Bit bored of my bikes ending up very similar

[Takingabreak]

Something built up with a lx 1996 groupset. The mostly black colour scheme gives something different to XT or XTR of that age.

 

[Joe*Pro]

Magura brakes, sugino cranks, Paul Rasta rear mech. Vetta saddles. Hope or Hugi hubs.

Just flick through some old copies of mbuk or mtb pro and you soon remember lots of options that aren't completely crap.

 

[Gtpulse]

Dip a toe in to road bikes?

If you like GTs there’s some really lovely bikes of that era - Edge/Edge TI/Fillet brazed Edge etc. In terms of quality period components I don’t think you’ll ever get to the end of combinations you could have.

 

[clubby]

To collect. I ride modern.

It’s not to say they don’t get used but nothing significant

Pretty hard to argue against what you’re doing then. XTR obviously the pinnacle of that era but don’t discount LX, worked very well and I quite liked the polished cranks with black big ring, despite the crazy bolt fittings.

What’s the end goal though? How many more bikes do you plan on? Maybe just go to collecting frames or do component swaps swaps and only have so many built at a time.

 

[trailwright]

Dia compe brakes and levers are cool and cheap. Maybe try the challenge of hunting down proprietary stuff from the likes of GT and Specialized using catalogues from whatever year to see what they had as a prompt. If you look at the Specialized catalogue they had most things except the derailleurs. Or perhaps Tioga themed. It's tricky but probably your best bet is to go earlier era to broaden your choices. Early 90s.

 

[Takingabreak]

Something a little different would be stx of that era with it's unique colour scheme, sure it's never going to function as well as XTR but if the fun is in the building with some fair weather riding thrown in then why not?

 

[d8mok]

Pretty hard to argue against what you’re doing then. XTR obviously the pinnacle of that era but don’t discount LX, worked very well and I quite liked the polished cranks with black big ring, despite the crazy bolt fittings.

What’s the end goal though? How many more bikes do you plan on? Maybe just go to collecting frames or do component swaps swaps and only have so many built at a time.

No end goal as such. Just as things come up which are rare I tend to buy to keep.

Don’t particularly hunt a certain bike usually just seen what comes up.

I’ve actually started collecting Zaskar frames with no plan to build. This may be the way to go for other ones too maybe. The price of a good XTR group would buy several nice frames.

 

[slackboy]

That said, may I present the retromod option.

That's the way I'm riding at the moment, mix of m950 and m9000

 

[CassidyAce]

Isn't this just the law of diminishing marginal utility in action: the first XTR-equipped retrobike probably seemed brilliant, the next a little less so, and the one after a little less so again... Until you get to the point where there is very little satisfaction from each extra unit acquired. There might be one or two bikes that buck the trend but the trend is downwards nevertheless. What once seemed special now seems monotonous. Would it be unfair to say that it's a very first world problem, too? 'Man has so many upmarket XTR-equipped bikes that he's becoming bored of them.'

Perhaps you've exhausted the hobby, for you, at least. In which case the options are: get another hobby, or get enjoyment out of creating enjoyment for others, e.g. use those skills for a bike charity.

 

[d8mok]

Definitely not wanting to move on from retrobikes. Never suggested I’m bored with the world of old bikes just bored of the same old Shimano finishing kit from 96-98. Early bikes and later bikes I’m not struggling with just this period which happens to be my favourite era.

Of course they are all first world problems like most things on here. Nobody needs any of these things but keeps me busy and far cheaper than most other hobbies.