So, what Kool Aid are YOU respectfully declining?
 

It seems to be a BF phenomenon that we join and have a few bikes that we like and just want to know how to fix something that's wrong, but before long we have a growing list of grail bikes and components and paraphernalia that we just have to have. The needful things of BF tend to fall into an assortment of tidy categories; the English tourer, the bike that so-and-so built before yadayada, the rare Italian speeder, that special elusive French beauty, the Mexican, Don Johnson, etc, etc. So, I'm wondering- which of the cult bikes just don't hook you? For example- the Ironman. I know it's great, and I really enjoy hearing those who like them wax rhapsodic, but it's just not my bag.

French bikes - I tried a PX10 and while light and different, I didn't like it much.

Tourers - I cannot understand why people like these things. If you aren't doing fully loaded touring for super long distances, why want one. As a commuter, a sports tourer is more than enough for me. (Miyata 610 and Fuji TS IV, both moved on to new homes)

Fujis - Awful pieces of crap. Why would anyone want one? I hate them so much that I started a program to recycle the frames. Just send them my way and I will deal with it discreetly. ;)

Most Italian stuff thats newer than the early 80's. That and Paramounts.

I have become a complete heretic. I have broken with n+1.

Everything except Campy Record and Dura Ace bikes.

Campagnolo.
Bags with canvas and leather.
Weight weenie-ism.

Interesting question. I actually only have about 5 bikes but I have no real desire for any more. I'm pretty content to ride what I have, unless of course something special drops in my lap.

I guess that means there are several flavors I haven't drunk. The "tweed" bike, IGH hubs in general, modern drivetrains on classic frames come to mind. Not that I don't think they're all cool; I just don't feel a particular need to own them.

Indexing

Campagnolo and Celeste Green

Friction shifting.
Pedals with toe clips.
French bikes/parts.
Cantilever brakes.
Cloth handlebar tape, especially when shellac is involved.
Paramounts.
Loaded tourers for anything but loaded touring.

Campy and top-tier Italian bikes.

I love the way the campy stuff looks, but have always been happier with the performance of similar era Shimano stuff. I seem to be a sucker for the smaller Italian marques: Battaglin, Faggin, Ciocc.

the whole velo orange look - a few practical things sure, but do you really need all that stuff on your bike all the time?

So would you want the Fuji Del Rey that I'm getting rid of :eek:? It's a tourer...

Updating my Nuovo Classics to 10+ spd with brifters and deepdish wheels. I have Classics for a reason.


I really tried to hold out on the everything black koolaid but as most of you know I gulpped it right down on my Batavus build

Anything Schwinn. Anything.

Schwinn. Grew up in Europe so I don't harbor nostalgia towards an irrational teenage craving.

Shimano on roadbikes. Grew up in Europe so I harbor insatiable nostalgia towards my own teenage craving: Campagnolo.

Team issue and logo jerseys. Stupid looking. Unless they have greater than 50% wool content.

Handbuilt, custom steel frames. I respect artisan industries but less so the money needed to participate.

Middleweight cruiser bikes. Not keen on the styling and they are too heavy.
Sting Rays. Been there, done that. When I was 12.

jan, I'm surprised you don't have 650B on the list, given your seemingly successful experiments with 650A.

Ah, I love it all if it was before 1984. Except I don't mess much with Japanese stuff. Nothing wrong with it, just not my thang.

If it doesn't have Campy it's not worth riding! ;-)

I'm not sure what you mean by "all that stuff"? Do you mean fenders, lights and bags? Of course those are not needed all the time, but it's normally a PITA to remove and reinstall those things on a need basis. Maybe you mean other things?

i figured this would have been mentioned in the first couple posts: track bikes for non-track use your bars a foot below your saddle. modern or vintage, it's an impractical and potentially dangerous trend for the sake of "style points." (and i mean track bikes, not any fixed gear bike)

schwinn electroforged (varsity, etc) i don't get the hype. they work, they usually still work, that's not something to droll over to me

downtube shifters unless i am building a restoration piece, i hate 'em. maybe it's just my short arms, but i'll find any way to bring my shifting up closer to my bars

well instead of "all the time" I guess I meant just "all that stuff". I've seen several bikes dressed out like this, but you're right once it's on there it ain't coming off.

CO2 cartridges, brifters, RB-1s, tubular rim tape, to name a few.

Great thread topic!

There's a lot of hype that I don't subscribe to, many already mentioned, but here goes:

- Ironmans: While I like some of the paint schemes, I don't find them especially attractive. To me, they are nice mid priced bikes.

- Unicrown forks: I don't find them attractive, and I've yet to find one that improves the ride quality. (...but I haven't ridden the Tommasini version.)

- English bikes and/or tweed bikes, IGH, tourers, Velo Orange, leather/canvas bags and racks, using a fully loaded touring bike for any reason other than loaded touring

- Rigid mountain bikes for commuting or other road use: Particularly the notion that it's impossible to go off of paved roads or even ride rough surface streets without a survivalist/post-apocalyptic off road rig. (love the 'Gravel Grinders' thread, btw)

- Suspension mountain bikes for anything other that mountain biking/off-roading

- Builder/'workmanship' snobbery: I really don't believe that certain Italian bikes are always built master craftsmen and blessed before before each one leaves the shop. having nice lug shorelines can make a frame nice to stare at, but a builder who knows about geometry and tubing shape/thickness often makes a better bike for actually riding.

- Groupset snobbery: I've read a lot on these pages about how such and such brand's product is either unusable or infallible, while a another brand's product is infallible or unusable. I've ridden nearly every popular high-end (then or now) group. They all have their quirks, and I understand that people have their preferences.