Why are they so ugly?

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
Psamathe
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Psamathe »

Mick F wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 10:40am The ugliness (to me at least) is the lack of colour and bling.
They look something like the army would use.

I can cope with the geometry I suppose, but black, grey, matt, brown, dark ............ I cannot cope with.
Interesting 'cos I also think it's "ugly" but for completely different reasons. My personal preference is for black/matt/dark and personal choice is no bling (I can spend ages seeking out components/accessories that are black rather than shiny/chrome (to go on my black bike).

But then I also have strong preferences for certain features e.g. I far prefer horizontal top tube rather than sloping - I suspect the reason goes back to my childhood when bikes were like that (horizontal top tube). I can't justify that preference atall, just the way I react to designs. And I admit it's daft.

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Audax67
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Audax67 »

Ditto for the horizontal top tube: it allows you to carry two 1-litre bottles and extract them easily. I can get a 1-litre bottle into the rear cage of my carbon butterfly, but only in a side-extraction cage, and then it falls over sideways into my calf half the ride.
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Jdsk
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Jdsk »

Oldjohnw wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 7:38am The simple fact is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Whoever first had that thought probably didn't have a bike, although they might have seen a chariot . : - )

But the author of this was very keen on cycling:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Oldjohnw »

Jdsk wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 3:52pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 7:38am The simple fact is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Whoever first had that thought probably didn't have a bike, although they might have seen a chariot . : - )

But the author of this was very keen on cycling:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

Jonathan
Wasn't that William Morris?
John
Jdsk
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Jdsk »

Oldjohnw wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 4:41pm
Jdsk wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 3:52pm
Oldjohnw wrote: 5 Sep 2021, 7:38am The simple fact is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Whoever first had that thought probably didn't have a bike, although they might have seen a chariot . : - )

But the author of this was very keen on cycling:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
Wasn't that William Morris?
It was. And I'm sure that that he'd include sheds with houses. : - )

"Cycling around Kelmscott"
https://williammorrisunbound.blogspot.c ... scott.html

... Morris emerges as an intrepid cyclist, braving the most inclement conditions on two wheels: ' riding home from the station in inky darkness, my lamp blown out, and no possibility of lighting again - wondering which was ditch and which was road - all this was the best part of the day'.

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Oldjohnw »

Probably all bikes are useful. Some are beautiful.
John
jb
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by jb »

Carbon fiber bikes are ugly and ride with an ugly noise. So why shouldn't ebikes be ugly?
Is there some cycling snobbery that dictates that only carbon fibre bikes are allowed to be ugly. Carbon fibre owners should be prepared to share there ugliness and rejoice in having embraced their ugly brethren with open oversized chunky arms.
So there!
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Audax67
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Audax67 »

Lots of steel bikes were black as your hat when I was a nipper and nobody puked at them. What I hated was the 1990s craze for partially chromed forks: along with a gaudy paint job they looked whorish.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
atoz
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by atoz »

Quel surprise, a Bianchi. Mind you even some Bianchi can be ugly- someone I know at work has a rather ugly hybrid.

Spotted a Specialized ebike recently and was equally attractive. Trouble is they are on the pricey side..
Syd wrote: 4 Sep 2021, 9:34am Not all ebikes are ugly.

E.g.

Image

But I agree some certainly are

Image
Gangzoom
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Gangzoom »

My commuter eBike no worse or better than any hybrid. The difference is with electrical assistance, I don't mind the weight of multiple lights, lock, heavy duty commuting tyres, and actually can use my bike to commute to work even in rain/darkness etc rather than using the car.

Image

Image
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Your gonna luv this then :P
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Vetus Ossa
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Vetus Ossa »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 13 Nov 2021, 11:20pm Hi,
Your gonna luv this then :P
I think that deserves a whole new category, I think it’s interestingly ugly, in fact I quite like it :)
Beauty will save the world.
Nigel
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by Nigel »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 13 Nov 2021, 11:20pm Hi,
Your gonna luv this then :P
Is it the Derny bike for off-road Kierin's ?
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Nigel wrote: 14 Nov 2021, 2:07pm
NATURAL ANKLING wrote: 13 Nov 2021, 11:20pm Hi,
Your gonna luv this then :P
Is it the Derny bike for off-road Kierin's ?
Is that a serious question :)
Honda CT90/110-
I want one, sorry to digress :)
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loafer
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Re: Why are they so ugly?

Post by loafer »

:D :D this is mine and she is a beauty
20210722_142441.jpg
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