Bike porn

You are right, it is styling. But it is pointless.

ftfy

the Paul cranks look good on it.

Would look even better if the chainguard completely obscured that pointlessly styled and ugly chainring

What's the point of this on a hardtail?

Thanking you, road.cc.

Aren't those cables going to saw through the BB shell?

What's the point of this on a hardtail?

Makes sense if its a little motor. Looks like planetry gears though.

Aren't those cables going to saw through the BB shell?

No, somebody would have to actually ride the thing for a good distance for that to happen. Most of these poseur wank bikes will spend their whole lives being trailed around from one wank fest to another in the back of a van, so it's irrelevant that they are not practical bicycles.

Puts the weight of the gears and most of the drive train central to the bike.

If you're going to do jumps and stunts, then central weight is why you'd do this (if you insisted on gears at the same time).

I love my Rohlhoff, and I can't imagine how to make it pretty, but I'd love to shift that weight forward. Weighs a funking bomb.

What's the point of this on a hardtail?

Ted tried to explain it but I didn't fully understand.
It makes the bike far more balanced and exerts all of your pedalling power through the centre of the bike meaning it's more efficient..

Also it's removal so you can run it as a standard singlespeed/fixed gear freestyle bike.

Aren't those cables going to saw through the BB shell?

As Tester says, no, but they'd probably slide better over a plastic guide. I especially don't like how the front mech cable cuts across the bb shell cutout. I've never really like the Feather stuff though, seems pretty derivative to me.

No, somebody would have to actually ride the thing for a good distance for that to happen. Most of these poseur wank bikes will spend their whole lives being trailed around from one wank fest to another in the back of a van, so it's irrelevant that they are not practical bicycles.

Gotcha. Still seems like a bit of any oversight, whether it'll be ridden or not.

As Velocio says, no,

??

No, somebody would have to actually ride the thing for a good distance for that to happen. Most of these poseur wank bikes will spend their whole lives being trailed around from one wank fest to another in the back of a van, so it's irrelevant that they are not practical bicycles.

They're called show bikes.

And most of them are small because just like shoes all being size 9 in press photographs because they look good, smaller bikes (in the 56cm area) look better than larger bikes... more balanced, better proportioned.

Not all of the bikes that were on display were show bikes though. 2 of the Mathers were for customers, Ted's bike for his mum is ridden by his mum. I didn't ask Rikki, but I'm fairly sure that not all of the frames he brought were just for show, and I'm equally sure that the Brother frames weren't just show bikes.

But yeah, the more extreme bikes to show off a particular thing are just for show and may never be sold to any customer who would ride it.

The NAHBS ratio on this is far worse. You clearly see that so many of those bikes aren't even practical.

Woops, it was Tester that said it. Corrected.

??

I know, I didn't say anything.

I wouldn't worry about the frame, I'd worry about the cable fraying and breaking long before.

Then, when you replace the cable you'd probably leave the casing on that bit next time around.

I have seen pictures of bikes without cable guides that have grooves in the BB shell from unguided cables. But then I guess it does need plenty of riding for that to happen.

I'll stop derailling the porn thread now.

No, somebody would have to actually ride the thing for a good distance for that to happen. Most of these poseur wank bikes will spend their whole lives being trailed around from one wank fest to another in the back of a van, so it's irrelevant that they are not practical bicycles.

The cables are set up like this on my bike. Is there something wrong with it?

I love my Rohlhoff, and I can't imagine how to make it pretty, but I'd love to shift that weight forward. Weighs a funking bomb.

I was, and still am, considering a IGH for my 29er. One thing that appeals is that the weight of your entire gear system sits exactly over your rear contact patch. Aiding out of saddle efforts, on poor surfaces.

They're called show bikes.

And most of them are small because just like shoes all being size 9 in press photographs because they look good, smaller bikes (in the 56cm area) look better than larger bikes... more balanced, better proportioned.

Not all of the bikes that were on display were show bikes though. 2 of the Mathers were for customers, Ted's bike for his mum is ridden by his mum. I didn't ask Rikki, but I'm fairly sure that not all of the frames he brought were just for show, and I'm equally sure that the Brother frames weren't just show bikes.

But yeah, the more extreme bikes to show off a particular thing are just for show and may never be sold to any customer who would ride it.

The NAHBS ratio on this is far worse. You clearly see that so many of those bikes aren't even practical.

All the Feather frames were customer frames bar the Rapha one (promotional piece / photo model for 'epic' ride stories) and the dark grey/purple road bike with mudguards and 'cross cable routing, which is for himself.

Agree that NAHBS is on a different level for showy-off look-what-I-can-do stuff but Bespoked is of course still a showroom for the builders, they're trying to attract attention/custom.

I'm not sure where the customer taste for retro/fancy/wank stuff has come from. Maybe people want something that is very obviously custom and not off a Taiwanese factory line. A luxury product.

The cables are set up like this on my bike. Is there something wrong with it?

Without a nice plastc guide to protect frame and cable, while reducing friction.

Ugly but useful.

The BB shell on the Feather is probably stainless, so it might take a pretty long time to create significant wear beyond the paint. It's still a curious setup though.

The BB shell on the Feather is probably stainless, so it might take a pretty long time to create significant wear beyond the paint. It's still a curious setup though.

Once you get through the paint, there'll be a fair amount of friction. Silly when a little piece of plastic would stop this.

I'm not sure where the customer taste for retro/fancy/wank stuff has come from. Maybe people want something that is very obviously custom and not off a Taiwanese factory line. A luxury product.

Its always nice to have a detail that is special. When paying for custom.

Without a nice plastc guide to protect frame and cable, while reducing friction.

Ugly but useful.

Ive never scene one of these on a quality steel frame. They always have grooves/little tube shaped guides built into the BB shell. My frame (reynolds 653) is like that feather though, the front mech cable has no guides at all.

Its always nice to have a detail that is special. When paying for custom.

Absolutely, and that applies to me and my Feather. I'm talking about the very obvious / ostentatious / OTT decorative stuff.