Poorly rated parts that actually work really well

Surf-Matt

Anyone got a part of parts that get terrible reviews yet have served you really well?

My rear hub is officially the "weak point" of my bike (think it's a Shimano M525). Yet it's done over 6000 miles with only one hub grease/bearing repack and works flawlessly. I thought I'd need to replace it pretty sharpish but it just keeps on going and going!

My brakes (Juicy 5s) also get mixed reviews and for a good year or so they were a PITA - squeaking, rubbing, awful to replace pads, etc but since the last service they've worked brilliantly.

Handy.

The Spiderman

Yep,XT dual control shifters.Most hate them but I find them really intuitive.

I`m a fan of Shimano cup and cone hubs too.Had M525 and now have XT.Never had a problem,though not for the maintenance shy..........

Mark_K

The Spiderman wrote:

Yep,XT dual control shifters.Most hate them but I find them really intuitive.

+1
I have XT and XTR DC levers on both my mtb's and love em i find it real hard to ride bikes without them now

cee

The Spiderman wrote:

I`m a fan of Shimano cup and cone hubs too...

me too. and they don't een need much maintenance

I have serviced my cupncone hubs once since 2006....

MacAndCheese

*gets out the special worm tin-opener*


Hope headdoctor - if used correctly brilliant, looks ace and is great if you do a lot of swapping of forks/stems etc...

mrfmilo

Alivio shifter. Yep they are low-end and SLX etc. will be alot better, but work suprisingly well for the money!

mrfmilo

Alivio shifter. Yep they are low-end and SLX etc. will be alot better, but work suprisingly well for the money!

bomberesque

+1 for;

Head doctor
Avid juicys
M525 rear hubs (although I think the issue with these is probably the same as with all cup and cone hubs, that they need periodic maintenance then they can last forever ... kids today etc etc)

Also;

Rapid Rise,whose biggest enemy is that, once you'r used to one way of shifting gears, doing it back to front (oooh err) feels funny enough that you blame it. I hate top normal now
and Shwalbe Nobby nic sidewalls which I have never worn through like others seem to be able to do in a weekend

Buckled_Rims

Halford branded 26x1.5 tyres. I've used them for 4 years and they're still going good despite the glass and other crap on the commute. Can't think of a punct* in the last year. Downsides are they're slow and being slicks, have a slippery feel on ice and damp roads.

Also, Bell Tyres bought cheaply from ADSA for the MTB, now on my Malt 4 :shock:

lawman

michelin all mountain expert 2.2's, every mag in the world slated them and still do to this day, but wierdly my were ace and got even better with age

Noclue

Grip shifters - I actually quite like them :oops:

supersonic

Star Nuts - work great if you install them correctly...

njee20

How are Head Doctors an advantage if you're swapping forks regularly!? Stick a SFN in each pair of forks and you're away...

Grip Shift for me.

MacAndCheese

njee20 wrote:

How are Head Doctors an advantage if you're swapping forks regularly!? Stick a SFN in each pair of forks and you're away...

Grip Shift for me.

Ok, maybe not regularly, but when I moved my forks onto my new frame I had to cut the steerer down 10mm because of a shorter top tube so I just popped the headdoctor out, cut the steerer popped the head doctor back in.

Don't get me wrong I have nothing angainst SFNs - I have one in my other bike - I just think Headdoctors get unfair criticism.

JamesBrckmn

juicy 3's
tubes

cee

MacAndCheese wrote:

njee20 wrote:

How are Head Doctors an advantage if you're swapping forks regularly!? Stick a SFN in each pair of forks and you're away...

Grip Shift for me.

Ok, maybe not regularly, but when I moved my forks onto my new frame I had to cut the steerer down 10mm because of a shorter top tube so I just popped the headdoctor out, cut the steerer popped the head doctor back in.

Don't get me wrong I have nothing angainst SFNs - I have one in my other bike - I just think Headdoctors get unfair criticism.

so you still wont be able to move the frok back to the other bike? I dont have anything against headdoctors or whatever, but I believe the SFN is easier...measure your cut...knock the sfn down appropriately, make your cut.

done.

P-Jay

Avid Codes - ok not totally defendable, but when they're working properly they're awesome, just it doesn't happen all that often.

The Spiderman

Bomberesque-Agree with you on the Nobby Nics.I have managed to get 2 years out of mine though the rear gets rotated with a Racing Ralph.

I wonder if some of the remarks come from serial kit killers........

joshtp

def zocchi 44's.
i may want pikes, but thats only for the extra stiffness, and the smoothness of coil.
my 44's are totaly awsome forks, very plush, very well damped, and stiff, and light, and good looking and...............
although they have had a bit of custom tuning on my part...

stumpyjon

Bog standard Shimano SP41 cable outer and basic inner cables, why pay more, I don't anymore.

supersonic

Tis what I use.

lesz42

Flats

biff55

on paper , my whole drivetrain would be considered a bag of sh*te , ( shimano alivio )
but still works rather well.

covelove

hayes el camino brakes- most people think they are crap but they stop me just fine! even better when at flood sale prices

stubs

Anything by Superstar

so far I have used brake pads, lock-on grips, carbon seatpost and a headset

It aint flash but it all works

colintrav

Surf-Matt wrote:

Anyone got a part of parts that get terrible reviews yet have served you really well?

My rear hub is officially the "weak point" of my bike (think it's a Shimano M525). Yet it's done over 6000 miles with only one hub grease/bearing repack and works flawlessly. I thought I'd need to replace it pretty sharpish but it just keeps on going and going!

My brakes (Juicy 5s) also get mixed reviews and for a good year or so they were a PITA - squeaking, rubbing, awful to replace pads, etc but since the last service they've worked brilliantly.

Handy.

You should be asking the question who or what companies is prepared to offer back handers for favourable reviews ...

Because the whole issue of reviews is imo highly questionable and how can they justify what they have said when in your experience is the opposite from what's been published ..

supersonic

So if one person finds a part good then the review in a mag is rubbish? It is a general opinion of a number of testers, often over a long period.

Shimano hubs generally do well in magazine reviews.

clarkson

i agree with the shimano cup and cone hubs. on the merlin I have XT's and on my GT i have deores. both have done over 1000 miles, with only slight adjustment and no servicing.

Was knocked off my GT the other day and although the rim took a hammering, the hub was fine!

Raymondavalon

Panaracer Fire XC Pro tyres.. work very well, never had a flat using them

Johnny Napalm

I've just installed a 'Hed Doctor' (first time I'll have used one) on my new build, so I'll let you know how that works out!

Andy

stubs wrote:

Anything by Superstar

Who rates them poorly?