fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I'd still say, life is too short to ride crap bikes. Lock it properly.
How to make a high quality bike look like a heap of scrap
- Thread starter Wester
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I'd say life's too short to have a decent bike stolen.
Don't lock in public anything you would be too upset to lose.
You can still have something that looks like a shitter that is decent to ride.
Don't lock in public anything you would be too upset to lose.
You can still have something that looks like a shitter that is decent to ride.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
bonzobanana
Guru
I had a very cheap Pagan Arrow mountain bike which I think was £65 delivered from ebay which I rode for commuting for a few years, many thousands of miles and loved that bike, simple, strong and comfortable. I tried so called better bikes like my Kona Lanai but that was terrible in comparison, a wasted purchase. Over time I had to replace bits as things wore out but no different to my more expensive bikes. It was bought as a unappealing to steal workhorse and that is exactly what it turned out to be however it was much better to ride than I anticipated.
The reason the Lanai was worse was firstly it had completely naff Suntour suspension with 80mm travel that just bobbed about annoyingly, it kept clicking (which I later found out was the low quality cartridge bottom bracket Kona had fitted which had a recall for safety), there was no give in its aluminium frame so it was soft and mushy at the front and rigid at the back. It's indexing of gears was worse which I think was simply due to the Kona still having a freewheel but 7 speed where as the Arrow had a 6 speed freewheel so wider tolerances. I don't remember any difference in braking performance as both were V brakes. The gearing was slightly wider on the Arrow so despite probably being 1kg heavier (remember the naff Suntour suspension added un-necessary weight to the Lanai) it was actually easier up steeper hills although a smidgen slower. I personally don't get the obsession with lightweight bikes, slightly wider gearing compensates for that and a stronger heavier bike can feel safer at times. It really depends on your viewpoint though, I'm not performance focused at all just enjoying riding at leisure and trying to maintain my weight. My commute was about 7 miles and I achieved that going home (with the big downhill bit) in less than 20 minutes on the Pagan Arrow which I was happy with as about 21mph average. However I must admit the journey was 80% the same dual carriageway going from Sherborne to Yeovil not many junctions to deal with or slowdown for it was literally full on cycling away from the hills desperate to get back for tea/breakfast (nightshift).
GuyBoden
Guru
- Location
- Warrington
Chief Broom
Veteran
Get a weathered look, like you get on garden planters/pots etc by painting over with yoghurt so's all the micro fungi/algy etc can get going 
Some astro turf on the saddle with some imitation plastic coiled turds to decorate
Some astro turf on the saddle with some imitation plastic coiled turds to decorate 
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Maybe not an absolute shi**er, but it's entirely possible to have an old bike with good components that doesn't look desirable bit still runs like silk; I commuted on one for several years, although I was still careful where I locked it.
Jameshow
Veteran
Me too...
501 frame tiagra / deore drive train, suntour superb triple chainset, r550 wheelset.
vickster
Legendary Member
He has (relatively, about their cheapest drop bar if it's a Carerra roadbike?)
I tried this approach a couple of decades back. I made a Raleigh Pioneer (which I got from a neighbour, so it was reasonably well used), look as tatty as possible, the first time I left if chained up outside Totteridge Station it went walkabout.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
It is. I still won't do a crap looking bike though.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Fair enough, it doesn't do to let standards slip.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Just lock it and be done. Still commuting on my Deore LX/XT equipped 90's MTB, riding handbuilt wheels using XT hubs of same age. Works perfectly, looks ace, but no-one want's an old bike (that has a new paint job).
