Am I unlucky or are modern bikes not built very well?
benws1
Posts: 415
in Road general
Since 2017 I have bought three brand new road bikes. Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc, Raleigh Mustang Sport and just last year, a Specialized Allez. Each bicycle has had problems.
The Cube had a non existent pdi and was returned after lots of visits to the bike shop, lots of problems and finally an out of spec BB. I still own the Raleigh and the Specialized.
The Raleigh had a terrible pdi, issues from the moment I bought it and lots of over tightened bits, like the rear hub and headset. The bike shop I bought it from refused to fix anything without charging me labour costs. I've been doing things myself.
Just after I bought the Specialized the chain kept falling off and initially, the bike shop refused to fix this as they said they couldn't recreate it. It took multiple trips and me asking them to replace the cassette to fix the problem. Recently, the tyres have started disintegrating (shedding material on the side wall) and I found out that the bolt in the headset expander thing was completely loose.
I have had to fix the headsets on both the Raleigh and the Specialized (due to clicking noises from new that the bike shops 'can't find') and when taking them apart, found little to no grease around the bearings. It seems a common thing on these bikes, lack of grease and lube where this is needed. Cost cutting by the manufacturers?
Have I been unlucky or are modern bikes not built so well? Or is it lazy bike shop mechanics? The above were purchased from three different bike shops and I've lost confidence in all of them.
Ironically, I bought a £200 Raleigh hybrid around six years ago. That thing is still going strong and all I have had to do to it is minimal maintenance and replace the back wheel.
Anyone else seem to have issues with new bikes that make you wonder why you bothered buying new? I think my next one will be second hand. It seems to me that things are done on the cheap when it comes to certain brands. Makes me laugh when I see the prices of these things nowadays.
The Cube had a non existent pdi and was returned after lots of visits to the bike shop, lots of problems and finally an out of spec BB. I still own the Raleigh and the Specialized.
The Raleigh had a terrible pdi, issues from the moment I bought it and lots of over tightened bits, like the rear hub and headset. The bike shop I bought it from refused to fix anything without charging me labour costs. I've been doing things myself.
Just after I bought the Specialized the chain kept falling off and initially, the bike shop refused to fix this as they said they couldn't recreate it. It took multiple trips and me asking them to replace the cassette to fix the problem. Recently, the tyres have started disintegrating (shedding material on the side wall) and I found out that the bolt in the headset expander thing was completely loose.
I have had to fix the headsets on both the Raleigh and the Specialized (due to clicking noises from new that the bike shops 'can't find') and when taking them apart, found little to no grease around the bearings. It seems a common thing on these bikes, lack of grease and lube where this is needed. Cost cutting by the manufacturers?
Have I been unlucky or are modern bikes not built so well? Or is it lazy bike shop mechanics? The above were purchased from three different bike shops and I've lost confidence in all of them.
Ironically, I bought a £200 Raleigh hybrid around six years ago. That thing is still going strong and all I have had to do to it is minimal maintenance and replace the back wheel.
Anyone else seem to have issues with new bikes that make you wonder why you bothered buying new? I think my next one will be second hand. It seems to me that things are done on the cheap when it comes to certain brands. Makes me laugh when I see the prices of these things nowadays.
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For the first time in my life ( that is a long time) I bought a new bike because in the sale it was cheaper than I could build a hydraulic disc road bike than I could from Ebay bits.
First job on my new Wilier was to change the cassette. I struggled for days to get the new cassette on. I could not fit the supplied cassette back on either. The one thing in life that I am good at is doing things like this. I managed it eventually but i was not happy with it but it worked.
Over year later my back wheel was written off in an accident. The cassette was fitted to a new wheel no problem. After some investigation I found my new out of the box DT Swiss wheel on my 11 speed brand new from Chainreaction Wilier had been fitted with a 10 speed freehub.
The Wilier is my go to wet weather bike. I love it but how can the above happen?0 -
2nd hand Giant from 2013 - absolutely no problem at all. Brand new Felt from a shop - rear wheel bearings failed twice. New wheel set required.
Bottom bracket failed twice - new upgraded bottom bracket and crankset required.
Saddle failed - new saddle required.
Bike isn’t even two years old yet and I spent 3 months last year too I’ll to ride.
I have to agree that new bikes have issues.Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.
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FWIW. Oddly enough I've owned only 4 bikes. All steel. One is from the 70's and it still has no problems even though it's only use is on a trainer. The other one is a 10 or 12 year old Gios Compact Pro (also a steely). It's been ridden enough and NO ISSUES. I like it and although I do spend a fair share of money on up to date components I haven't come up with a good enough reason to get a new one. In a weird sort of way I kind of like the idea of being one of the few stiil riding steel.
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I'm doing this bike thing wrong. Lots of years. Lots of bikes. I don't even know what a PDI is ?1
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Ditto. Own five bikes. Have owned eight in total. Have never had a PDI (to my knowledge)fenix said:I'm doing this bike thing wrong. Lots of years. Lots of bikes. I don't even know what a PDI is ?
Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.0 -
I thought it was just me. Is non-existent pdi worse than terrible pdi???0
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Pre delivery inspection. Two of the new bikes I have bought have had a little sheet attached with everything that has supposed to have been checked.fenix said:I'm doing this bike thing wrong. Lots of years. Lots of bikes. I don't even know what a PDI is ?
When I say terrible pdi, they have ticked something as checked on the sheet and not done it. They might as well not bothered with the sheet.
The non existent pdi was when they put the sheet on the bike, but didnt fill it in.
These are things that should be sorted before the bike is handed over anyway. Things like gears, headset, bolt tightness etc.0 -
If buying a complete bike it's safe to assume that it's been put together by the Saturday boy on minimum wage.
I wouldn't feel happy riding it until I'd given everything a check over.
The last few bikes I've had I've built up the framesets myself so I have only myself to blame.0 -
Last bike I bought came with a bottle cage bolted on upside down. I did my own PDI.0
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No way!FrankYates said:Last bike I bought came with a bottle cage bolted on upside down. I did my own PDI.
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Indeed. I get that impression.joe_totale-2 said:If buying a complete bike it's safe to assume that it's been put together by the Saturday boy on minimum wage.
I wouldn't feel happy riding it until I'd given everything a check over.
The last few bikes I've had I've built up the framesets myself so I have only myself to blame.0 -
Perfectly true. When I bought the bike I was offered some "New Style" cages. "Specifically designed to complement the bike". Yeah! Still in the delivery box. They did a PDI while I went to Costa. When I got home I couldn't work out how to get the bottle into one of the cages. Some fancy new design I thought. Wrong again.benws1 said:
No way!FrankYates said:Last bike I bought came with a bottle cage bolted on upside down. I did my own PDI.
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Bikes from Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, no issues.
Bikes from Halfords , lots of issues.
Other retailers vary.
Despite moving 300 miles from the Newcastle branch of Edinburgh Bike Co-op, I still think of them as my LBS.0 -
Rutland Cycles supplied my Cube. Never will I grace their building again.mrfpb said:Bikes from Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, no issues.
Bikes from Halfords , lots of issues.
Other retailers vary.
Despite moving 300 miles from the Newcastle branch of Edinburgh Bike Co-op, I still think of them as my LBS.
Two other local bike shops (Peterborough area) supplied my other two.
Real pain because one of the bike shops is only a couple of miles away from me.0 -
FrankYates said:
Perfectly true. When I bought the bike I was offered some "New Style" cages. "Specifically designed to complement the bike". Yeah! Still in the delivery box. They did a PDI while I went to Costa. When I got home I couldn't work out how to get the bottle into one of the cages. Some fancy new design I thought. Wrong again.benws1 said:
No way!FrankYates said:Last bike I bought came with a bottle cage bolted on upside down. I did my own PDI.
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IMO the problem is that there are so many different "standards" and possible configurations that many parts do not play well together. It was a lot easier to be a shop monkey when all you needed to know was Campy vs. Shimano. A related issue is mixing materials -- carbon/metal; plastic/carbon etc.0
