rental bike nightmares, bontrager branded junk.

[AngryScientist]

OK, so i was under the false impression that all bicycle wheels made today used stainless steel spokes. wrong.

rented a bike this weekend out in SoCal. In retrospect, going downhill on this POS going near 50mph may have not been the best idea. the frame itself was fine, but the bontrager branded cheapo brakes performed abysmally, and the rust on the spokes and every fastener on the bike was reason for pause.

partly due to a lousy rental location mechanic maintaining these bikes, but the sora level components shifted vaguely and unpredictably. the brakes pads may have been made of some sponge material with the brake arms noodly.

i still had a great time, but what a mess of a bike.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kiZHrliQsgw/WBdKP0ZfslI/AAAAAAAACo8/tpRiEgHms7cCE_h9Ue2JxRw2vigXlbiegCLcB/s940/IMG_1063.JPG

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RKY4_2w2Un8/WBdKPngpjhI/AAAAAAAACo4/ciGzhUeUJjYCCWmJpqhgAINc0NZCPeHgwCLcB/s940/IMG_1064.JPG

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nayvJsiq5w4/WBdKQzqhbRI/AAAAAAAACpI/ZjNoAxEUtYM1IvYUFBWXDD0JanHMNoiHACLcB/s940/IMG_1066.JPG

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-09MCSOGAuTY/WBdKQ8QL8vI/AAAAAAAACpA/Xj2QzhnI2gcfOLZbz5e04VCDQfmHIxhcQCLcB/s1140/IMG_1067.JPG

[franswa]

Wait, so you didn't give it a once over before you took the rental from the shop? Yeah, they definitely shouldn't be renting out junk like that but surely you'd have noticed that before choosing to descend at near 50mph.

[Cicli]

Should have got an electric bike. I am thinking something like the Prius of bikes. :fight:

[KJMUNC]

Wow....what shop was that from?

I know several of the major chains in LA rent high end bikes, but they're not cheap.

[charliedid]

Should have went for a walk.

[sandyrs]

Good lord.

Says the guy who's renting a mountain bike in Aruba next month... :eek:

[AngryScientist]

seriously though, steel spokes? not stainless?

[ColonelJLloyd]

seriously though, steel spokes? not stainless?

Yup. Much cheaper and when they're going to be coated black... It's an OEM part on a cheap bike. Expect them to cut every corner within reason.

I don't think I'd have left with that bike even it was the only one that fit me.

[sandyrs]

Expect them to cut every corner within reason.

Exactly. I'd imagine many bikes at this price point don't even see enough hard miles for things like this (or the fact that in all likelihood, there is no grease on a single thread on that bike) to come out.

[Ken Robb]

It looks like someone rode it on the beach and it got soaked in salt water. We have at least one annual race along the beach in Coronado and it usually has lots of riders on rented bikes. :eek:

[AngryScientist]

I don't think I'd have left with that bike even it was the only one that fit me.

that thought went through my mind, but i'm glad i rode, it's good for the soul, even with a crappy bike:)

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rr7th7WSxlA/WBdKPGiFDHI/AAAAAAAACo0/AxxSbhZvHMA8UqJxUV7X-EFXisHEsMiuwCLcB/s1140/IMG_1062.JPG

[Fatty]

It looks like someone rode it on the beach and it got soaked in salt water. We have at least one annual race along the beach in Coronado and it usually has lots of riders on rented bikes. :eek:

Those were my thoughts. Saltwater bath and put away wet.

[bcroslin]

mechanic probably drives a prius

[cmg]

rust, steel spokes. so were the wheels out of true? or the pads embedded with road debris? looks like a fun ride.

[AngryScientist]

so were the wheels out of true? .

they both had a little lateral hop, but not too terrible. definitely a fun day on the bike.

[Ralph]

That bike has been in salt water. See that in Florida a lot around the beaches.

[zennmotion]

A travel bike is a beautiful thing. And not necessarily an N+1 if you get something that can be an all rounder, there's a least one bike in everyone's stable that can't be any longer justified if you have a nice travel bike. Like my Ritchey BAB steel cross bike. 9 speed shimano with bar end shifters, canti brakes, everything simple and fixable with a multitool in a hotel room or parking lot. Love that thing, it's been so many places now...

[AngryScientist]

oh i own a travel bike, but it just seems like a hassle to me to fly with it for a single day of riding. if i were going for longer...

[Ken Robb]

Didn't some famous rider say "it's not about the bike." ?:)

[ColonelJLloyd]

that thought went through my mind, but i'm glad i rode, it's good for the soul, even with a crappy bike:)

Worth the risk. <thumbs up>

[Hank Scorpio]

Look at those waves rolling in! You should have gone for a surf lesson instead.

[AngryScientist]

Look at those waves rolling in! You should have gone for a surf lesson instead.

like i need lessons!

http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z450/greiaprince/AsIf.gif

[onsight512]

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rr7th7WSxlA/WBdKPGiFDHI/AAAAAAAACo0/AxxSbhZvHMA8UqJxUV7X-EFXisHEsMiuwCLcB/s1140/IMG_1062.JPG

nice nice. where'd you end up riding?

[azrider]

i still had a great time, but what a mess of a bike.

but i'm glad i rode, it's good for the soul, even with a crappy bike:)

definitely a fun day on the bike.

So not REALLY a nightmare afterall

:p

cool pics

[Formulasaab]

Look at it this way... You've been vindicated in all your high-end component choices in the past.

[sfhbike]

Glad you got out for a coastal ride. Looks like I missed you. You might have been happier on my Roark! Just saying...

[AngryScientist]

here's the general route i did:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qbXSgA-_e7A/WBeaYJzVDWI/AAAAAAAACpw/bkaU2gg3WJUHUxYUi-F0ZYIp4RkrVZ0MgCLcB/s1040/IMG_1077x.JPG

[false_Aest]

That's a real nice route!

I hope you enjoyed me + SoCalSteve's back yard.

[benb]

Looks like a sweet ride!

Probably says more about you that you are complaining about the vague shifting instead of just fixing it before riding.. did you ride without tools to fix the bike in the case of a breakdown?

Then again with that much rust on the spokes maybe the insides of the cable housing were rusted too. :eek:

I've got a set of wheels that have seen a LOT of salt in the winter and they don't look anything like that. No rust at all on the rim or spokes, superficial rust on the outside of the hubs. And they are cheap wheels. (Tiagra hubs, Alex Rims, who knows what the spokes are.)

[TheEnglish]

Rentals are a mixed bag. I rented a bike from a good shop out of Seattle and had a spoke break mid-ride. I felt like they were lucky that I could remove the loose spoke completely and loosen the brake (the wheel was a low spoke count wheel) to be able to ride the bike back to the shop.

[Peter P.]

Lower tier bikes save money by using less expensive parts where most of the time, they go unnoticed. I'm talking spokes in this case. Of course, the saltwater proximity doesn't help, as well as the abusive treatment by many rental bikers.

[Black Dog]

Hey Angry, you ok? 1st the cryptic message about a Prius now this rant...:help:

[weisan]

Angry pal, I have never tried bontrager stuff but I don't think that's a fair comment.
Glad you had a good time.

[SoCalSteve]

That's a real nice route!

I hope you enjoyed me + SoCalSteve's back yard.

I'll second that!

Nick, too bad we didn't get a chance to grab that beer and taco. But happy you enjoyed our little playground nonetheless...:beer:

[ultraman6970]

Rental is rental, the more they can rent the bike the better so maintenance is kept to the minimum just like an old u-haul truck :P

Never used bontrager stuff but doesnt surprise me at all that the wheels came from a low end trek (or any other bike) and used big time under the rain for several years. Never been able ot manage to rust spokes that way even in cheap bikes from walmart like the ones my kids have. But well, they need to make money and make the wheels look good enough to justify the 2000 bucks in a bike, right?

One of my friends have a few rental bikes here in the area and he put all the stuff he would not use in those bikes.

[eddief]

if there is connection between rusty spokes and hybrid cars?

Call Keith and tell him you're pissed off:

http://alchetron.com/Keith-Bontrager-187167-W