BSO's on the BBC

CheGuedara

Could be an interesting watch -

Bike Radar wrote:

BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog will investigate bargain basement bikes this week, with help from BikeRadar's editor-in-chief John Stevenson.


The show on Thursday (5 November) will examine the growing trend for superstores to sell cut-price flat-pack bicycles. It will follow five people as they try to build and ride self-assembly bikes bought from Argos, Asda, Halfords, Tesco and Toys R Us.


Host John Humphrys will be joined by South Coast Bikes' Paul Topham and our own John Stevenson as he looks at the rise of the 'Bicycle Shaped Object' (BSO).


"It's easy for us bike geeks to be snotty about cheap bikes," said John Stevenson. "But I'd be amazed if anyone watching this show isn't convinced that they really are a bad way to spend your money."


The show airs at 8pm on BBC1. Watchdog are keen to hear from anyone who has bought a 'bike in a box' – email jonathan.davenport@bbc.co.uk.

Jawgap

Thought they would've had Kona on it!!!:)

Lumen

Jawgap wrote: »

Thought they would've had Kona on it!!!:)

Watchdog, the voice of the feeble-minded oppressed by their own cluelessness. John Humphries, the voice of British middle class idiocracy.

I'm not sure which is more punchworthy. They deserve each other.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

Watchdog, the voice of the feeble-minded oppressed by their own cluelessness. John Humphries, the voice of British middle class idiocracy.

I'm not sure which is more punchworthy. They deserve each other.

That's a lot of hate, dude. You should cycle more.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

That's a lot of hate, dude. You should cycle more.

It's not hate, just mild scorn.

I do think there is a place for BSOs as disposable transport, although as has been documented many times it doesn't really stack up economically unless you are planning on having your bike stolen before it wears out.

kona

They couldnt afford me!:) they also couldnt air it after 9pm.

Seriously, its about time the dumbass consumers of the world are informed of these heaps.

Im expecting th following response,:

"We at Halfords oly sell bikes of the highest standard, we offr a fully built bike assembled by our trained mechanics. We also offer a free service after six weeks.....etc etc."


At the end of the day its the gob****e consumers that buy them that are the problem.

Kinda like you wouldnt have filthy drug dealers without users.

ednwireland

bump on now

100 quid bikes are rubbish suprise

no manufacturers would come on

IM0

crap threads sink for a reason, let sleeping dogs lie

CheGuedara

Oi! Threads fine!

alfalad

CheGuedara wrote: »

Oi! Threads fine!

Was the programme any good? Missed it so just curious!

tomasrojo

I saw the end of it. The impression I think I would have got was that flat-pack bikes are a false economy (hard to tell, as that was already my impression). Also, anything on television about bikes turns into a helmet discussion by the end.

ednwireland

yep actually interesting that no one managed to get a bike together properly in 2 hours with the tools that came with it, it would have been interesting to see if someone who could put a bike together would have done a better job.

one guys front wheel fell out most of them hadnt got gears or brakes setup properly, and the after riding it one of the cranks fell off, that was about it.

the basic conclusion, people who know nothing about bikes shouldnt try building their own, and the quality of the bikes was cr*p. and the tools you got were rubbish

then they hada go at yer man for not wearing a helmet (he said he thought people gave him a wider berth when they see him without a helmet)

blorg

ednwireland wrote: »

then they hada go at yer man for not wearing a helmet (he said he thought people gave him a wider berth when they see him without a helmet)

In fairness you probably need a helmet if your front wheel has a tendency to fall out.

tomasrojo

It was John Humphrys they were having a go at, who hadn't been cycling a flat-pack bike. Well, to be fair, Anne Robinson just pseudo-sternly asked him "Why not?" and he said that he didn't need one, given his style of riding and that he reckoned motorists were more careful around him, and he made an allusion to the University of Bath study.

They spent longer having a go at him because he cycles a pink lady's bike. He borrowed it off someone, liked the convenience of cycling, and hasn't got around to getting his own bike yet. I rather warmed to him after that. There is something refreshing about people who are indifferent to the opinions of others.

niceonetom

I'm guessing that Pointless Views will be inundated by the uninformed but angry.