Mini Cooper Bicycle Reviewed instead of car in Grauniad Motoring Page

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Mini Cooper Bicycle Reviewed instead of car in Grauniad Motoring Page

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Started 13 years ago by gembo
Latest reply from chdot

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gembo
Member

Not sure if on-line, probably - the Guardian on saturdays has a page in the magazine where a car gets reviewed. This week it is a bike that mini-cooper have produced. Reynolds steel, brooks saddle, 5-speed Sturmey Archer, frog-leg brakes, drops. The woman reviewing it - Helen Pidd only really quibbled about the price -£895 and she didn't like the gear shifter positioning but as it is a 5 speed I don't think that is really a problem. the price is steep.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/09/cooper-t250-aintree-bicycle-review

http://www.minicooperbicycle.com/index_en.html

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

I think Ms. Pidd has led you in the wrong direction with the mistaken addition of the word Mini.

The bikes in the link you add are very different!

Try http://www.cooperbikes.com/T250Aintree.html

Just to remind everyone - the man behind the suspension that made the small-wheeled Mini (car) possible was Mr. Moulton - the man who revolutionised the bicycle industry in the 60's with small wheel suspension bikes.

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Is it that game where you give someone the answer and you come up with the question?

"what looks like a fixie, but isn't a fixie?"

It does look lovely though, but you certainly pay for it. Which seems to be where Cooper are aiming. They had a "race" across Oxford in one of the cycling magazines a few months back, a Mini Cooper limited edition vs. a Cooper Reims I think.

Bike won.

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Just to remind everyone - the man behind the suspension that made the small-wheeled Mini (car) possible was Mr. Moulton

Also behind equally ingenious Hydragas and Hydrolastic suspensions used by BMC on some less memorable vehicles now quietly consigned to the annals of motoring history.

And Challenger tanks...

Posted 13 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Page 2 of the 'money' section also has replies to a 'bicycle widow' whose husband bought an £800 bike last year and now wants a £2000 one, even though she thinks they need a new kitchen more. Some amusing replies. Sorry no link - doesn't seem to be on the website.

Posted 13 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

The first link though - has great copy (I jest of course!).
Would anyone be swayed by this...? Yes of course... small wheeled bikes are very popular in Japan (and maybe China where most of them are made).

Strong Taste of England
The old Classic Mini is perhaps the most beloved model in Mini history, and it is from this model that we bring you Mini Cooper Bicycles. Licensed from British Motor Heritage Limited, these bikes sport the old Mini Logo, which is green instead of the BMW black (boo hiss)

The details on the bike reflect the classic English style. The Classic Mini logo appears on the body, handles, front, frame, and seat. The body color strictly follows the original car colorways: British green, classic red, or sky blue.

With sleek lines, vibrant colors, and the distinct Mini charm, the bikes embody vintage and modern sensibilities at once. For collectors and bike-users alike, they radiate ironic elegance and earn their place in Mini history. Explore the bikes. Enjoy the ride.

The other 'real' ~~fake~~ Cooper bikes are ok. None match the Pashley Guvnor - it's retrotastic with drum brakes too.

Posted 13 years ago #
Min
Member

I don't like it. It looks like a crap old bike someone found in the back of their garage and did up.

There, I've said it.

Posted 13 years ago #
Min
Member

It's not really a review either. Did she even ride it? Apparently so since she remarked on the upright riding position but that is pretty much the only thing.

?

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

I've just taken a second look. Does it have dropped bars but chicken brakes on the flats only? That's a bit silly - how are you meant to slow when you're going fast on the drops?

On closer inspection it's nothing like as lovingly designed as a Pashley and I second what Min said about it looking like it's been done up. The modern-fangled seat pin, brakes callipers and rims spoil it. And a downtube shifter for a hub gear just seems a bit daft.

Posted 13 years ago #
Min
Member

"I've just taken a second look. Does it have dropped bars but chicken brakes on the flats only?"

Yes. Stupid isn't it? It also seems to have the most pathetic chain guard I have ever seen and is not even a proper step through frame (I used to have one like it). I don't think I have ever taken such a violent dislike to a bike before now!

Posted 13 years ago #
gembo
Member

does seem the negatives outweigh the positives, I did wonder why I couldn't see it on the mini-cooper website so a less than auspicious inaugural bicycle review where normally there is a motor [ also Helen Pidd's first journalistic outing in grouniad, there is a wee picture in the paper review cf. on-line of Helen Pidd pedalling the bike in upright mode, well you would in case brakes need applied. Only go fast when you won't need to apply the brakes? Actually quite dangerous. One point of hub gears was indeed shifting to cross bar changer [or grip shifter? or chopper gear lever? I am not sure about his one] Also I wasn't keen on the colour.

Posted 13 years ago #
Min
Member

I can't help wondering if the design is all to make it look like a fakie fixie. No brakes on the drops (too obvious), the barely existant chain guard, the wee frame levers so as not to have any noticable shifter on the handlebars. Just makes me hate it even more. :-P

Posted 13 years ago #
gembo
Member

I have frog legs on my tri-cross and reach for them on my other bikes, but they are not there [not too serious as it is normally when I have sat up to slow down in the firstplace], but if the same applies for everyone else and also in reverse, ie you are used to normal brakes, tanking along and start pulling on non-existent brakes and then have to sit up to actually brake I think this is actually dangerous.

Posted 13 years ago #
cb
Member

A further bike related snippet appeared in the the Blog Roll section in the Guide.
The topic this week was "crap" and crapwalthamforest.bloodspot.com got a mention.

Posted 13 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Min I don't think I have ever taken such a violent dislike to a bike before now!

Braking is pretty fundamental - but not in the bike fashion market it seems!

These are not for bike users but posers I reckon.

With LB bikes you can do both but at least they have BB7 discs or drums just in case you need to stop in a hurry.

Posted 13 years ago #
Wilmington's Cow
Member

Sorry, I've just been a little bit sick in my mouth....

Posted 13 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Looks like none of us are 'the target market'. Nothing wrong with famous brands but it's impossible usually for a car brand to make a decent bike.

...apart from Peugeot, Austro Daimler, Moulton LandRover, Triumph(?)

I think we need to start a thread on 'bikes we don't like' and why.

Or 'bikes we do like' which is partly covered on Spotted.

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

impossible usually for a car brand to make a decent bike

What about bike companies to make a decent car?

Rover? Triumph? Sunbeam? Humber? (Peugeot)

I think they all "got there" via motorcycles and there's others never made the full leap to 4 wheels (BSA).

Are any of Land Rover's bikes "decent"? (a question I genuinely don't know the answer to)

Posted 13 years ago #
gembo
Member

New a guy who had a land rover bike, he liked it as it came to bits and could be stored on his yacht.

Landrover started the off road prams for people who like to jog with their babies.

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"he liked it as it came to bits and could be stored on his yacht"

That would be a Pashley/Moulton APB.

Land Rover bikes are produced/marketed by a different company now.

Posted 13 years ago #
gembo
Member

@chdot
That would be a Pashley/Moulton APB.

Yes Moulton. The guy also keen on the magazine From A to B

Posted 13 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"keen on the magazine From A to B"

Moultons get mentioned occasionally. Bromptons are mentioned on 94.5% of its pages.

Posted 13 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Land Rover bikes are produced/marketed by a different company now.

I've looked at their online catalogue and I'm sincerely underwhelmed.

Posted 13 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

I think they all "got there" via motorcycles

Think the first differentials were for trikes in the late 19th / early 20th Century.

Not to mention that a certain bike manufacturer went straight to aircraft.

Posted 13 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Another bike review in the magazine this weekend. Sorry can't find link. You're not missing much. it was basically a review of a cheapo halfords bike which concluded that it was put together wrong.

Posted 12 years ago #
gembo
Member

yes a pink appollo which Ms Pidd felt was cheap and nasty (I agree, but at least it was cheap)

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"If you really can only spend £140, buy secondhand."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/may/14/review-apollo-haze-womens-hybrid-bike

Posted 12 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

Another bike review in the grauniad magazine motoring section. perhaps becoming common enough not to need mentioning anymore?

Maybe they'll rename it the 'transport' section.

Posted 12 years ago #
Bhachgen
Member

Coming late to this thread on the (off) topic of bikes by car makers. I used to have a Lotus, which nobody mentioned. Loved it and heart still regrets selling it, even if head knows it was right! Doesn't really count I concede as it was just branding I think. British (ex Coventry) Eagle made them.

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

This one perhaps-

Posted 12 years ago #

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