Barracuda bikes

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know anything about these bikes?

Are they any good or should they be avoided?

They are unremarkable but durable. My son has a Barracuda
BMX bike that has survived two years of abuse and neglect.

"Purple" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know anything about these bikes?

Are they any good or should they be avoided?

Their full suspension bikes (FS) are indeed F(ull) of
S(h*t)...

Obviously they're not really meant for anything serious off
road, except the gravel drive back up to the house, but even
that's beyond them. I mistakenly bought one about 2-3 years
ago and it rained when I was out on it, that killed the semi-
sealed* BB, the whole shebang rusted out within a week. That
was one ride. In replacing the BB I found that the front
mech was clamped to the frame using that soft plastic they
use in cracker toys, and it broke (built several bikes since
and understood "torque"!). Then the front forks, which are
elastomers, stopped elastomating, but that was OK as the
rear shock would have been more active if I'd replaced it
with a metal bracket I'm sure.

And still, I ride it (occasionally). Have replaced the
following:

1 Handlebars ~ old ones were steel, and about 28" wide. 2
Pedals ~ wanted clipless, but also the old ones were
unsealed bearings, and didn't track true. 3 Front mech ~ see
above 4 Rear wheel ~ couldn't true it however I tried, would
stay true for one ride max ~ mild steel spokes. 5 Saddle ~
more comfy needed. 6 Front forks ~ see above. 7 Stem clamp ~
the old one wasn't true. Took a while to figure this one
out! 8 All gear/brake cables ~ probably should have used the
originals as replacement elastomers... 9 Front mechanical
disk brake ~ to something that actually mechanically brakes
the bike...

Needless to say it's now the winter bike, and I don't ride
in the winter...**

Oh yeah, and the swinging arm bushes are indeed bushes, just
of the botanical type. Makes for interesting riding. And
that's with replacing one side of the swing-arm retaining
bolt after it rattled out on ride No.2.

Regards, AndyC

* How can something be semi-sealed. Either it's sealed or
it's not surely? I mean Semi-sealed jars of pickle
wouldn't be quite so appetising would it. And Semi-sealed
space suits wouldn't be such a popular item I'm sure... **
Or at least stick to road work so I have an excuse not to
ride this sows ear.

"AndyC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Purple" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know anything about these bikes?

Are they any good or should they be avoided?

Their full suspension bikes (FS) are indeed F(ull) of
S(h*t)...

Obviously they're not really meant for anything serious
off road, except

the

Quoted message said:

gravel drive back up to the house, but even that's beyond
them. I mistakenly bought one about 2-3 years ago and it
rained when I was out

on

Quoted message said:

it, that killed the semi-sealed* BB, the whole shebang
rusted out within a week. That was one ride. In replacing
the BB I found that the front mech was clamped to the
frame using that soft plastic they use in cracker toys,
and it broke (built several bikes since and understood
"torque"!). Then the front forks, which are elastomers,
stopped elastomating, but that was OK as the rear shock
would have been more active if I'd replaced it

with

Quoted message said:

a metal bracket I'm sure.

And still, I ride it (occasionally). Have replaced the
following:

1 Handlebars ~ old ones were steel, and about 28" wide. 2
Pedals ~ wanted clipless, but also the old ones were
unsealed bearings, and didn't track true. 3 Front mech ~
see above 4 Rear wheel ~ couldn't true it however I tried,
would stay true for one ride max ~ mild steel spokes. 5
Saddle ~ more comfy needed. 6 Front forks ~ see above. 7
Stem clamp ~ the old one wasn't true. Took a while to
figure this one

out!

Quoted message said:

8 All gear/brake cables ~ probably should have used the
originals as replacement elastomers... 9 Front mechanical
disk brake ~ to something that actually mechanically
brakes the bike...

Needless to say it's now the winter bike, and I don't ride
in the winter...**

Oh yeah, and the swinging arm bushes are indeed bushes,
just of the botanical type. Makes for interesting riding.
And that's with replacing

one

Quoted message said:

side of the swing-arm retaining bolt after it rattled out
on ride No.2.

Regards, AndyC

* How can something be semi-sealed. Either it's sealed or
it's not surely?

I

Quoted message said:

mean Semi-sealed jars of pickle wouldn't be quite so
appetising would it. And Semi-sealed space suits wouldn't
be such a popular item I'm sure... ** Or at least stick to
road work so I have an excuse not to ride this

sows

Quoted message said:

ear.

hhmm okay 'nuff said. Just wanted to back up with real
experiance what I had read on a website selling Barracudas
as fantastic quality and value for money for the budget end
of the market

Fran

In article <[email hidden]>,

vernon levy said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know anything about these bikes?

Are they any good or should they be avoided?

They are unremarkable but durable. My son has a Barracuda
BMX bike that has survived two years of abuse and neglect.

My ``adults returns to cycling'' bike was a rigid Barracuda
hybrid. The bottom bracket bearing went about fifteen
seconds after I had SPD pedals put onto it, and the shop
put a cartridge bearing in under warranty. Since then it's
been fine.

ian

"Purple" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"AndyC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Purple" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know anything about these bikes?

Are they any good or should they be avoided?

Their full suspension bikes (FS) are indeed F(ull) of
S(h*t)...

Obviously they're not really meant for anything serious
off road, except

the

Quoted message said:

gravel drive back up to the house, but even that's
beyond them. I mistakenly bought one about 2-3 years ago
and it rained when I was out

on

Quoted message said:

it, that killed the semi-sealed* BB, the whole shebang
rusted out within

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

week. That was one ride. In replacing the BB I found
that the front mech was clamped to the frame using that
soft plastic they use in cracker toys, and it broke
(built several bikes since and understood "torque"!).
Then the front forks, which are elastomers, stopped
elastomating, but

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

was OK as the rear shock would have been more active if
I'd replaced it

with

Quoted message said:

a metal bracket I'm sure.

And still, I ride it (occasionally). Have replaced the
following:

1 Handlebars ~ old ones were steel, and about 28" wide.
2 Pedals ~ wanted clipless, but also the old ones were
unsealed

bearings,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and didn't track true. 3 Front mech ~ see above 4 Rear
wheel ~ couldn't true it however I tried, would stay
true for one ride max ~ mild steel spokes. 5 Saddle ~
more comfy needed. 6 Front forks ~ see above. 7 Stem
clamp ~ the old one wasn't true. Took a while to figure
this one

out!

Quoted message said:

8 All gear/brake cables ~ probably should have used the
originals as replacement elastomers... 9 Front
mechanical disk brake ~ to something that actually
mechanically brakes the bike...

Needless to say it's now the winter bike, and I don't
ride in the winter...**

Oh yeah, and the swinging arm bushes are indeed bushes,
just of the botanical type. Makes for interesting
riding. And that's with replacing

one

Quoted message said:

side of the swing-arm retaining bolt after it rattled
out on ride No.2.

Regards, AndyC

* How can something be semi-sealed. Either it's sealed
or it's not

surely?

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

mean Semi-sealed jars of pickle wouldn't be quite so
appetising would

it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And Semi-sealed space suits wouldn't be such a popular
item I'm sure... ** Or at least stick to road work so I
have an excuse not to ride this

sows

Quoted message said:

ear.

hhmm okay 'nuff said. Just wanted to back up with real
experiance what I

had

Quoted message said:

read on a website selling Barracudas as fantastic quality
and value for money for the budget end of the market

Fran

Hi Fran No problem. I'd like to say that I'd got a lemon,
but looking at what failed, I'd say that it was all bound to
go sooner rather than later. Perhaps their road bikes are
better, i.e. less "technology" to go wrong??

AndyC

in message <[email hidden]>, AndyC

(') said:

No problem. I'd like to say that I'd got a lemon, but
looking at what failed, I'd say that it was all bound to
go sooner rather than later. Perhaps their road bikes are
better, i.e. less "technology" to go wrong??

Cheap bikes are cheap for a reason. The more complex they
are, of course, the worse they are, but in general cheap
bikes are very poor value for money.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

to err is human, to lisp divine ;; attributed to Kim
Philby, oddly enough.