Cheap TatOneEyedMonster remindes us about the crap you can buy in pound shops: "Batteries that lasted about an hour and then died. A screwdriver with a loose handle so I couldn't turn the damn screw, and a tape measure which wasn't at all accurate."
Similarly, my neighbour bought a lawnmower from Argos that was so cheap the wheels didn't go round, it sort of skidded over the grass whilst gently back-combing it.
What's the cheapest, most useless crap you've bought?
(
chthonic, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 7:26)
This question has been closed - you may not add a reply
Bike GeekeryNot cheap but definitely tat. As most mountain bikers will know, the combination of oil and dirt will grind away your gears to nothing within a very short space of time if you don't keep on top of bike maintenence.
Being very lazy post ride, I tend to remove the bike's chain and chuck it into a jar of white spirit, which is then shaken up a bit before leaving it to soak for a couple of days. Once removed the chain is sparkly clean and free of oil and dirt. I've managed to eke out a whopping 18 months from my chains, chainrings and cassette from this method despite grinding my gears through the thickest and grittiest of mud.
Being born a one minute past sucker o'clock means that I'm generally seduced by any bike bling which is either shiny or professes to reduce my maintenence bills.
A brief search online of the "special offers" section of my favorite bike bits website unearths a Teflon coated chain, made by Wippermann no less, for a £10 premium over their normal chain. If the advertising blurb is to be believed, this chain is lovingly assembled in a workshop in Germany by a detail fetishist called Klaus using the highest quality steel before the miracle, life changing non-stick coating is applied. Ker-ching!
£30 poorer, my chain turns up the next day. I'm chuffed to note that the teflon coating is a natty blue colour. Hopefully mud inspired mis-shifts which launch me over the handlebars are a thing of the past. Yay!
Nope.
Three rides later and the Teflon appears to be so efficient it won't even stay on the chain. I have paid a ten quid premium for a non-stick coating that disappears after forty miles.
I also discover, much to my dismay that it has managed to rust, despite being nickel coated and soaking in white spirit for two days with a complete absence of either water, air or salt which is a considerable achievement.
Nickel coated steel? My arse...
(, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 10:52, closed)
hahasorry, but I think that's quite funny. The Teflon coating isn't supposed to last anywhere near 40 miles, especially with mud involved. It only has 1 purpose and that is for lazy bikers who just hose down their chain and gears after a 3 mile ride through some dirty puddles. Not the hardcore stuff that you are obviously used to.
You should just get a high quality chain and apply your own coating. They do Teflon lubricants but it is very thin.
(
Firkinfedup was right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 11:04,
)
Funny?You could be right, however lazy bikers (ahem) might be dismayed to note that at the first sign of moisture, their expensive chain will rust like an Italian car.
I do use teflon lube though... (edit) On my chain and gears naturally!
(, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 11:17, )
we are still talking aboutbike lube aren't we?
(
Firkinfedup was right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 11:42,
)
Nevermind how you use teflon lube......how, and more importantly why, is your arse Nickel-coated steel? War injury? Fanatical devotion to Futurama's Bender?
(, Fri 4 Jan 2008, 12:54, )
This question has been closed - you may not add a reply