TVM Hall of Shame Inductees
The Team Chef
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Last month I awarded the prestigious TVM Seal of Approval to some of my favorite gear. It’s only fair that I present the other side of the coin, so without further adieu, here are the inaugural inductees into the TVM Hall of Shame:
Cane Creek Headsets
I just figured that headsets were supposed to wear out every three years. Mine always did. That all changed when I switched over to Chris King. Imagine my surprise when I learned that one headset could actually last for 10 plus years. As it turned out, my run of bad luck was due to the crap put out by Cane Creek. I couldn’t tell you which models, but they were certainly on the high end of their product totem pole, as they were almost always part of any high-end bike purchase which included components such as Shimano Ultegra or Dura- Ace.
I recently ordered a frameset with an integrated headset. Chris King doesn’t make internal headsets, and probably never will, so I was expecting the worst. To my relief the one specced for my frame was made by FSA, rather than Cane Creek. Guess what was actually in the head tube when the frame arrived? I must have done something to piss off the cycling gods. I’ll eventually buy that FSA in a couple of years, as I’m certainly going to need a replacement for the provided Cane Creek model; there is no chance in hell it will last until my next bike purchase. I suppose some comfort can be taken in knowing I’m not the only one who isn’t exactly a raving fan of this company.
CicloSport HAC 4
This purchase was a $350 mistake. It looked nice, was field tested and endorsed by Lance and Co., had altimeter functions, a built in heart rate monitor, and best of all, a power meter which didn’t rely on a) a transmitter held in place with a spider web of cables and zip ties, or b) expensive custom built wheels laced to a hub transmitter, or c) expensive proprietary cranks. Yes indeed, the HAC 4 seemed like a technological miracle, and the best buy on the market. Fantastic German engineering pedigree aside, this thing was a piece of crap. Here's the low-down: 1) it was extremely difficult to set-up, 2) if the fork sensor wasn’t a perfect 1mm from the spoke magnet, and aligned just right, the readings on the monitor were erratic, 3) the power readings were nowhere near accurate, and 4) the altimeter just stopped working after a couple of months. My HAC 4 was still under warranty, so it was shipped back to Germany. That was three years ago, and I’m still waiting for a replacement. I understand there is now a HAC 5 on the market…
Hutchinson Carbon Comp Tires
Bar none, the worst tires I’ve ever used. My first pair made it to maybe the 300 mile mark before suffering a nasty sidewall cut on the rear tire, rendering it useless. I figured it was just bad luck, didn’t blame the tires, and decided to give them another try. The Carbon Comps were a screaming deal at my local Performance shop for only $25. Besides, these were the same tires that Postal had used in the Tour de France, and if they were good enough for a pro team, they’d certainly be more than adequate for me.
The first ride after installing the new rear tire I got four flats within 25 miles from home. Four! No, nothing was imbedded in the tire; all the punctures were in different spots. Several rides later the front tire suffered the same fate as the original rear – a nasty sidewall tear, which couldn’t be repaired. This tire is no longer made. Gee, wonder why? I suppose I deserved this bad luck for switching from my beloved Continental Grand Prix 3000s (now 4000).
Trek 5900
I used to own a ‘03 Trek 5900. This was the model Postal, and Lance, used en route to victory the ’02 Tour de France. It was also the bike Roberto Heras rode to claim the top step of the podium in the ‘03 Vuelta. At the time, it could be argued that the 5900 was the leader in the production bike food chain. It’s a shame Trek had skimped on the final finishing touches to their flagship model.
Now, before you all start branding me as a weekend warrior, cult of Armstrong, wannabe “real” bike rider, a little explanation is in order. My club at the time offered a 10% discount at a shop that sold Treks. This particular shop also happened to have a 5900 Interbike floor model, which combined with my discount, I was able to basically steal for $2700 – full Dura-Ace, and top of the line Bontrager Race X Light wheels (which I still use) to boot. Basically, I got the frame and fork for free. The bike retailed for over $4500, so it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. With that explanation, I can only hope my roadie credentials have not suffered permanent, irreparable damage. For the record, I have never owned, or worn, a Postal/ Disco jersey. Of course, none of you would judge another cyclist by the bike they ride, or the clothes they wear, right?
Okay, back to the topic at hand, which is Trek’s crappy frame detailing on bike for which many folks did pay almost five grand (with tax). First, the fork dropouts were made out of carbon, and received the same paint and prep work applied to the rest of the fork. Nothing special was done to protect this area from extra abuse it inevitably takes. Just think how many times a front wheel is removed to place a bike in a roof rack, or to repair a flat. In time the paint started to crack, chip, and peel; this eye soar eventually working its way up the length of the fork blades.
Next, for whatever reason (I’m sure it involved cost) Trek was in love with adorning their bikes with tons of decals, in place of paint. Maybe they were trying to force people to go with their custom Project One paint jobs, or maybe Lance liked the sticker look. Whatever the reason, they should have put more than a just a thin layer of clear coat over the damn things, as the even the slightest scratches would leave nasty gashes, especially on the white “Trek” logos.
Lastly, the paint around the rear brake cable guides on the top tube started to crack, chip, and peel, just like on the fork dropouts.
All told, after my four years of ownership, and tender loving care I might add, the frame looked rather victimized.
As a special value-added bonus, the 5900 came equipped with a proprietary Cane Creak headset. Trek had brilliantly engineered the bike with different head tube diameters. When the original part needed replacing, which of course it did after a couple of years, two different size headsets were required (Chris King x 2 at $120 a pop).
Anyway, I’m sure Trek has rectified all the minor cosmetic issues with their multi-million dollar R&D budget, so rest assured, your five grand will now buy you a bike that not only offers “superior performance with a superior ride quality,” but will still look nice three years hence. As for those pesky proprietary parts, here’s Trek’s marketing spin on the new Madone: there are “no constraints or compromises, and no demands to follow industry standards for bottom brackets, headsets, and seatposts.” I’m sure the next wave of these charming innovations will bless us all with such things as proprietary bottle cages, pedals, seats, wheels, and components. My life will sure be a lot more simple knowing all my bike parts can be supplied by just one manufacturer.
How do they keep attracting new customers? Virtually every forum in existence has had extended rants on this company’s atrocious service. I know we are all desperate for live race coverage, but how can anyone fork over money for a subscription knowing this, this, and this (see paragraph four). Not only do I refuse to give them my money, but I won’t even give them a link on this site.
Honorary Inductee: The Assos ss.13 jersey
I have no qualms paying over $150 for bib shorts; this is one piece of clothing where buying cheap doesn’t make much sense. What I don’t understand is how a short sleeve bike jersey can possibly justify a price tag of over $250, but just to prove there is at least one non-biased fan of the garment, here is a review from Bicycling.com.
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