Ugly modern bikes

[NeilM]

Re:

I have a carbon KTM which I bought as an all year round training bike. I chose it very carefully based on spec, price and weight, I wasn't after ultra light, I wanted to match the 8kgs of my Rourke, which I did.

It's a nice looking bike, moulded in the right places to take full advantage of the carbon, supple enough not to rattle my fillings out on the country roads I ride and stiff enough to allow the meagre amounts of power my legs produce to propel me at a half way sensible pace. The rest of my bikes are steel, save the Zaskar I built in 1995.

There are some nice looking carbon bikes out there, and comparing a skinny steel frame to a cutting edge time trial bike is not really comparing like with like.

 

[t47b]

Re:

As a designer over thirty years, 1975-2005, I experienced the change in design and saw the effects of the medium chosen and its affect on outcome from the results achieved with what was possible with a pencil and brush to the results with magic markers to the computer. A client was in awe of the first two methods of design, the artist was in charge, until the introduction of computers.

The computer offers what appears to be endless choice but is a palette which determines the outcome, add to this the client involvement where they too can 'use' a computer and easily make changes and the computer becomes design by committee, the artist becomes a machine operator and the end result is aesthetically a camel!

I also taught design and saw first hand the changeover of designer to Mac operator. Students could no longer use a pencil, as this was seen as an unnecessary stage in design so couldn't envisage the outcome until it appeared on screen by which time they no longer had the discernment to judge results.

Add to this the general decline in the standard of education and the 'need' for everyone to be in higher education regardless of ability and you get - fugly design

Designed by an 'artist', Alois Imholz...

 

[ibbz]

Re: Re:

As a designer over thirty years, 1975-2005, I experienced the change in design and saw the effects of the medium chosen and its affect on outcome from the results achieved with what was possible with a pencil and brush to the results with magic markers to the computer. A client was in awe of the first two methods of design, the artist was in charge, until the introduction of computers.

The computer offers what appears to be endless choice but is a palette which determines the outcome, add to this the client involvement where they too can 'use' a computer and easily make changes and the computer becomes design by committee, the artist becomes a machine operator and the end result is aesthetically a camel!

I also taught design and saw first hand the changeover of designer to Mac operator. Students could no longer use a pencil, as this was seen as an unnecessary stage in design so couldn't envisage the outcome until it appeared on screen by which time they no longer had the discernment to judge results.

Add to this the general decline in the standard of education and the 'need' for everyone to be in higher education regardless of ability and you get - fugly design

Designed by an 'artist', Alois Imholz...

Brilliant post, detailed simple explanation . Thank you, couldn't ask for anything else.

Take the human element out and one is left with soulless empty clinical function.

 

[t47b]

Re:

Cheers for that!

I think empty and soulless summed up some of my students too

I also own a modern cube road bike which was is as they say "All bikes are designed by our own engineers in the ‘Cube Innovation Centre’ (CIC) in Waldershof, Germany"...

...as they say designed by an engineer.

 

[Blackbike]

Re:

The GT Grade Carbon, not as bad as some, at least this is something I would like to test ride.

: Mike

 

[Old Kit]

I am in total agreement with mattsccm about the "Black Death" particularly wheels.

I love to see a really nice pair of shiny wheels with the sun glinting off spokes hubs and rims.

I was recently looking for some 650b rims in silver, not quite hens teeth! but not far off.

Oh well, that's life I suppose.

Cheers Kit

 

[Ian Raleigh]

Only modernish bike I have is this Wilier! Alloy frame & Carbon forks.

Its pretty responsive, gears change precisely & smooth - brakes are firm but had three serious problems with it!

Bottom bracket bearings seized up & collapsed [no grease]
Lower headset bearing seized up [no grease]
Campagnolo rear mech' broke.

 

[sheggers]

Re:

I couldn't agree more on modern bikes. But I think that about most modern things - cars, stereos, etc etc. Maybe it's just my age. I know my steel bikes have their makers logos, but modern rides seem so much more intent in plastering logos all over it and making sure everyone knows who made each component. Thank god they made so many steel bikes to lust over on the 2nd hand market.

 

[bagpuss]

Re:

Steel is like a good old valve amp .....it gives you a warm feeling .

 

[ibbz]

Re: Re:

The GT Grade Carbon, not as bad as some, at least this is something I would like to test ride.

: Mike

This is an example of something which I don't like the look of. It's better looking than many other examples as it has that GT style frame but it just looks like an MTB - the aero formed black carbon looks like plastic.
The styling is trying too hard and it doesn't work. I love the aluminium polished GT Zaskar and similar classics of yore - but not this.

The other complaints I have is with the levers- resembling bull MTB bar ends more than ever - sacrificing that Race'r sleekness for brutality.

The AHead stem system is another MTB innovation and makes it front heavy and thick

This is uniform throughout modern carbon bikedom