bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
Catalogue bike
And now... the Internet
And now... the Internet
The decline of European manufacturing and the rise of the BSO
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Takingabreak
Dave Yates Fan
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I struggle with understanding which lower end bike isn't a BSO. When I see anything with no name hubs and low end disc brakes I assume it's a BSO but it could be a £500 bike. Where is the dividing line from BSO to actual bike?
bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
I'd define it as a bike where most of the components will not withstand normal use.
Consequently, if you rode it a few miles to work daily, it would be more expensive to fix after a few months than it cost to buy.
It's slightly vague - you could make a specific definition if you wanted..
Pressed up steel hubs - the bearing cups fail.
Cheap cables swell with corrosion and need replacing.
Cheap bb wears out the soft metal.
Totally unsealed headset, also soft bearing surfaces.
Likewise the pedals.
Useless grips, awful saddle.
Brake lever pivots stretch open and the levers flex in use.
Often topped off with a (imo decent, functional) shimano tourney gearset, entitling the product to wear a large "shimano equipped" sticker or 2.
The aforementioned raleigh and Peugeot products were robust in comparison, and although the true bso is made generally in the emerging markets, the early offerings were produced for and marketed and distributed by UK companies like Universal - primarily in UK catalogues and "catalogue showrooms" like argos.
benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
If it has Shimongo derailleurs and Mystshift shifters and is worth more weighed in than it is as a bike. BSO
Typically the ultra low end from the likes of Argos, Tesco and the very bottom of Halfords pile.
So cheap and shit that they don't work properly out of the box and deteriorate very quickly from there.
Typically the ultra low end from the likes of Argos, Tesco and the very bottom of Halfords pile.
So cheap and shit that they don't work properly out of the box and deteriorate very quickly from there.
bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
So I sort of feel Raleigh and others tilted at this market with bikes like the Mustang, an adult sized kidsbike,
But couldn't quite bring themselves to make a literal BSO - looks like a bike but unusable over any time or distance.
I don't think you could sell them in bike shops (H excepted obvs
)
It took the development of remote sales.
But couldn't quite bring themselves to make a literal BSO - looks like a bike but unusable over any time or distance.
I don't think you could sell them in bike shops (H excepted obvs
)It took the development of remote sales.
bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
Occasionally we have one of these sort-of-part-exchanged.
And indeed we'd remove the shimano parts and move the rest into the recycling stream via the scrap hopper
Takingabreak
Dave Yates Fan
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I did some tinkering on a friends specialized sirrus step through from 2020 and even though it was mostly shimano it left me with the feeling that it would fall apart fairly quickly if it was used regularly. Hence me wondering at what price useable robust bikes begin. I'm not saying it was a BSO, but it didn't seem far off it
https://www.findabike.co.uk/bike/specialized-sirrus-20-step-through-2020
bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
Our new bikes start a little under £500.
If you spend less, it won't survive daily all weather use.
The sirrus ought to be ok.
Plenty of commuters say to us "I'm not a real cyclist" and then describe how they ride 5 miles in and 5 miles home 200 days a year rain or shine.
I like to point out that that's 2000 miles a year - more than most Mamils on their 5k carbon piece, which travels further on the back of the audi
If you spend less, it won't survive daily all weather use.
The sirrus ought to be ok.
Plenty of commuters say to us "I'm not a real cyclist" and then describe how they ride 5 miles in and 5 miles home 200 days a year rain or shine.
I like to point out that that's 2000 miles a year - more than most Mamils on their 5k carbon piece, which travels further on the back of the audi
I liked your definition. Something obvious to me, and you, got lost from that list.
Absence of grease. Assembled dry.
At least an old Raleigh or Pug you can have faith it's there, and release things. May need some force or heat after 40 years, but it was there.
A BSO is assembled essentially dry, or barely sufficient for it's warranty period. Can be totally shocking if mechanically minded, but if you are a bean counter it makes perfect sense to save 0.20€ on 10, 000 examples. Every corner cut - hidden or apparent -I think could help define a BSO.
The landed cost price doesn't have a say for a breaking point of what is a BSO. The final sales price what someone is willing / dupped to pay does - we are not privy to many costs of manufacture and shipping , but lets add that 25% odd customs tariff to start with on finished imported goods and then you get a better idea of what you are actually paying for when comparing. That 25% went in the national coffers of the importing country and not on that headset grease or bottom bracket grease.
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