Cursed bike

Ever had a cursed bike?

every single job on it turns into a disaster, always has a weird niggle or creak. You have the odd really good good ride on it but more often than not it develops a weird noise or you get random punctures?

I have one. Wish I could be rid of it.

Worst. Stealth ad. Ever. You need to work on sales technique.

I did once have a bike which mysteriously weighed more than the sum of it’s parts.

I think it’s just several jobs coming along at the same time, I have times like this when several bike all need work concurrently.

Ever had a cursed bike?

Yep, this question was asked a few months back.  I have had bikes where it seems whatever job I do goes wrong/has issues and other bikes where it always goes smoothly.  Same person doing the work, same tools etc,. so much just be a cursed bike.   Luckily the bike I have at the moment is not a cursed one.

I think it’s just several jobs coming along at the same time, I have times like this when several bike all need work concurrently.

thats the curse of N+1. A fault/ flat / worn part can either be solved by prompt necessary maintenance, or just by putting it to one side deciding to ride another bike. Until that also develops a fault/flat/worn part. Then you decide its time to ‘rediscover’ the single speed pub/spare parts bike and a purer kind of riding, until thats on the wonk as well.

Eventually you have a shed full of bikes – its the middle of summer –  but nothing you can actually ride. Faced with a mountain of maintenance you start shopping for parts, aware that all your forthcoming riding time is actually going to be tinkering time –  and as you do you start mulling over the notion of ‘the ultimate do it all bike’ that somehow fills all the niches between all the bikes currently  in the shed (it couldn’t course be a ‘do it all bike’ that replaces all the bikes in the shed) and more importantly, works. At least currently.

I find “cursed” tends to mean shittly designed and poor spec.
Lappiere, I’m looking at you…

Definitely. Bought an orange alpine very cheaply. On paper it was a great bike. Bit of mix and match of components but mostly ok. First ride rear brake packed up, went front squealing to no bite at all. Also the forks felt weird. New disk and pads and swapped the forks with some known good ones from the parts bin. Exactly the same thing happened. Played with fork setting which made it ok but not great and put a whole new rear brake on that came off another bike and worked fine. Rear brake packed up again and the front started squealing.

In the end I split it for parts. Actually made all the money back on just the frame and wheels so I guess the curse was lifted. Replacement bike has been great…. so far