Buying a bike for $1999 with Clarks brakes is like buying a rain jacket for $199 but instead of a zipper, the closure is just a long strip of Gorilla Tape.
Oh sure, it works in the store. It’s likely even fine during a little parking lot test. No problem if it just hangs in a closet until the end of days. But, the first time said jacket is actually used in the forest, for its intended or at least advertised purpose, it’s straight home to start researching the cost of adding a zipper. But instead of the jacket being $5 more expensive at purchase time now you’re burning 20% of the initial purchase price just to make the expensive thing you bought useable.
Feb. 1, 2023, 11:17 p.m. - Andrew Major
Buying a bike for $1999 with Clarks brakes is like buying a rain jacket for $199 but instead of a zipper, the closure is just a long strip of Gorilla Tape. Oh sure, it works in the store. It’s likely even fine during a little parking lot test. No problem if it just hangs in a closet until the end of days. But, the first time said jacket is actually used in the forest, for its intended or at least advertised purpose, it’s straight home to start researching the cost of adding a zipper. But instead of the jacket being $5 more expensive at purchase time now you’re burning 20% of the initial purchase price just to make the expensive thing you bought useable.