BSO

[NeilEB]

For riders starting out, I would recommend a decent second hand bike, where you can get a good bike for £150.

Except you would need to know what you are looking for, in terms of function and erm....state of repair.

You could buy a second hand bike for £100, and by the time you've had all the bits replaced that may need it, end up spending more then if you bought an entry level bike for £200 new.

Anyway I digress....

 

[gaz]

Why. I actively choose to move my legs at a speed an gait inconcistant with walking.
Many motoring forums will answer your question as no they are not drivers. I have no opinion on that subject.

And anything like a motoring forum is obviously going to have a few people that think people who don't know anything about how an engine works is not a driver. Which isn't the case, they just want to segregate them selves from normal users.
Just like up are trying to do with people that cycle as a means of transport from a to pub.

 

[abo]

Except you would need to know what you are looking for, in terms of function and erm....state of repair.

You could buy a second hand bike for £100, and by the time you've had all the bits replaced that may need it, end up spending more then if you bought an entry level bike for £200 new.

Anyway I digress....

You know that's a good point. How many people have bought shitters as a first car and been ripped off because they don't know what they're looking for. If someone asked me what to do when buying a first car I'd tell them 'take someone with you who knows about cars'. I guess the same could be said of buying a bike?

 

[4F]

The statement is based on the people I know who cycle back and for to the pub only. Yes I stand by that statement. Does that shock or surprise you?

Damn, I am going to stop cycling to and from the pub and use my car instead. I really don't want to be labelled a POB

 

[Angelfishsolo]

As I said Goodwins Law has been invoked. Time to say bye to the thread.

 

[4F]

@abo thats why if i were to buy a 2nd hand bike, id go to a shop which sells them

Just avoid Asda, Tesco's and Toy's R Us and you should be OK

 

[4F]

@Angelfishsolo whats goodwins law?

[size="+3"]Goodwin's Law of Usenet [/size]

[size="+1"]Professor Goodwin, U of I, in 1981 made the observation that Usenet discussions gravitate downhill.

He postulated that as the length of a discussion thread grows, the probability approaches one (1) that one participant will introduce the terms "Hitler" or "Nazi". The custom has evolved that the first party to utter "Hitler" or "Nazi" has lost the discussion, and the thread terminates. [/size]

 

[rowan 46]

I still think that if you want to get rid of its elitest connotations you should nail down the definition in the sticky as it seems I am not the only one to have noticed it being used in that way. To precis the general agreement on what a bso is it seems to be agreed that a bso is a bike shaped object ie not fit for purpose, unable to be maintained in a roadworthy condition or not kept in a roadworthy condition. this gets rid of question of price etc in other words if it can be ridden and maintained safely its a bike. any other attribute seems to be a value judgement

 

[zexel]

39 pages!

Does it really matter...really? (rhetorical)

 

[Angelfishsolo]

39 pages!

Does it really matter...really? (rhetorical)

Should one answer a rhetorical question?

 

[4F]

of course it matters, this is the internet.....

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Can we get it to 50?

What an Elitist aim

 

[apollo179]

Technically it is debateable whether Goodwin's Law of Usenet was actually triggerred.

 

[rowan 46]

Good for you, that's fantastic.

For every person like you, there are 10 BSOs rusting in a shed, the owners having given up on cycling due to their heavy, uncomfortable bike.

I would be very surprised if the reasons that people gave for not cycling was a heavy uncomfortable bike. My guess is that it is more to do with traffic, time, comfort and perceived safety than anything else at least that's what most of my friends say that and the fact they drive which is the most common reason given

 

[NeilEB]

I would be very surprised if the reasons that people gave for not cycling was a heavy uncomfortable bike. My guess is that it is more to do with traffic, time, comfort and perceived safety than anything else at least that's what most of my friends say that and the fact they drive which is the most common reason given

Actually, about 8 years ago I bought a BSO online (think it was £100).

Hated it so much that I took it out a few times and then it rusted in a shed. Think it got chucked when my parents moved house.

The steering was awful, saddle kept coming loose, brakes were almost non-existant.

Sure, some of it would have been my fault during construction, but the point is, it didn't behave as it should have done, so it put me off cycling for a while