BSO

[blockend]

Not having read all 27 pages, has everyone agreed what a BSO is? Do you mean a double sprung 50 lb behemoth, or simply any cheap bike? And what price point denotes cheap and is it just supermarkets who sell them or anywhere that isn't an LBS?

My sister-in-law bought a hybrid from Decathlon a few years ago for around £70 (I forget the exact amount) and joined my wife and I on a Scottish tour. Although she was/is a complete non-cyclist nothing broke and the only maintenance I did was the stuff you'd expect like adjusting cables for brake block wear. It had unbranded equipment but derailleurs changed gear, wheels revolved, brakes braked, the usual things you'd expect a bike to do.
It was not much heavier than similar bikes and she kept up pretty well and seemed to enjoy herself.

I'd suggest that it isn't price per se that makes a bike bad but the expectations one might have of it. Do bikes really break after one trip round the car park? At the very cheapest level they almost match bike hire prices, something to roll up a few miles of country trail and back as a holiday expenditure, a consumer item, a bit of fun?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

A BSO will be heavy, have componants made of cheese by a company no cyclist will have heard of. It will need serious maintenance every few days if not hours. It will look like something it is not. It will die within 300Miles. It will be stupidly cheep from new.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Not having read all 27 pages, has everyone agreed what a BSO is? Do you mean a double sprung 50 lb behemoth, or simply any cheap bike? And what price point denotes cheap and is it just supermarkets who sell them or anywhere that isn't an LBS?

My sister-in-law bought a hybrid from Decathlon a few years ago for around £70 (I forget the exact amount) and joined my wife and I on a Scottish tour. Although she was/is a complete non-cyclist nothing broke and the only maintenance I did was the stuff you'd expect like adjusting cables for brake block wear. It had unbranded equipment but derailleurs changed gear, wheels revolved, brakes braked, the usual things you'd expect a bike to do.
It was not much heavier than similar bikes and she kept up pretty well and seemed to enjoy herself.

I'd suggest that it isn't price per se that makes a bike bad but the expectations one might have of it. Do bikes really break after one trip round the car park? At the very cheapest level they almost match bike hire prices, something to roll up a few miles of country trail and back as a holiday expenditure, a consumer item, a bit of fun?

The very definition of a cheap bike. Clearly not a BSO.

 

[John the Monkey]

Do we accept the Pioneer as the world's first hybrid?

I think Tony Hadland makes that argument in his history of Raleigh;

http://www.hadland.m...m#_Toc485366719

"Raleigh thus effectively invented the hybrid [with the Pioneer model] and therefore had difficulty obtaining suitable tyres. Whereas today every Taiwanese tyre manufacturer makes hybrid tyres, the only supplier in 1990 was Vredestein in the Netherlands."

 

[apollo179]

As on old Army buddy of mine used to say. "Presumption is the Mother of all **** ups"
Edit - I mean he was ex army not that we were in Army together.

My old army buddy told me that anyone who dosnt know there way around a bike and goes to there local supermarket and buys a bike with the forks on the wrong way round with
derailleurs made of plastic etc etc is an unmitigated idiot who cannot be helped and does not deserve any symypathy.
I also mean he was ex army not that we were in Army together.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

My old army buddy told me that anyone who dosnt know there way around a bike and goes to there local supermarket and buys a bike with the forks on the wrong way round with
derailleurs made of plastic etc etc is an unmitigated idiot who cannot be helped and does not deserve any symypathy.
I also mean he was ex army not that we were in Army together.

Wow and you remember the quote word for word! I must say it sounds very much like a military quote!

 

[apollo179]

No problem - Sheldon Brown has a page that explains the difference quite well;

[/list](Direct Pull = V Brake = Linear Pull Brakes)
http://www.sheldonbr...nti-direct.html

V-Brakes are great - even the Deore & Acera ones near the bottom of Shimano's range set up quickly & easily, and stop great - but you *need* v-brake levers.



You'll learn a lot from building the bike up in any case - ride it a bit, see what you think. If it's not a suspension frame, the worst it will be is a bit heavy (hopefully they've junked those derailleur hangers secured by the rear wheel since Mrs Monkey's was made).

You don't need to spend a fortune on them, but good quality levers & brakes & decent gears &c will make the experience a lot more pleasant, and save you many hours in the shed.

From my own experience, Deore & Acera in the shimano range work great, and won't break the bank.

Mrs Monkey's Pioneer had a seven speed cassette at the back (Shimano 200cx, I think) and triple chainrings. I was able to get integrated V-brake & 7speed shifter (Acera) for about £20, iirc. Much nicer than the ones that were on it too.

My donor ammaco does have stubby brake levers so i will switch them over. To be fair the v in line brakes work fine with the existing "normal" levers - light and responsive , compared to the original center pull canti brakes which were rubbish.

 

[apollo179]

Not having read all 27 pages, has everyone agreed what a BSO is? Do you mean a double sprung 50 lb behemoth, or simply any cheap bike? And what price point denotes cheap and is it just supermarkets who sell them or anywhere that isn't an LBS?

My sister-in-law bought a hybrid from Decathlon a few years ago for around £70 (I forget the exact amount) and joined my wife and I on a Scottish tour. Although she was/is a complete non-cyclist nothing broke and the only maintenance I did was the stuff you'd expect like adjusting cables for brake block wear. It had unbranded equipment but derailleurs changed gear, wheels revolved, brakes braked, the usual things you'd expect a bike to do.
It was not much heavier than similar bikes and she kept up pretty well and seemed to enjoy herself.

I'd suggest that it isn't price per se that makes a bike bad but the expectations one might have of it. Do bikes really break after one trip round the car park? At the very cheapest level they almost match bike hire prices, something to roll up a few miles of country trail and back as a holiday expenditure, a consumer item, a bit of fun?

My definition for BSO would be.
Not fit for purpose , excluding human error assembly related faults.
By which definition a cheap bike but adequate for little jonny and little jenny to play on is not a bso.
"a hybrid from Decathlon" is a good bike - far from a bso.

 

[apollo179]

Wow and you remember the quote word for word! I must say it sounds very much like a military quote!

I appreciate your testimony to its authenticity.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I appreciate your testimony to its authenticity.

As I appreciate your er, er, sorry I was taught not to lie.

 

[John the Monkey]

My donor ammaco does have stubby brake levers so i will switch them over. To be fair the v in line brakes work fine with the existing "normal" levers - light and responsive , compared to the original center pull canti brakes which were rubbish.

Cantis are a faff to set up, but once done, they work pretty well (given decent pads, cables, outers). V brakes do away with the need to tinker though, as the mechanical advantage is preset.

If your original levers weren't for v's, I'd be a bit worried about them, tbh - the cable pull is very different. The brakes are definitely full size v-brakes, not mini vs?

 

[apollo179]

Cantis are a faff to set up, but once done, they work pretty well (given decent pads, cables, outers). V brakes do away with the need to tinker though, as the mechanical advantage is preset.

If your original levers weren't for v's, I'd be a bit worried about them, tbh - the cable pull is very different. The brakes are definitely full size v-brakes, not mini vs?

Not sure if theyre full or mini to be honest - they look something like this.


Any road - the original center pull canti brakes were rubbish - you could hang off them with very little affect. I will fit the corresponding levers.
I might have originally considered building up the ammoco but it was without the seat + seat post - it uses a wider guage seat post than apollo or anything i have lying about.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

So, is this a BSO then?

You can buy it if you want. I love the description..


I am selling a home built chopper, has a totaly hand built frame to a high quility. totally one off and can garentee no other like it in the world, is black and british racing green paint job, grabs loads of attention of any one who sees it, this is your chance to grab a one off hand built low rider push bike, totally unique and a great price

 

[abo]

So, is this a BSO then?

You can buy it if you want. I love the description..


I am selling a home built chopper, has a totaly hand built frame to a high quility. totally one off and can garentee no other like it in the world, is black and british racing green paint job, grabs loads of attention of any one who sees it, this is your chance to grab a one off hand built low rider push bike, totally unique and a great price

It's like a chopperised 'bent! That can't be comfortable to ride...

 

[tyred]

Perfect for riding over speed bumps.