# What's the worst mountain bike you've owned?



## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Just curious on what was the worst bike you've ever ridden in terms of ride,finish and components? For me,it was a 1990 Raleigh Technium Heat.It had cool looking bonded aluminum frame but wow,what a harsh ride!


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## DKFIX (Jan 17, 2005)

*Me Too!*

I have an early 90s Trek 7000 frame that's bonded aluminum. There's not much give in those things is there?


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## cyclodan (Feb 15, 2004)

Interestingly enough my vote goes for Raleigh as well. From the same era as the Technium series, a '91 Tangent. Welded double butted Tange MTB tubing, somewhat low bottom bracket and a short head tube. All the harshness of an alu. bike plus the weight. That bike was always throwing me down and jumping on me. Broke my collar bone once and a couple of ribs in another occasion. Still have it tho', sentimental I guess (or just mental).


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

I can't say I have ever owned a bad mt. bike. I guess the least appealing was my 88 rockhopper but it was the business in it's day. And interestingly enough it is still being ridden, which is more than I can say for my cannondale sm1000 which broke under the guy i sold it too less than 6 months after the sale.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Schwinn Project Underground*

Their limited production carbon with ti lug frame. That had to be the worst frame failure % wise ever. Every one I saw with my own eyes broke. A buddy of mine broke 1 of them and I broke 3 and a local shop had a broken one sitting around for a while. Just plain dangerous!

My second vote would go to any bonded Trek frame...carbon or aluminum...very prone to seperating (and cracking in the carbon version). They were refered to as disposable frames in my area; ride once then toss.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*wha???*



DKFIX said:


> I have an early 90s Trek 7000 frame that's bonded aluminum. There's not much give in those things is there?


yes actually there is quite a bit of "give" in those things, at least compared to fat tube welded aluminum frames like Klein, Cannondale, etc. The bonded treck's tubes are nowhere near as fat as many, and I feel the resulting ride is much more forgiving for it. I have one now, a first generation bonded treck, sitting in the garage. it's my "winter" geared mtb and I ride it a lot this time of the year. I think the ride is pretty good. It ain't my Merlin, but it's pretty good.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*never owned a bad one*

I had the luxury of extensive test rides so I only purchased the ones that I really liked.
Among the ones that I rode that really stood out as sucking majorly:
The first treck f/s, with the stack of donuts suspension.
The treck Y bike URT. So noisy heads would turn hundreds of yards away to see what's coming.
The Schwinn/Buell pullshock early f/s. I think Glen Adams won like bronze on it one year racing dh. Maybe good for that, but as for pedaling the thing uphill (back then it was billed as an allaround MTB not a dh bike) well, you pretty much couldn't. Rode it home thru the hills, drove it back in the car because I couldn't face trying to climb with it a second time.
Wolf Creek Titanium hardtail: Now, I ride Ti hardtails, so I'm not expecting the world's most rigid frame. The resilience of ti is a big part of why I prefer it. But this Wolf Creek was so flexy through the top tube that I felt like I couldn't control where it was going. I walked down the narrow exposed part of the CO Trail here where it parallels Junction Creek because I was afraid of riding off the cliffside. Only time I ever walked that section. That pretty much says it all.
ABM beryllium: So harsh riding it felt like an oaken door with pedals. The ti fork had blades as thick as my wrist, I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. Pretty light, however.
I know there were lots more that I wouldn't own for free, let alone pay money for, but those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.


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## DKFIX (Jan 17, 2005)

bulC said:


> yes actually there is quite a bit of "give" in those things, at least compared to fat tube welded aluminum frames like Klein, Cannondale, etc. The bonded treck's tubes are nowhere near as fat as many, and I feel the resulting ride is much more forgiving for it. I have one now, a first generation bonded treck, sitting in the garage. it's my "winter" geared mtb and I ride it a lot this time of the year. I think the ride is pretty good. It ain't my Merlin, but it's pretty good.


Well I've owned a few rigid bikes and this one is a killer. Doesn't mean I don't like it. As far as simple street riding it's great! Ok maybe it's not that bad!


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Agreed*

Bonded AL frames are for the most part far less rigid and more forgiving.
There's no comparison between a Klein Attitude/Adroit and a bonded Trek frame.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

bulC said:


> yes actually there is quite a bit of "give" in those things, at least compared to fat tube welded aluminum frames like Klein, Cannondale, etc. The bonded treck's tubes are nowhere near as fat as many, and I feel the resulting ride is much more forgiving for it. I have one now, a first generation bonded treck, sitting in the garage. it's my "winter" geared mtb and I ride it a lot this time of the year. I think the ride is pretty good. It ain't my Merlin, but it's pretty good.


Not to mention the geometry was designed by WTB. WTB used them as their team bike in 87.


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## vdubbusrider (Jul 28, 2004)

*mcmahon*

sponsored my mcmahon for a little while. at the time they were not building hardtails so they agreed to make some for the team that year. all the angles were off. it was built my freehand with no jig. the tubes were visibly off and it rode like crap. it always felt like i was dragging something. i always feel like i'm dragging somthing with aluminum bikes but it was worse with that piece.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

Shayne said:


> Bonded AL frames are for the most part far less rigid and more forgiving.
> There's no comparison between a Klein Attitude/Adroit and a bonded Trek frame.


I don't think it's the lugs, but the tube size that matters. Early Vitus AL road bikes were not popular because they were too flexy. AL got it's fame as a rigid material only after Klein and Cannondale made monster size tubes. Skinny AL is super flexy.


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

Fillet-brazed said:


> Not to mention the geometry was designed by WTB. WTB used them as their team bike in 87.


That's exactly why I got one of them in 87. That and I wanted to try alu but couldn't convince myself that welded alu was a good idea, unless it was a cunningham. What a radical change in geometry. I had been riding 18" frames and figured that's what I should get again, never did feel to comfy with the long TT. Seemed like some long chainstays as well, either that or 87 was about the end of the long stay era. Didn't make me quit riding though, spent a few years on it.

I went through a long period of not being totally happy with my rides. After enjoying being on a timberwolf then a team comp, and then switching to a fat chance, I was never comfortable with fast descents on the fat. It took me more than a decade after that to finally start feeling like I've gotten a grasp on what works for me geometry wise, and to make some inroads financially to afford to figure it out. Leaving the bike industry and hiding in the jungle all that time probably didn't help much either.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

easy: trek 8700 composite carbon aLuminum. finish was a beautiful dark red and nude carbon. components were lovely DX, nice matrix rims w/ steel eyelets, turbo saddle and fork was the tange ultralite.
but the ride was dull, powerless and detached from the trail, ground asphalt, anything.. i felt like i had a flat rear tire all the time.
couldn't be happier when i pedaled a steel biike again.


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## Johnny Hair Boy (Jul 11, 2004)

*Trek Y bike*

I had a Trek Y bike the first year they came out. I think it was best looking bike ever made but it was a horible ridding bike almost bad enough to make me buy hard tail.


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## olds_cool (Feb 15, 2004)

*had two....*

trek 7000 from maybe 90. bonded alum, dx parts. i don't care what the guys above said, it rode like a brick. ride, parts, geometry, were all awful. had a trek road bike back then that was equally as bad. absolutely the crappiest ride ever.

the other was a nevil devil. not because it rode really bad, but because it was so poorly welded up. everything was out of alignment. rode ok, as long as you didn't care to go fast, cause than it had a tendency to swap ends on you.


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

*1st Year Gary Fisher.....*

Joshua. Peeee Yeeeeew!
With that sweet Rock Shox  rear shock & an Indy XC 80 up front....
-That thing was like riding a Nautilus rowing machine uphill.


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

Fillet-brazed said:


> Not to mention the geometry was designed by WTB. WTB used them as their team bike in 87.


- C'MON Fb!!! 
Of the Trillion bikes you've owned, there has to be some stinkers in there.
How about the Hanebrink ATV tired machine that you pedaled up the 'chitty one???


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

olds_cool said:


> trek 7000 from maybe 90. bonded alum, dx parts. i don't care what the guys above said, it rode like a brick. ride, parts, geometry, were all awful. had a trek road bike back then that was equally as bad. absolutely the crappiest ride ever.
> 
> the other was a nevil devil. not because it rode really bad, but because it was so poorly welded up. everything was out of alignment. rode ok, as long as you didn't care to go fast, cause than it had a tendency to swap ends on you.


They did actually change a bit from 87 to 90, not sure what exactly but I did notice there is a difference in the seat stays. I happen to have a 1990 8500 as well in my garage right now... The geometry could have been completely redone by then as well for all I know. I'll have to check it out. I wouldnt be surprised if they went to the very popular 71/73 that started about that time.


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## Guitar Ted (Jan 14, 2004)

*Bianchi Super G*

That dual suspension bike had the worst torsional flex in the front end of any bike I've ridden. It always made steering a handfull. No fun! Second on my list is my old Klein Attitude. I never could get it to shift the rear derailluer correctly because of the partial internal routing of the cable. But it was also WAY too harsh in the rear end for me! I always likened it to riding a bucking bronc. Beautiful bike- just way uncomfortable!


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

DMFT said:


> - C'MON Fb!!!
> Of the Trillion bikes you've owned, there has to be some stinkers in there.
> How about the Hanebrink ATV tired machine that you pedaled up the 'chitty one???


Ohh, thanks for the painful memories. That was a uh unique ride. I took it on one ride after that up the beach and she was back on the market! Not too fun. Now if I had to battle snow around here, that would be a different story!


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

Yeah - The funny/painful thing was everyone still trying to chase YOUR arse up the hill!  

- You find me a nice Phoenix yet???


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

DMFT said:


> Yeah - The funny/painful thing was everyone still trying to chase YOUR arse up the hill!
> 
> - You find me a nice Phoenix yet???


Lookin' for a Phoenix huh....? You should know that DL is not all that well connected to the vintage mtb community.


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## WTB-rider (Jul 25, 2004)

*Didn't own it...*

...but the Cannondale Super V or something like that with a Mountain Cycles Suspenders fork was a clunky horror.It belonged to a friend and he thought it was better than sex


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

Worst bike design ever: Trek Y-bike/Fisher Joshua (same thing more or less). I never owned one, but I've worked on a lot of them and they all suck, period.

As for the worst I've ever actually owned, I'd have to say the Litespeed Tsali I got as a team bike in 2000. It was their top of the line soft tail, which was a great idea in theory, but it just didn't work for me. I always thought I had a flat  . However, the REAL reason I couldn't stand that bike was the geometry. I swear it was impossible to climb on that thing without doing a wheelie all the way up the hill. I had the stem as low as it would go and flipped upside down, and I still couldn't get enough weight on the front end to track straight. Litespeed had the same problem on their larger sized road bikes too, I'm convinced that all of their designers were 5 feet tall (or just stupid).


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*yeah*



-Anomie- said:


> Worst bike design ever: Trek Y-bike/Fisher Joshua (same thing more or less). I never owned one, but I've worked on a lot of them and they all suck, period.
> 
> As for the worst I've ever actually owned, I'd have to say the Litespeed Tsali I got as a team bike in 2000. It was their top of the line soft tail, which was a great idea in theory, but it just didn't work for me. I always thought I had a flat  . However, the REAL reason I couldn't stand that bike was the geometry. I swear it was impossible to climb on that thing without doing a wheelie all the way up the hill. I had the stem as low as it would go and flipped upside down, and I still couldn't get enough weight on the front end to track straight. Litespeed had the same problem on their larger sized road bikes too, I'm convinced that all of their designers were 5 feet tall (or just stupid).[/QUOTE
> 
> Litespeed hardtails at least in my M size had fairly slack 72.5 degree seat tube angles. Sounds like a small difference from the 73 degree de facto standard, or the 74 degrees I prefer, but the end result is, at least for me, I need a seatpost with zero setback to get the saddle far enough forward for good seated climbing. Otherwise, if you climb seated, it's tough to keep the front end down and in control on the real steep stuff. A post with no setback, with the saddle far forward, and a stem long enough to compensate for the reduced reach, make my Obed right.


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## mgersib (Apr 9, 2004)

*1994 KHS Montana Pro FZ*

I've had a lot of bikes, including some that have been mentioned on this list, but the worst for me was the 1994 KHS Montana Pro FZ I received as our team bike that year. Even with a "long travel" Mag 21 on the front, the headtube angle was terribly aggressive. I often had trouble controling the bike when I was fried at the end of a race.

The bonded Trek frames from the early 90s weren't as bad as some said. I had a '91 Trek 8700 composite (the orange lugs with carbon main tubes), and it was an awesome bike. It handled better without suspension than with, but as a rigid bike, it was fast, and a blast to ride. I raced that bike for two seasons with no durability issues, and a friend of mine still commutes on his, going on 14 years later (it has gotten noticably whippier lately, I will say).

Cheers,
MG


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## ssmike (Jan 21, 2004)

Can't say as I have ever "owned" a bad bike. Bad parts, but not a bad bike. Worst part was a Mountain Cycle Pro Stop disc brake. I brazed a mount on to my Ibis tandem in search of the ultimate brake. It would lock up on extended downhills from fluid expansion.


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## vdubbusrider (Jul 28, 2004)

my race bike back then was a khs montana team and i remember really liking that. my first race on it i won by 15 minutes. my previous bike was a huge 21" 1986 fisher procaliber. i was just a junior and that big huge long bike was a bear. the khs was the aswser to all my dreams. 

when i bought my khs the salesman said that the team model was a re-painted ritchey p-series. i don't know if that is true of not.


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

Maaaan, I'd have to say the Trek Y is a close second. A few of you know why it pains me to say it, but I'll admit it's true. It didn't help that a mismatched Fox piston was substituted for the nice Risse at the last minute, which screwed up the ride geometry and suspension. But there were more issues than that at hand...

But anyone who thinks that was the worst bike ever hasn't spent any time on any of the big T's previous attempts at rear suspension. The 9000 line was voted a couple times as being the worst full suspension ride ever made, and was more than once described by a major as "dangerous".

The Y, well, it was a first, and had some issues. The first Rockshox weren't the greatest excecution of front suspension system either. Nor were the first of just about anything. In the URT's case, fads were coming and going fast enough that it never got the time it needed to become a refined and well-performing system, before public opinion turned against it. Just as well, a URT is a pretty limited-use system at it's best, and that use isn't one that sells a lot of magazines...


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> Maaaan, I'd have to say the Trek Y is a close second. A few of you know why it pains me to say it, but I'll admit it's true. It didn't help that a mismatched Fox piston was substituted for the nice Risse at the last minute, which screwed up the ride geometry and suspension. But there were more issues than that at hand...


 As bad as people say the Y bikes were, they were extremely popular (and extremely copied by other bike makers). I never liked the ones I rode and I didn't like riding the similar Fisher Joshuas but for a while you couldn't swing a stick in the woods without hitting a few of the original Ys or their copies. I hypothesize that many people just liked the way they looked at the time.


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*not true, but close*



vdubbusrider said:


> my race bike back then was a khs montana team and i remember really liking that. my first race on it i won by 15 minutes. my previous bike was a huge 21" 1986 fisher procaliber. i was just a junior and that big huge long bike was a bear. the khs was the aswser to all my dreams.
> 
> when i bought my khs the salesman said that the team model was a re-painted ritchey p-series. i don't know if that is true of not.


I had a KHS team, circa '89 or so, and loved it dearly. Definitely not a Ritchey. KHS built in taiwan. But because of the tubing gauges and the Ritchey fork, the KHS bikes were often referred to as poor man's Ritchey because the ride was pretty much the same. Wonderful steel bike, I miss it.


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## -Anomie- (Jan 16, 2005)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> But anyone who thinks that was the worst bike ever hasn't spent any time on any of the big T's previous attempts at rear suspension. The 9000 line was voted a couple times as being the worst full suspension ride ever made, and was more than once described by a major as "dangerous".


Ok, you got me on that, I forgot about the 9000. Possibly one of the worst bikes of ANY kind ever, and definitely the worst suspension design. The Y bikes are a pretty damn close second though .


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## Disappointment to my Mom (Oct 11, 2004)

I had a pre-production model of C-dale's first ever "dual" suspension bike. 'Bout an inch of travel via a coil-over "shock" in back and a Flexstem up front. I quickly "upgraded" to a RS-1 fork. That bike had more play than Michael Jackson at a daycare center!


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## Rufudufus (Apr 27, 2004)

Johnny Hair Boy said:


> I had a Trek Y bike the first year they came out. I think it was best looking bike ever made


. that's my ride you're talkin about, and I have to admit it looks good.



> but it was a horible ridding bike almost bad enough to make me buy hard tail.


I think it actually rides pretty good, but not much of climber. And I'm building a hardtail to replace it, so I guess I pretty much agree with you! But the Y will always have a place in my heart.


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## BikeKilla (Apr 4, 2004)

I vote for the Y-bikes. My brother had one and that thing pedaled like a pogo stick. I had Huffy and Murray "mountain" bikes, but I don't even know if those count. I'd where a raw t-bone steak around my neck and pedal a Y-bike through cougar country before I ever rode one of those death traps on single track.

Dan


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## Green Giant (Dec 19, 2003)

*worst riding and worst experience*

worst riding - Klein Mantra, what a mess.

Worst experience. Ellsworth Truth.


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## Reek (Feb 19, 2004)

*Corex and a Giant*

I was stationed in Korea with the military in 96 and didn't pack my bike. So I bought a Korean brand that sponsors the country's olympic team, a Corex. I bought a low end one with crappy components. Bent the wheels the second ride and the drive train was useless. I had my girlfriend mail me parts from my ever over stocked parts box and had it spec'd nicely. Became a decent ride.

I think the Spinergy 4 spoke sausage slicers were new then too so I got a set with the great exchange rate $600 for the "super light" titanium axle model. Spun the rear hub out of the carbon shell in a week. Replaced under warantee, happened again. What crap.

Then only other bike I remember not being too fond of was the 1 year before the NRS came out Giants. It was the Giant DS-2. I think 99. Rear end was 3.5 inches of wallowing sloppy travel. Surprising that I actually sold that in less than a year and gave Giant another try with the NRS. Loved it.

Remember the Infusion MXC pros...?

REEK


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

for me absolutley the worst bike i have owned, 03 specialized epic... i HATED it, so nice to sell it and by a yeti.

have ridden a few shockers, cannodale delta v 1000,that was pretty bad, the cannondale with the first lefty, who said they didnt flex??? slingshot... just weird, proflex animal, my mate thought it was the best thing in the world, peice of junk compared to my manitou FS. another mate had a cannondale, didn't have a model name but came wiith a mix of 300/500ES? and big heavy steel fork and super heavy steel stem/headset/bar. rod like a pig and then one day we discovered it had a huge bow in the down tube ... replacement frame came with evolution headset, so none of his upgraded bits fit... haha


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## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

*Worst I've ever ridden but not owned*

I'd say one of the worst I've ever ridden was an Allsop Beam Mountain Bike.
Back in 94 or 95 I had a Manitou FS (which was one of my favorite bikes) and was very used to riding rough technical single track seated.

I was at a local race and the Allsop rep (who repped time and Mavic as well, so I knew him through the shop I used to work at) was there with some demo bikes, and this rep was the kind of guy who would always tell you his product was waaay better than everything else, including whatever you were riding. He puts his Allsop bike next to my Manitou (whether or not you liked the Manitou it was one of the best examples, in my opinion, of welding and CNC machining, as was just darn pretty) and begins telling me and a group of onlookers why the Allsop is soo much better than mine.

I take the bike up a fireroad climb. Climbs great if I'm standing, though the stem was a bit to get used to. But seated, the bike causes me to bob and roll like I'm in a boat. Then I take it down a technical singletrack and nearly get bucked off the bike when I tried to stay seated through the rough stuff. I can maybe see why this bike was poplular with Tri-guys, as a tri only bike. But horrendous off road.

The Trek 9000 series sucked bad, but actually better than the Allsop. Same with the Mantra, which locked out the suspension in 3 different ways, depending on whether you grabbed the front, rear, or both brakes. Still better than the Allsop, at least in my book. Even the early girvin flex-stems, which stunk bad (though the Allsop stem was better than the girvin) were better than the rear of that Allsop.


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## canadian-clydesdale (Oct 13, 2004)

My old Fisher AL 1, it was a rough ride and had the wierdest parts, a one of a kind bb that nobody knew how to fix, and a monster headset that I still have the monster wreches to adjust.

Anyone need a 1 1/4 headset wrench?


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

Univega circa 1988 or so, but it was cheap. My toes hit the front wheel when I was climbing and turning the bike.
I have rode plenty of bikes. Got on one of Treks first full suspension bikes and fell in love with it on the downhill but hated it on the climbs.
Trek Y-bike (carbon frame) felt very disjointed and was not confidence inspiring.
It is funny how major bike makers can put out something less than good (like the Y bike) sell a ton of them and them move on to something as stupid as the Fuel because they are not willing to pay the price to make it fully active and yet they sell a ton of them too.


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## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

*Regarding Y's*

When Y-Bikes were new (URT's in general, but Trek Y's in particular), they were the saviours of suspension. Every magazine raved, companies clamored to copy, and the masses bought in droves, but I couldn't stand them. Y lovers would ride my Turner and claim how much they hated the ride.

When Outland came out with the VPP, again, it would revolutionize the industry and make everything else obsolete. VPP's back again (tho' sans outland) so I'm curious to see what we'll think of them in a few years. I spent some time on the original Outland and thought it rode okay, but all those pivot points below the BB worried me. Haven't spent more than a quick spin around the trails on any current VPP to comment on how they ride, I'm just curious if they'll hold up to the hype in a few years.


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## richieb (Oct 21, 2004)

Without a doubt...Amp B3...sucked more a$$ than the air it sucked into the rear shock EVERY ride, and that's, gentlemen, that's a whole lot of a$$...

and it felt like it was going to break ALWAYS!

rb


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## richwolf (Dec 8, 2004)

Actually the Amp B-3 is the mother of some of the most sought after full suspension bikes out today.
Specialized bought the patents from AMP and sells them to others.
Sure the Amps were a little flimsy and they had a problem with the shock but how many people today have issues with rear shocks? Plenty.
Anyone with an Amp today should hold onto it. Probably going to be a collectors item.


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## loonyOne (Dec 25, 2003)

*Gt Rts!!*

I have only ridden a C'dale Super V from a few friends...out of the mad array of bikes reported on here, and that wasn't that bad, not bad at all I'd say.

But that damn GT RTS! I traded Chequama Mama this frame for my rigid Fisher Marlin. What a knuckleheaded move there!! He got a great frame that rode/rides like it was on fricking rails!
It was very close to how my Bontrager is. I assembled that RTS and rode it for only a few days, just in the alley mind you, and just hated that danmed thing. It bobbed and weaved more than Ali in a match with the Selective Service (did I just cross a line?). Definitely THE WORST in my book!


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## cruso414 (Aug 19, 2004)

*don't even have to think about this one*

enough said.


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## miles (Jan 6, 2004)

richwolf said:


> Actually the Amp B-3 is the mother of some of the most sought after full suspension bikes out today.
> Specialized bought the patents from AMP and sells them to others.
> Sure the Amps were a little flimsy and they had a problem with the shock but how many people today have issues with rear shocks? Plenty.
> Anyone with an Amp today should hold onto it. Probably going to be a collectors item.


I had AMP serial #7. It got stolen out of my garage... I miss that bike.

miles


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## The Machine (Mar 7, 2005)

DMFT said:


> Joshua. Peeee Yeeeeew!
> With that sweet Rock Shox  rear shock & an Indy XC 80 up front....
> -That thing was like riding a Nautilus rowing machine uphill.


That's because of the low-end suspension that it came with...

I'm STILL riding my Joshua (1998 X1), and as any long-time Joshua owner will tell you, swapping out that Crock Shox rear shock for an air shock (Swinger 3-Way Air, Cane Creek AD-12, etc.) completely changes the ride of the bike for the better....and I mean BETTER.

The Crock Shox Indy XC goes down as one of the worst forks I've ever ridden. Thank God I now have a Marzocchi MX Comp ETA fork and a Manitou Swinger 3-Way Air shock on my Joshua. It's a sweet, sweet ride :thumbsup:

As far as the worst bike I've ever owned, I can't say....but the worst bike I've ever *ridden* was the Klein Mantra. The cramped cockpit and constant "over-the-bars" feeling I got from that bike was unnerving to say the least.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Built4Speed said:


> Just curious on what was the worst bike you've ever ridden in terms of ride,finish and components? For me,it was a 1990 Raleigh Technium Heat.It had cool looking bonded aluminum frame but wow,what a harsh ride!


trek 8700. looked very nice. rode very dead.
.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

The only bad mountain bike I have owned was my first Raleigh, which was a 45 lb tank. Still it lasted a few solid years in the mid-80s. After that they have all been wonderful.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

bulC said:


> -Anomie- said:
> 
> 
> > Worst bike design ever: Trek Y-bike/Fisher Joshua (same thing more or less). I never owned one, but I've worked on a lot of them and they all suck, period.
> ...


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

mgersib said:


> I've had a lot of bikes, including some that have been mentioned on this list, but the worst for me was the 1994 KHS Montana Pro FZ I received as our team bike that year. Even with a "long travel" Mag 21 on the front, the headtube angle was terribly aggressive. I often had trouble controling the bike when I was fried at the end of a race.
> 
> The bonded Trek frames from the early 90s weren't as bad as some said. I had a '91 Trek 8700 composite (the orange lugs with carbon main tubes), and it was an awesome bike. It handled better without suspension than with, but as a rigid bike, it was fast, and a blast to ride. I raced that bike for two seasons with no durability issues, and a friend of mine still commutes on his, going on 14 years later (it has gotten noticably whippier lately, I will say).
> 
> ...


try taking those on steep technical singetrack! i did..once.. and sold it. my road bike rides safer on steep drops than those khs.


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## AKamp (Jan 26, 2004)

Worst bike that I have owned was a tie between 3 Litespeeds. I had a first year Full Suspension around 91 or 92 that was total garbage. The Marzochi rear shock took about 250 lbs and was a ***** to pump up, went flat over night and the bike road like crap when it was working. Then I broke the head tube off and got an elevated chainstay model to replace it. Just as big a piece of crap as the FS. Broke that frame and got a regular Litespeed. I built it up, went on one ride and sold it. I then got a Specialized M2 in 94 and still have it today. I have gone through probably 5 or 6 other bikes since that time but keep going back to my trusty M2. Specialized definitely did something right back then.


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## commuter73 (May 31, 2006)

My old Trek 8000zx. No question. It came complete with cheap clear grip shifters that broke if you looked at them sideways, matrix rims that were constantly out of true, "system" bar ends which bent or hooked you every time you bailed and (like the 7000s mentioned before) a "zero excess" bonded aluminum frame that could shake your fillings out. Oh yeah, did I mention the Tioga Psycho KK tires that skidded sideways across every root on the trail? But man, did I think it was the shiznet back in the day! 

Come to think of it, I took the only good, solid part of that bike off a week after I bought it...the chromoly fork. It's brand new and still in my basement!


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

I didn't own this bike, and we actually never even built it up it was so bad. I wrote a little bit about it in another thread a while back, but anyway...

There was a "custom" frame company called Outback Cycles or something and the shop I worked at just by co-inky-dink was called Outback Outfitters and Bikes (we had the name first by several years). So my pal Hiro decided it might be kind of cool to have Outback build a custom frame for him. He spec'ed it out and paid his deposit and chose his paint color and waited and waited. Well, bike finally shows up and we are all fired up about how cool it looked with it's absolutely gorgeous huge metal flake, like bass boat style metal flake mind you, hot pink paint job. Then we got down to actually checking out the build quality and prepared to do some frame prep. Our first clue something was wrong was the fact that the dude had shipped the bike with the Crud Catcher secured to the braze-ons Hiro has spec-ed. So we unbolted the Crud Catcher and discovered the idiot had apparently forgotten to actually braze them in before paint, so he used nutserts instead. Then we looked in the seat tube and saw way too much weld penetration. So we threw the alignment tools into the dropouts and found them about a centimeter off, up and down, as well as too close. The rear triangle was also off by quite a bit. The water bottle bosses were off center on the down tube, the list went on and on. So we took a sharpie marker to that lovely paint job and marked every glaring defect and sent it back. Eventually Hiro got his money back and had a Rock Lobster built.

As far as bike I've ridden, well I have also had the chance to ride quite a few, though only have owned 4 or so. None I have owned were bad since I got to ride them or ones similar quite a bit before buying, but of the ones I did ride and didn't like the URTs of any make sucked the worst. Others were heavier or slower or whippier, but none where as stupid and felt so goofy when ridden as the URTs I've been on.


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## YETIFIED (May 4, 2005)

The worst bike I ever owned was also a top of the line XT bonded aluminum Trek with Biopace chain wheels and a U-brake from around '87. The steering on that dog was super slow and it climbed poorly. It didn't take but a couple of rides before I retired it to my bike room. It stayed there until a friend of mine wanted it and he wound up trading me a bunch of R/C stuff for it. Several years later I asked him I asked him if he still had it and he told me that not long after he aquired it, he left it at a girlfriends house and that was it. It's probably in some land fill now and aside from the XT parts, that seems like the perfect place for it. The end.


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## slowride (Jan 13, 2004)

I had a series of great bikes... a Cyclepro Rendezvous (nothing special but it was my first), a Bridgestone MB-4, and one of those original Supergo hardtails. The Supergo got stolen and then I had a Norco Team Issue that I'm sure was a fine bike but it just didn't agree with me at all. I actually stopped riding completely for a couple years because of it. A couple bikes later I ended up with a K2 Disco Monkey that was pretty bad too, and then a Kona Bear that was way too small for me.

At one point in there I rode the Trek with the "stack-o-donuts" rear shock for a week or so... that was real bad too. I didn't own it though.


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## slippy_luv (Nov 4, 2005)

I had this black and kernit green Reflex and the only thing that kept the tubes from separating from the lugs were the gazillion sticker’s that I plastered all over the frame. I retired the frame because of a disturbing creaking noise in the head tube. I ended up giving the frame to FSP and he went to separate the tubes from the lugs with a heat gun and the tubes fell from the lugs within 5 seconds of applying heat from the gun. I think he was actually using his sister hair dryer.


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## Boognish (May 27, 2004)

Early 90's Yokota Tuolomne. I had the bike less than a year when the top tube seperated from the steer tube. I took it in to the shop where I purchased and they didn't offer the lifetime warranty due to "abuse"...It was sold as a fricken mountain bike, and all I did was ride it on some rocky fire roads! lol


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> But anyone who thinks that was the worst bike ever hasn't spent any time on any of the big T's previous attempts at rear suspension. The 9000 line was voted a couple times as being the worst full suspension ride ever made, and was more than once described by a major as "dangerous".


I read in one magazine or another that the 9000 came with it's own built in ejection seat. I've ridden that bike once and found it interesting, but only because it was the first full suspension bike I rode.

'Guin


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## Reposado Man (May 31, 2005)

cruso414 said:


> enough said.


Man, I almost forgot about the L'il Chocolate Donuts shock! Thanks for bringing back some funny memories..


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

*That damn Salsa*

I had a Salsa - a pic is posted somewhere on these boards - that threw me every time I took it offroad. I hated that bike and it hated me. Nice bike I guess, but we just didn't get along.

I also had one of those bonded Raleigh bikes - branded a Reflex - that was a total POS.

I don't know if many of you had the pleasure of a riding buddy with a 1st (only?) gen Boulder Gazzelle, but that thing was like a military helicopter for maintenance; like 3 hours of oil changing and farting around for every hour on the trail. I ran screaming from suspension for years...


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

1990 Alloy Trek with DX


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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

Worst handling bike was an early 90s DiamondBack something, Axis Pro maybe? The local shop was getting deals on these XT bikes and a couple of us bought them. DB was fooling with long top tube/ steep head angle for a while. This bike would pitch you off so fast going downhill you'd swear you'd been shot in the back. Steep uphill it would wag the bars back and forth, impossible to just ride straight up. Anyone remember these pigs? Worst feel was the Trek 7000 bonded, dead to the world.


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## mtbchik (Jul 5, 2005)

*No doubt*

My first:

Diamond Back Ascent
Biopace chainrings, probably weighed in at 35 lbs. (it's a wonder I could even climb with the gearing and the weight of the bloody thing)

I actually had it for 5 years. Ugh!


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## rafdog (Jun 16, 2006)

I have a proflex 856....it ruint me for FS...like a pogo stick (nice components though). I still have frame...anyone have any suggestions on what to do with it. I thought I could turn it into a SS?? Even if I create a frankenstein, i figure its a good chance to learn how to tinker with bike in more detail.


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## Bernhardt (Mar 25, 2006)

Worst mtn bike I've ever had, has to be my first one. A Stumjumper Sport XT I bought new for something like $550. It gets this title merely because of improvements in technology over the years. 1983 was a long time ago, Bull Moose stems/handlebars and the low (nobody needs gears this wimpy because you can climb anything they said) gear was a 28/28. The main competition then was a Schwinn High Sierra - I remember because my friend had it.


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## filegiant (Aug 1, 2004)

OK, it's an old post but the answer just came to me. It was my '96 Trek Y-22 "mod". I actually liked my Y-22, but I convinced myself to try converting the bike to disk brakes by using Amps mechanical disks and the then-new Amp F4 front fork. I can't remember a more disappointing ride, mostly because I new I had must threw down like $1000 on a mod I was going to reverse asap. Four-finger pulls would not get those brakes to stop and the factory-promised "no rubbing" never materialized. And those forks...

No worries as I soon converted to V-brakes (WTB failed to produced the SaberCam and Judy conversion kit) and the freshly-released Marzocchi Z-2.

My friend I was riding with still teases me about that day. He hasn't seen that look on my face since:madman:


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

mtbchik said:


> My first:
> 
> Diamond Back Ascent
> Biopace chainrings, probably weighed in at 35 lbs. (it's a wonder I could even climb with the gearing and the weight of the bloody thing)
> ...


Yowza! I had that same bike with those awful biopace chainrings. I also rode it for five years. I have it stashed at my parents' house--can't get myself to part with it. Mine was a bright orange with black and blue stickers.....total POS.


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## ibike4fun (Jan 21, 2006)

*1999 Gary Fisher Big Sur*

1999 Gary Fisher Big Sur
Hated the ride, but it was the best I could find at the time. Way to stiff feeling even though it had Judy XC's on the front. Components were ok. I sold it for half of what I paid and bought a nice vintage steel mountain bike. Steel is the way to go. Look how many people dislike aluminum. Why don't manufactures take heed and start making high quality steel bikes again.


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## Dr Thunder (Nov 18, 2005)

*My First was indeed my Worst...*

Worst I've owned was my 1995 GT Tempest. Managed to be heavy and so stiff it beat the $hit out of me. I later added an RST fork, the 381L, which was the best fork I could afford at the time and provided all of perhaps an inch of travel. Of course, I loved it at the time. Riding my second bike, a steel Yeti hardtail with an Atom Bomb on the front, totally changed my experience of mountain biking....


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## Wedgy (Apr 12, 2006)

My first MTB was a trek antelope 830. I still have it, and I use it for when I go camping, or just an extra bike for any one to ride. My second bike was a trek 9000. it was the purple one with the lime green swing arm and the stack o' doughnuts rear shock. My dad got my brother and I matching 9000's. then My dad got the super cool trek 9150, It has a pink carbonfiber swing arm. He still has it and rides it all the time, Ill have to go over and get some pics of it.


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## RWGreen (Dec 5, 2004)

A tie...

My first - a 1990(?) panasonic with a 24" frame... this was massive - basically a road frame with fat tires and offroad group (although calling it offroad may be being generous). Pretty sure it was biopace. This lasted only one season until I got the fisher montare hardtail with the curved seatstay and super short elevated chainstays. This was a pretty cool bike - wish I had it now.

My fourth - Cannondale delta V 1000. I think this may have been the first year of the headshock. What a POS. The headshock never held air, the rear suspension sucked up every bit of pedaling energy.


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## fast64 (Jun 3, 2006)

Wedgy said:


> My first MTB was a trek antelope 830. I still have it, and I use it for when I go camping, or just an extra bike for any one to ride. My second bike was a trek 9000. it was the purple one with the lime green swing arm and the stack o' doughnuts rear shock. My dad got my brother and I matching 9000's. then My dad got the super cool trek 9150, It has a pink carbonfiber swing arm. He still has it and rides it all the time, Ill have to go over and get some pics of it.


When I got my 9000 it was all sanded down but there was some evidence of purple and lime green paint. I bet it looked like barney, lol. Do you have any pictures of it? I tried to find a picture of a 9000 with this color scheme but no luck.


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## terry.mc (Jun 14, 2005)

mtbchik said:


> My first:
> 
> Diamond Back Ascent
> Biopace chainrings, probably weighed in at 35 lbs. (it's a wonder I could even climb with the gearing and the weight of the bloody thing)
> ...


Mine is actually a SS commuter bike now, sans biopace.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

ssmike said:


> Can't say as I have ever "owned" a bad bike. Bad parts, but not a bad bike. Worst part was a Mountain Cycle Pro Stop disc brake. I brazed a mount on to my Ibis tandem in search of the ultimate brake. It would lock up on extended downhills from fluid expansion.


Oh I have.... My very first bike (which I think I took on all of 2 rides) was a Specialized Ground Control. The salesperson fitted me on an XL, I believe. Perfect for a 5'8" woman. Nothing was lubed, and admittedly it sat in my garage for a good year or so... Then I tried to adjust the seat and swap the pedals and discovered that both had welded themself in place. Twisted the frame trying to get the seatpost out. Which, in retrospect, was no big loss. I remember later seeing it listed as the worst bike design ever in a magazine review.


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## rep (Sep 7, 2004)

I had a Stumpjumper Sport in 1985, and bikes have indeed improved since then. The Proflex bikes, however, are the reason I have never bothered to get a fully! Let's just say the suspension gets a bit saggy.


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## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

Wouldnt all the answer be :
Magna
Pacific


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

taikuodo said:


> Wouldnt all the answer be :
> Magna
> Pacific


Ah, but one would have to own one of those first...


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## N10S (Sep 27, 2004)

My worst mountain bike was probably one of the early C-dale delta Vs with the coil spring shock, although I did own a Proflex 856 which was not high on my list either. One other worth mentioning was a very recent purchase of a leftover new 05 Palomino. Lots of folks swear by them, and I love Kleins, but the Pal gets to the top of my list, and without a doubt was my bigge$t mi$take for sure!!


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## Flyin' W (Oct 1, 2005)

Surpised that nobody mentioned the ProFlex 953. To my knowledge it was one, if not the first F/S bikes and it rode like a pogo stick....
The worst riding bike I've owned was the 1985 Cannondale 24/26er. With the ultra stiff Alu frame the smaller rear wheel would break loose in the turns, and while climbing the front wheel would flop side to side. Hell, it was still probably better than the KHS Montana..


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

cruso414 said:


> enough said.


Maybe that's why my buddy gave this bike to me for free.It didn't look like it was ridden much either. I've done everything thing to it,even tweaked it's nipples and the ride still sucks.However,it does have some nice XT stuff.


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