Bike Anti-Porn - When Things Go Wrong

And this looks like something in between a gravel bike, a touring bike and a road bike for elderly people

I think the term you're looking for is utalitarian.

Cannondale doesn't strike me as nostalgic, so we're probably at odds here.
Anyway, I welcome the approach they took on the 13.
Looks refreshing amidst all the gash and uncalled for design flourishes of cycling industry.

Not a bad build for a baseline OTP, too. Finishing kit, in particular, looks more fitting/cohesive than most upgrades these frames will see.

looks like it's been welded at the side of the road by a drunk mechanic. Have they changed the font of 'cannondale' as well as the manufacturing processes? I genuinely thought it was a knock-off at first.

Seen far worse. If anyone gave me one of them for free, I don't think I'd be too heartbroken.

Have they changed the font of 'cannondale'

They've changed it back to Franklin Gothic, which they had before Eurostile.

I first thought that was an averagely ugly commuter, then I noticed all the record stuff. The poor bugger clearly has a bad back. The builder might have found a more elegant solution, maybe involving a sloping tube. There is no excuse for those bars, which I have on my hideous winter bike, they are extremely comfortable.

Thanks everyone for the Cannondale weld closeups, I shall not sleep well.

I just find the new CAAD boring in general.

Yeah I agree with that, though I've thought pretty much all CAAD bikes of the last decade were a bit meh, looks- and paint-wise.

Anyway, what's certainly not boring is this (from reddit):

Here is their build log.

I can't decide whether I really really like it or really really despise it. But boring it is not.

What effect would a trailing quill stem have on handling. My brain can't quite figure out if it actually makes a difference.

Edit: looking at the build log, I think it's pretty charming. Some interesting and slightly unconventional solutions, but the result seems pretty good.

I quite like that. Not as a bike but it's oddly charming.

Yeah I'm converging towards that view too. I definitely like the 'home-made' aspect of it.

In terms of geometry, it only matters where the contact points are in relation to the steerer axis, so in theory a very long crossbar with an inverse stem is the same as a short crossbar with a normal one. I can't work out from that photo where the grips will end up with those ape hanger bars, but lots of upright bikes (Dutch Omafiets, classic roadsters etc.) have them behind the steering axis. In theory (I think!) the steering response should feel the same whether the grips end up the same distance in front of or behind the steering axis, but behind there's usually less weight on the bars, which may make a difference.

Bolt-on disc brake tab. Hmm. Pretty nifty, but would you trust it?

only matters where the contact points are in relation to the steerer axis

Makes sense now. Just had to draw it out in my brain a bit!

The poor bugger clearly has a bad back.

Indeed. There are a few very high stack Roberts with sloping top tube and to be honest they were not exactly elegant either. Not that it matters, I think it's a bit tasteless to include these bikes here.

I think it's a bit tasteless to include these bikes here.

Praise be.

That's the first plybike I've seen that doesn't make me nauseous, though it might have something to do with the non wood parts and colourway.

No ageist/ableist sentiment on my behalf, it’s just a shitshow exercise of poor judgement. Personally, I was swayed by record carbon seatpost/musky b17.

.

1 Attachment

Apologies if this has been here before

1 Attachment

@Dogs

I kind of like that. Purple pedals might be a step too far.

Is there a problem?

The orange is too much. But I also don't think the purple goes with that colour frame. Also rims with a brake track with discs.

Black saddle, bar tape and pedals with purple hub/rotors would be OK. As is it’s definitely anti in my eyes.

I like it