Ugliest component competition
10-06-21 | 05:34 PM
#52
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,398
Likes: 1,865
From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
1950s Capo derailleurs and shift levers.
Otto Cap wisely switched to Campagnolo by 1958, but Adolf Christian may have placed third in the 1957 Tour de France on a bicycle equipped with these -- not sure what was on his Capo.
Otto Cap wisely switched to Campagnolo by 1958, but Adolf Christian may have placed third in the 1957 Tour de France on a bicycle equipped with these -- not sure what was on his Capo.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
10-06-21 | 05:59 PM
#54
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 185
Likes: 175
From: Portland, Oregon, USA
Bikes: '66 Lygie, '02 Rivendell Atlantis, '03 Air Friday, '21 Black Shadow Campeur
I've been peeing in my pants reading the entries so far; keep 'em coming!
I do have this:
1¼" tandem stem.
The saving grace of your version is the integrated brake hanger; the saving grace of mine is that it's and 1¼" stem designed for a Mountain Tandem, and if you need one — you need one.
- Dork Disk : do you actually own that Campagnolo Euclid brake lever? If you do, I think that it might be a serious contender.
- Andy_K : you ask a good question. I'm inclined to disqualify your handlebar bag mount. However, not I'm disqualifying it because you made it — after all, Tulio made the Valentino, and somebody has to take responsibility for making all of this crap. I'm disqualifying it because I don't think that a handlebar bag mount is a component, and that's the title of the competition. If we were to allow accessories, I think that the original, unmodified, handlebar bag is far uglier than your adaptation.
I do have this:
1¼" tandem stem.
The saving grace of your version is the integrated brake hanger; the saving grace of mine is that it's and 1¼" stem designed for a Mountain Tandem, and if you need one — you need one.
Last edited by SquireBlack; 10-06-21 at 06:02 PM.
10-06-21 | 06:11 PM
#55
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,103
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From: Beaverton, OR
Bikes: Yes
I also think there's a small chance that it would grow on you. For instance, a lot of people think the shifters below are ugly, and when I first saw them I thought so too. Over time, I've warmed up to them.
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My Bikes
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10-06-21 | 06:26 PM
#57
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 5,609
Likes: 2,477
From: Bastrop Texas
Bikes: Univega, Peu P6, Peu PR-10, Ted Williams, Peu UO-8, Peu UO-18 Mixte, Peu Dolomites
10-06-21 | 06:36 PM
#58
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 1,187
From: Kips Bay, NY
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
I've been peeing in my pants reading the entries so far; keep 'em coming!
- Dork Disk : do you actually own that Campagnolo Euclid brake lever? If you do, I think that it might be a serious contender.
10-06-21 | 06:47 PM
#59
Garage tetris expert
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,326
Likes: 1,349
From: Texas Hill Country
Bikes: A few. Ok, a lot
I don't agree, but the Mavic "starfish" crank deserves to be known by everyone, for better or for worse....
That whole Mavic group was novel and interesting. Maybe too much of a departure from the era of Campagolo Record for some, perhaps?
In some ways, I suppose this crank could be the first step towards the aesthetic of modern Shimano cranks, and for that, it may earn some enmity of the C&V crowd.
Steve in Peoria
That whole Mavic group was novel and interesting. Maybe too much of a departure from the era of Campagolo Record for some, perhaps?
In some ways, I suppose this crank could be the first step towards the aesthetic of modern Shimano cranks, and for that, it may earn some enmity of the C&V crowd.
Steve in Peoria
10-06-21 | 07:33 PM
#60
Bikes are okay, I guess.
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 8,006
Likes: 3,777
From: Richmond, Virginia
Bikes: Waterford Paramount Touring, Raleigh Sports 3-speeds in M23 & L23, Schwinn Cimarron oddball build, Marin Palisades Trail dropbar conversion, Nishiki Cresta GT, Jeunet mixte
Worth Repeating:
Since it's my competition, I get to make the rules:
Since it's my competition, I get to make the rules:
- You have to be the owner of the completion-entry component: no submission of random photos found on the web
- Post your photos in this thread; component can be on or off a bike
- Competition is open for entries until Halloween (31st October)
- The winner will be decided by acclimation, or, if there is controversy, by voting; all those submitting entries may vote.
- The prize will be my ugly stem shown above, or any uglier component that a member may wish to donate. (Winner pays postage.)
I really do not mind being disqualified as long as I never have to touch another one of the goddam things.
10-06-21 | 07:56 PM
#61
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 244
Likes: 127
So far the adjustable Kalloy takes the biscuit, although that water faucet stem comes close.
If I still had it I'd nominate the unicrown fork on the Trek 850 Antelope (or Canteloupe, as I called it. A bike less fleet of foot is hard to imagine. Aardvark would have been a better name). Unicrown forks are bad enough, but chunky ones with big welds are too much.
Never had them but the STI shifters with the cable shifter stuck in at right angles always hurt the eyes. Other monstrosities I've never had include the pink Ofmega Mistral derailleur and most 4-arm cranks, especially the Shimanos.
If I still had it I'd nominate the unicrown fork on the Trek 850 Antelope (or Canteloupe, as I called it. A bike less fleet of foot is hard to imagine. Aardvark would have been a better name). Unicrown forks are bad enough, but chunky ones with big welds are too much.
Never had them but the STI shifters with the cable shifter stuck in at right angles always hurt the eyes. Other monstrosities I've never had include the pink Ofmega Mistral derailleur and most 4-arm cranks, especially the Shimanos.
10-06-21 | 08:03 PM
#62
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 5,805
Likes: 3,371
From: Los Angeles
Bikes: 82 Medici, 85 Ironman, 2011 Richard Sachs
The ugliest component I own:
those aren’t aftermarket or near-enoughs. That is the best that Dia-Compe can do. They look acceptable to some but on the bike they are uglier and feel ugliest. I bought them for somebody else’s bike and after seeing them a few times, I grabbed his bike and put some old SLR levers with hoods that were not made for them and they were not ugly.
those aren’t aftermarket or near-enoughs. That is the best that Dia-Compe can do. They look acceptable to some but on the bike they are uglier and feel ugliest. I bought them for somebody else’s bike and after seeing them a few times, I grabbed his bike and put some old SLR levers with hoods that were not made for them and they were not ugly.
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I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs. But I do hate all e-bikes.
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs. But I do hate all e-bikes.
10-06-21 | 08:16 PM
#63
weapons-grade bolognium
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,610
Likes: 3,309
From: Across the street from Chicago
Bikes: Battaglin Cromor, Ciocc Designer 84, Schwinn Superior 1981
Worth Repeating:
Since it's my competition, I get to make the rules:
Since it's my competition, I get to make the rules:
- You have to be the owner of the completion-entry component: no submission of random photos found on the web
- Post your photos in this thread; component can be on or off a bike
- Competition is open for entries until Halloween (31st October)
- The winner will be decided by acclimation, or, if there is controversy, by voting; all those submitting entries may vote.
- The prize will be my ugly stem shown above, or any uglier component that a member may wish to donate. (Winner pays postage.)
10-06-21 | 09:41 PM
#64
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,398
Likes: 1,865
From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
I do not like the look of four-bolt crank spiders. Three-bolt and five-bolt, and even six-bolt, just look right, by comparison. (Hidden fifth bolt systems still have 5-bolt spacing.)
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
10-06-21 | 09:44 PM
#65
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,398
Likes: 1,865
From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
I was thinking the derailleurs, particularly the front cage and the body of the rear, looked crude by 1960 standards, and were not up to the craftmanship and design of the frames, particularly the head lugs. Also, early 1950s paint jobs at Capo paled in comparison to what we saw by 1960.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
10-06-21 | 10:28 PM
#67
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,900
Likes: 1,125
I really don't like the looks of this stem. It works because I don't have another at the same length to replace it.
P1030376 on Flickr
P1030376 on Flickr
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83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
10-07-21 | 12:03 AM
#68
(rhymes with spook)
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 749
From: Winslow, AR
Bikes: '83 univega gran turismo x2, '85 schwinn super le tour,'89 miyata triple cross, '91 GT tequesta, '90 yokota grizzly peak, '94 GT backwoods, '95'ish scott tampico, '98 bonty privateer, '93 mongoose crossway 625, '98 parkpre ariel, 2k'ish giant fcr3
10-07-21 | 03:27 AM
#69
Me duelen las nalgas
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 13,519
Likes: 2,832
From: Texas
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
That stem tho'... and flipped... and pink cable lock... of all the weird beer bikes I've seen, this is one. I bet it spends a lot of time with a jorts wearing salmon ninja aboard, cigarette in one hand, a 40 of Mickey's in the other.
Addendum, disclaimer: And if that's actually your bike... it's the coolest thing I've ever seen. Today.
10-07-21 | 08:07 AM
#70
Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 33
Likes: 34
This is the ugliest component I own! It might have good shifting, but I don't know as I've never used it. What I do know is that it's big, heavy and just plain ugly! Don't ask me why I have still have it, as I cannot think of a bike I would humiliate with a boat anchor like that.
10-07-21 | 08:14 AM
#71
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,212
Likes: 3,122
...My own nominee is the Ross Safety Fork End, both ugly and badly engineered. Nearly every Ross fork with these things needed to have the tips aligned in order for the QR to work properly and dozens of them broke off during the tweak due to brittleness. Our shop had a special section for Ross bikes awaiting warranty replacement forks. Hated those things.
10-07-21 | 08:44 AM
#72
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 1,241
From: Menomonee Falls, WI
Bikes: 1984 Schwinn Supersport, 1988 Trek 400T, 1977 Trek TX900, 1982 Bianchi Champione del Mondo, 1978 Raleigh Supercourse, 1986 Trek 400 Elance, 1991 Waterford PDG OS Paramount, 1971 Schwinn Sports Tourer, 1985 Trek 670
Well if you can consider the frame a component of a bike, this:
Tim
1992 Series 5 Paramount frame
Tim
1992 Series 5 Paramount frame
10-07-21 | 08:47 AM
#73
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 501
haha
Looks like someone wanted a bullhorn bar but only had a porteur bar in the bin.
That stem tho'... and flipped... and pink cable lock... of all the weird beer bikes I've seen, this is one. I bet it spends a lot of time with a jorts wearing salmon ninja aboard, cigarette in one hand, a 40 of Mickey's in the other.
Addendum, disclaimer: And if that's actually your bike... it's the coolest thing I've ever seen. Today.
That stem tho'... and flipped... and pink cable lock... of all the weird beer bikes I've seen, this is one. I bet it spends a lot of time with a jorts wearing salmon ninja aboard, cigarette in one hand, a 40 of Mickey's in the other.
Addendum, disclaimer: And if that's actually your bike... it's the coolest thing I've ever seen. Today.
10-07-21 | 09:17 AM
#75
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 1,187
From: Kips Bay, NY
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
These tires. I do have these. The silver parts are reflective
Edit: added pic
Edit: added pic
Last edited by DorkDisk; 10-07-21 at 05:18 PM.
