Do you notice extreme negative views of none retrobikers when you say you are trying to work with an older bike?

[MattiThundrrr]

In my town there are two bike shops, you just have to pick your audience. At one shop, it's "don't bother fixing that old dog, replace it" for literally any issue a vintage bike faces. At the other shop, they're usually excited to see what weirdness I bring them. The techs know me from the BMX track, young kids were completely floored by how light my singlespeed alu bike with v brakes was. Didn't think it was even possible.
The other day, a hiker stopped Ingola and I and told us it was refreshing to see someone on a "real" bike for a change instead of all the motorized bikes

 

[Twozaskars]

Orange Five.
That is all.

 

[Totoro]

Took my newly acquired 97 Zaskar (bought off here) to my LBS today as I didn't have the correct tools for the job, annoyingly I do have some Park Tool stuff on order but it wont be here for a week or two, I'd have still been short a couple of tools to do all the jobs anyway.

The staff loved my bike and said they wished they only worked on retro stuff, they had an old Kona in for repair and a few other older rides. They even sell used bikes, some are retro. I've used them for years and bought my one owner Mountain Cycle San Andreas off them years ago which I sold to a member on here quite a while back.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

The staff loved my bike and said they wished they only worked on retro stuff, they had an old Kona in for repair and a few other older rides. They even sell used bikes, some are retro. I've used them for years and bought my one owner Mountain Cycle San Andreas off them years ago which I sold to a member on here quite a while back.

That type of LBS deserves our support. You should share the name, perhaps someone here is looking to switch to a more appreciative shop. I go to the one that likes vintage first, then if they don't have what I need, I'll try the other one

 

[Totoro]

That type of LBS needs support. You should share the name, perhaps someone here is looking to switch to a more appreciative shop.

Would rather not disclose my location thanks, I could not cope with any of you turning up

 

[MattiThundrrr]

The good shop in Cornwall, Ontario is Bicycle World. I've been going to them since the 90s. When I went in recently to ask if they would work on the shock on my aluminum Brodie, there was actually another one there in the line waiting on service.

 

[Woz]

Everyone's happy to look at quality old stuff, especially if it's got a bit of charm.

This. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's any good. Same with new.

Quality from any age shines through and a fine meticulous build will always stop any cyclist (and more) to just pause and look at it.

Charm, quirky, individual, coherent, balanced, unique are all bike attributes any cyclist appreciates. May not even need to be super rare or super costly or some foreign exotica either.

No one will care about the banged out like-for-like new carbon, exactly the same no one cares about the old 10 speed Pugs or Raleighs or similar that were equally banged out in millions. MTB was very popular, and there were lots banged out that equally no one cares about.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

The trails here have changed. Modern flow trails are far smoother than the legacy trails. It's ironic, the bikes have become far more competent, but the majority of places people ride them have become much easier

That's true. BITD I rode bush tracks on a rigid 3x7 hardtail with cantilever brakes and 26x1.9 tyres. These days it's 160mm travel duallies with 29x2.5" treads on groomed bike park trails. Maybe it's me, I can't jump now and I couldn't jump then - ha!

But... the good old "trail through the woods/bush/scrub/forest" where I am haven't changed. Sure the bikes might be more capable but I'm not sure if it is any more fun.

Still, ragging on someone for wanting to keep an older bike going is pretty poor. I guess in response to the OP, I see it more from bike shops than I do from other riders. Most other riders are pretty stoked to see a vintage bike being used.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Guys, we just got old and are following the same well trodden path as all of the other Victor Meldrews of the past.

[reflects on this for a while]

No, it's not me. The rest of the world is wrong.

 

[retrobiker273891]

One of them protested and showed me a new skill I should learn...called a "manual". I didn't know what that was, causing more laughs at my expense. Till he demonstrated it...oh you mean moving your weight on the bike, instead of more crashing about and relying again on the bike to get you out of a hole.....how REVOLUTIONARY .

Manual is old school tbf. My friend of the time showed me in the 90s in the context of bmxing.