Forum menu
Worst bike item of ...
 

[Closed] Worst bike item of 2014.

Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Shimano MT 68 freehubs. Same as the Saint, XTR and Zee. They screw into the hub , rather than the old style of separate allen bolt. Total pish..... 3 freehubs in 120 miles, says they are just crap. Were 24 hole hubs too on my wheel, so an arse to swop out. But I found a 24 hole hub and the shitmano is now in the dusty junk cupboard.
Magura discs........ totally blued and softened meant they just dissolved. Old used discs swapped over and power restored.


 
Posted : 13/12/2014 11:08 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Shimano axle cones. Now killed one set on an XTR hub with less than 1000 miles and both front and rear on a set of MT55 wheels with less than 500 miles. The bearings are perfect, the grease was clean, the inner races on the wheels were perfect too. Only the cones are borked.

Not a happy bunny. Especially as spares for these are impossible to find.


 
Posted : 13/12/2014 11:21 pm
Posts: 13869
Free Member
 

bikebouy - Member
On my CX'er, when I bought it, it had some rather suspect SRAM disc brakes on it. By all accounts I was supposed to die in a ball of fury and flames should I ever have the audacity of pulling a leaver. SRAM recalled them, well recalled the bike actually but I refused the cable replacements and waited for the replacement Hydros. They duly arrived, got fitted and have honestly been as good as the original supplied brakes.

So I'm not really saying the brakes are the worst, nope what im saying is the 4.5 months it took SRAM to sort out the replacements and the 7 weeks the bike was in Giant whilst being told the brakes were on their way.

It's the lost time on the bike I think is the worst thing I've "bought" in 2014.

Weren't SRAM just giving the mechanical brakes as a temporary measure and then giving hydros when they were available?


 
Posted : 13/12/2014 11:21 pm
Posts: 5154
Full Member
 

Aldi's shorts, used to be cheap but functional, but they've got worse in quality which isn't good for commuters who don't want to splash £40+ on bibs


 
Posted : 13/12/2014 11:45 pm
Posts: 91169
Free Member
 

Now killed one set on an XTR hub with less than 1000 miles and both front and rear on a set of MT55 wheels with less than 500 miles.

Wow, you have some other problem then - these things are pretty reliable, aren't they? Mine certainly are.


 
Posted : 13/12/2014 11:48 pm
Posts: 34535
Full Member
 

Last bike came with shimano hubs, not had any for a long time, now I remember why ! ran them through last winter and they have been a right pita, cones coming loose, rattly and poorly sealed, 15mm front needs an extra big cone spanner too, not to mention a deeper bb tool for the front and deeper cassette tool for the rear cntrelock adaptors
Now the cones are pitted - 'kin Joke !
I only run them as a dh days now, thank goodness for my hopes on the good wheelset!

Most stuff seems fine, dunno what this issue with the pikes is, mine are not far off my RC3tis once I got some tokens in I was able to set them up lovely, Im a bit porky,maybe that helps !


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 12:01 am
Posts: 1748
Free Member
 

used 2

come on

To be fair, I used them for years - I went through a pair of Schwalbe tyres in a couple of months - at the time I was getting them for £15 for the EVO tri-star, so that was OK. At £50 a tyre, I want more than a few months.

I like Schwalbe tyres.

Don't you be bringing your good mood on here, Mister. We're all grumpy on this thread.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 12:06 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

A 4 pound smart phone case and mount from ebay

Mount was designed for round bars, didn't fit my bike.

Then when I bodged it, the case holding my note 2 let go and deposited it on the road.

It looked good in the photos though/


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 2:23 am
Posts: 5731
Full Member
 

A 4 pound smart phone case and mount from ebay

Mount was designed for round bars, didn't fit my bike.

Then when I bodged it, the case holding my note 2 let go and deposited it on the road.

It looked good in the photos though/

Ouch. A £4 item to securely fasten a £400 item to a bike handlebar?


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 8:56 am
Posts: 507
Free Member
 

I also suffer with the threadless presta stems (fitted to just about all Cannondale road bikes), they'd be no problem on a mountain bike, but reach 85psi and every track pump in the workshop just blows off them.Operating a track pump one handed at high pressures is awkward to say the least, we have a decent compressor and Park inflator, but once system losses are taken into account,this won't get much above 90psi, and we're back to the track pump issue again.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:30 am
Posts: 13282
Free Member
 

gofasterstripes - Member
when 14 knobs fall off
One would be enuf for me. Turn 360 degrees and walk away!

Turn 180 degrees and you'll get further away faster.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:35 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Endura bibshorts, utter shite my gnarling arse managed to destroy two pairs in as many months.

Not really feeling much love for the bundled Mavic tyres either which is a shame cod their wheels are excellent.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:44 am
Posts: 507
Free Member
 

It wouldn't be a proper "Worst of" type thread without a mention of Lapierre either, not content with requiring the John Wayne riding style to clear the stays (I still catch my heels after riding hundreds of them), has anyone had to change their rear pads without removing the caliper first? In fairness, you can easily sight through the caliper to re-centre it, though getting in to hold it central and getting it tight'n'right is easier said than done.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:57 am
Posts: 52609
Free Member
 

Still no Hora???? can somebody pop round and check on him.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 10:31 am
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The FSA wheels that came on my PlanetX. The Ultegra/GP4000s have transformed the ride/sidewind performance. What Dick at PlanetX chose them?


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 7:00 pm
Posts: 43955
Full Member
 

I thought it was all the fault of the forks and/or the wrong size, wrong riding position?


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 7:48 pm
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

No. Sorted the saddle height/reach. The biggest improvement was the tyres/wheels. I feel like I could ride it all day now.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 7:59 pm
Posts: 43955
Full Member
 

Good one. You'll be entering that 1,300km Audax next!


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 8:06 pm
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Calderdale Flanders Sportive next


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 8:13 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

A One-Ten windproof top from CRC. I swear it was a joke and someone had pilfered the original and replaced it with a carbon copy made from greaseproof paper.

Bleeding 'orrible thing that went straight back.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 8:15 pm
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

CRAFT Siberian Windproof gloves are going back. They are shit. You can feel the wind coming through the middlr fingers fabric.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 8:50 pm
Posts: 12809
Free Member
 

I bought a pretty mini pump (Oxford) I think, lent it to a stranger at Afan and they stole it! 29er rider so I should have known. Anyway I tried to replace it with a Tesco mini pump for £3 - I didn't expect much from my 'less than a pint these days' pump - but it self-destructed in the car on the way home.


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:23 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

27.5" wheels...........left my 2012 26" wheeled Mega at home to demo a 27.5" version. Only at Llandegla mind, but at no point up or down did it make me rush out and sell my old Mega, in fact, now I have two 26" wheeled Mega's 8)


 
Posted : 14/12/2014 9:39 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

c-guide chain device/tensioner..

lasted 2-3 rides before it disintegrated..


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 3:13 pm
Posts: 2182
Free Member
 

Conti Mountain King II

Bought a set of the cheaper to try. Punctured on every ride I used them on. Literally 7 / 7.
Bought some Protection versions thinking I liked the tyres. Side walls failing badly, lots of hairy canvas hanging out.

Rubbish

Put some old Maxxis back on and I no longer think about tyres. I should never have turned my back on you dear, dear Maxxis.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 3:24 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Conti inner tubes whose core unscrew when used with a lezyne pump.

Time ATAC pedals, great pedals but recently someone at Time has decided to save money on the quality of the bearings and seals.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 3:30 pm
Posts: 66112
Full Member
 

@dragon, that's a fault of the pump not the tubes.

Ah no wait! I did buy something rubbish, new Five Ten Impact VXIs. Impacts used to be the world's grippiest sponges, now they're the world's grippiest logs, absolutely no feel or feedback whatsoever. Bloody shame, everything about them is better than the old Impact apart from the one thing they had to get right

Ps, size 9 impacts for sale, worn twice, shite. £60


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 3:42 pm
Posts: 6256
Full Member
 

Was going to say KMC chains, but tbf I think that was 2013.

At least have the decency to snap after 3 rides, and not 2.5 rides.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 3:43 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

[quote=coatesy ]I also suffer with the threadless presta stems (fitted to just about all Cannondale road bikes), they'd be no problem on a mountain bike, but reach 85psi and every track pump in the workshop just blows off them.

Maybe it's all of your track pumps which are rubbish - just realised that the TT bike also has smooth stems on the valve extenders and I've had those up to 140psi with my Joe Blow Sport.

Sorry I can't contribute anything of my own - haven't really bought much bike stuff, and I think all my uni stuff works.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 5:40 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I'd like to nominate (proper) Campagnolo Power Torque bearings but not for the usual reason (yeah, the system's a bit of a faff). The bearings run beautifully smooth right up to the point where they're pressed into the cups. Then they're notchy and stiff. I've tried again and again and they're either incompletely pressed in, or notchy. No amount of arsing around seems to cure it. I guess the tolerance isn't that good 🙁


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 6:02 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Was close to getting a PowerTorque chainset before I did a quick check of the forums 😯


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 6:11 pm
 Andy
Posts: 3348
Free Member
 

Vee Rubber V8 4" fatbike tyres. Horrific steering veer on hard pack and the sidewalls ripped after 300 miles. 🙁


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 7:50 pm
Posts: 4136
Full Member
 

Lezyne pump. Unscrews the valve core every time. 😈

Complained to the shop, was SOLD another adaptor, metal into plastic thread stripped in one use.

overpriced shiny crap


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 8:13 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Can I say anything by conti!


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 8:20 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I'm with rickon. Worst thing I bought was hans dampfs. Went back to rubber queens and much happier.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 8:48 pm
Posts: 1428
Free Member
 

topeak quickclip saddle bag. total time on the bike was 15 minutes before i landed a drop off a bit heavy and the clip broke. still....at least i only wasted £12 on shit bike things this year (though there is still a couple of weeks to go......)


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 9:27 pm
Posts: 1428
Free Member
 

@pictonroad. had the same problem with lezyyne pump with the hose. so i bought the version that presses on. that version snaps the valve stem off if you get a bit clumsy. grrrrrr


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 9:30 pm
Posts: 1754
Full Member
 

2.75" x 26 Surley Dirt Wizard tyres

Very hard rubber - even at 25psi the lack of traction was scary

Rubber compound just too hard

Avoid


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 9:50 pm
 mlke
Posts: 34
Free Member
 

Easy winner - any of the numerous eBay /Amazon sold chinese night riding lights with their exploding chargers, nil battery life and dodgy connections


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 10:03 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Assorted SRAM drivetrain shite.


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 10:19 pm
Posts: 5296
Free Member
 

Fizik Blink rear light - clips into the clip on the back of the saddles.

They break. All of them. I think they can't stand the vibration of a road bike


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 11:20 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

CX lefty


 
Posted : 15/12/2014 11:22 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

XTR M980 pedals. The axles keep snapping - they're so thin at the end it's hardly surprising. I would class my self as a fairly light rider but still managed to break 3 of the 4 (2 sets) within 12 months. Both sets were warranty replaced but the second set I replaced with XT.


 
Posted : 16/12/2014 1:36 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

MET Parachute, poor build quality, never felt comfortable wearing it and then realized I may as well just buy a proper full face which ended up being one of my better buys of 2014, a Giro Cypher.
I'm happier with two helmets, a full face for those downhill days and a IXS Trail for all the other stuff, something that tries to be two things at once will never pull either off successfully*.

*opinions may vary.


 
Posted : 16/12/2014 4:49 am
 1978
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

SRAM drivetrains. Cheap, poorly mate and massively unreliable.


 
Posted : 16/12/2014 10:42 am
Page 2 / 3