What are your least favourite brands in the world of cycling?

[novocaine]

Have you got enough for a video yet?

 

[legrandefromage]

SRAM - had to work with and it would self destruct at random

beyond that , not much else, maybe Al Carterfor trying to be something it never was (and for turning me into a newt)

I ride a Trek just because it is dull and boring but it serves a purpose when its winter mud

theres a lot of over hyped stuff about but then there always has been and always will be

...and anyway< LGF Towers is home to unloved brands such as British Eagle, Emmelle, Boss etc.

Orphaned and all welcome

 

[CassidyAce]

Anyone claiming to select due to quality of design, product etc has likely been suckered just as much as anyone else.

Who decides whether something has quality, nice form et in the first place - an entire ecosystem of reviewers, influencers, riders, taste makers etc. It's easy to imagine an alternative reality where bike components are all made from stainless steel because people prize longevity and multi-decade reliability over light weight, aero performance, looks etc.

Well, there's learning from experience too. And enough dissent and conflicting opinion on forums like this to prevent total brainwashing.

 

[ishaw]

I don't really hate any brands aside those that make bso's that put people off riding bikes after owning one.

I have some gripes though.

Fat city cycles, for ensuring seat tubes rust away on great frames otherwise.

Manitou and pace for making lovely, but crack prone frames (others too).

Anyone that sold a frame with a lifetime warranty, only to then redefine the term lifetime (though arguably fair enough as a lifetime is a long time for a frame really).

Rim manufacturers for leaving us nothing but crappy low end rims with a braking surface.

Last but probably the worst is all manufacturers who create new, proprietary standards. How many different chain ring bcds need to exist? Same for direct mount ring splines. Bottom bracket and headset standards. Etc etc.

 

[Dave_Mars]

Everything Crank brothers ever made sucked.. except their multi tools. Marin stuff has always looked incredibly naff to me.

 

[JayLC]

Huffy.... Remember having a Huffy BMX in the 80's and loving it as a kid. Now they make Apollo look good.

 

[brocklanders023]

Marin stuff has always looked incredibly naff to me.

At the time the 1990 and 93 range would disagree. hit the mood just right from my memory, especially the 93's.

 

[CassidyAce]

Specialized and Trek, for all the aforementioned reasons.

Specialized don't call bikes bikes, they call them units. Says it all.

Er, Kona Unit.

 

[al-onestare]

Er, Kona Unit.

So you've cracked it, there's a long story but that's exactly why they call it the Unit, as a piss take to Specialized

 

[CassidyAce]

Let me guess. Some of the good folks from Kona saw some execs or managerial bods from Specialized talking about 'cost per unit', 'shifting units', or something along those lines, and then framed it as 'corporate Spesh and authentic Kona'?