Author Topic: Worst bodges you've come across ?  (Read 20059 times)

Charlotte

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Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #25 on: 07 November, 2014, 11:55:51 am »
*wince*
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Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #26 on: 07 November, 2014, 02:07:58 pm »
I've seen one instance where a man hacksawed thru the chainstay to get the chain off. To clean it. Then wondered where the rattling was coming from.

Almost got the response 'Leave your bike there and go away. You're too stupid to own one!'

Another 'customer' seems addicted to baling wire, despite having threaded bosses on the frame his rack and mudguards were a mass of twisted, rusty wire. Sorted that one then he came back a week later with a supermarket shopping basket banjoed on to the rack with, guess what?
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Si_Co

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #27 on: 07 November, 2014, 02:13:17 pm »
I thought you were going to comment on my lighting rig.  :)

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #28 on: 07 November, 2014, 02:48:34 pm »
Another 'customer' seems addicted to baling wire,

In Kiwi folklore, anything can be fixed with no. 8 fencing wire.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #29 on: 07 November, 2014, 05:49:19 pm »
The Holy Tools of HPV racing are Araldite, cable ties, corriboard and duct tape.  I am pleased to say we used all four when mending Darth Stuart's tailbox in Friedrichshafen in 2003.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #30 on: 07 November, 2014, 06:26:03 pm »
Speaking of flexible frames.

Bike with top tube cut out by Cycling Mollie, on Flickr

I didn't immediately spot the bodge and was looking at the box on the rack.

Chapeau to the welders at Raleigh. 
If nothing else it proves that the structure around the B/B is strong (although I still find it hard to believe it hasn't just folded up on itself at the first pot hole)
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #31 on: 08 November, 2014, 02:12:34 pm »
When it does let go it's really gonna hurt!

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #32 on: 09 November, 2014, 05:56:53 pm »
The old "Universal" cycle co used to operate from Southend*. They were living proof that manufacturers could bodge things.

I recall a young chap turning up to one of the National Cycling Proficiency courses that I used to run in the summer holiday in order to augment my teacher's salary, which was meagre to say the least. This young man was astride a Dawes-Kingpin-shaped-object as manufactured by Universal, except for one thing: the plate where the frame folded had been welded on at an incorrect angle. This ensured that the wheels were not in the same plane, or even in parallel planes. One angled to the right and the other to the left. How he managed to ride it I never really understood as the bike should really have been sold to a circus clown. I'd like to see Wobbly John make such a bike and ride it.

*They sponsored Southend United Football Club at one time and I believe that part of the ground is the Universal Cycles Stand. I've never seen a bike in it though.

Footnote: I believe that the make of bicycle known as "Laser Custom" was officially the Worst Bicycle Ever Manufactured, and received a Design Centre kite mark for its extraordinary efforts in this niche market.
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Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #33 on: 09 November, 2014, 06:26:58 pm »
Footnote: I believe that the make of bicycle known as "Laser Custom" was officially the Worst Bicycle Ever Manufactured, and received a Design Centre kite mark for its extraordinary efforts in this niche market.

Worse than an Itera? :o
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #34 on: 09 November, 2014, 07:04:29 pm »
There's one of those (well, used to be) chained up outside a bike shop in Oldham.

Last time I saw it the plastic was beginning to crumble like poor quality uPVC windows that have been in the sun.
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #35 on: 18 November, 2014, 06:50:45 pm »
Another 'customer' seems addicted to baling wire,

In Kiwi folklore, anything can be fixed with no. 8 fencing wire.
Don't they have cable ties down there?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #36 on: 19 November, 2014, 10:41:50 am »
There's one of those (well, used to be) chained up outside a bike shop in Oldham.

Last time I saw it the plastic was beginning to crumble like poor quality uPVC windows that have been in the sun.

Which is basically what they are made out of, hence the problems they have.  A definite case of a good idea badly implemented.  Shame on you, Volvo.
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #37 on: 19 November, 2014, 09:11:57 pm »
There's a couple of Instagram tags that are worth a look if you fancy a laugh

#yourbikehatesyou
#bikeshopbingo

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #38 on: 19 November, 2014, 09:24:14 pm »
Saw this somewhere else


Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #39 on: 19 November, 2014, 10:20:33 pm »
Took me a moment to see it, but once I did  :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #40 on: 20 November, 2014, 07:12:22 am »
It's an inspection port.  Ever wonder if the bolt is still there?

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #41 on: 20 November, 2014, 03:55:14 pm »
I wonder if they are a Stem half empty or a Stem half full sort of person.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #42 on: 23 November, 2014, 12:06:12 am »
I once fixed a similar one at the first control of a ride. The owner had done some fettling the night before and taken the steerer clamping set screws right out, then refitteded them the wrong way around, They were nice n tight and doing nothing.

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #43 on: 24 November, 2014, 01:38:17 am »
The best/worst bodge I've done was when I lost the balls out of both bearing on the right hand wheel of my Carry Freedom trailer while on tour this summer.
I had done around 3,500 miles with it loose after I crashed on the Serbian side of the Iron Gates gorge before it finally gave up the ghost on the German-Netherlands boarder.
I was hoping it would get me home.
When I finally took the bolt off which holds the wheel on I could see that the inner bearing has no balls left in it at all and the outer bearing had only about half the balls left which just fell out without the nut to hold them in place  ......   :facepalm:
I couldn't get the old races out of the wheel because with only the outer races left in the wheel there was no ledge to get anything against to knock them out.
Luckily I was only 60 miles from Quakenbruk in Germany where the main dealer is.
How to get there after sending them an e-mail.
 Bus or Cycle ??
Cycle ...  :thumbsup:
So I bodged both bearings to get there.
The inner bearing came out of the center of my handlebars as they are held in place on two sealed bearings of the right size, so I used one out of there.
That went on the axle and the wheel was placed on it the wrong was around so the bearing fitted inside the nut recess in the hub.
Then a mix of spacers went in, both from the old wheel and handles bars.
This let me make the outer bearing out of a plain M12 washer .....  :o
This was fixed by the spacers so it was in the middle of the old outer race.
This not only gave something for the wheel to run on but also stopped the wheel from just sliding off the axle.
The wheel was still a bit loose on the axle but it turned.
It took my a day and a half but that bodge got my to Quakenbruk under my own power, where I got two new wheels.

Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #44 on: 26 November, 2014, 03:33:58 pm »
There's one of those (well, used to be) chained up outside a bike shop in Oldham.

Last time I saw it the plastic was beginning to crumble like poor quality uPVC windows that have been in the sun.


Ah yes, outside the rather splendidly named Skidmores Cycles.

I remember that appearing in the 1980s (about 83?), I've not seen the shop for a few years, but Google caught that bike still there in 2012:-
https://goo.gl/maps/ZgTrS

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #45 on: 07 February, 2015, 11:12:36 am »
I expect it's "extremely rare" for a reason.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #46 on: 09 February, 2015, 09:23:27 pm »
Another one . . .

W T F ? Seriously.

Obviously the 'designer' missed the lecture on triangulation . . .
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Worst bodges you've come across ?
« Reply #47 on: 09 February, 2015, 09:26:28 pm »
I think the 'designer' of that one might have been eg Karl Lagerfeld or Yves St Laurent.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.