what was something you used to think was crap but now you quite like it?

[jonnyboy666]

for some reason i recently realised that i like the limited edition deore LX in black/gold

back in the day i always thought it was a bit show off-ey, which when you think about it, it isn't, it's LX, it's not like it's XTR. perfectly functional etc, i was thinking about a project and thought oh that'd be a cool groupset to hunt down . . . then i saw the prices it's going for!

so what's your i hated it then but love it now change of mind?

 

[Prodigal Son]

It´s still ugly.

 

[greencat]

Disc brakes. My first encounter was with a titanium frame - and while the front set on a pair of suspension forks worked well enough, the rear always squealed like anything (I now suspect the frame wasn't faced correctly). Now, I haven't ridden a bike in anger offroad without disc brakes for at least five years.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I used to dislike flat pedals. Now i cant go back to clipless. I used to dislike 2.3 tires and ride 2.1... now i love 2.3in. I used to dislike working on my bike... now i am all for it.

 

[moonlite]

Carbon bars. When they first came out, there was a strong reaction along the lines of "they're just plastic and will fail catastrophically at the slightest bump." Now I've come to like the lightness and buzz-damping qualities. And I've never had one fail.

 

[Dr Dremel]

Skinwall tires. I used to hate them BITD, they looked soo old, like from grandpa´s bike. Now just 1/4 of my fleet has blackwalls.

 

[Ren Rawbor]

Skinwall tires. I used to hate them BITD, they looked soo old, like from grandpa´s bike. Now just 1/4 of my fleet has blackwalls.

This, and purple anodized parts. I thought they were so tacky but looking back with the rose-tinted perspective it's actually uber cool. Ah well, hindsight is 13/10, or something...

 

[pete_mcc]

Carbon bars. When they first came out, there was a strong reaction along the lines of "they're just plastic and will fail catastrophically at the slightest bump."

to be fair, when they first came out they were plastic and they did fail badly. Seem to remember my first ones were Lendel or something like that, they were just repurposed canoe paddle shafts and they flexed and broke

 

[dablk]

Five/ten style shoes and flat peg pedals.. bloody skateboarders.. till you try the grip they have.. feck being clipped in anymore.

 

[markoc]

+1 for 3DV

For me it would be some form of mudguards for winter riding, be it proper old school style, or ass savers, or whatever. I'm too old to be worried about what I look like, and would much rather keep my derriere dry and my face clear of muck. Plus you can pop them on and off in an instant.