Do Retro MTB enthusiasts ride new bikes, too?

[OBillyHill]

I was chatting with a friend about retro mountain bikes. I have a late 80s Ritchey P-23 that I love, and is currently being rebuilt with original parts. My friend didn't think retro guys like me ride newer bikes much. I have 6 bikes total, a retro MTB and retro Road, the rest post2010. Personally I ride the newer stuff more because it's lighter and better shock absorption, but also I'm a lot older myself!

So, I am curious how many new bikes you retro collectors/enthusiasts own. Also, do you ride new and old, or are the retro bikes more restoration and collectibles?

Thanks for helping solve the argument.

 

[JonTom]

I ride a modern full suspension bike and a few retro bikes.

The modern bike floats over trails, stops better, and is less punishing on the bones.

The retro stuff comes out occasionally, but for gentler rides.

They're both excellent fun!

 

[greencat]

To me they are all bikes. I don't have any mountain bike younger than five years old (although fairly new to me).

I rotate between bikes depending on how I'm feeling/what I need to do. My go to MTB is the youngest - but rather retro in its sensibilities (triple chainset, v-brakes, rigid forks, 26 inch wheels). I'm doing better times on it than my disc-brake equipped, front suspension bike.

 

[walleater]

Yep, I've got a fairly normal 6x6" travel bike and my hardtail that I designed and was brazed together by Whishart last year. That's pretty up to date with 650b wheels, 66 degree head angle, long top tube etc. Riding different bikes provides different experiences. A trail on a modern bike might be easy, but a nightmare on something from 1992! Or at least around here that's the case.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Of course, My 1997 Kona Explosif used to get ridden quite a bit but I've put that modern bike to the back if the pile and only my old bikes get ridden now.

 

[Double-E F]

I ride a modern full suspension bike and a few retro bikes.

The modern bike floats over trails, stops better, and is less punishing on the bones.

The retro stuff comes out occasionally, but for gentler rides.

They're both excellent fun!

^^ This resembles my situation as well, although I ride a modern (2009) alu hardtail and a few retro bikes, but the latter only on less challenging trails.
Actually, the difference between me riding a retro bike or a modern one is the fact that I'm trying to go as fast as possible in the latter case, while on retro, I'm mainly looking for good spots to shoot pics of the bike

A recent ride with colleagues confronted me with the fact that my '09 ARC is becoming retro slowly too, as I was the only one with 26" wheels and not fully suspended. Lots of carbon on those truly modern bikes too, BTW.

 

[legrandefromage]

No. New is not worth the money when there stacks of unwanted kit out there to be had for pennies.

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

New is mahoosively over priced – shouldn't need to go on a finance plan to buy a bike.

 

[26er]

No. Never. Blasphemy!

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Yes. But variety is the spice of life and all that.