How good is too good ?

[muddyfox_courier]

I'm new here. I've introduced myself in that 'Introduce II thread ' thing.
Ok . How's this?
There seems to be some very pimped bikes on here.In light of components becoming obsolete ,and if you actually use them ,especially off road,they get knackered,do you then ,ACTUALLY use these bikes OR are they too nice to ride?

In a relative way ,it's a dilemma i am facing.I dont suppose it needs to be 'ringle'd up to the max,if it's not made anymore ,when it's gone ,it's gone.

please discuss.
TIM

 

[john]

I'm new here. I've introduced myself in that 'Introduce II thread ' thing.
Ok . How's this?
There seems to be some very pimped bikes on here.In light of components becoming obsolete ,and if you actually use them ,especially off road,they get knackered,do you then ,ACTUALLY use these bikes OR are they too nice to ride?

In a relative way ,it's a dilemma i am facing.I dont suppose it needs to be 'ringle'd up to the max,if it's not made anymore ,when it's gone ,it's gone.

please discuss.
TIM

Never use them

All we do is sit and look at them...

 

[muddyfox_courier]

Yes.that's what i'm talking about.
But if it was the last one.In the world.
Could you use it.?

in such a wanton manner. haha.

I do get off on the pimped thing ,but some of them ,have clearly never seen dirt.I'm not judging this in any way,but I'm sure the passionate small volume chris chances etc would rather their bikes get used, as intended, rather than hung on the wall.Web,whatever.

I'm reminded of a conversation i had with my friend years ago. He sourced a NOS late '70s/early '80s Honda CR250 'red rocket'.In a crate ,unused,mint etc etc. He paid through the nose for it ( although not as much as he would today),but said it was "too nice to use ".
I know we all have our 'thing',but I couldnt see the point in such a purposeful machine just being turned over and polished once a month.

That said.Tonight i've just retired my 19yr old DB axis .Mine from new. So many rides/memories.It is dead.
I wish I hadnt used it as much .
Hmm.
I'm consoling myself with it's replacement.

 

[Agency_Scum]

We're all mortal and retro bikes with their finite supply of components can remind us of that. Like life, the trick is to enjoy the " now " and not mistake being alive a long time for as actually living life. Ride them into the ground.

 

[Jones]

Most of the pics of bikes you see on here are either just after they've been built up or just after they've been cleaned and polished to within an inch of their lives to show them off to the Retrobike masses

I'm sure most of the bikes are then ridden its just nobody wants to post a pic of their pride and joy covered in cow sh*t

 

[South Bound]

There is a balance of function and bling. There is plenty of stuff that works really well that does not need to cost a fortune, but there is some gorgeous stuff that does.

Personally, being a chap who likes things made from metal, I will use functional stuff for the bikes I want to ride and if I ever had a bike to put on the wall I would cover it in bling to save it for future generations to ogle at ('Dad, did you really spend £x on that bit, are you mad? Don't you know that Shimano XTR 2020 actually pedals for you???').

Being a bit sad, I would have a shiny kit cabinet to look at - better than china figures or ancient porcelain if you ask me.

 

[jango]

Tonight i've just retired my 19yr old DB axis .Mine from new. So many rides/memories.It is dead.

How did it die? Hopefully it went out with a bang!

At the end of the day a bike is there to be ridden, it can always be cleaned up and used as wall art after it's died......if it's not going to be ridden it doesn't have to work does it!

 

[neilll]

knackered,do you then ,ACTUALLY use these bikes OR are they too nice to ride?

Build it......then ride it like you stole it......hire car style :twisted:


Better to live one day as a lion that hundred as a sheep

 

[cce]

i tend to avoid flash/expensive components where they wear

i dont see a lot of point to spending out for XTR mechs, cassettes, chains etc, it all wears out - classy stems, seatposts cranks etc are a different matter though

 

[Geoff]

I don't know about mechs, yes they wear out but it takes quite a while. I'm with you on cassettes (at least in terms of avoiding stupid price titanium wizardry) although I am a sucker for a good looking chain. Not Rohloff, just the top of the line SRAM 8 speeds instead of the bottom of the line...

...yes I know there is no functional difference, but they look nicer!