Bike snobbery - or is it?

[legrandefromage]

<sighs deeply>

This thread will probably end up locked or deleted but here goes.

Many are often accused of bike snobbery, but what is bike snobbery?

''Oh you ride a BSO, thats bad''

''Yes, yes I do, you are a bike snob''

No, they are not. I've been involved in selling cheap nasty catalogue return BSO (bicycle shaped objects) in the past and each one would come back with some fault or other, some user error or manufacturing faults. I promised myself to never promote these things in any way again and do my best to educate as many as possible as to why these things just should'nt be around.

''Its an inexpensive introduction into cycling as a whole''

Again, no it is not, for the price of a Tesco, Asda, or JJB BSO, you could buy something fairly decent second hand, get it serviced at a LBS and still have change for accessories.

Cheap and inexpensive new bikes are made out of the lowest quality materials to make the maximum of profit for the manufacturer and retailer. Often they are sold as a 'loss leader' just to piss off another retailer! They are the worst possible introduction to cycling. Poor brakes, gearing, positioning and gemoetry. Bikes that try to emulate more expensive models are even worse with garish decals and paint jobs making the first time/ casual buyer thinking they're getting something good.

This isnt new, its been happening for as long as cycling has been popular and will continue as long as there is a profit to be made.

But my point is, and this will upset a few of you, dont bring them here and expect everybody to be excited. OK, you are cycling, that is good, but the time and money spent on that (insert generic nasty cheap bike brand here) would be better sourcing something were a bit of effort has gone into its manufacture. Every company has their quality base model. Why not start there and work up.

Delete/ lock/ move/ argue/slate etc as appropriate!

some useful links if you have not read them before:

http://www.whycycle.co.uk/buying_your_b ... ed_object/

http://bicycleshapedobject.wordpress.com/

 

[lewis1641]

bike snob = i am better than you because my bike is nore expensive/boutique etc.

wanting to see high quality builds of high end bikes isnt snobbery.

 

[merckx]

have you read bike snob nyc's book? its good.

OT: nothing snobby about a dislike for junk bikes. its just the same as junk cars, junk shoes, junk clothes, junk food etc etc. a bike shop in sydney once had a infamous policy, they would not fix any bikes that had wheel nuts...track bikes excepted. mate of mine who owns a bike shop also has a policy on the door, of no repairs on any bike bought from kmart, big w, supercheap auto etc. alot of these bikes are beyond fixing, its also a liability issue for him..they are so badly manufactured, that so many things can go wrong. if his spanner never touches them, then he also does not have to deal with the fallout when they do have failures that are beyond his control..

 

[kaiser]

Is that really the context in which people are called bike snobs on here? I don't think so :? And I haven't saw many BSO's about either?

Bike snobbery is a natural progression, once you've saw 1000 white Kona's you move into the BS zone.

Don't think its exclusive to bikes either, music, food, cars, HIFI...yadda yadda yadda, almost any pastime you care to mention.

 

[kaiser]

have you read bike snob nyc's book? its good.

Not as good as the blog though, I think he was advanced a soap box in the book deal, more preachy than his blog style.

 

[merckx]

i do like the categories he identifies. he got that pretty correct...and i'm a bit of a freeloading roadie myself! well former amyway....

 

[mikee]

is the bso not the jump on point tho
if people turn up to promote their own BSO , shurely they are
looking to learn and participate in this nonsese
therefore the first step is to realise the hirarchy of bike brands
and price points
however just because they own and rate a pos bso then
we should be tolerent , as ,if they are serious they will learn
and there fore the cycle is complete

 

[legrandefromage]

is the bso not the jump on point tho
if people turn up to promote their own BSO , shurely they are
looking to learn and participate in this nonsese
therefore the first step is to realise the hirarchy of bike brands
and price points
however just because they own and rate a pos bso then
we should be tolerent , as ,if they are serious they will learn
and there fore the cycle is complete

but then there have been those that have accused us of snobbery despite telling them gently that their bike is poo.

 

[mikee]

iv'e been accused of being gay
but i'm not , and so what any way

bike snob ? some maybee but is it limited to say a klein fixation
or fats etc or is it purley a price thing

you as well as me know that price is not always an indication
of how interesting a bike is

think we need to define bike snob

i also notice that sometimes the bso owner brings out the bike snob
in me more than the bike

 

[marin man]

bso's are where people start,okay they are generally crud but most of us started off on what was essentially a bso bitd,,,,,just with a known sticker on the side...probably still sourced from some foreign cheap jack factory...

Bike snobbery on here seems to be in reverse with a lot of high end stuff getting slated or the person that owns it getting slated by people who dont like top end stuff and would "prefer" to ride 200gs or somesuch........

anyway.....bikes is bikes....