Bikes are getting uglier

[RedheadDane]

Yes, but it shouldn't make you ill to look at it.

You're not supposed to look at it, you're supposed to ride on it! And if you're just watching a race you're supposed to, well... watch the race! (Mostly those nasty-bad riders are too quick for you to really see the bike anyway...)

Clearly, you have never seen a rear-faring recumbent.

A what?

 

[krebs303]

A what?

 

[L29205]

Who says Trek didn't back LeMond? They let him put his name on one of the worst bikes Trek ever made.

 

[RedheadDane]

That's not a bike... that's... that's a chair on a pair off wheels...

 

[Hugh Januss]

That's not a bike... that's... that's a chair on a pair off wheels...

Recumbents. "Chariots of the Clods."

 

[Oldman]

That's not a bike... that's... that's a chair on a pair off wheels...

Where's the front fairing and the obligatory 4 sets of mirrors?

 

[krebs303]

these were on one of the bikes I posted. are they like the precursor to bio-pace rings. looks like just another place for flex and breakage. what was the thinking on these?

 

[Black Dog]

these were on one of the bikes I posted. are they like the precursor to bio-pace rings. looks like just another place for flex and breakage. what was the thinking on these?

They are a classic example of marketing design. They produce a round pedal stroke but "look different". Draw a line from the centre of the crank to the pedal hole and you get a normal crank. The bend is nonsense. A non solution to a non problem. This was not as common an approach as it is today but this kind of crap has always been around in the cycling industry.

 

[BroDeal]

What we have learned here is that experimental time trial bikes are often fugly with a capital F. Not many of the ideas survived. A lot of the bikes are currently illegal.

We also seem to have discovered the worst aero bar and cow horns ever invented. It looks like someone welded them in their garage.

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

+1 on that.

Look and Time make some nice looking carbon frames that seem to merge modern design with classic lines (although compact geometry is the norm). I'd guess that a custom builder could take care of whatever design concerns a person had, if that person had the money.

Are any manufacturers not making compact geometry frames?

Look and Time were always quite stunning machines.....
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/look-unveils-flagship-695/128303

What happened here? This thing (especially that cockpit) is hideous!

 

[BroDeal]

Look and Time were always quite stunning machines.....
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/look-unveils-flagship-695/128303

What happened here? This thing (especially that cockpit) is hideous!

This would be a dealbreaker for me: "Like the 596 time trial bike the 695 features a hugely oversized bottom bracket, dubbed BB65, which can only be used with the Zed2 integrated crankset." This move towards proprietary or near proprietary parts blows.

 

[tubularglue]

too much pot belge' (cocaine, heroin, caffeine, amphetamines, and other analgesics)at the merckx factory

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_I4Snyzw2I...AEmA/UMXr6nqJFUg/s1600-h/bauer_93_roubaix.jpg

http://cyclingart.blogspot.com/2010/01/steve-bauers-stealth-bike.html

 

[richwagmn]

So compact frames are all the rage today. This is because... they're stiffer? Fewer sizes so lower costs? Or...

 

[Inner Peace]

That Spec Roubaix bike is truly horrible to look at

I absolutely cannot stand sloping top tubes, and will only buy a horizontal top tube on a bike nowadays

The current Pro-version bikes that I find decent looking are QST's Eddy Merckx, SKy/Caisse Pinarello's (althought the forks and stays are a bit whacky), Leaky's Cannondales, and I don't mind the Bbox's Colnagos...

Giant, Specialised, Trek look particularly unnerving with their sloping top tubes (although, Trek seem to only have adopted this the last couple of years. I actually think their bikes from the Postal years were a good looking frame shape)

I am surprised that companies are moving to these shapes. Anyone know why?

I'd rather design my own custom steel/titanium bike with a horizontal top tube thanks...

 

[flyor64]

Come one, guys... who cares what a bike looks like? It's a bike race not a fashion show... as long as it works...

Clearly, you have never seen a rear-faring recumbent.

I just wanted to quote this cuz it was an excellent response painiting quite the vivid picture even before Krebs dug up that gawd-awful pic

And to mention that I saw my first ever recumbent (and rider) in Norway last week...and I don't want to generalize or offend but damn if he didn't look just like every other recumbent rider I have ever seen in the states...

Beard, SPD sandals, highly visible reflective accessories all included

 

[Notso Swift]

So compact frames are all the rage today. This is because... they're stiffer? Fewer sizes so lower costs? Or...

Yes on both counts, but the BIG one is only having 5 sizes and using components to get the fit right (though most volume bikeshops never do...) Cost of manufacturing is key, this is also why we have a lot of "developments"
Why do we never have quill stems anymore, forget the rubbish about front end stiffness, it is cheaper to make

The other thing, when the measure stiffness they typically measure BB, Headset and top of seat tube.... well I am not sure about you but I think that is pretty worthless, of more value to me would be to the handle bars, pedals and saddle, after all they are my contact points. Yes there are variables in the components, but it is more legitimate to a rider.

 

[Notso Swift]

This would be a dealbreaker for me: "Like the 596 time trial bike the 695 features a hugely oversized bottom bracket, dubbed BB65, which can only be used with the Zed2 integrated crankset." This move towards proprietary or near proprietary parts blows.

I agree with that

Funny thing is in the photos (and they are crap - obviously stock shots provided by the PR department) you don't see any of this and the bike looks almost svelte compared to some of the other things out there, esp the LiquiGas Cannondales

 

[RedheadDane]

What we have learned here is that experimental time trial bikes are often fugly with a capital F. Not many of the ideas survived. A lot of the bikes are currently illegal.

We also seem to have discovered the worst aero bar and cow horns ever invented. It looks like someone welded them in their garage.

W...WHAT?? How are you supposed to hold? It looks kinda... confusing... to me...

And... about those recumbents... isn't it kinda hard keeping the balance while holding still? Doesn't look like it does corners very well either...

 

[Offtheback]

Bikes have been getting progressively uglier since about 1993.

That one is hideous.

I think the rot started in the early 60s, with the orange plastic saddle (forget the name, but they quickly became very popular. Up to then Brooks ruled. There was an equally hideous olive green version too).

 

[ergmonkey]

W...WHAT?? How are you supposed to hold? It looks kinda... confusing... to me...

I think that, as Soulja Boy would urge, one is intended to 'Superman that ho'.

 

[Anonymous]

Bikes have been getting progressively uglier since about 1993.

Didn't you mean "1893"? Message here would seem to be that just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is ugly. Style and design change and evolve through time. New materials enable new designs. IMO the last thing anyone wants is for the designers to stop designing. Bring it on, I say!

I just wish Raymond Loewy had dsesigned bikes

 

[krebs303]

I just wish Raymond Loewy had dsesigned bikes

would it look like this?

 

[krebs303]

any one know about this bike? Ok I know it's a TT bike but it's that front wheel and how low the handlebars are. did anyone actually race this?

 

[Anonymous]

would it look like this?

... maybe..... if he had had Photoshop, AND never learned how to use it

probably more like this

 

[Anonymous]

any one know about this bike? Ok I know it's a TT bike but it's that front wheel and how low the handlebars are. did anyone actually race this?

I think those are engineering issues rather than design, knowatImean?