April 4th – On the cycleway from Telford station, this sad sight. It’s a BSO, or bike-shaped object and is the kind of bike one might buy from a supermarket, discount store or catalogue for a low price. BSOs are usually made from the heaviest depleted uranium, bad weld and cheese. They feature the cheapest, most poor quality components, as they’re generally sold to folk who won’t ride them much.
They are bought by retailers in bulk for between £12-£20 each.
This machine – clearly abandoned on the way to work (it had gone by the time of my return) – had failed in a way common to such bikes; the wheels, built by machines with no human involvement at all – are usually very badly tensioned, and can collapse, or ‘pringle’ (think of the shape…) unexpectedly. This one was sudden and catastrophic, ripping the rear brake apart.
Never buy a cheap bike like this, even if you’re flat broke. Look for something better, secondhand. Some real bargains can be had with patience. Riding a piece of crap like this will put you off for life.
Hope the rider got to work OK.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 