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?
What on earth is that? What are they using it for? A spirit stick to ward off demons and roadies who shave their legs?
I assume it's for resting feet on, either for the rider if it is some sort of E-bike, or for a child on a top tube seat? Doesn't look very safe of course.
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".
Don't want to get told off for discussing 'function' again (😉) but given how immediately 'right' my first ever 29er felt, I'm quite keen to try 32", and perhaps because I'm confusing form and function I actually quite like the look of them.
As far as new developments go, I think bigger wheels is a far more interesting/relevant and functional 'new thing' than internal cables or electric gears, but there I go discussing function again 😂
32 is pretty normal looking really as you can pretty much just tweak a 29+ frame, hell even normal 29er forks with a A-C of more than 480mm will take a 32 without any drama.... If you want to make your eyeballs vomit you need a 36er......or an E-bike!
My entire bike collection is the two wheeled equivalent of something that would be found in the deep ocean with boggley eyes and mouths in funny places, but compared to any Ebike ever made they are Dita von tease.
the full suss 32inchers look a bit odd at the moment, but there are some rigid ones that look lovely especially in larger sizes.
rigid bikes can end up looking wierd with the need for a big fork clearance (suspension corrected forks); long head tubes, spacer stacks and risers just to get the bars in the right place. the larger wheel eliminates that but for smaller riders or those wanting a racier position I guess it goes the other way. Flipped risers and 90mm headtubes look almost as silly.
Pole full suspension frames. All of them.
I loath the garish logos on bikes and components. Any that are stickers get removed as soon as I have the parts
Have we said TT / triathlon bikes yet?
I generally pride myself on being a function over form guy but everything just seems not in proportion.
As this is about aesthetics and not function - this is an interesting watch!
Pole full suspension frames. All of them.
Surprised to read they're trying to make a comeback and their frames look the same and are made the same way. Whats the phrase about madness being doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome???
Have we said TT / triathlon bikes yet?
I generally pride myself on being a function over form guy but everything just seems not in proportion.
There definitely seems to be an ethos of making them as ugly as possible, I wonder if it's a marketing thing whereby they try to distinguish them as much as possible from 'normal' bikes and/or accentuating the aero credentials as boldly as they can.
on the pole bikes thing, I really liked the evolink frames and their hard tails were fab, (slightly biased as I have both an evolink 131 and a Taival hardtail) but the cnc glued things have all the appeal of a melted welly
As this is about aesthetics and not function - this is an interesting watch!
I wish I'd never sold my Azonic Hammer. Way ahead of the curve.
There definitely seems to be an ethos of making them as ugly as possible, I wonder if it's a marketing thing whereby they try to distinguish them as much as possible from 'normal' bikes and/or accentuating the aero credentials as boldly as they can.
Must be something in that, making the silhouette as distinctive as possible so it's recognisable.
I'm to usually one to defend the UCI's decision making, but someone in the TT world needs to get a grip on things, seeing a load of MAM*ILS riding around with six empty water bottles stuffed into their jersey because it's only bending the rule just looks shit. Either give them genuine freedom to design whatever they like (recumbents, velomobiles, whatever) or just adopt the UCI rules that say it must still look like a bike and be functional.
*and ladies.
Don't want to get told off for discussing 'function' again (
) but given how immediately 'right' my first ever 29er felt, I'm quite keen to try 32", and perhaps because I'm confusing form and function I actually quite like the look of them.
Yea, I'd happily have one in the flat-bar-gravel / bikepacking / Stooge / Singular Swift sort of niche.
Just remembered another bike related thing that makes me reel in disgust and makes my teeth feel chalky. I mean this bike is a great example for this thread tbh and has features we've all already discussed, the phone holder on the handlebars, the garish oversized mud guards... It is missing a handlebar bell however, which would be the final addition to prompt the owner to shop for a neon helmet to go with their high vis jacket but I digress, that's not it...
it's the kickstand 🤢
- Oilslick
- Fully black bikes (you can do better)
- Brown / Beige / Earth coloured kit - looking at you P(e)N(i)S/MAAAAAAAAP
- Handguards (has this ever been an issue?)
- Mega deep carbon rims
- Massive fat tubes on frames
- Overly wiggly, curved, or bent tubes on frames
- 2x or 3x on any bike (1x just looks better)
- Those little race team name/flag stickers
- Every Ibis bike ever
- Top tube feed bag thingies, behind the stem
- Phone mounts
- Bungee/clamp mounted lights on bars (I have them, but I don't like them: under stem/Garmin is absolutely the way)
- Red anything
Yea, I'd happily have one in the flat-bar-gravel / bikepacking / Stooge / Singular Swift sort of niche.
So not really a MTB then, at least in the modern sense of what MTB is!
To be honest I can't think of a single instance I'd want bigger wheels than 29 for anything involving fun riding, even 29 is pushing it for me.
So not really a MTB then, at least in the modern sense of what MTB is!
Probably not but I'll bet they work amazingly well off-road in general. Think Pinkbike showed they were faster too on an XCO test course.
What’s the issue with red stuff? Did a Ferrari close pass you all? Can’t say I have any issue with a singular colour (purple isn’t my favourite, but it can look OK in the right places)
I'm not a fan of red either, blue looks pretty crap on a bike (and car) as well. Only exception would probably be a dark metallic burgundy like the Stantons they do in that colour, or something like the teal Bird Forge looks pretty cool for a blue-ish colour.
My favourite colour for a bike is just raw though, and my current mtb is black, so what do I know 🙂
