Worst rigid MTB ever ?

[velomaniac]

Worst full sus bike has been done to death but since the rigid bike is well represented in Retrobike, what bike would you award the acolade of worst rigid bike. No BSO's though, goes without saying they're rotten, but what about bikes from manufacturers who really should have known better.

I had an early Ridgeback, a company from the UK who should not have copied an American styled slack angled Repack special. Unless you physically leaned over the front wheel you couldn't ride it uphill. That in itself may not deserve it of a slagging but I was glad to get rid of it.

I look forward to your forthright opinions

 

[hamster]

British Eagle Boss. Looked the business, but was heavy and cornered like a barge.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

My Haro Extreme (see sig) has to be a contender for the harshest MTB ever. It had very very quick handling (read - very twitchy!) and was amazing in the air - like a BMX, not surprising considering their history.

However the biggest problem was that their was no give WHATSOEVER in the front end. I have always been of the opinion that most rigid bikes feel the same, all this talk of stiffness is a bit of faff. The Haro had 31.8mm bars (20yrs before the modern stuff!), a "wing" shaped massively oversized stem very rigid in the vertical plane, and oversized BMX like straight forks, all OEM. On a ride in the Dales (not know for loads of rocks) I was almost in tears from the pain of going downhill. I like rigid bikes and down't mind riding one in rocky situations (The Peaks national down last 2 years on full rigid) with no problems but I was forced to go down the hills in the second part of the ride at no more than walking pace it was so painful.

As a street bike it would have been awesome!

 

[cce]

Cannondale 3.0 series. Twitchy, but didnt go round corners.

 

[mikee]

shall i add my though velo ?

 

[RobMac]

shall i add my though velo ?

NO!

 

[Matthews]

Raleigh grifter :shock:

 

[legrandefromage]

Chopper - flexi wheely machine

 

[Rampage]

Raleigh Activator 2
Raleigh Merauder (is a £200 bike a BSO?), steel rims, short top tube, 36lb complete bike etc.
Alpinestars Al-Mega DX - very good at climbing but always gave me bad back ache.
Klein Rascal - average ride. For the price of what the frame, forks bars and stem cost, you could have bought a complete XT steel bike that would ride far nicer.
Actually, it's all aluminium bikes isn't it?

 

[NeilM]

Actually, it's all aluminium bikes isn't it?

I think I hear the sound of an angry lynch mob of Zaskar owners approaching.