Re: [CR]What is the worst bike component ever made?

(Example: Framebuilders)

Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 09:58:12 -0800
From: "Brian Baylis" <rocklube@adnc.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]What is the worst bike component ever made?
References: <3ABE2AFF.1B2A9377@erim-int.com>


Leonard,

My vote would be for the first generation Canmy Syncro indexing system and the Campy clipless pedals of the original design.

Brian Baylis
>
> After all this discussion of the pinnacle of lightweights, how about
> something completely different. I've always been more interested in
> failures than successes, so what was the worst bike part? I want to
> exclude junk made for department store bikes, but rather discuss parts
> made for good bikes by companies who should have known better.
>
> My nominee is the Columbus microadjusting seatpost. This thing was very
> light, but their engineer must have been on vacation when they designed
> it. The post uses a ball and socket arangement with a single bolt to
> tighten it. There is a very small screw on the front to adhust the
> tilt. The problem with this design is that there is nothing to
> constrain the saddle from tilting to the side or to the back. If you
> happen to be sitting and hit a bump, the saddle moves. As it's hard to
> pedal with the right side of the saddle 2 inches below the left, the
> rider has to stop, get out the allen wrench and readjust. It was
> impossible to get the bolt tight enough to prevent this. After three
> weeks with this piece of garbage, I bought a Campy NR seatpost which
> remains my favorite Campy component.
>
> Leonard Bulger
> Ann Arbor, MI
> A small amount of snow.