Chris Boardman bikes- kinda retro in away..what do you think

[passiflora]

So Iv'e heard some good things about these (yes I know they are sold at halfords)

Personally, I dont see what makes em any different from anything else ( alu frames for a start)

What has Chris added to this mix exactly?. Is it just his name and nothing else?.

Also does a Roadie, have the first clue about designing mountain bikes?.

Should a mountain biker design road bikes?.

Does the fact your a good cyclist make for a good designer ( I think not btw)

COOL CHIMPS...Passiflora

 

[tintin40]

Looks to me he has just sold his name.
mtb makers have made good road bikes like Klein, fat chance

 

[kaiser]

Later in his career he did do some magazine bike testing and he was fanatical about detail as a rider. Talking road bikes obviously. From what I can garner the bikes are fantastic value for the level of kit on them with some frames being up to the mark, others less so but generally all being in the good bracket. They seem to be a favourite for donor bikes, buy them strip the kit and sell the frame.

 

[red_riviera]

I don't think anyone is claiming Chris designed them, but he probably had a big hand in approving the designs.

He was well known for being pretty fastidious about his own equipment and ergonomics in general ... from what I've seen of the Boardman bikes they seem to have good attention to detail. Certainly a cut above what Halfords normally flog.

 

[bryan555]

IMHO being a cyclist doesn't make you a designer, but doesn't stop you being a designer ether!

In which case it doesn't matter if you ride road bikes, BMX or mountain biker. If you're a good designer/engineer you will be able to create a good product. Research, design, prototype, test, redesign etc. You could be a cyclist, then have a career change and design superb fridges, if you have the talent and passion about fridges to do so.

Using the Boardman name is certainly a marketing driven move, but I have no idea how much involvement the fella actually has. He seemed to be very involved with the design of his lotus built carbon creation BITD, but I can't see much of that innovation in the production bikes. I don't think less of the guy for using his name to sell products, he's not the first, and wont be the last. It would be different if the products were crap, but they seem OK. If it was my name I would want the products to be superb, but perhaps he thinks they are (and who am I to judge?).

I've heard good things about them, they seem a fairly good deal, but don't do anything for me.

 

[Steve Kish]

My friend tells me that the CB carbon frames have a very high content of fibreglass and only qualify by a whisker to be graded as a carbon frame.

He heard this from a reputable shop in south London that makes it's own carbon frames, so may just be sales-bitching! :roll:

 

[Stick Legs]

Most 'Carbon Fibre' is pretty much Fibreglass anyway. Only the really good stuff is 'proper'. Those 'carbon' bonnets for track cars, 'carbon' trim in the sportiest of rep-sheds etc etc. Black fibreglass.

Structural stuff has to be good. Given the fact that the bikes are sold in the mainstream they are probably pretty over built.
I bet Look or LaPierre would not warranty a frame to a 18 stone bloke, but Halfords have to sell to all comers. So Ironicly the Boardman bay be stronger than a Look, thouh it also weighs a bit more to account for this.

If it is fiberglass so what, I have a 1991 carrera epic (501 tubed road gate) which many folk bitd would not have spat on. Now I'm sure the only 501 tube on it is the one with the sticker on, it also weighs a lot more than my DynaTech Ti. It does ride beatifully and makes a great daily rider. My point is, maybe (if there is one) that you get what you pay for. If the Boardman's are cheap enough to but for the groupset then give 'em a go. If you don't like it then up grade the frame later.

 

[FSR-Si]

Ive just got a 2010 boardman, The pro mountain bike hardtail version and i have to say its a fantastic piece of kit, the spec of it is top notch and the frame is so sweet to ride it reminds me of my klein from yester year. I dont know if Chris had much to do with the design or spec of the bikes but i cant honestly say a thing wrong about mine, plus i dont think theres a component on it that i would change.....yet

All in all for a £1000 i think my boardman was a bargain.

 

[Don't walk]

He's involved with the equipment that the GB track team use, so he knows what to specify for a bike to suit riders. How much influence he has on the bikes with his name on it I'm not sure but they seem to be getting good reviews and comments so they can't be to bad.

 

[REKIBorter]

The thing that would stop me buying one is that everyone would know you bought it from Halfords.