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This not a rant, it is a PSA or warning.
I'll start with the positive. I got a third off a Nukeproof Mega Works bike that had hardly been used and covered 100 miles. It looked tidy, save for a scratch on the top tube.
The negative is that the 100 miles part is very doubtful! I've had it since September and had to change bottom bracket in November, all pivot bearings in mid-December and the headset bearings today. All were totally shot. It is running sweetly now and a great bike.
So just keep in mind that the condition of the Trisport bargain bikes are at best poorly described. I am not sure they even know how many miles they have covered.
I suppose 100 miles round the car park is a bit different to 100 miles as a hire bike at a bike park, so you don't really know what you're buying! They're on my saved seller list for replacing my full sus when the time comes however.
Thought it was well known Megas chew through there pivot bearings pretty quickly. Not the only popular bikes that do either! It's also not unusual for some frames and components to come with cheap nasty bearings and poor/no sealing design from the factory.
I'm not saying it hasn't been used more than the listing suggests, jet washed to within an inch of it's life or it's just plain old car salesmen BS. I mean if it was a customer return, they've only got the customers word for it and who clocks push bike mileage to the letter.
You have still got more come back with them than your average secondhand seller! Was it cheap enough!?!
It was cheap enough but disappointing. Pivot bearings appeared to be Enduro as per the spec. BB was a SRAM Dub, so expectations were low.
Anyway off tomorrow to give it a run around the Borrowdale Bash.
I’ve had it since September and had to change bottom bracket in November, all pivot bearings in mid-December and the headset bearings today.
How exactly is any of that Trisports fault ?
My expectations were based on their sales pitch. The first line of the description said only done 100 miles, so I expected the bearings to be good for more than a couple of months.
The fault is Trisport's description and the purpose of sharing my experience is so others can take the descriptions in their adds for bargain bikes with some added caution.
I'd argue you were likely more responsible for the bearings than they were
Tell us about your cleaning schedule ?
Where is it kept overnight ?
How is it dried before putting away ?
Cleaned with a water blaster and got water and dirt into the bearings?
I bought a CF bar off them a few years ago - massive creases in the middle where the previous user had clearly overdone the stem clamping. Went straight back.
Being generous I'd assume that the people running the store aren't cyclists.
FWIW, the little bearings in my 2017 Mega 290 were very disappointing in how quickly they seized and it ate the rear DU bushings quicker than I eat jaffa cakes.
Still a couple of months is shocking, especially for the BB and headset bearings.
I’d argue you were likely more responsible for the bearings than they were
Tell us about your cleaning schedule ?
Where is it kept overnight ?
How is it dried before putting away ?
I'd wonder how on earth they could begin to know what mileage the bike had done. My best bargins from that site have been stuff that is obviously mislabelled on ebay. They seem to be getting better at describing stuff, but lockdown has driven prices up a lot and not so cheap anymore.
Cleaning is low pressure hose, brush and bucket of bike cleaning suds. Bike is garaged. I don't towel dry the bike. This is the same for all the other bikes I've ridden in the Lakes and changed the bearings after a year or more.
but lockdown has driven prices up a lot and not so cheap anymore.
and occasionally higher than items you can buying straight from the CRC/Wiggle sites - eBay buyers are weird
Demo bike, 100 miles, pressure washed every 10. Going to kill the woefully sealed bearings pretty quick
I've had to return numerous items from them including Exposure light that wouldn't charge, Hope V$ brake that turned out to be an E4 & some Boost forks that were non Boost.
Picked up a Nukeproof scout comp in January from them and it stated around 500 miles use with a few paint chips (Nukeproof paint is awful for this). I got the bike for a bargain price especially now with covid tax but as for the 500 miles use I'd say it was about right and tbf to them the paint chips were all highlighted and the only issue I've had is I destroyed the rear wheel which is my own fault. The rest of the bike is going strong. Buy like anything second hand you're never going to know the full history.
Demo bike, 100 miles, pressure washed every 10. Going to kill the woefully sealed bearings pretty quick
Good point, I pressure washed the shit out of a Mega 290 at the Wheelbase demo day a couple of years ago.
Wasn't yours though Tom, honest.