Canadian Tire Supercycle Hooligan Problem or Defect...
FlackJacket
recently bought two Hooligan's for my sons, both are experienced
riders.
Within three minutes of driving away from our home with his new bike,
the oldest son crashed, cutting his face, arms and legs. Apparently
the chain jumped causing him to lose balance going forward, whereby
the front shock depressed and sent him flying over the handle bars.
It happened on even pavement and resulted in a trip to the hospital.
We thought it was just the awkwardness of the new bike... and so we
teased him and didn't think anything of it.
Tonight my other son did exactly the same thing on his bike... the
chain jumped causing him to lose balance, going forward, whereby the
front shock depressed and sent him flying over the handle bars. His
face, arms and legs now were sanded by the road. It happened on even
pavement and fortunately his injury did not result in him having to go
to the hospital.
Two different bikes, both of the same brand, two experienced riders,
both meeting with identical accidents. Sounds like a potential
problem with these bikes that everyone should at least be aware of...
I am simply recording this so that folks who own or are considering
purchasing a Canadian Tire Supercycle Hooligan will be aware that
there may be a safety problem with these bikes.
I suspect the problem of the jumping chain may have something to do
with the way the rear suspension on the bikes is hung, allowing too
much play when the rider is exerting downward pressure to the pedal.
As of tomorow I will be returning BOTH of these new bikes back to
Canadian Tire and having a very thorough chat with the manager of that
store. The bikes are not safe and they will not be returning home
with me...
As these bikes are floated as being 'mountain bikes' all I can say is
that I hope to h*ll that NO ONE tries to ride one down a mountain,
given that they flip riders even on flat pavement.
B Paton
"FlackJacket" <gdpcon...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> I am simply recording this so that folks who own or are considering
> purchasing a Canadian Tire Supercycle Hooligan will be aware that
> there may be a safety problem with these bikes.
I am unfamiliar with the bike, but don't rule out the possibility that it is
an improperly assembled bike that is the problem. As a mechanic, I often see
bikes from Wal Mart or CTC and they _usually_ were not assembled correctly.
That is to say that when you get a "deal" from these large retailers, you
are likely buying an accident waiting to happen. These large retailers
simply do not have competent mechanics working for them.
Many years ago my older brother had a terrible crash that resulted in a
number of nasty injuries due to an improperly assembled bike. He could
easily have been killed. And my parents thought they were getting a deal
when they left the store! (Remember Consumer's Distributing?)
Do yourself and your sons a favour, return these bikes and buy from a local
bike shop. It should result in fewer trips to the hospital. You may spend a
few more dollars, but you won't buy junk and it will be competently
assembled. Your sons are worth the extra dollars.
Cheers,
Blake
Andrew Chaplin
>
> I remember about 5 years ago this family bought a CCM from CTC and
> literally took ONE pedal stroke, the rear wheel shifted forward out of
> the dropouts and tacoed. They took it back, rather than replace the
> wheel, because being Canadian tire they don't have a single wrench on
> hand, they gave them another bike and assured then this one was
> assembled properly. This time he got two pedal strokes out of it in the
> store parking lot before the rear wheel shifted forward and tacoed.
> Their next trip was to my shop for a better bike, I told them they could
> buy one from CTC and bring it to me to "make it right" but there was no
> going back there after that. Then there's the plethera of stories I
> have about stuff they've broken or ruined on my cars. I wish they would
> change their name to Walmart so I could fell better about hating them :)
I bought my first bicycle from CTC in 1969. It was sold as a
"Supercycle", but it was really a Raleigh in disguise and a gold paint
job. It came assembled and, who ever had done it, had done it
correctly. I rode it the three kilometres from the store to our house.
Last I heard, the bicycle, or "Goldbrick" as my mother named it (that
was what I did on it, after all) was still on the road. I guess they
just don't build them like that anymore.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)
B Paton
"Andrew Chaplin" <abch...@yourfinger.rogers.com> wrote in message >
> I bought my first bicycle from CTC in 1969. It was sold as a
> "Supercycle", but it was really a Raleigh in disguise and a gold paint
> job.
I have a colleague who used to work for CCM, before it went under in 1981.
He said they used to build CCM and Supercycle--and maybe Raleigh, too--they
were often the same bike with different decals. Your bike probably came from
their Weston factory.
Eventually, the CCM name was bought by Procycle in Quebec who make (or have
made as is more usually the case) CCM, Mikado and a number of other brands.
I don't know where the post-1981 Supercycles have come from.
Al Zimmer
Most folks walk into a local bike store and try to beet up the sales
dude or dudette, into a smaller purchase price after a staff member of
the shop spends more time with the baffled bike stupid wannabee
cyclist than necessary. Nevertheless, most cheap penny pinching people
who walk out and head down to the large Department Store feeling good
about the education they obtained from the local bike store staff at
no cost generaly end up buying the ride of their dreams for a wopping
$100 or so.
Plastic hollow tech cranks, dry headset bearings, aluminium shaving
cones, stripped axles, loose seat post, 10 pound steel handlebars,
brakes not fit to stop a hampster wheel in a cage, untrue rear wheel
from shipping, gears clicking & clanging, reflectors falling off, and
rusted out chain from being left out one night on the porch.
These educated people pay dearly in the long run, don't they ?
Cheers
Albert
Andrew Chaplin
>
> "Andrew Chaplin" <abch...@yourfinger.rogers.com> wrote in message >
> > I bought my first bicycle from CTC in 1969. It was sold as a
> > "Supercycle", but it was really a Raleigh in disguise and a gold paint
> > job.
>
> I have a colleague who used to work for CCM, before it went under in 1981.
> He said they used to build CCM and Supercycle--and maybe Raleigh, too--they
> were often the same bike with different decals. Your bike probably came from
> their Weston factory.
Nope, not back then. This was a real Raleigh, made in Nottingham, and
which proclaimed it was "Made in England" on its top tube; one could
tell by the lug work (not great, but decidedly English in style). The
Glider bikes sold by Eaton's and the BSAs sold in North America came
out of the same works. CCMs then had entirely different tubing and
lugwork (just plain hideous) and were even more evidently gas pipe
specials than the Raleighs. However, Raleighs built by the Carlton
works were of significant merit, with good tubing and elegant
wrap-around seat stays. If you find one from the late 60s, or one
wearing the Carlton label from that period, they are a real find.
My next bike (1972) was a Raleigh Lenton Sports 10 speed with Huret
derailleurs and 26 x 1.25 1/4 wheels and Sturmey Archer brakes. I
toured England on it in the summer of '72. I still have it with
tubular 700C wheels, Weinmann centre pull brakes, Sugino cranks and
chainwheel and a fixed wheel (48x15) and use it as a hack bike.
Nothing like a fixed wheel for dealing with snow or to smooth you out
after a long winter.
> Eventually, the CCM name was bought by Procycle in Quebec who make (or have
> made as is more usually the case) CCM, Mikado and a number of other brands.
>
> I don't know where the post-1981 Supercycles have come from.
Japan and the U.S.