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I'd offer up almost any tyre brand as bringing out quite 'marmite' opinions.
At some point people are going to buy the wrong tyre for their weight/riding style/local mud and have views about that experience, especially if it ruins a trip/ride. Likewise, at some point they'll find something that works for them and rave about it. And no one is ever going to agree.
I'm currently trying to choose new tyres.
exploiting the sport for their own commercial gain
name a sponsor that doesn't. You can both promote a sport, and exploit it for gain.
not a brand, but steel full suspension frames must be marmite.
You've got all I had:
Orange
Santa Cruz
Hunt Wheels
Not parts, but still bike industry
Influencers we love to hate thread? I'm not going to be the one to start it.
@thols2 it's not a variation on a theme, they straight up ripped off both Hope and DW.
All engineering is basically a variation on existing designs. The DW link and Giant Maestro are both variations on upper and lower control arm suspension
would it not depend on what the patent says?
trek also ripped off a DW design. big companies know who can’t take them to court and the bruhaha surrounding the small but renowned company’s protest add kudos to you product.
amusingly trek went after GT when they decided that the updated idrive platform infringed the patents for the maverick monolink.
Specialized. Who tries to trademark “Roubaix” and close a cafe? I still have my T- shirt. Some great bikes and same interesting paint schemes (s- works).
See also Cannondale and 'Freeride'.
I'd definitely say Yeti.
Can honestly say my 575 was probably my favourite bike ever but I know
most people would say they make hugely expensive bikes that they wouldn't touch for a variety of reasons. Shame they didnt make an updated version of the 575 instead of the sb66 which ate bearings for breakfast.
I think they are just another big corporate exploiting the sport for their own commercial gain
but you are fine with smaller companies doing the same? At what size should they bow out?
I have no problem per se, its more the endless way many appear to think their involvement with DH was some form of act of charity when it is clearly a calculated commercial decision
Who does that? I don't think anyone fools themselves that Red Bull are in it out of the goodness of their hearts but DH coverage was in a far better place when they left than when they started. Yes Freecaster was there first and that shouldn't be forgotten but Red Bull had the money to invest. Their broadcast model is also more accessible than the current incumbents.
Yeti is a good shout. Hired an sb150c in Whistler and it's probably the best bike I've ever ridden.
But I wouldn't buy one
Orange have always seemed to attract some absolute nutters. Like, fanboys are one thing, I am one, but "it's not enough that I believe my bike is the bestest, I also have to believe your bike is bad" There was that guy on here that was convinced his Five was better than all other trailbikes because it could do 4 foot drops who sort of personified that for me, but equally you get the people who have to believe that servicing a multi-link bike is brain surgery, or who keep saying "oranges are bombproof" and just somehow ignore all the fives that broke across the BB shell or all the alpines that broke their swingarms or all the 224s and stages that broke absolutely everywhere.
Why would anyone dislike Chris King stuff? It’s expensive but also beautifully made.
I've a couple of sets of CK hubs, and a headset or two. They're okay, but I'm not blown away by them - need more maintenance than other hubs (it's not a lot, and it's not hard to do, but they still require attention where others don't), and I was very unimpressed by them stopping making axles for their iso hubs.
But I wouldn’t buy one
I'm on my second, and it's no more bother (so far) than any other hardtail I've owned, the last was a ARS-C 5 and that was no bother either. I think like many of these things, That Yetis are hard to look after has become a bit of a meme.
Hope components, generic machined stuff with a decent marketing budget. The slowest rolling hubs around and poorly designed cranks. Admittedly the new pro 5 seems much better and I’d like a go on the frame
Hope components, generic machined stuff with a decent marketing budget. The slowest rolling hubs around and poorly designed cranks. Admittedly the new pro 5 seems much better and I’d like a go on the frame
this isn’t a ‘brands I don’t like’ thread.
Who does that? I don’t think anyone fools themselves that Red Bull are in it out of the goodness of their hearts but DH coverage was in a far better place when they left than when they started.
Have you been on pb recently? I agree DH is better than when they took over. How much of that is down to the broadcaster is open to debate. It’s not like they organise the events
Is there only 1 shout for Crank Bros? Is that because everyone knows they're stuff is pretty much universally sh**?
Yep. No 'marmite' option. EVERYONE knows Crank Brothers stuff is shiiiite. Always.
Still running some original 50:50 pedals.
Not a brand as such, but deffo MTB marmite?
Have you been on pb recently?
Yeah.... And was impressed by your persistence given just about everything you said got down voted into oblivion.
Broken record, much?
And I'm inclined to agree with the majority view (i.e. not your view) that DH sucks more this year than it did last.
Specialized people want to hate the big corporate brand, the Ford of bikes.
But they make bloody good bikes
(I love Crank Bros pedals btw, never had an issue with my 2 sets of mallets 🙄)
Endura, local company, want to love it but almost every thing I've bought over the last 20 years hasn't been good enough.
Time, more specifically attac pedals. I love them, have them on all my bikes, road, MTB and gravel.
Others hate them.
The Rapha thing....I can only talk from personal experience but as someone who cannot afford (maybe I could but don't want or need to spend that much) it I just like taking the piss in a gentle manner out of riding mates...Rapha top and dhb shorts, did you get made redundant?!
I have a mate with a very rich father in law (the lucky git) and he gets Rapha vouchers at Xmas or whatever so he ends up going bike packing with a jersey that cost more than his frame etc..quite easy to laugh at that. The kit does seem good although I am still not sure I need to spend £100's on such marginal gains. Cycling kit now, even the budget stuff is soooo much better than it was 30 years ago and I used to ride further and faster then!
The Rapha thing
They are marmite fo'shure. I've some Rapha (I tend to buy in the sale) and it's wildly variable, some of it is genuinely good product at a decent price, some of it is clearly over priced mainstream polyester trading off of brand recognition. To be fair to them, 20 years ago they kicked the cyclewear market up the arse, and rising tides; all boats all that jazz, that we have such a broad market of good products that work well, and don't look like they were "designed" in a darkened room is at the very least Rapha's doing.
I never hated Orange but definitely didn't "get" them and looked down on them a bit for years until I bought one. Total convert now. Best fun bikes I've owned. But I'll never be buying one at RRP.
Not a brand as such, but deffo MTB marmite?
He's mellowed out a lot I think, probably with the satisfaction of having been proved right on so many things
😀
Time, more specifically attac pedals. I love them, have them on all my bikes, road, MTB and gravel.
I put Atac Freeriders on my gravel bike as a stopgap, they were the only clipless pedals I had.
I think they might be perfect for it though
😀
Specialized people want to hate the big corporate brand, the Ford of bikes.
But they make bloody good bikes
(I love Crank Bros pedals btw, never had an issue with my 2 sets of mallets 🙄)
I'd agree with the SBC point, same kind of goes for Trek, Giant and maybe these days Canyon(?). Big companies dominant in most areas of cycling lack the appeal of the "little guys" but annoyingly make some good kit and some affordable products thanks to working in volume. I don't want to like them but I own some of their products, and I'm very pleased with them... The corporate bastards!
I think CB/Time/Look/Shimano pedals all fall under the 'marmite' category as various people either love one system or another and several people seem to have have developed a dislike of some sort (rational or otherwise) for at least one of the other systems. I'm happy with Shimano pedals (road and MTB) and thus have no desire to find out if CB are as fragile as rumoured (hence they have their detractors). If it wasn't for the fact that I'd need to change cleats I'd maybe give Time a go, but I just can't be arsed, I know many Time fans reckon Shimano destroy knees.
Oooh best not forget speedplay, never tried them I know one chap who's utterly sold (because he had a bike fit and was told they were the bestest) looks at my SPD SL like they I've bolted turds to my cranks, bangs on about the advantages of double sided pedals and not needing to "flip 'n' clip" ignores me when I mention all my other bikes just use plain old M520s that cost about 1/5th as much as his stupid foot lollypops and basically do the same job...
Nowt better than getting tribal over bits of metal and plastic 😉
Funny that Rapha keep cropping up. I think they make the best looking MTB kit, but would never wear it because I can't see beyond the type of person (loaded MAMIL) I associate with the brand.
Things seemed to have quietened down now, but the German direct to consumer brands at one point seemed to be regarded as either the saviour or the end of the industry depending on your personal view point.
loaded MAMILs wear Cafe du Cyclist or MAAP round here, Rapha is mid price compared to these.
As a less loaded MAMIL, love my Rapha kit, their Core range, when bought in the sale is great value.
Rapha Powerweave bib shorts shit from a great height on any other bib shorts I've tried, and so they should for their cost.
Plenty of other expensive cycle clothing brands out there but none that have actual shops you can try on their kit nor that have the same warranty/repair IME.
Some of their budget kit isn't made of the nicest materials but it does fit and look nice though.
I think their RCC stuff is the real devisive Rapha range image wise IMO.
If I was riding long Audax events then I'd buy their Brevet kit. It's really well thought out but it is still eye watering expensive.
COVE was a bit of a weird one.
The kids went wild over owning one, the model names were lame as f.
They looked all ok but nothing that screamed mmmmmm, just a fancier looking slightly that is KONA.
I nearly bought one of the ano grey or purple stuffers from CRC when cheap at £170 odd. Must've just thought better of it and read a few reviews of them being overly stiff like a chameleon no doubt.
Hope deffo are overhyped products though a useful enough range with adaptors etc and BBS seem ok depending on proper fitment. Though at least they're doing their thing still and are UK made mostly.
It must be hard to get stick for chunks of CNC 'd alloy that breaks at times owing to the unknown quality of ally before it's worked on.
- I've never ridden an Orange though took a wee looked over a stage alpine thingy and it was lovely light and seemed great, I v nearly wanted make him an offer as looked like a hoot.
“He’s mellowed out a lot I think, probably with the satisfaction of having been proved right on so many things”
His only obvious misfire was being convinced the lower unsprung mass of 26” wheels was better. Shame no-one big has embraced the dual crown non-DH fork, if that could join modern geometry as a mainstream thing I’d be very happy.
His only obvious misfire was being convinced the lower unsprung mass of 26” wheels was better. Shame no-one big has embraced the dual crown non-DH fork, if that could join modern geometry as a mainstream thing I’d be very happy.
I know he's probably right about dual crown forks (I've owned a few DH bikes and I remember how great they felt), but I'm refusing to contemplate one for my enduro bike on financial grounds - and my Zeb honestly seems fine for my weight & style.
CP is great at responding to queries about EXT stuff over email, and I was thrilled to be personally treated to one of his product slatings when asking about progressive springs. And TBF he was quite right that I didn't need one on the Storia on my Orange.
Not a brand as such, but deffo MTB marmite?
Forget Chris Porter, those drop ear helmets are definitely marmite.
Specialized people want to hate the big corporate brand, the Ford of bikes.
But they make bloody good bikes
Agreed, I have owned a few and they are very good bikes. The biggest issue for me is my local dealer for bikes or parts is a Specialized concept store. It is shiny, has bikes hanging from the ceiling and looks very sleek. The problem is they don't seem to have anything in stock and everything is too much trouble for the staff. Trying to get them to order a shock bolt or similar is like trying to get past my local GP's receptionist in order to see the doc, you sort of get there in the end but its hard work and involves a lot of effort on my part.
To answer the question - Hope, I know I am in the minority but I really dislike anodised tat. Yes, not all of their stuff is colured but I cant see the logo without my mind picturing faded purple/orange/red bling ruining an otherwise nice bike.
Forget Chris Porter, those drop ear helmets are definitely marmite.
Oh god yes. for people who must protect their ears but are fine with bashing their face and teeth into the scenery.
Or conversely, almost all the protection of a full face but without any of the drawbacks :-s
Endura, local company, want to love it but almost every thing I’ve bought over the last 20 years hasn’t been good enough.
Agreed. Their durability just isn’t up there. Gore are (slightly) more expensive, but IMV last much longer.