discs (aka ‘dork discs’).
I’m guilty of many transgressions judging by this thread - though many sacrifice sartorial elegance for function, which is fine by me. To paraphrase an earlier comment, nothing says you’ve given up on life more than not riding (or compromising your ride enjoyment) because you’re worried about how you look.
I was coming to ask if the rubber duck thing was real, as in the post above. Is this an area-thing? Where are people riding with them?
I know a guy who's had one on his bike for about ten years.
Also, a local lass who I fully expect to go pro won our national enduro champs for her age group (and tends to beat the elite times) and races with one on her bars!
... in no way am I advocating such behaviour though.
I’m surprised we’ve got this far without anyone mentioning spoke protector discs (aka ‘dork discs’).
How about front brake disc covers? Don't see them very often. I used to run one on my moto after bending a disc "out whoop-whoop" once.
Road/gravel frames in xl which have disproportionately long head tubes look grotesque compared to their svelte, perfectly proportioned, medium sized models.
Pencil case-like, barrel-shaped bar bags on the front of gravel bikes. Unless of course they’re actually full of pencils, protractors etc.., which is then justifiable.
Kashima forks and shock but not dropper post. Fur coat and no knickers!
+1 for anodised expensive tat.
I’m surprised we’ve got this far without anyone mentioning spoke protector discs (aka ‘dork discs’).
How about front brake disc covers? Don't see them very often. I used to run one on my moto after bending a disc "out whoop-whoop" once.
I keep getting adverts for disc covers on Facebook. The selling point seems to be keeping your rotors clean. I was going ask if dirt and mud somehow doesn't ever get in from from the non enclosed side but didn't want to rain on their parade, or engage with the sponsored post.
Road/gravel frames in xl which have disproportionately long head tubes look grotesque compared to their svelte, perfectly proportioned, medium sized models.
Pencil case-like, barrel-shaped bar bags on the front of gravel bikes. Unless of course they’re actually full of pencils, protractors etc.., which is then justifiable.
Kashima forks and shock but not dropper post. Fur coat and no knickers!
+1 for anodised expensive tat.
Agree.
Guilty. I keep snacks, a pump and my phone in it.
Agree, although no Kashima items have ever been known to match.
Nice if done tastefully and all colours are the same shade.
Kashima forks and shock but not dropper post. Fur coat and no knickers!
ooh...ooh...that's me!!! What do I win?
I think we need a scoring system.
I keep getting adverts for disc covers on Facebook. The selling point seems to be keeping your rotors clean. I was going ask if dirt and mud somehow doesn't ever get in from from the non enclosed side but didn't want to rain on their parade, or engage with the sponsored post.
They're using them at DH World Cups to keep braking consistent so they must be something we all need ... right?
People riding round trail centres (so never too far from the car) with backpacks that look big enough to go on a weekend away with.
Kashima forks and shock but not dropper post. Fur coat and no knickers!
Guilty m'lord, but that's how my Levo came. I may put a (stupidly expensive) Fox Transfer on when the AXS dies, but it's pointless as the fork and shock Kashima don't even look like they are even trying to be the same colour. Can't really see the shock from the drive side.
Big AXS mech, dropper not slammed, cables wrong side of head tube 😊
You would hate my bikes then! The maximum drop any of my seatposts have is 180mm.
I can't stand when a dropper is not slammed. Any post showing looks weird to me. And obviously means that you're missing out on travel.
@TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR: Haha! It’s either edgy or a faux pas. Like a tailored suit paired with expensive trainers! 😉
…and you dress to wrong side!
I can't stand when a dropper is not slammed. Any post showing looks weird to me. And obviously means that you're missing out on travel.
conversely, (and I know this has improved with things like the oneup being manually adjustable,) any time I see a dropper slammed in the frame I think it looks like someone has just thrown the bike together from a pile of bits and not actually "fitted it" to their body shape and preference. Like brake levers right up next to the grips.
if you don't have the top position as your ideal/efficient pedalling position, what even is the point of a dropper?
I'm a long leg, short torso bloke though, so even by 210mm post has aboout 60-70mm extra shaft showing. I'll never have a slammed dropper.
I can't stand when a dropper is not slammed. Any post showing looks weird to me. And obviously means that you're missing out on travel.
conversely, (and I know this has improved with things like the oneup being manually adjustable,) any time I see a dropper slammed in the frame I think it looks like someone has just thrown the bike together from a pile of bits and not actually "fitted it" to their body shape and preference. Like brake levers right up next to the grips.
if you don't have the top position as your ideal/efficient pedalling position, what even is the point of a dropper?
I'm a long leg, short torso bloke though, so even by 210mm post has aboout 60-70mm extra shaft showing. I'll never have a slammed dropper.
whereas I’m the opposite so I always get a slammed dropper with the perfect pedal height.
I'm a shorty legged long torsoed gent, so my 170mm dropper is pretty much slammed (only built the bike yesterday so I'm still fine tuning it). And that's on a ML Bird Aether 9 with a widdly seat tube. My old 26" Rocket has a 120mm dropper with maybe an inch of shaft showing.
m a long leg, short torso bloke though, so even by 210mm post has aboout 60-70mm extra shaft showing. I'll never have a slammed dropper
Snap! Me too!
At least with a bit of exposed post there's somewhere for people to add their clip on mudguards 😉
I think the only bike/post combo I could slam my post is the 225mm one I have on my Stanton - but I shimmed it down so I could have some of the silver post showing 🤣
I can slam the dropper on my Roscoe but it's only 150mm (stupid spec on a large frame) so it would be too short by around 20mm. I was going to buy a OneUp and but will be selling the bike soon so no point really.
Saddles pushed forward all the way on the rails. Was a trend a few years ago to "size up" and compensate by sliding the saddle too far forward.
Just looks wrong.
Black. Ok on tyre tread, brake blocks and possibly cables. Groupsets though? Bloody awful. Rims no, apart from very deep carbon ones which need tan side wall tyres to break them up. Chunky stems. Big fat frame tubes. Dirty great cassettes. Just use a triple mech. It won't pack up, won't drag the ground and weighs less. MTB uniform.
Not really looks although they look sill but full face helmets when riding the red runs. Be careful. Can't agree with the goggles with open face helmets though. That's how we used them on motorcycle helmets for the last century and that's where you MTB helms' come from.
Just use a triple mech
im pretty agnostic on most bits, but no way Im going back to front mechs, aesthetically or functionally they suck
functionally they suck
Nope. My commute bike has a triple on the front and I love it. Quite often late at night I make it a nice hot chocolate, and a biscuit, as a bed time treat, read it a story, then tuck it into bed. Which is more than I do for my own children.
Doubles do suck though.
Just use a triple mech
im pretty agnostic on most bits, but no way Im going back to front mechs, aesthetically or functionally they suck
Errmmm - aesthetics is in the eye of the beholder and those huge rear cassettes look ugly to me and I have no issues at all setting up and using front mechs
I would have a front mech and a better range of gears.
Bikes are for riding and you can't see most of the bike when you ride it. If the bike is comfortable, reliable and easy to fix when it goes wrong that will do for me.
functionally they suck
I would love to see some science on this, I reckon functionally, 1x is probably worse. I drop more chains on my 1x CX/gravel bike than my 2x gravel bike, although on both it's still a vanishingly rare occurrence.
I have to straight the hanger of the 1x bike more often, presumably due to the bigger mech.
I can't prove it, but I'm fairly certain that on average the chain spends more time at greater sideways deflection on the 1x bike, and I'm pretty sure this HAS been shown to be less efficient.
Last time I saw a comparison, 1x was about 25g lighter than 2x for two otherwise equivalent groupsets.
So yeah, functionally I'll take 2x with no compromise on gear range, less weight on rear wheel, less expensive/vulnerable kit dangling off the rear axle, and greater drivetrain efficiency.
I think 'peak MTB drivetrain' for me was the 2x 10spd SRAM drivetrain with (from memory) 26/40 chainrings and perhaps 11-36 cassette.
Oh, and back on topic, it looked better with a smaller rear mech and cassette smaller than the big ring 😎
Errmmm... Try reading the thread title 😉
Personally. I find a tipped down saddle nose angle on an otherwise well spec'd high end bike aesthetically abhorrent. Even perfectly flat looks pretty horrid to me if it's on an mtb with its dropper post dropped all the way down to the seat tube collar .
Yes, this thread is for being picky about how things look not how they function.
1x looks infinitely better than 2x and 3x, even with dinner plate sized cassettes, and I'll die on that hill.
Die then - 1x12 for MTBs is gopping
Massive electronic front mechs the size of a packet of fags on a £10k road bike is a challenging look.
Yes, this thread is for being picky about how things look not how they function.
Please sir, Kimbers started it! 😎
Agree on motorised front mechs, although I guess you could disguise it with an aero cover and save 5.8w? 😂
e bikes. Face it, they're all gopping aren't they.
Definitely not the case , unless you are only referring to the ‘ebike of the year’ ?
Front mechs are crude, ugly devices. Wasn’t it the now King Charles who called them ‘a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend’?
Any form of gears on bike are ugly.
Honestly, a lot of bikes with massive wheels look aesthetically not right. I think it's where the frame geometry has clearly been wrapped around wheels that are big just for the sake of it - many 29" MTBs in small look a bit wrong. And as Bikeradar pointed out this week*, 32" bikes are absolutely gopping for the same reason.
*in a complete failure of self-awareness, given that Bikeradar has been banging on for months about how 32" are soooo much better than anything else out there, even in the face of various readers and commenters explaining that nobody effing wants them
Kashima forks and shock but not dropper post. Fur coat and no knickers
I removed a Fox Factory post with Kashima from my bike and replaced it with a longer-travel OneUp Components dropper post with a black shaft and I haven’t replaced my Fox Factory 36 forks or Float X shock - both with Kashima!
Yes, this thread is for being picky about how things look not how they function.
1x looks infinitely better than 2x and 3x, even with dinner plate sized cassettes, and I'll die on that hill.
It's fine to be wrong.
Anyone, male or female, that isn't built like an athlete, wearing lycra
Sumo wrestlers are technically athletes.
Yes, this thread is for being picky about how things look not how they function.
1x looks infinitely better than 2x and 3x, even with dinner plate sized cassettes, and I'll die on that hill.
It's fine to be wrong.
Indeed. Sometimes it's better to be wrong.
ENORMOUS WHEEL / FRAME LOGOS in bold all-caps when viewed from the side, especially those logos scaled up on deep section rims
Ooh, i'd follow this with graphics that looks cheap. The OEM wheels on my new EEB are guilty of this.
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
Sumo wrestlers are technically athletes.
<googles sumo wrestlers in lycra...>
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
I quite like that.
Apart from the headset routing and shit white graphics
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
I quite like that.
Apart from the headset routing and shit white graphics
Yeah the headset is pig. Already sampled that delight changing the forks for kash factory ones. I got some custom camo decals for them, but they look shit.
Also got rid of the hideous cube cockpit, got burgtec on there.
Now thinking what colours to go for new decals.
Now thinking what colours to go for new decals
I actually don't mind them either 🤣
Talking of shit graphics, even as a Spesh fanboi, their lower end ebikes annoy me, they haven't even tried.
Yeah, we'll just write Specialized in large white letters, that'll do
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
Same, and I've ended up with an ugly beige tank.
I was tempted by the orbea wild m20 but I don't fancy waiting 3 months for warranty support should I need it, and the headset cable routing got me seeking out a safe space
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
I quite like that.
Apart from the headset routing and shit white graphics
Yeah the headset is pig. Already sampled that delight changing the forks for kash factory ones. I got some custom camo decals for them, but they look shit.
Also got rid of the hideous cube cockpit, got burgtec on there.
Now thinking what colours to go for new decals.
I like that bike. Nearly went for one myself.
No decals are the best decals, or matte black.
Bit harsh. Don't you think?Die then - 1x12 for MTBs is gopping
If you mean 1x12 "looks" gopping. He didn't actually mention 1x12. He mentioned 1X.
And 1X doesn't have to include a massive cassette, super long derailleur or a tiny chainring.
1X with a small cassette, medium cage rear mech and mid sized chainring "looks" a lot less gopping and undisputably a far cleaner look than any front derailleur and chainset with three chainrings.
I actually agree that massive cassettes and long cage mechs look worse. And even more so if paired with a tiny chainring on a massively long modern 29" wheeled bike.
run 1x on all my mtbs but none have huge cassettes or tiny chainrings or long cage mechs. Not simply for aesthetics though. But for running cost/weight and functionality/durability. Looking less 'gopping' is just a bonus.
My eeb. Big bulky bastard. I was trying to find one that I thought was aesthetically pleasing. Gave up and just went for an ugly green tank.
I quite like that.
Apart from the headset routing and shit white graphics
Yeah the headset is pig. Already sampled that delight changing the forks for kash factory ones. I got some custom camo decals for them, but they look shit.
Also got rid of the hideous cube cockpit, got burgtec on there.
Now thinking what colours to go for new decals.
I like that bike. Nearly went for one myself.
No decals are the best decals, or matte black.
I'm not a fan. I think they look naked.
I'm a fan of the bike, was struggling to find something that met my want list and that I could get rapidly. Then I came across this and Damian Harris Cycles in Cardiff. Two weeks later it's here and good to go.
Finished the last bits to get it setup today. First ride tomorrow.
Nah, not a fan of naked forks either.
Sussed Bikes tend to knock a lot of their bikes out with no fork decals and they look a bit crap imo
I like the stealth look of no/blacked out decals.
How about gold or bronze to go with the Kashima? Would go nice with green frame.
I was tempted by the orbea wild m20 but I don't fancy waiting 3 months for warranty support should I need it, and the headset cable routing got me seeking out a safe space
One of my mates has one, first thing he did was replace the headset like this: https://easybikeparts.co.uk
I'm likely to go that way I think.
I was tempted by the orbea wild m20 but I don't fancy waiting 3 months for warranty support should I need it, and the headset cable routing got me seeking out a safe space
One of my mates has one, first thing he did was replace the headset like this: https://easybikeparts.co.uk
I'm likely to go that way I think.
I was thinking about getting one of those for my Rise when it arrives (Monday!). Only thing putting me off is I'm not sure if it covers the notch hole for the Spin Block.
I'm with whoever said modern geo bikes, they still look like someone fat has sat on the top tube, they might ride well, but they look horrible.
Personally, I reckon front mechs look smarter than giant cassettes coupled with a tiny single chainring.
On a road bike, flats look terrible.
Reflectors look terrible, as do lights.
I'm okay with silver nipples - in fact, I think black rims/black spokes/silver nipples is a nice contrast.
Any colour other than black for saddles/bar tape. Grips are acceptable in non-black.
Pace square tubed frames. Folks used to rave about them BITD, I've always thought they looked like Mechanno, all they needed was an oversized nut at each end of the top tube to complete the look.
Overly radical graphics (stickers) on frames. They look shit to begin with, like Action Man's bike. They're generally trying to disguise terrible frame shape choices themselves, but over time, and this is true of all stickers; the edges get scuffed, the colours start to fade, and it just looks even more shit.
Custom bikes with terrible colour choices. OK, burnt Umber, or Dark Teal maybe your favourite colour, but it's still horrible. The same is true of Race Car 'inspired' colour schemes, they generally look shit. Honourable mention here for the Gulf coloured Privee Shan - which managed to pull it off.
There was for a while an Endura made DH shirt that was camo and orange panels (like duck hunters wear) for a bit they were the favourite of every 'larger farmed' gent (I think it was the sizing). At any park or popular trail head you went to for a while there was a literal army of fat DH tri-podding down a trail they had no business being anywhere near, dressed near identically in those really cheap Six Six One helmets and and bloody camo Enduro shirt.
I'm with whoever said modern geo bikes, they still look like someone fat has sat on the top tube, they might ride well, but they look horrible
I get why people don't like the Radical that was posted earlier, it's the overly steep seat tube that gives it the look. I'd still have one though.
Look at the Ragleys. Other than a couple of degrees in the seat tube, the numbers are pretty similar. They look right to me
Stems.
Aesthetically and practically stems have been horrible since the move away from the quil stem.
Caveats:
Yes, i know they weren't as stiff.
Yes there were loads of horrendous looking ones.
Thorn seem to specialise in small frames with a huge amount of spaces on the steerer. So ugly.
I am sure I saw pics of 100mm plus spacers!
Not keen on tan walls tyres either.
Not keen on those wide angles drop gravel bars unless the bike is loaded and on tour.
Mini bar bags on a aero carbon fibre or super road bike with carbon wheels etc.
Not quite as many now as there were.
Yep phone mounts should be on stems not the handle bars.
I could go on ,buy my quick thoughts with a cuppa..
Loved reading this topic
When you cant route a rear brake cable into the correct side of the frame so you end up with this nasty bend rather than it neatly following the dropper cable from lever to frame.
It annoys me so much I would consider through headset routing
Apologies to, seemingly 50% on here but Kashima. Gives me a lot of FKW vibes and a bit too much "steal me" too. I much prefer whatever the next down is - performance elite ?
I used to run a dork disc on my cx bike and will do again if I ever go back to racing
Ducks on bars? Unless you're under about 12, nope
I really hate big logos, in fact all logos really
Look at the Ragleys. Other than a couple of degrees in the seat tube, the numbers are pretty similar. They look right to me
Yeah, I don't like that either. Still looks like someone's squashed it.
Ahh see i like those ragley frames and love the shape. But then again in my teens in the 00's when we were all riding around on rockhoppers and gt avalanches trying to learn jumps we all salivated over 4x and dirt jump style frames, so the top tube would finally be out of our way.
Most modern hardtails tend to look like that regardless now don't they, which I like, but my dad in his 70s who has a penchant for collecting frames and bikes from the 90s and mid 2000s also hates that sloped top tube design.
Hardtails that don't have a straight line from top tube to the seat stays. The Marin San Quentin is particularly gross with it's V-shaped TT/SS.
Full 29ers still look a bit weird to me, at least on the small/medium size frames I ride. 26 or 27.5 looks so much better and more "right" to me, even on bigger bikes.
Everyone's covered ebikes, they're still ugly AF apart from the odd few like the Amflow and some other SL bikes.
I don't like mismatched cockpits on my own bikes, not really an ugly thing but I like to have the same brand of bar/stem!
Also forgot to add - enduro hand covers/protectors. No exceptions. Absolutely awful.
Most steel full suspension frames, especially single pivot look wrong to me. Some look ace, like hardtails.
Big rear mechs and cassettes, the downside of 29ers.
Hand guards, I’d rather break my fingers on a regular basis than ride a bike with them on.
Massive sunglasses.
I know its mentioned above but I'll mention it again - 32" wheels. Its getting a bit silly now isn't it. We really are in the realms of marketing figuring out what to do next to make things "better" and its "oh, we'll just make that bit bigger". Some stuff does work (fork travel + steerer tubes to accomodate) but things like bloody superboost. Get in the sea...
… just gonna leave this here
… just gonna leave this here
What on earth is that? What are they using it for? A spirit stick to ward off demons and roadies who shave their legs?