Spent months working on this bike. All original except seat and bars. It’s a 1970s shogun, Shimano Japan 3S rear hub. I bought it off my neighbor for $40 (usd) and I wanted to try out a path racer look with the bike and people have been calling it “the most hideous bike ever”.
by duckoisgreat
13 Comments
Overall pretty cool looking imo, def not ugly, but the saddle sure is. Chrome fenders and chain-guard(although I would ditch that) would really help the old school look. Also some better platform pedals would make it way better if you are riding in the rain, my feet slip all over those plastic block pedals when they are wet.
I’ve seen this bike too many times today.
I just shared this post with a friend who loves all things Japanese, and he (we) have been admiring what you’ve done with it. You changed the seat, right? And love the flipped (?) bars. I agree with u/anowlenthusiast that a next step could be better pedals. I’m partial to Race Face pedals. If not the chonky Chesters, what about [The Ride](https://www.raceface.com/products/ride-pedal?variant=31913987276882)? You could keep them black or add a splash of color. I do like the black, because it makes your frame stand out. Love what you’ve done!
Not ugly at all
You could park that “thing” in downtown area of Chicago, tape $100 bills to the frame and nobody would touch it. Just saying what everbody is thinking…
I think it looks awesome and I’d ride that thing any day. But tbh if it rides nice and you had fun building it then it’s badass and it doesn’t matter what other people think.
Looks like it’s too big for you maybe
Very cool
Saddle screams slow and painful
It’s dope. Extra points for 3sp hub. Sneaky gears. Great paint too
I think it’s very cool. I have the same bars minus the Oppy bend, and I love a 3 speed. It’s got a 70’s look while the current trend is 90’s aesthetics, so in that sense it’s very off-trend. Post this picture again in 10 years when this styling is cool again and people will be raving about it.
Unless you want to modify the looks to comply with current trends, you might need to just accept that it’s pre-cool and won’t be popular for a few more years yet.
Ignore all these people being negative. Bikes are art. I think it’s rad. What’s important is if you are proud of it and enjoy riding it!
The current handlebar setup is probably the most difficult thing to appreciate. If you want more approval from the masses without compromising your own comfort or spending a ton of dough, consider the [VO Porteur](https://velo-orange.com/products/vo-porteur-bar-config) bars.
Presuming the clamp & lever diameters are right, it would be a straight swap; and if you can lower the stem an inch or two, the resulting hand position should be pretty much the same, but with a straighter, cleaner, easier-to-appreciate silhouette.
Or you could save $50 and say “screw the haters; this is my bike and I like it and that’s what matters.”