KonAaron Snake 

I'm sure it's happened to all of us...we buy something shiny and new, or even dull and old, from a name we trust...only to find design flaws. I bought some US Flag decorated Cinelli cork tape only to find that half of the design wore off after one 15 mile ride. The end tape they use also doesn't stretch and is functionally useless.


What are your biggest cycling disappointments?

nikkorod

Sachs Duo-Par rear Der. I know all the touring freaks will tell me I'm wrong, but the thing kept coming loose and changing the rear wheel was a B**CH. I replaced it with a Shimano Crane and immediately noticed crisper shifting and the rear der. has never come loose again.

USAZorro

Most tube patch kits. The adhesive never seems to hold.

Bikedued

Late 90's Cannondale CAAD 3 R600, WORST ridingbike I've ever ridden. It nearly went out of control on washboard surfaces, and couldn't run a CF seatpost, because
it actually got worse! I will think of a few other things later I'm sure, but that the one thing that really sticks in my mind. Stiff ad fast maybe, but unbearable for more
than 5 miles. At least for me.,,,,BD

michael k

KIA Sportage!

Tundra_Man 

A Bell bike trailer. Terrible clamping system that no matter how hard you tightened it would work itself loose when you ride. Sometimes in 1/4 mile, sometimes in 14 miles. You just never knew.

Was coming down a hill with my son in the trailer when it decided to let go. Of course, what could I do but hit the brakes? The result of that was the bar of the trailer then went right into my rear spokes. Managed to keep the bike upright, but the wheel needed some serious truing after that incident.

One of the wheel bearings went bad on it after a year. They weren't replaceable. In retrospect it was a blessing that I had to junk it and get a different one.

StanSeven

Brook's saddles.

Chombi

Worst ever product for me was a pair of Castelli gloves with the yellow and black Gitane/Renault colors on it's lycra top, I bought in my college days. I remember as a poor college kid, missing a few lunches to get it and the big excitement of doing so, because it was the last pair left at my LBS. oit it home and tried it out and I noticed right away that the stitching at the thumb was starting to unravel where the leather and lycra meets. Too depressed to deal with it so I just put it away. It's still in my bike stuff drawer these days slowly unraveling itself apart, otherwise wtill looking brand new. The gloves had so far done 0 miles on the road since I bought it 20+ years ago. Beautiful gloves but in the end they're just useless.
Second worst product were my brakes on my brother's bike back then. The Shimano Adamas Aero brakes. Never styed centered for us no matter how much we tried to adjust them.
Third were Ofmega CX quill pedals. Uhmmm yes the black plastic bearing dust caps came off easy enough when we first serviced them, but then you can never get them back on to stay ever, after that. My younger brother ended up riding them without the caps on for a whole season till he was able to afford replacements
I'm sure there were many more , but these are three that stand out in my memory.

Chombi

bikamper

1978 Malibu Classic Estate Wagon. First new GM product I ever bought. And the last.

mkeller234

You may get some flack for this one, but it's a fair comment. (ps lets not turn this into a brooks discussion)

I have been disappointed with the specialized cork "s-wrap" more than once. The adhesive on the back NEVER sticks and it completely unravels if you ever let go while installing it. Their finishing tape really stinks too, it doesn't stretch OR stick!! I learned my lesson after buying this crud 3 times.

+1 on tire patch kits!

Bikedued

Things haven't changed much in 20 years, which is the really sad part. So far the ONLY pair of gloves I've bought in the last two years that have lasted more than a month or two, are a pair of Airius
tanned leather and white yarn gloves I bought late Summer last year. The rest come unstitched, the psuedo suede rots and falls apart from wear, and the gel moves around or flattens. It's pretty sad
when you think about the cost of most of the available brands these days. My Push padded leather yarn back gloves lasted a loooong time too, but I lost them with a backpack, on the 08 MS150.,,,,BD

Amani576

I've never had any problems with the Park glueless patch kits, but maybe I'm just weird.

For me, though. The Cycleaware Reflex helmet mounted mirror. P-O-S. The clamp to the helmet is great. The arm itself if pretty good too. But the mirror will fall out if you accidentally bump into something or hit it with your hand. If the mirror would just stay in place it'd be a great product.
I don't care for Cinelli cork tape, but that's only because it's damn near impossible to take off once it's on (a double edged sword kinda thing)
And as far as gloves go, I've never spent more than $10 on a pair. In fact, I wear the half-finger cycling gloves you get from Wal-Mart for like $6 bucks. They last me about 4 months or so before they feel too stretched out to be comfortable.
Can't think of anything else I'm too bothered by.
-Gene-

Bikedued

Well, my main beef with Cinelli tape, is that it's at least a foot shorter then any other brand. I always seem to have trouble reaching the top of the bars, without running out.,,,,BD

datlas 

Really? I don't have any problems with the traditional patch kits. You have to make sure you rough up the area to be patched and then let the "glue" (actually I think it is a vulcanizer but I don't know my rubber chemistry) dry so it is very dull (not shiny, takes a couple of minutes). There was a good thread in the 41 not too long ago about patching tips, worth checking if the search function is working.

Deepest disappointment in a product: Performance Gel shorts. May be a good idea but they were awful and felt like I was riding with a thick diaper on. Luckily the local performance store gave me my money back.

TejanoTrackie 

Zipp carbon wheels. Far and away the most expensive wheels I've ever owned, yet equipped with terrible cheap bearings. I had to replace them on my own dime, because Zipp insisted that they were normal or I could pay another $1000 to upgrade to their ceramic bearings. I'm still using them, but will never buy any more of their products. My LBS has ceased to be a Zipp dealer and is now selling Easton instead, which are much better and much cheaper.

SoreFeet

One of my Brooks B17 saddles squeaked really bad and sagged prematurely. I'm not happy about that. I'd probably only buy the hand hammered copper saddles because they are less likely to have compromises in workmanship.

I also had bad luck with all cycling jackets in the Novara/Pearl Izumi brand. The zippers seem to tear too easily. I can't believe the teeth of an all weather jacket could be so frail. Live and learn...Only trust a jacket with big teeth.

Hydrated

Maxxis road tires.

Bought a Trek 1000 that had Maxxis 23c tires on it... the rear one was worn out. Went to my LBS and bought a new set of Maxxis Detonators. The new tire on the rear separated and bulged out after about 20 miles... got it replaced. Then the one on the front did the same thing about two weeks later... the tire separated and blew out. Took both tires back to the LBS and got my money back, replaced them with Continentals and never looked back.

Dannihilator

Pearl Izumi booties. Two years, two sets of booties.

KonAaron Snake 

I use a pair of Louis Garneau gloves that I've had for close to a year and a half and while there is wear, they are still holding strong and have good grip left. I've found LG also really supports their products. I had an LG helmet (which I loved) and I lost one of the clasp pieces. They mailed me one for free a day later and couldn't have been nicer.

Dannihilator

Maxxis is only good with the bmx and mtb tires.

cyclist2000

Profile's Lightning Stryke aero bars. mounted only to a hammer or lava stem, only way to adjust angle is to change stem angle.

fender1

2002 Saturn LW-300 station wagon. As stated above 1st & last modern GM product I will purchase. Also had the same experience w/ a Cannondale 50/50 aluminum framed, internally geared commuter bike. That bike beat me up so bad but it is what led me to "rediscover" vintage/steel bikes so I guess it wasn't all bad.....

jan nikolajsen 

Campagnolo gum hoods with globe logo. Darn things are turning to dust after a mere 38 some years.

abarth

+1, also the safety strap keep touching the spokes, annoying as h*ll. Mine never came loose like yours did though.

Bulleyes Clear Shellac turned my white cloth tapes blond.

bbllaakke

You gotta stretch it dued. I always have about a foot more than I need- 44cm bars I believe. I find the bigger problem to be the adhesive on the back. If you messed up and have to re-wrap a bit- it surely will rip.