What is the worst product ever produced for MTB/ATB'S

[Konaglider]

To me, it was Shimano's M-system brakes

I say that because.....

Just wondered You're right, straddle wire and a good hanger do give a more positive feel when set up right.

 

[jimihendrix]

just a small note, all you single speed people could prob beat me no trouble, but i cant help feeling like its actually more of a statement to have one gear rather than any other tangible reason. i notice you are enthusiastic explaining how you can keep up/beat etc, someone who uses gears and how only but a few of the toughest climbs were conquered, but dont really elaborate on why you actually have one gear? on a practical side, on some climbs im sure my knees would explode under that sort of pressure whats your secret?

I wasn't boasting about being quicker up hill and it's nothing to do with making a statement or being different, to be honest the bike i converted to single speed was done as it has a cable stop missing from the top tube, after seeing single speeds on here i thought i'd try it, i hadn't even heard of a single speed until joining this site just over a year ago, didn't know how i was going to get on with it (wasn't sold on the idea at all) but i find it great, as has been said it will suit some but not others.

It's the only running bike i have at the moment but i'm building the Clockwork with full gears so i'll have a choice.

 

[Neil G]

Single speed cassettes.

'Ooh look, I've got 21 gears on my retro, which will allow me to make the most of the human body's limited power band. Think what I'll do is get rid of them all, that way if I find a steep hill I won't be able to ride up it, or descend it at any great speed, much better!'

I will NEVER understand SS.

TSC.

+1

Seems to be all the rage these days probably off the back of the SS speed/fixed gear scene in London which couriers have been doing for years.

As far as products go that sucked has to be early Manitou forks....just diabolical in anything other than dry, warm conditions

 

[silverclaws]

Perry, I agree with you Gripshift is an abomination. I have been using gripshift for two years on a bike lent to me, a heavy Raleigh attitude, the gear change just does not feel natural. When I consciously try to select the right gear for the conditions, I have stop and think which way to twist the grips, as not thinking about it, just doing like I did with my old thumbshifters, often resulted in changing up when I wanted down and vice versa. Idiot things, they are so unnatural, and for a while seeing as I had a seven gear bike, and could not find thumbies, I was dreading being resigned to gripshit or the rapid fire things. I now have XT thumbies again, so goodbye gripshit.

Thankfully the bike I borrowed had V brakes, so the braking was at least a pleasure and inspired some confidence.

Incidently though I see the XT thumbies seem to go for a lot these days, something about them being rare, I do remember some five years ago, new XT thumbies in a shop I used went for £45 the set, so anything less than that to get them again is a deal, and they are good, in fact superb.

 

[Monty Zoomer]

SS's are great, geared bikes too, there's room for all of us quirky folk out there without 'dissing' each others riding preferences. If you don't get it then perhaps try it before nay saying. There are those who try it and never look back and of course there are those that just don't get on with it. Each to their own.

If you're strong and fit you'll be used to going for it on the hills and not twiddling away in the granny gear. Usually you'll be at the top before the geared guys.

Slow on descents? well, hardly any. My top speed on my geared XC bike down one of my favourite hills is 49.9 mph (just couldn't spin any faster to drive the back wheel that extra 0.1 mph!) I've managed over 46 mph on the ss going down the same hill (36:16 ratio).

They're cleaner looking, lighter (usually) and simpler than geared bikes, pretty easy to maintain too.

You would need a cadence of about 275 to pull over 46mph on most MTB's with a 36:16 ratio, doesn’t sound ideal! Can you keep this up on a long descent?

 

[hondamatic]

My first bike, which also had the Quadra 5, Weinmann Rims and Tioga Psycho, featured Gripshift SRT-400. I cracked the plastic housing of the shifter in my first MTB race, forcing a DNF :s. All of my friends with first-gen Grip Shift 300/400/600 had the same troubles...

I replaced the shifters with a more modern '98-era shifter and they were actually pretty good. Never cracked, octagonal barrel and had a great feel.

I haven't seen a bike with grip shift in two or three years. Do you all change them out for Rapidfire when you come across a '96-98 bike?

 

[Carlos the Slackal]

Wheel disc covers....WHY?

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

"Freeride" double crown forks on an aluminum hardtail.

This was before "DJ" bikes.

just silly

 

[silverclaws]

What's freeride ?

 

[Andy B]

What's freeride ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeride