age/looks not important!

I dunno but I feel I’ve put my 2007 giant trance through its paces and it hasn’t snapped on me yet. Not quite what I can say about the marin’s I’ve owned.
It seems quite happily tootling around a black trail centre or nice long rides but I’ve sent it off some decent jumps for what its supposedly designed for and they haven’t all been simple and smooth. for 100mm of rear travel. its done damn well.

Anything FS from Giantrekalised. They don’t inspire anything like the same quasi-religious witnessing you get for the more boutique brands, but they’re better than most IMO.

Rim tape

Any functioning bike that has been left in the garage in favour of something newer, shinier, more niche/trendy/hyped.

Giantrekalised

plus

GianTrekHalford-Alised

Anti-snobbery, that’s where it’s at. From a Ragley, Whyte owning sheep 🙂

Kawasaki ZZR600.

GF Supercaliber 29er hardtail (red and yellow version)

Underrated by who? If it’s goons on the internet then the Carrera Fury, it’s awesome and it’s cheap. Gets great reviews but fashion victims refuse to buy it because it’s a Carrera and instead pay 50% more for something less good, usually from mail order but they still say “Oh Halfords wouldn’t have built it right” even though they’re building the bike themselves.

See also: Boardman FS, Boardman HT, practically every Voodoo.

I love my carrera fury, no other bike near the price could offer the spec and I’ve put it through some abuse… love it 🙂

kinesis maxlight hardtails….

The most under-rated bike must be the Surly Pugsley – if only because there are so few of them about.

Gary
http://www.pugsley-on-patrol.org.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/garybuckham

yeah only 2 up here! 😮
also agree on the carrera bikes, got that old Skoda image,pure snobbery,

Easy. Pronghorn LT. Everyone looks at them and either barfs or fears for their balls.
Swing a leg over one though and it’s a different story. So much so that it’s my choice for an AM bike over anything else out there.

Meridas…

+1 for Carrera Fury. Brilliant bike for the money, zero “respect” from the fashionistas. Mind you, I personally view that as a bonus.

Agree with Garry – big brands that make great bikes but aren’t “cool” for the label snobs, despite often cleaning up at major World Cup races.

Orange 5 😉

I think you’ll find ‘big brands’ have big budgets = getting the best racers = cleaning up. Whether they’re cool or not has got f*ck all to do with it.

Pronghorn. Simples.

Davey – BS. Why else would some spend 20++% more on a “boutique” branded bike that’s often not as good?

They want to look cool.

End of.

Konas get a righ slagging but for the money (discounted everywhere) the stinky is an ace bike. Tough, capable and fun.

Surf-Mat – Member

Davey – BS. Why else would some spend 20++% more on a “boutique” branded bike that’s often not as good?

They want to look cool.

End of.

Because it fits them! I like a short top tube and relaxed angles on my bikes, that what is important to me, its the supposedly boutique bikes that tend to fulfil those criteria.

Konas get a righ slagging but for the money (discounted everywhere) the stinky is an ace bike.

Now ordinarily I would have scoffed at this but I think Ianv may have a point and that’s based on having actually ridden one last weekend on the Forest of Dean DH courses. Not the most demanding courses I grant you, but fast enough and with some braking bumps in places. I was really quite surprised by how supple the suspension was, even under braking (I was stuck behind some much slower riders so actually had to used the brakes!). The shock wasn’t set up for me either but it was still pretty good.

Titus have nevr quite had the recognition you might have expected in this country and I suspect, though I don’t know for sure, that Chumba may be vastly underrated given how much of a bargain they are, although I’ve never ridden one so I can’t say for sure.

SIIIIIIIII MMMMMMMMMMM OOOOOOOOO NNNNN! HALLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

My Planet-X jack flash built with RS Domains, wide bars and big tyres. Looks ugly and like it won’t work but point it down a hill and it is great fun.

Titus – dirt cheap second-hand, and the Ti ones are a work of art.

yeah the chumbas look nice. horst link too iirc

lyons – Member
kinesis maxlight hardtails….

Yep +1

Stinkys are really nice bikes to ride, if not to look at. They just feel really well balanced.

Think they’re quite popular with the youngsters though, since they’re affordable and reliable – so not sure about underrated.

Surprised nobody’s mentioned the Orange 5.

Of course i am mega biased but the Chumba XCL is a very underated frame. Its super tough with a classic design without all the hydroformed tubes etc, sensible weight and geo and is now a bargain as we have dropped the prices 🙂

I dont know anyone who has ever ridden one not be be impressed by the XCL.

Pretty much any Gary Fisher.

I’ve got a ’98 fury. Incredible bike.

End of.

Ooo, handbags. Does that mean you’re right and I’m wrong in the world of forum etiquette?

If it does, sorry to p*ss on your fire because people buy boutique bikes over a Spesh etc because they can / because they offer something a mass market bike doesn’t. Not sure its because they want to look cool or not…

If I had the money to buy an R8 over an A3, I would. Because I could.
If I wanted a car with rocket launchers and the R8 came with optional rocket launchers and the A3 didn’t, I’d buy the R8. Yes, its more expensive but it’d suit my needs.
Whether I looked cooler driving an R8 over an A3, I wouldn’t really be bothered. Thats how other people might perceive it, personally I really couldn’t give a sh*t what other people thing.

Is this where I put ‘end of’ to indicate I’m right, everyone else is wrong?

See also: Boardman FS, Boardman HT

Yeah, boardmans are really underrated. Except for all the reviews and the legions of people recommending them on “what bike” threads… 🙄

Another vote for the Kona Stinky. Riden them loads in Canada and much prefer them to the other bikes I’ve tried. Biggest biking related regret is stripping and selling mine to fund a build based on a whim.

I’m not sure if the Coyote Dual is under-rated or not but it doesn’t pop up very often. Been riding mine for over 5 years now and absolutely love it. Good thing it’s worth sod all. Means I’d never be tempted to sell it!

unicycle
under rated by a whole wheel

Kinesis Frames IMHO 🙂

Sarcin…..
🙂

’99 Kona Explosif

“pypdjl – Member

See also: Boardman FS, Boardman HT

Yeah, boardmans are really underrated. Except for all the reviews and the legions of people recommending them on “what bike” threads…”

And getting completely ignored by fashion victims, brand snobs and the generally ignorant. Which is a nice definition of underrated, the bikes are superb and most people who ride them and have first hand knowledge recommend them to the 9s, while most people who have no first hand knowledge dismiss them.