How to make a high quality bike look like a heap of scrap

[fossyant]

I'd still say, life is too short to ride crap bikes. Lock it properly.

 

[Drago]

I'd say life's too short to have a decent bike stolen.

Don't lock in public anything you would be too upset to lose.

You can still have something that looks like a shitter that is decent to ride.

 

[fossyant]

I'd say life's too short to have a decent bike stolen. AGREE

Don't lock in public anything you would be too upset to lose. AGREE

You can still have something that looks like a shitter that is decent to ride. NOT ON YOUR NELLY

 

[bonzobanana]

I had a very cheap Pagan Arrow mountain bike which I think was £65 delivered from ebay which I rode for commuting for a few years, many thousands of miles and loved that bike, simple, strong and comfortable. I tried so called better bikes like my Kona Lanai but that was terrible in comparison, a wasted purchase. Over time I had to replace bits as things wore out but no different to my more expensive bikes. It was bought as a unappealing to steal workhorse and that is exactly what it turned out to be however it was much better to ride than I anticipated.

The reason the Lanai was worse was firstly it had completely naff Suntour suspension with 80mm travel that just bobbed about annoyingly, it kept clicking (which I later found out was the low quality cartridge bottom bracket Kona had fitted which had a recall for safety), there was no give in its aluminium frame so it was soft and mushy at the front and rigid at the back. It's indexing of gears was worse which I think was simply due to the Kona still having a freewheel but 7 speed where as the Arrow had a 6 speed freewheel so wider tolerances. I don't remember any difference in braking performance as both were V brakes. The gearing was slightly wider on the Arrow so despite probably being 1kg heavier (remember the naff Suntour suspension added un-necessary weight to the Lanai) it was actually easier up steeper hills although a smidgen slower. I personally don't get the obsession with lightweight bikes, slightly wider gearing compensates for that and a stronger heavier bike can feel safer at times. It really depends on your viewpoint though, I'm not performance focused at all just enjoying riding at leisure and trying to maintain my weight. My commute was about 7 miles and I achieved that going home (with the big downhill bit) in less than 20 minutes on the Pagan Arrow which I was happy with as about 21mph average. However I must admit the journey was 80% the same dual carriageway going from Sherborne to Yeovil not many junctions to deal with or slowdown for it was literally full on cycling away from the hills desperate to get back for tea/breakfast (nightshift).

 

[GuyBoden]

Buy a cheap bike from Halfords.

 

[Chief Broom]

Get a weathered look, like you get on garden planters/pots etc by painting over with yoghurt so's all the micro fungi/algy etc can get going Some astro turf on the saddle with some imitation plastic coiled turds to decorate

 

[Andy in Germany]

You can still have something that looks like a shitter that is decent to ride. NOT ON YOUR NELLY

Maybe not an absolute shi**er, but it's entirely possible to have an old bike with good components that doesn't look desirable bit still runs like silk; I commuted on one for several years, although I was still careful where I locked it.

 

[Jameshow]

Maybe not an absolute shi**er, but it's entirely possible to have an old bike with good components that doesn't look desirable bit still runs like silk; I commuted on one for several years, although I was still careful where I locked it.

Me too...

501 frame tiagra / deore drive train, suntour superb triple chainset, r550 wheelset.

 

[vickster]

Buy a cheap bike from Halfords.

He has (relatively, about their cheapest drop bar if it's a Carerra roadbike?)

 

[Paulus]

I tried this approach a couple of decades back. I made a Raleigh Pioneer (which I got from a neighbour, so it was reasonably well used), look as tatty as possible, the first time I left if chained up outside Totteridge Station it went walkabout.

 

[fossyant]

Maybe not an absolute shi**er, but it's entirely possible to have an old bike with good components that doesn't look desirable bit still runs like silk; I commuted on one for several years, although I was still careful where I locked it.

It is. I still won't do a crap looking bike though.

 

[Andy in Germany]

It is. I still won't do a crap looking bike though.

Fair enough, it doesn't do to let standards slip.

 

[Bollo]

Give the bike to me. Whatever it cost I’ll have it looking like a heap of crap in no time. My bike maintenance regime could see me in The Hague.