So, I bought a swoobo sanchez...

I used to have that when I was a baby.

Nobody does Robocop cooler than this guy (around 0:42) :
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

I currently ride a Swobo Folsom. The MTBish one with the coaster brake. I have owned many much more expensive bikes (a Colnago Pista sold 2 months ago and a high specced Dialled Bikes single speed last year) and can honestly say the Swobo is easily as much fun to ride as either of them. Okay it may be overpriced but when a whole bike costs less than I have spent on a frame then it just seems cheap. The frame looks well made and the parts are not too bad either.
Changed a few since the photo (risers and mtb stem to remove the unecessary BMX stem/bars)
http://www.fizzypeach.co.uk/bike.html
It comes up pretty light and handles very well, again comparable to any other rigid single speed I have had (Santa Cruz Chameleon, Orange P7 and Dialled)
Can't say the coaster is a great thing though so changing to fixed this weekend using a London fixie bolt on cog. I have missed fixed since selling the Pista. I tend to swap between fixed road and single MTB so maybe once this is fixed I will stop swapping as I have best of both worlds, well maybe...

I have been looking at the Folsom with an eye to fixing one up, would be interested to see how your conversion works out . .

It's not working out to well. Made bad assumption that a 10mm axle would replace the axle in a non Shimano disc front hub only to find my hub is 9mm so the cones won't fit on the new axle. Have ordered some 10mm cones but now worried I will have a ball bearing mismatch, nasty.
If that fails then sod it, I'll just get a wheel made up on a track hub and pretend I didn't just spend 60 quid trying to use a front disc wheel, so the conversion will definitely work out. just a week later that planned...

I search Swobo Sanchez, and just came upon this on Flickr;

http://flickr.com/photos/23975999@N03/2468447837/

that's just horrid, I think it's safe to assumed he brought it cause of the image and such, rather than riding (one quick look at his weight point that out).

Fuck hip-hop-cycling.

Get clipless pedals youse bunch a h*pst*rs.

Why?

I dont wanna piss on anyones chips, each to their own and my opinion means nothing of course but..

That Swobo MTB SS cruiser/coaster brake thing is well, erm... not pretty?

It looks like and old saracen x ray cheapo dirtjump bike that can be found in any junkyard/boot sale for a couple quid. Originals come in better colours too.

Why harm the earth by using up precious resources, causing pollution to the environment and most our eyes buy riding such a thing?

Thats the kind of thing you bodge together outta crap spare mtb bits. I hate the culture of overpriced off-the-peg bikes, which imitate bodged together crap bikes that seems to be going on. manufacturers are selling serious pieces of shit using d grade left over generic parts. its really sad to see them be so successful selling turds badged as something "hip" to the unexpecting.

I dont wanna piss on anyones chips, each to their own and my opinion means nothing of course but..

That Swobo MTB SS cruiser/coaster brake thing is well, erm... not pretty?

It looks like and old saracen x ray cheapo dirtjump bike that can be found in any junkyard/boot sale for a couple quid. Originals come in better colours too.

Why harm the earth by using up precious resources, causing pollution to the environment and most our eyes buy riding such a thing?

Thats the kind of thing you bodge together outta crap spare mtb bits. I hate the culture of overpriced off-the-peg bikes, which imitate bodged together crap bikes that seems to be going on. manufacturers are selling serious pieces of shit using d grade left over generic parts. its really sad to see them be so successful selling turds badged as something "hip" to the unexpecting.

I can pick up the frame in the US for 75 quid, with a pretty decent waranty - a semi fucked pug frame or similar that might be convertible goes for 150 quid+ on fleebay these days thanks to the shoreditch hipster wankathon that has taken hold of the fixed scene and made the shitest parts go for a fortune (see BLB business model if you require further evidence).

Swobo is owned by Santa Cruz but still run by the original guys who set the clothing label up, and made in same factory - if you examine one up close and personal which i doubt you have, you will see the build quality is up there with the best of the OTP's MTB's that are out there. The folsom would crush a shitty saracen in any test you through at it.

People love to slag off bikes/frames that they have never ridden let alone even looked at in person - me i like to give something a thrashing before i cast an opinion.

a semi fucked pug frame or similar that might be convertible goes for 150 quid+ on fleebay these days thanks to the shoreditch hipster wankathon that has taken hold of the fixed scene and made the shitest parts go for a fortune (see BLB business model if you require further evidence).

People love to slag off bikes/frames that they have never ridden let alone even looked at in person - me i like to give something a thrashing before i cast an opinion.

a. 'semi-fucked frames, that might be convertible', i.e with carbolite 103 or whatever, don't go for £150.

b. stop slagging off BLB.

Why?
Cos they're all mitherin about not being able to get into clips & straps.

@ Prav: I've got some 'cool' trainers (well I like them). I've also got some cool Sidis - so ner!

i like the look of that swobo sanchez.

never mind teh haterz, dey be hatin'.

a. 'semi-fucked frames, that might be convertible', i.e with carbolite 103 or whatever, don't go for £150.

b. stop slagging off BLB, it's boring.

a. Pick up in cambridge, so thats 30 quid on the price, plus its got 3 days to run, so prob go for a bit more than 10.50, how much did you get for your pug? Lot more than youd have got a couple of years back i'll wager

b. I was observing BLB's business model, not the quality of the shop, i have bought plenty of things from their good selves, and the only problem i have ever had is being sold a 170 crankset instead of a 165, however as they pointed out to me when enquiring about the 40 quid + pricing of a set of double staps, where else you gonna get them? Captive audience in those parts.

[QUOTE=edscoble;216269]

Is that Fat Joe?

No it's his brother: 'Pensive Moe'

heh

a. Pick up in cambridge, so thats 30 quid on the price, plus its got 3 days to run, so prob go for a bit more than 10.50, how much did you get for your pug? Lot more than youd have got a couple of years back i'll wager

b. I was observing BLB's business model, not the quality of the shop, i have bought plenty of things from their good selves, and the only problem i have ever had is being sold a 170 crankset instead of a 165, however as they pointed out to me when enquiring about the 40 quid + pricing of a set of double staps, where else you gonna get them? Captive audience in those parts.

a. it ain't gonna go for that much. my pug is a competition road frame, identical to that ridden by TdF team. not really the same. at all. it's like comparing a TI raleigh with a 501 record.

b. double straps are pricey wherever you go. cavendish were selling single strap toshis for £35. sounds like you got a bargain.

cool, glad that's settled, i accept your apology on behalf of wronged people the world over.

;)

I think he might be ridin' dirty.

cool, glad that's settled, i accept your apology as leader and grand hipster wizard of all the wrong people who talk crap on internet forums the world over.

;)

No probs

vinylvillain, checkout freshtripe for double straps. They have black numbers for 20 sheets.

a. 'semi-fucked frames, that might be convertible', i.e with carbolite 103 or whatever, don't go for £150.

to be fair you have to collect it in person, had it offer postage (or in London), the price would go up.

vinylvillain, checkout freshtripe for double straps. They have black numbers for 20 sheets.

Yup seen em, Freshtripe have some nice stock.

I wasnt actually looking for double straps, was looking at the cages they had in the cabinet the straps were in and noticed the price. I like the look of the prototypes Smeear knocked up though.

looks more like dirty sanchez than swobo sanchez...

to be fair you have to collect it in person, had it offer postage (or in London), the price would go up.

not to £150. or anywhere near it.

I think you need to actually try riding one of the crappy MTB type cruiser Swobos. As I said above, I can fairly compare it to any other Single Speed MTB I have had and it rides just as well off road and on road as any of them. It also looks to be a well made frame.
Whether you like the style or not is subjective (for example the ubiquitous track bike, narrow risers, aero front wheel does nothing for me), I am talking about the build quality, weight and more importantly the handling and ride. You need to do more than look at some pictures to know this.