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) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

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