A cycling industry rant

Threaded steerers. I know I’m not the first to mention them. But anyone who goes on about the good old days needs to explain why these were great.

I have one and would never say they are functionally better than an headset because they are not.  However on a skinny tubed old road bike the quill stem looks so great so the threaded headset is something I live with (and with something like a Stronglight A9 is no more maintenance than an headset.

Down tube shifters

Again, have those to and again while not functionally better and clearly takes more time to change gear I enjoy changing gear with them and the simplicity of them.  I wouldn’t use them if racing though…

The irony of this bloke ranting in YouTube about ‘modern tech’ and his clear lack of competence.

Maybe if he spent more time browsing the plethora of quality channels that provide really useful and insightful maintenance videos instead of boring us with his current stream of synaptic diarrhoea he’d be more competent.

In fairness, until through axles made them almost obsolete, both Shimano and Campag/Fulcrum had nailed cup and cone bearings in their higher end wheels by removing the need for multiple cone spanners and separating the lock nut from the preload cone.

I would argue cleaning and adjusting the bearings in both setups is now quicker and requires fewer tools than a cartridge bearing hub. Shimano edge it as all you require is two 5mm allen keys and you set the preload with your fingers using a wee indexed adjuster

I think i might be Kerley.

Ok maybe cup and cone moved on

I never had a set not score the cups

I think i might be Kerley.

Oh dear, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.  Old bikes are great though.

but the mid-to-late 2010’s were IME an low point for crap half developed products that didn’t last,

It’d be interesting to look back through cycling magazines (yes, there’s a magazine, who knew?!) and read the reviews stating that [thing] is amazing and then look back at it with the benefit of hindsight and go “what WERE we thinking of?!”

But then again, all those half-way-house improvements, all the “well it’s a good product for 8 months then it’ll fall to bits” items led to where we are now with products that do work better.

And I’m sure that 10 years from now, we’ll look back at what we were riding in 2024 and the supposed top of the range [thing] and just sigh and admit that yes, it was actually a bit crap compared to the current tech.

yet another died-in-the-wool old fart who thinks bike technology should have stopped in about 1987.

No wonder he’s found an audience on STW.

Not really sure that is the typical STW member as most threads are about which new bike or part to buy.  Don’t see many topics about riding/mending or buying bikes and parts from the 90’s.

Oh dear, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Old bikes are great though.

Agreed. All bikes are ace old, new fast slow aslong as they make me go… Weeeee!

The point about the pedal faces is really interesting. Tapering where the pedal face meets crank arm sounds logical. But then would it require a slightly thicker crank arm to keep the same amount of threads?

But imagine a world where a pedal was just an M14 clockwise thread on both sides!

But imagine a world where a pedal was just an M14 clockwise thread on both sides!

A world where all the drive side pedals had fallen off?

Don’t see many topics about riding/mending or buying bikes and parts from the 90’s.

We all go to retrobike for that. I recognise 20+ of the regulars on here from there…

Don’t see many topics about riding/mending or buying bikes and parts from the 90’s.

Perhaps because everyone knows how to fix them already and don’t need guidance on special tools and compatibility issues?

My commuter/touring/gravel bike is from the late 90s.   There’s something deeply satisfying about pulling a bike out of a skip and removing the parts you need to repair your bike.

This thread seems to lack anything in the way of actual ranting. Christ, even an AI can produce a better rant than anything I’ve seen in this thread.

The state of internet rants has seen a noticeable decline recently, and it’s becoming increasingly frustrating for those who once found them a source of genuine insight and entertainment. Here are a few key criticisms:

Lack of Substance: Many rants today are filled with vague complaints and lack the depth that makes a rant compelling. Instead of well-thought-out arguments, we often see superficial gripes that don’t add much value to the conversation.
Overuse of Hyperbole: While exaggeration can be effective, it’s being overused to the point where it diminishes the credibility of the rant. When everything is described as “the worst ever,” it becomes hard to take the rant seriously.
Echo Chambers: Rants are increasingly confined to echo chambers where they are only seen by like-minded individuals. This limits the potential for meaningful dialogue and reduces the impact of the rant.
Poor Structure: A good rant should have a clear structure, but many recent rants are disorganized and rambling. This makes them difficult to follow and less persuasive.
Lack of Humor: Humor and wit used to be hallmarks of a great rant, but many recent rants are devoid of these elements. This makes them less engaging and more of a chore to read.
Negativity Overload: While rants are inherently negative, there’s a difference between constructive criticism and relentless negativity. The latter can be draining and off-putting for readers.
Repetitiveness: Many rants today rehash the same points over and over without offering new perspectives or solutions. This repetition can make them feel stale and uninspired.
Personal Attacks: Instead of focusing on issues, some rants have devolved into personal attacks. This not only undermines the argument but also contributes to a toxic online environment.
Lack of Accountability: There’s a trend of ranting anonymously or without taking responsibility for one’s words. This can lead to more extreme and less thoughtful rants.
Short Attention Spans: With the rise of short-form content, many rants are now brief and lack the detailed analysis that made them interesting. This shift towards brevity often sacrifices depth and nuance.
In summary, the quality of internet rants has declined due to a combination of superficiality, poor structure, and a lack of engaging elements like humor and depth. It’s time for a revival of thoughtful, well-crafted rants that can truly resonate with and impact their audience.

How about a quick rant then:

The bike industry is a mess right now! What used to be a simple, straightforward market has become a labyrinth of overpriced gimmicks and constant “innovations” that no one asked for. Every year, it seems like there’s a new “must-have” technology—whether it’s electronic shifting, dropper posts on road bikes, or absurdly wide tires—that’s more about squeezing extra money out of customers than actually improving the riding experience. And don’t even get me started on the constant changes in standards. You buy a bike, and within a year, it’s practically obsolete because they’ve decided to tweak the axle size or introduce yet another proprietary. The industry is alienating the very people who love it most.

I thought Chat GPT did reasonably well.

This thread seems to lack anything in the way of actual ranting

That’s why you should watch my video ⬆️ I got a lot of flack for it including a bike brand owner who messaged me afterwards

^ Rodeo Labs must’ve been having a very quiet day : )

Full bar-stem-headset integrated bikes are for folks who care about what the bike looks like and pay people to work on their bikes. John and Sylvias.

The bike industry and media are far too performance/ racing biased – and obviously new, expensive tech. Most average riders don’t give a flying **** about racing, or going fast…….

Instead of channels like GCN/GMBN, Roadcc, BikeRadar et al constantly going on about the latest race bikes, how to improve your FTP, aero, etc – what about commuting, touring, active cycling?

More Jack Thurston, Russ from PLP, and Bike Farmer please…..

You can buy mechanical groupsets and they are better than the ones from the 80s and 90s. Disc brakes aren’t hard to bleed and if you are getting mineral oil everywhere then thats on you. Disc brakes are occasionally noisey if you get them covered in crap in poor weather, but they work better than rim brakes in all weather conditions and you will never convince me otherwise.

I think the major issue for “these people” is that they want the “top of the range” to be exactly what they want and completely ignore the fact you can actually go out and buy exactly what they want elsewhere.

You could go out and buy this:

Russ from PLP

I like the guy’s view of bikes but PLP seems to be anti-performance in a way that goes against the ‘just ride’ attitude the thing he does comes from. It’s almost a cult in the same way the racers they put themselves opposite can be.

I do have time for Grant Petersen’s take on things. Not so much the kooky and expensive end results but the ethos in general. The ‘just ride’ OG.

You could go out and buy this:

That’s my take on bikes these days. I don’t have a mainstream-modern taste so I can always go custom for a frame and forks, and have done in recent years. I think it’s a shame or at least a point that much of the bike industry’s march for progress in the end alienates or excludes riders who want mid- to higher-end quality parts but not battery / app driven (for ex). But if you know enough about what you like to have that opinion then you can find what you do want. Shimano and SRAM going the way they are creates space for other brands.

Quill stems give you a bit of height adjustment.   Aheadset does not.

I wouldn’t even mind disc brakes if it weren’t for the black voodoo magic required to keep them quiet on road bikes

I didn’t know this was a thing. My commuter has discs because I always found rim brakes work for about 10 minutes before they’re screaming and rubbish!

Quill stems give you a bit of height adjustment.   Aheadset does not.

Erm, you can move the stem up and down the steerer tube very easily.

Erm, you can move the stem up and down the steerer tube very easily.

As long as you leave a load of un-needed steerer sticking out.

Quill stems give you a bit of height adjustment. Aheadset does not.

About an inch. I’ve got that leeway on all my bikes plus, once the height is set, how many people actually go round adjusting it anyway?!

Like those pointless “adjustable stem” things which add a load of weight and bolts to create a stem that pivots up and down, the rider sets it to their preference and then leaves it. They’re OK for bike fit purposes but for general use they’re a terrible design.

Also, Ahead stems can be flipped – you’ve effectively got 2 stems in one.

As long as you leave a load of un-needed steerer sticking out.

I always cut steerers a couple of cm more than I need for adjustments plus you still have different stem / bar rise options.

Problems with quill stems.

They can seize like a seat post if not well greased.

The don’t all tighten that well.

If your headset needs adjusting you need spanners which are less convenient to carry than a couple of allen keys.

They can seize like a seat post if not well greased.

Then grease it?

If your headset needs adjusting you need spanners which are less convenient to carry than a couple of allen keys.

Then adjust it probably to start with?

As a functional design an aheadset if far better than a threaded steerer but I don’t have any problems with my threaded headset or quill stem bikes.

how many people actually go round adjusting it anyway?!

I do, I have a normal riding height and a bike park/Alps height, swapping a 15mm spacer from above to below the stem. Not very often but it is useful to be able to.

@kerley how many threads are there with seized seatposts.

Headsets can settle even when properly adjusted.

A couple of our bikes have quill stems and work fine but I would not fit one for preference.

Just checked back in to see people arguing the merits of quill stems.

This place is nothing if not predictable.

how many threads are there with seized seatposts.

Is it 7 ?

Headsets can settle even when properly adjusted.

Settle?  I adjust mine properly when fitted and it never ‘settles’, how can a cartridge bearing settle?

A couple of our bikes have quill stems and work fine but I would not fit one for preference.

Nor would I on a modern bike as they are harder work but not necessarily worse once fitted.

Older Traditional Headsets have ball bearings not cartridges.

Just finally watched some of the original video – wow, that guy’s utter twonk.

Hankering for the old days ..

Whatever happened to chain suck?