Give 3 Examples. Why Retrobikes are awesome

[Uncle Grumpy]

1. Mountain Cycle San Andreas

- It broke a lot of ground with eyecatching looks, versatility, eyecatching looks, making long travel work, eyecatching looks, disc brakes, eyecatching looks and upside down forks. Oh, their eyecatching looks. Shout out to the Foes LTS which was similar in execution.

2. Mid 90s Kona Lava Dome

- Solid value bike that got a lot of people into MTB - an example of a damn good entry level bike. Add to that the bike having a playful geometry and Kona's sense of fun, BITD you'd lend your Lava Dome out to a friend and they'd be hooked on the sport.

3. Custom cantilever brake cable straddles

- Whether it's the Onza chill pill, a peace symbol, smiley face or an anodised purple Avid Tri-Dangle - things like this were a cheap way to add some custom colour and personality to your bike and not take yourself too seriously. Shout out to Tioga lever tamers as well as anything that was anodised purple. It all showed that MTB was about individuality* and having a bit of fun.

*These days, bikes tend to look the same and it seems to me to be more about following the trends rather than doing it your own way. That's why I like vintage bikes, they're from an era with a different attitude.

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[MattiThundrrr]

If I was trying to explain RetroBike history in 3 bikes

 

[geddy1972]

yes i totally agree that rero bikes are awesome but that word is so over used.

The trouble is that Retro bikes have got far too expensive as its the new thing/craze to have.

maybe there should be a new thread asking why retro mountain bikes are now so expensive.

i will add that i too am guilty of buying a retro bike after seeing a video on youtube by Seth from Bermpeak.

its a 1995 specialized Rockhopper but it only cost me £15.

if it had been anymore that £50 quid then i would have just not bothered as to me thats the most that a retro bike is worth.

 

[Once A Hero]

So much to choose from, but I'd go with components as follows;

1. Shimano PD-M737 clipless pedals, because after the apocalypse, all that will remain will be Cockroaches and M737 clipless pedals. NOS ones will merely shed their boxes at this point

2. The Shimano XTR M900 groupset, because no other mtb groupset has come close to being as pretty and functional as the original daddy of 3 x 8 gearing

3. Marzocchi Z1 Bomber forks, because these for many marked the first opportunity to actually be able to travel over rough terrain comfortably at speed

 

[bold stelvis]

feels like it boils down to "why would you willingly choose objectively less functional, beaten up, vintage equipment over new stuff"

1. aesthetics - much more interesting paint and prettier frame geometry (mostly!)



no 2 - simpler, more elegant components with much greater compatibility that were built to last:



no 3 - tinkering: You can put together something really cool and high quality, that is unique, won't cost a fortune, and have fun doing it yourself

 

[bold stelvis]

no 4 - fulfilling an insatiable lust for shiny, CNC'd, super light alloy components that will break at the slightest sign of a hill?

 

[Aech]

- Whether it's the Onza chill pill, a peace symbol, smiley face or an anodised purple Avid Tri-Dangle - things like this were a cheap way to add some custom colour and personality to your bike and not take yourself too seriously. Shout out to Tioga lever tamers as well as anything that was anodised purple. It all showed that MTB was about individuality* and having a bit of fun.

*These days, bikes tend to look the same and it seems to me to be more about following the trends rather than doing it your own way. That's why I like vintage bikes, they're from an era with a different attitude.

I'd never really thought about it that way but thinking back you are right, me and everyone I knew customised their bikes with whatever "go faster" or favourite anodised colour bits they liked to create the bike of their dreams, now they are all sheep...