Really crap and useless bike accessories and components.

[Dave5N]

Snob

 

[ian_oli]

My Minoura Space Grip got knocked off when my bike tipped over during a roadside rest on Paris-Brest-Paris. I admit to removing the lights and throwing the bloody thing into a ditch with some pleasure.

One of those racks that fits your saddlepost with a circular fitting. Excellent if you like a bag swinging about and hitting your bum.

A computer (cant remember whose now) that let in water. How much does a small O-ring add to manufacturing costs?

Decathlon cheapo inner tubes.

 

[bonj2]

Decathlon cheapo inner tubes.

seconded. don't even have threads!

 

[Hilldodger]

Pneumatic tyres and safety bicycles.

 

[dodgy]

These Minoura space grips that we're hearing conflicting stories about on this very thread. Is it not possible that those who think they're good have them at an almost vertical angle, hence gravity not coming into play. Those that seem that as carp are having them almost horizontal?

Dave.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I've never had any problems with SpaceBars. They're a bit fiddly to put on, but anyone possessing the mechanical acumen of a drunk baboon or better, should be able to put them on without much trouble.

The only thing that irritated me was the asymmetric nature of their design. And it's amazing just how annoying things can be if you have to stare at them for hours and hours on long Audax rides. In the end I bought another Spacebar and incorporated its bracket to make it all balanced.

Not only did it make a great mount for bits and bobs including the route card, but was so secure you could use it as an alternative hand hold, bit like the old Spinaci extensions.

 

[wafflycat]

Mine worked ok - I used it to raise my LEDs above my bar bag - but it's just such an ugly thing. It looks so cheap and nasty.

That's how I use mine on my tourer. Definitely doesn't win points in the aesthetics department but full marks for function & practicallity.

 

[Will1985]

The plastic bracket Cateye supply with their lights. Few years back the were done up with a small screw and worked perfectly. Nowadays you have a little plastic dial thing that you have to turn. It's badly positioned and too small to get any force on, so the light slips as soon as you start cycling. In an effort to get more force on the dial I've tried putting Molegrips onto it, but then it just chews up the notched strap thing. In the end I had to glue the bracket onto my handlebars to make it work.

Thankfully you can still buy them (SJS or cyclestore I think) and I have done so for all my Cateyes anyway as the earlier ones especially only came with the normal bar diameter bracket when I needed the OS ones.

 

[Chuffy]

Depends what you're lubing, surely? The seeds in strawberry yoghurt are a bit scratchy, I always find...

Biopot with wholegrains is worse...

 

[yello]

anyone possessing the mechanical acumen of a drunk baboon or better, should be able to put them on without much trouble.

The description fits me but I still couldn't manage it

The thing fitted, no problem. I just couldn't get it tight enough to take any weight... and I mean ANY weight. I'm wondering if there are 2 design types or something, because I have no reason to doubt others who found it simple to mount.

Believe me, I'm reasonably capable and work things out before picking up the tools, but there was no way the metal strip would tighten up any more. It's still in the box of bits so I'm tempted to go and have a look!

 

[GrahamG]

Has to be the Altura Fusion day pack. When fixed firmly to saddle rails (as you do when it has 5 litre capacity), the screws pierce the opposing side of the bracket and the two parts of the bracket are too close together meaning that the quick release mechanism can not be released! This was on a 'standard' size saddle rail too. I've given up on Altura products, this was the last straw - nothing but pure shite.

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=9376&catID=97

 

[frog]

Second vote goes to the inside chainring bolts with those two small slots and the virtually useless tool which is supposed to hold them still.

They aren't actually meant to work against, as I found out to my cost recently. The idea is you do up the bolt by hand and allen key until it starts to slip both sides. Then you use the cheese spanner for a very slight amount more tightening. From then on the friction of the bolt face on the other side of the allen screw prevents it spinning.

Same for coming off. Turn until the whole shebang turns then just jam it with the spanner for bit of resistance and then it all comes undone.

Cost me half a pint of blood and three knuckles to find that out

 

[llllllll]

the one thats like a little QR lever? works beautifully on mine, was swapping it between two bikes quite regulally at one point.

No, it's not a Q/R, it's got a ridged plastic strip that feeds through a nut type thing. It's basically a plastic jubilee clip that you tighten by hand, other than not being able to do it up tight enough, it also takes longer to undo that a normal screw.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i forgot the bikemate saddles and saddlebags - you can't use one with the other if you have a micro adjustable seat post (anyone here still using the old fashioned clamp?).

 

[bobg]

i forgot the bikemate saddles and saddlebags - you can't use one with the other if you have a micro adjustable seat post (anyone here still using the old fashioned clamp?).

Only cos I'm waiting for someone to give me a 25.2mm seatpost with a "modern" clamp ... been waiting about 9 years ....