Worst piece of kit you ever bought

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
David9694
Posts: 908
Joined: 10 Feb 2018, 8:42am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by David9694 »

Dingdong wrote: 13 May 2022, 5:20am Benotto bar tape. Plastic neon coloured rubbish. Frayed at one end then unravelled all at once.

And it was absolutely gripless :lol:
Yours for for £45!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265449473367
Spa Audax Ti Ultegra; Genesis Equilibrium 853; Raleigh Record Ace 1983; “Raleigh Competition”, “Raleigh Gran Sport 1982”; “Allegro Special”, Bob Jackson tourer, Ridley alu step-through with Swytch front wheel; gravel bike from an MB Dronfield 531 frame.
backnotes
Posts: 615
Joined: 16 Jan 2011, 8:36am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by backnotes »

hufty wrote: 12 May 2022, 5:23pmMy suggestions would be those bicycle footpumps where you put a foot on the unit and pulled repeatedly on a webbing strap to turn a compressor until either the tyre was half inflated or the unit broke.
Seconded! I’d forgotten this but it is still lying on a shelf. Brilliantly useless. Warning about overuse and the judder as you pull the cord. Too small to steady with your foot. Ridiculously short springy hose that angles and depresses the valve core. Dial with ranges for “Children” “Mountain” and “Road”. Oh, and you can’t pump tyres up to any useful pressure with it. Apart from that, it is wonderful.

Thanks for reminding me I once paid good money for this!


Not the best ever bike pump……
Not the best ever bike pump……
rotavator
Posts: 987
Joined: 6 Jun 2016, 9:50pm
Location: North Wales

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by rotavator »

backnotes wrote: 13 May 2022, 2:47pm
hufty wrote: 12 May 2022, 5:23pmMy suggestions would be those bicycle footpumps where you put a foot on the unit and pulled repeatedly on a webbing strap to turn a compressor until either the tyre was half inflated or the unit broke.
Seconded! I’d forgotten this but it is still lying on a shelf. Brilliantly useless. Warning about overuse and the judder as you pull the cord. Too small to steady with your foot. Ridiculously short springy hose that angles and depresses the valve core. Dial with ranges for “Children” “Mountain” and “Road”. Oh, and you can’t pump tyres up to any useful pressure with it. Apart from that, it is wonderful.

Thanks for reminding me I once paid good money for this!

4AF8DB25-9694-4328-839B-DF94B38BC592.jpeg

Thirded! I too had forgotten that piece of junk that I wasted my hard earned money on.
User avatar
PedallingSquares
Posts: 547
Joined: 13 Mar 2022, 11:01am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by PedallingSquares »

toontra wrote: 12 May 2022, 7:59pm
PedallingSquares wrote: 11 May 2022, 11:49pm Castelli Perfetto jacket.
Neither warm nor waterproof worst £150 I've spent.
Hah - they would be in my "best ever bought" list. They're not marketed as being waterproof or for very low temps.
Castelli lists these features:
- Fully aero, fully breathable and fully protected
- Gore® Windstopper® X-Lite Plus fabric for lightweight total wind protection with water-repellent finish
- Nano Flex fabric insert under arms
- Storm-flap construction with reflective logo at back protects from wheel spray
- Silicone gripper at waist prevents ride-up
- Full-length YKK® Vislon® zipper with wind flap
- 3 rear pockets with laser-cut drain holes
- Weight: 386g (claimed; 332g actual in medium)
It's neither wind resistant nor water repellant, and below 10° even with a baselayer I find it useless.The wind cuts right through it/me!
I wear it as a baselayer with a Roubaix jacket on top in Autumn/winter.Very,very expensive baselayer!
I was recommended it as I don't wear hardshell outer layers but it is absolutely useless in anything but a very light shower. :roll: :?
toontra
Posts: 1182
Joined: 21 Dec 2007, 11:01am
Location: London

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by toontra »

We'll have to agree to disagree. They're definitely windproof and showerproof. I have 3 of varying designs and ages and have been tested in all conditions.

The terms windproof and showerproof are relative, so it's an individual judgement as to whether they meet your expectations. They exceed mine - can be used from 5-15c (i.e. average spring/autumn and warmer winter days) and will protect you from an unexpected shower if cared for correctly. Top quality manufacturing and styling also.

Never paid £150 though. Bought on deals between £70 and £90.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36764
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by thirdcrank »

Assuming a Goretex jacket hasn't been damaged I'd suggest that any apparent water penetration is condensation, which will usually form on the inside part of the garment exactly where it's wet outside ie usually the front on a cycling jacket.
User avatar
PedallingSquares
Posts: 547
Joined: 13 Mar 2022, 11:01am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by PedallingSquares »

toontra wrote: 13 May 2022, 7:37pm The terms windproof and showerproof are relative, so it's an individual judgement as to whether they meet your expectations.
Not really.I have other jackets/jerseys using the same Gore-windstopper and they do what they say they do.The Perfetto doesn't IME!
Castelli claim 'total windblock' so there's nothing subjective about their claim.Water repellant coating could be taken as subjective but every other garment I have that is water repellant beads water intially before it's repellancy is overcome.The Perfetto doesn't bead at all but merely soaks water up.I thought I might have a dud but speaking to others who have them it seems mine is not a one off!
thirdcrank wrote: 13 May 2022, 7:49pm Assuming a Goretex jacket hasn't been damaged I'd suggest that any apparent water penetration is condensation, which will usually form on the inside part of the garment exactly where it's wet outside ie usually the front on a cycling jacket.
It isn't Gore-tex.It uses Gore-Windstopper fabric.
I've had enough waterproof hard shells and soft shells to know the difference between condensation and water ingress from rain :wink: The Perfetto,or at least my Perfetto is no more water resistant than a cotton t-shirt.
David9694
Posts: 908
Joined: 10 Feb 2018, 8:42am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by David9694 »

https://www.reelight.com/collections/ba ... _by=manual

Perhaps I had an inferior copy of this
Attachments
Reelight - if it worked, wouldn’t it have caught on a bit more?
Reelight - if it worked, wouldn’t it have caught on a bit more?
Spa Audax Ti Ultegra; Genesis Equilibrium 853; Raleigh Record Ace 1983; “Raleigh Competition”, “Raleigh Gran Sport 1982”; “Allegro Special”, Bob Jackson tourer, Ridley alu step-through with Swytch front wheel; gravel bike from an MB Dronfield 531 frame.
David9694
Posts: 908
Joined: 10 Feb 2018, 8:42am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by David9694 »

Ever Ready - the bad old days
Ever Ready - the bad old days
How ever we did we all survive?
Spa Audax Ti Ultegra; Genesis Equilibrium 853; Raleigh Record Ace 1983; “Raleigh Competition”, “Raleigh Gran Sport 1982”; “Allegro Special”, Bob Jackson tourer, Ridley alu step-through with Swytch front wheel; gravel bike from an MB Dronfield 531 frame.
User avatar
Cowsham
Posts: 4951
Joined: 4 Nov 2019, 1:33pm

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by Cowsham »

David9694 wrote: 13 May 2022, 9:37pm 9F249516-8D78-4A3A-B860-154BA5AEAA30.jpeg

How ever we did we all survive?
I remember
I am here. Where are you?
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by mattsccm »

I must defend Benotto tape. Bombproof. You knew it had no padding so that doesn't count.
I'll contribute an Aldi softshell jacket. My first was great. The second, apparently the same was as "breathable" as a bin bag despite the blurb on the label.
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by mattsccm »

But I must condemn every strip of bar tape finishing tape I have ever come across. It is always way to stiff to cope nicely with the two different levels you have to cover.
pwa
Posts: 17357
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by pwa »

mattsccm wrote: 14 May 2022, 7:23am But I must condemn every strip of bar tape finishing tape I have ever come across. It is always way to stiff to cope nicely with the two different levels you have to cover.
Correct.
Nearholmer
Posts: 3898
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by Nearholmer »

How ever we did we all survive?
I thought I’d enjoyed cycling years ago, but that picture resurfaced so many bad memories that I must have been suppressing.

Until seeing it, I remembered sunny days, hills conquered, trips to the seaside, that sort of thing.

Now I’m thinking rain, snow, darkness, flogging up a very big hill after a long day at work and evening classes, batteries that last all of two minutes, switches that didn’t, water ingress, and much more.

Nostalgia.
User avatar
Invicta Tourist
Posts: 221
Joined: 19 Jul 2009, 10:18am

Re: Worst piece of kit you ever bought

Post by Invicta Tourist »

The Pneu Force bicycle pump back in the 1990's. It sounded a good idea- clip the bottom of the pump to the left chain stay, add the flexible connector, attach other end of the connector to the valve, then pump up the tyre.

The problem was that even when exerting a fair amount of pressure to the handle, no air made it's way from pump to inner tube. It's as if the connector was blocked.
Post Reply