Ever Buy A Bike You Couldn't Stand...

[Peter P.]

...and got rid of quickly?

I don't flip bikes or "change my underwear" daily, when it comes to bikes, but I did get rid of one bike that was a bad purchase.

Decades ago, when I started to commute to work, my first commuter bike was a 1982 or so Univega Alpina Sport, a mountain bike with 2 1/8" knobbies, double clamp stem, quick release fore/aft adjustment seatpost; it weighed near 30lbs. and was just a slug on the road. I swapped out the tires for something skinnier but that still wasn't cutting it.

Fortunately, I was able to get trade-in value from the bike shop I bought it from, a mere couple months after I bought it, and instead bought a sport touring Trek, and never looked back.

Have you ever bought a bike you quickly regretted and got rid of? Why?

[dolface]

This one, harshest, most uncomfortable bike I have ever ridden. I can't remember what the ST angle was but it was way too close to 90°

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

...I swapped out the tires for something skinnier …..

There was your problem right there….You should have swapped to WIDER tires….

* See also “Jan Heine “

[Dave]

I bought a Cervelo R3 frame when they first came out. Rode it twice on my regular mountain route. Took it apart and sold the frame.

[Elefantino]

Bianchi XL EV2. Looked beautiful. Rode like a jackhammer with wheels. My first ride on it was a century; I had to bail after 70 miles because my back was killing me.

Sold it. Then FedEx destroyed it during shipping.

Fitting.

[jpritchet74]

The only absolute disappointment that I have felt when finally buying a bike component that I had lusted for was Lightweight wheels. Somehow I have had 3 sets - lured back to them by their sexiness - only to quickly be reminded how terrible they are (unless you are riding uphill).

Terrible in crosswinds.
Terrible descending.
Terrible braking surface that needs to be cleaned every few rides.

There, I finally said it.

[R3awak3n]

I had a JP Weigle that was gorgeous but just never got down with it. Bike fit bike fit bike fit (was not custom made for me of course)

[jamesdak]

The closest for me was the 90's Vitus Argal. Got it as a NOS frame and built up with brand new Ultegra 11 speed. Smoking fast on the flats but so unstable on any kind of a descent once you hit the high 20's. Just felt like the front was all over the place. Moved it on at a steal of a price to a local flipper (didn't realize it at the time and bought the guy's "sob story".

It was a beauty though.

[johnniecakes]

After reading some riders gush about the max tubed MXL leader I was able to track one down in the correct size. I think I rode 4 times before stripping and selling it. Not sure if my expectations were wrong or too high but we just didn't connect.
But about a later I found a Max tubed Battaglin and that is a wonderful bike. So I guess the geometry was not to my liking on the MXL.

[glepore]

Ha...the two already mentioned-A Bianchi XL EV2, full on Pantani replica, rode like a brick. A stunning MXL Motorola Merckx, problem is it was a 51, and that tubeset in that size rode pretty much like a harsher version of aluminum.

[belopsky]

Yeah, the Tarmac I am trying to sell! Just doesn't fit me the best, and not sure I enjoy the feel of carbon on roads here.

[oldpotatoe]

Bought a Merckx Century..TSX tubing...already had a MXLeader. Bought it from a PL form member. Built it, rode it and altho didn't really dislike the ride, it wasn't the 'ahhhhh' moment I thought it would be so....It wasn't in the 'couldn't stand it' category so...BUT I sold it back to the gent I bought it from...worked..

[prototoast]

It's even worse when you build a bike you can't stand...

This one turned out to be a total dud:

[CAAD]

Steel hardtail MTB. Never again, FS only.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by dolface

I also had a 3Rensho, also yellow that I rode/raced on the 80s/90s. It also had super steep angles, significant toe overlap, and very harsh ride. I thought it was a beautiful bike and my first 'fancy' bike. I loved it because I was too naive to know what a better bike felt like.

My all time worst bike was a custom ti bike, from a reputable, custom ti builder. It was intended to be my dream bike, my n=1. It was built after a custom fitting and I had high expectations. Within the first 1/2 mile, on it's maiden voyage, I knew it was terrible. Going downhill, it shimmied and shook and was downright scary. Going uphill, the front wheel would lift. When I'd shift my weight forward to keep the front wheel down, the back wheel lost traction. I probably rode it 20 miles hoping to like it, but sold quickly. The experience turned me away from custom builders.