Have the cheapo 'full-sussers' had their day?

[Fab Foodie]

Have these abominations, and to a certain extent the cheap mtb finally dying a well earned death? I've not seen many around this last 12 months. What I have seen (which is heartening) is the rise of sensible hybridy/city/eurobike type machines which make for good sensible and effortless transport.
I've also noticed a lot more bikes around the housing areas/flats that have outside bike racks, again largely sensible workaday bikes.
Maybe the UK's finally becoming a proper cycling country ....

 

[vernon]

Maybe the UK's finally becoming a proper cycling country ....

Don't hold your breath....

There is certainly a noticeable increase in the number of cyclists that I see on my commute to work and there's some cycling infrastructure being put in place here in Leeds.

It could be that there's more real bikes being bought and that the cheap MTB is less noticeable because it's outnumbered by real bikes by a much larger margin than before.

 

[Linford]

Bso's do nothing to promote cycling. If anything they kill any enthusiasm for the occasional user

 

[Peteaud]

Have these abominations, and to a certain extent the cheap mtb finally dying a well earned death? I've not seen many around this last 12 months. What I have seen (which is heartening) is the rise of sensible hybridy/city/eurobike type machines which make for good sensible and effortless transport.
I've also noticed a lot more bikes around the housing areas/flats that have outside bike racks, again largely sensible workaday bikes.
Maybe the UK's finally becoming a proper cycling country ....

Come on, your tempted i know..

http://www.sportsdirect.com/silver-fox-vault-26-inch-mountain-bike-mens-932174

 

[Saluki]

We see loads of the cheapo full sussers. We have an independent car repair/bike shop place. Like halfords but privately owned. Great for car bits and bobs but they sell a lot of BSOs. We were chatting with a chap who works there the other day when we were getting some bulbs and stuff for my car. He says that its quite disheartening that he sells so many. Obviously he needs to keep his job but he says that he tries to steer folks to the better bikes explaining that the quality will last them longer, be an easier ride etc but 9 times out of 10 they head for the £79-ers

 

[smokeysmoo]

Come on, your tempted i know

Oh dear. I've just read the reviews of this monstrosity, what on earth are people using as a yard stick to say these things?

PS: Google translate is quite amusing, for the Spanish review in particular

but 9 times out of 10 they head for the £79-ers

and probably 10 times out of 10 the same people are back complaining about their 'informed' purchase!

 

[DCLane]

If anyone's after a Muddyfox one, someone in my club has one for sale; offers around £30.

And no, I'm not tempted.

 

[smokeysmoo]

If anyone's after a Muddyfox one, someone in my club has one for sale; offers around £30.

I think you may have mis-typed that DC as you appear to have put a 0 after the 3

 

[cosmicbike]

They do have a use, perfect for a high street/pub bike...

 

[Alun]

Have these abominations, and to a certain extent the cheap mtb finally dying a well earned death? I've not seen many around this last 12 months. What I have seen (which is heartening) is the rise of sensible hybridy/city/eurobike type machines which make for good sensible and effortless transport.
I've also noticed a lot more bikes around the housing areas/flats that have outside bike racks, again largely sensible workaday bikes.
Maybe the UK's finally becoming a proper cycling country ....

Effortless you say? Tell me more!

 

[Diggs]

I think things have moved on, there was a point when you could only see MTB BSOs in (non bike)shops.There's been a lot more cheap and cheerful single speeds recently.

There's always this for the kids though (not at GBP 79 though)
http://singletrackworld.com/2013/12/tiny-full-sussers-for-little-german-shredders/

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Obviously he needs to keep his job but he says that he tries to steer folks to the better bikes explaining that the quality will last them longer, be an easier ride etc but 9 times out of 10 they head for the £79-ers

It was a £80 Halfords special that got me back on a bike, i did the Manchester to Blackpool on it (all 60miles)

Luckily it had no rear suspension and very little at the front, it just weighed several tons, i still have it in the shed for trips out with the kids tag-along bike on.

So dont beat the cheap bike down, its the gateway to a better bike in some cases.

 

[ShipHill]

A few months back one of the old boys at work decided to get himself a nice shiny new bike from our local Halfords. It cost him a few quid and a shiny apple I think.
He came to work on it the following Monday. It looked ok... with its ill fitting lights and reflectors pointing in all directions barring front and back. The suspension front and rear... disc brakes too.
The gear change is that horrid twistgrip type. Yukko!

Anyhow he's had a lot of problems with it. Mainly with the gears and a broken spoke or 2, and our bike spares tub at work has been depleted somewhat.

But what I can't fathom is why he bought it in the first place. It's way too small for him, he can't manage the gears and says "it's shoot, I wanted the levers like normal bikes" and the chain either comes off the big or wee sprocket all the time despite him taking it back to the shop and the guys at work working on it. Some of the guys at our works are quite nifty with bikes I should add.

Even watching him ride the damn thing as we leave work after a gruelling day of toil is a painful sight. His knees go up past his thighs.

Should never have bought it and he should have kept the old factory runaround he'd used for ages. The guy in Halfords who sold it him should know better too, but was probably browbeaten by the buyer.

 

[Over The Hill]

The Halfords special is a bit of an odd thing; The non-cyclist getting into cycling generally has a limited budget and very little idea of what they want.

If you went to buy a car and was asked "suspension or no suspension" we opt for suspension every time, it is just that the bike buyer is following instinct and bad advice.

I have had the so called "BSO" and really they are not bad.

Although the beginner does not really want a mountain bike they really do need mountain bike gearing so that is a big plus. Getting up hills is the thing that puts off most beginners.