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#1
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Land Rider - just plain bad...
I was up late and came across an infomercial for a Land Rider - the
bike with automatic transmission. The people selling this should be stabbed. And the people buying it will have more than enough punishment if they actually decide to keep it, rather than return the damned thing. Some folks on here have already noticed this contraption. For those who don't know, it's basically, it's a comfort bike with automatic transmission that sells for $400 plus shipping and handling. The features they seem to sell is how fun and easy these bikes are to ride. One problem I noticed is that the seat is one of these "comfortable seats" that is "extra wide". They even had folks on there complaining about the discomfort from a normal bicycle seat. One guy says that a normal bike saddle is "like sitting on a rock." He described the Land Rider saddle as "sitting on air!" Also, for only an extra $100, they'll throw on a suspension seat post, a "genuine SHIMANO derailer" (no mention of the model, of course), and a height-adjustable stem. There are a few other goodies, none of which are worth an extra $100. They show people riding around bike paths (all wearing helmets, of course), the mountains, city streets, and there's even a fellow with panniers strapped all over it, ready to take it for a cross-country jaunt. While I'd love to see more people out bicycling, the level of deception they're going to to sell these things is atrocious. The suspension fork looks like a Wal-Mart brand with maybe 20mm of travel. Then they have their LandRider ELITE - which just has to be seen to be believed. This one tops the price range at about $600. And it's "ONLY 29 POUNDS!" - http://www.healthandbeautydirect.com...der-elite.html They also claim it's safer than a manual-shift bike, because you won't be "distracted" by making gear changes and take your eyes off the road. And their website uses very tricky wording when dancing around how fast the bike is, and are careful to mention that it's not meant for serious off-road riding. None of this would be verified by anyone who knows ANYTHING about bicyling, but they're counting on their audience to be dumb and take their word for it. A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. |
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#2
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Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? |
#3
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On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:46:30 -0700, Will wrote:
Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? "Not more than you need, just more than you're used to" Ahhhh, yankee gluttony. Those landriders are a joke. As I've said before, if you could walk into the average bike shop or Xmart and get a normal internally geared bike with 7 evenly spaced ratios--like any place in Europe--the market for the "landrider" simply wouldn't exist. It's an artificial solution to a fake problem. |
#4
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"maxo" wrote in message news On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:46:30 -0700, Will wrote: Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? "Not more than you need, just more than you're used to" Ahhhh, yankee gluttony. Those landriders are a joke. As I've said before, if you could walk into the average bike shop or Xmart and get a normal internally geared bike with 7 evenly spaced ratios--like any place in Europe--the market for the "landrider" simply wouldn't exist. It's an artificial solution to a fake problem. It bugs me that the Landrider people portray shifting as such a complex affair. Back in the day when I was friction shifting with DT shifters, maybe. But in the age of indexed shifting and integrated shifters, it's not difficult. If anything, it's TOO easy to shift. |
#5
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Now really! This bike is perfect for the TV Guide subscriber and those who
get their news from the tabloids. Thinking is not a critical competency for these folks. "maxo" wrote in message news On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:46:30 -0700, Will wrote: Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? "Not more than you need, just more than you're used to" Ahhhh, yankee gluttony. Those landriders are a joke. As I've said before, if you could walk into the average bike shop or Xmart and get a normal internally geared bike with 7 evenly spaced ratios--like any place in Europe--the market for the "landrider" simply wouldn't exist. It's an artificial solution to a fake problem. |
#6
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"Gooserider" wrote in message . .. "maxo" wrote in message news On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:46:30 -0700, Will wrote: Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? "Not more than you need, just more than you're used to" Ahhhh, yankee gluttony. Those landriders are a joke. As I've said before, if you could walk into the average bike shop or Xmart and get a normal internally geared bike with 7 evenly spaced ratios--like any place in Europe--the market for the "landrider" simply wouldn't exist. It's an artificial solution to a fake problem. It bugs me that the Landrider people portray shifting as such a complex affair. Back in the day when I was friction shifting with DT shifters, maybe. But in the age of indexed shifting and integrated shifters, it's not difficult. If anything, it's TOO easy to shift. You have to shift a LandRider also. |
#7
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"Aspiring Tortoise" wrote in message ... "Gooserider" wrote in message . .. "maxo" wrote in message news On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 08:46:30 -0700, Will wrote: Bill H. wrote: A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. Watched any car adverts lately? "Not more than you need, just more than you're used to" Ahhhh, yankee gluttony. Those landriders are a joke. As I've said before, if you could walk into the average bike shop or Xmart and get a normal internally geared bike with 7 evenly spaced ratios--like any place in Europe--the market for the "landrider" simply wouldn't exist. It's an artificial solution to a fake problem. It bugs me that the Landrider people portray shifting as such a complex affair. Back in the day when I was friction shifting with DT shifters, maybe. But in the age of indexed shifting and integrated shifters, it's not difficult. If anything, it's TOO easy to shift. You have to shift a LandRider also. Well, just the front derailleur. I'm sure lots of people keep it in the middle ring and never shift, though. |
#8
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My Schwinn Cruiser Deluxe only weighs 50 pounds. I am not ready to
take a cross country trip on it yet though. 50 miles in one day is the farthest I have gone so far. Also it looks a lot classier that the Land Rover does. And shifting the 7 speed Shimano internal geared hub is not all that difficult. It's easier than using a front derailer as that requires some thought due to overlapping gear ratios and all that high faluten stuff. And I think mine has a better seat. And it already comes with a light on the fender as well as a horn. And has TWO fenders that actually work and look neat. Unlike the one dumb looking fender on the Land Rover. And it has a springer front end that not only looks sharp but works pretty well. And it has a luggage rack so I have a place to put my air pump and bike tools and spare tube and patch kit,which I keep in a small travel bag. A lot of people say to me "They sure don't make them like that anymore". If more people knew about the Schwinn Cruisers they would sell a lot more of them. At the same time there is obviously a market for the Land Rover-Oops,I mean Land Rider or they would of quit infomercializing it a long time ago. Not that I watch infomercials but obviously someone does. So someone and his wife buys a couple of them and sell them at a garage sale after they have ridden twice in 5 years. littledog |
#9
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On 6 Aug 2005 03:05:01 -0700, Bill H. wrote:
The people selling this should be stabbed. And the people buying it will have more than enough punishment if they actually decide to keep it, rather than return the damned thing. In a world drowning in car ads that pretty much advocate using them to push anything smaller off the road, I find it pretty hard to get worked up about this. Course, I'm a roadie, and have no idea what they ought to be paying for rubbish like suspension and fat tyres, anyway :-) -- Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw |
#10
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Dang! You can get a very nice Trek for less money! But you'd have
to actually shift the gears yourself, thereby endangering your life with such a big "distraction". How 'bout getting a moped or a scooter instead? then you wouldn't have to be distracted with pedaling, either? ~Rob "Bill H." wrote in message oups.com... : I was up late and came across an infomercial for a Land Rider - the : bike with automatic transmission. : : The people selling this should be stabbed. And the people buying it : will have more than enough punishment if they actually decide to keep : it, rather than return the damned thing. : : Some folks on here have already noticed this contraption. For those : who don't know, it's basically, it's a comfort bike with automatic : transmission that sells for $400 plus shipping and handling. : : The features they seem to sell is how fun and easy these bikes are to : ride. : : One problem I noticed is that the seat is one of these "comfortable : seats" that is "extra wide". They even had folks on there complaining : about the discomfort from a normal bicycle seat. One guy says that a : normal bike saddle is "like sitting on a rock." He described the Land : Rider saddle as "sitting on air!" : : Also, for only an extra $100, they'll throw on a suspension seat post, : a "genuine SHIMANO derailer" (no mention of the model, of course), and : a height-adjustable stem. There are a few other goodies, none of which : are worth an extra $100. : : They show people riding around bike paths (all wearing helmets, of : course), the mountains, city streets, and there's even a fellow with : panniers strapped all over it, ready to take it for a cross-country : jaunt. : : While I'd love to see more people out bicycling, the level of deception : they're going to to sell these things is atrocious. The suspension : fork looks like a Wal-Mart brand with maybe 20mm of travel. : : Then they have their LandRider ELITE - which just has to be seen to be : believed. This one tops the price range at about $600. And it's "ONLY : 29 POUNDS!" - : http://www.healthandbeautydirect.com...der-elite.html : : They also claim it's safer than a manual-shift bike, because you won't : be "distracted" by making gear changes and take your eyes off the road. : And their website uses very tricky wording when dancing around how : fast the bike is, and are careful to mention that it's not meant for : serious off-road riding. : : None of this would be verified by anyone who knows ANYTHING about : bicyling, but they're counting on their audience to be dumb and take : their word for it. : : A fool and his money...and all that, but selling an overpriced, : gimmicky piece of crap is just wrong. : |
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