Is it worth putting NOS kit on?

hennahairgel":2gb6ytmv said:
If I buy NOS stuff then it’s my prerogative to use it. I see no point in bits just sitting around looking pretty. If I want to pay the extra ££ to get the NOS stuff as opposed to the nearly new bits then so be it.

I ride all my bikes, and treat them all the same. I do not go out to deliberately damage parts, but sometimes it happens, and yes it is a pity. Keeping things NOS is fairly pointless unless they are the ultra rare stuff. I’ve just happily bolted a pair of NOS Onza OZ-TI bar ends to may RTS, and it will get used just the same as everything else. I looked for ages trying to find the bar ends that were in good condition rather than NOS but nothing came up; it was the last part which prevented me from riding the bike and now I’m happy. I even binned the original box it came in (but it’s retrievable for all you garage queens).

How were the barends preventing you riding your bike? And what a waste OZ Ti's on an RTS ;)
Like I said before there is no right or wrong answer to NOS stuff but like Jez says above,new modern stuff is good to trash!
 
Dr S":31mxp8uc said:
[...] you can smash an £8million 250 GTO into a ball and completely rebuild it for £800,000 [...]
Sometimes reality just is to weird, hehe...

But I don't agree about the 'impossability' (*) to recreate a XTR M900 rear derailleur, 3D-printers are in their earliest steps and there are some pretty weird scientific research concerning materials going on - what I say it's just a matter of time until you'll print the alu-parts (or at least alu-looking composites) part by part & there you are...

(*) it is of course possible, but would be stupidly expensive, but my point being that will change as new tech evolves...

jez-4-bikes-max":31mxp8uc said:
[...] We all agree modern bikes ride so much better than retro bikes. [...]
We do? I missed that... :LOL:

If you enjoy riding an old bike more than riding a modern one, how is it 'better'?

'Better' is often a question of point of view... A ten year old Nokia with connection (service) is better than an Iphone without connectoin if you really need to make a phonecall... ;)
 
No, they are better to ride. Period. Evolution.

Ask about. I heard on the grapevine.

Besides - your argument suggests that a retrobike with a chain is superior than a modern bike with no chain attached.


Well, yes of course it is.
 
jez-4-bikes-max":1dme1xqp said:
No, they are better to ride. Period. Evolution.

Ask about. I heard on the grapevine.

Besides - your argument suggests that a retrobike with a chain is superior than a modern bike with no chain attached.


Well, yes of course it is.


I have to ask, better how? Do they excite you as much to ride and own?
 
jez-4-bikes-max":3vq9ygic said:
No, they are better to ride. Period. Evolution.

Ask about. I heard on the grapevine.

Besides - your argument suggests that a retrobike with a chain is superior than a modern bike with no chain attached.


Well, yes of course it is.
So we disagree and agree at the same time... Only thing missing is a wedding then... ;^)
 
nos

Kaiser wrote

I have to ask, better how? Do they excite you as much to ride and own?

I guess it depends on how you get your proverbial kicks on a bike - I'm with Jez though, with the possible exception of a grave shortage of anodised components (although hat tip to RaceFace for bringing back a rainbow of anodised cranks and bars for 09/10), the modern MTB comprehensively skins any retrobike alive (regardless of discipline) in terms of sheer capability.

Case in point - my LTS is pretty much the same on paper as my modern ride, a Cannondale Prophet - both have wide bars, flatties, short stems, roughly the same travel (ish) and weight about 30lbs. I'll even grant that the LTS has a competion pedigree that the Dale will never have. I've had the LTS for 11 years, and the Dale for two, so I know em both pretty well, but the GT, in pure performance terms, doesn't stand a chance. It just can't do what the Dale can.

Thing is though - it's not all about jumping further / dropping farther / riding faster etc. When I get on the GT I don't expect it to be as technically proficient as the Dale - no more so than the owner of the 250 GTO (or my own personal fav, the SWB) would expect it to outperform their new Veyron.

Riding the GT demands a different skillset, and it rewards in a different way. Is it better than the Dale then? Or my rigid Clockwork? Nope, not better, not worse, just different.

So, in response to Kaiser - do modern bikes excite as much to ride / own as a retro one? In terms of what they let you do, if you want to push their limits, then yes, no doubt. In terms of other characteristics (such as the buzz of finding some long sought after part, or the childish excitement of randomly running into another 1991 Karakorum when in the centre of London one day - or of course the additional challenges a retrobike provides in terms of making you do more of the work yourself), then no, modern bikes just don't cut it in that respect.

In other words, in the great modern vs retro debate - we're not really comparing like with like.
 
*Sets out soap box and takes a step up*

Ahem, ahem, for what it's worth here's my view.

If you enjoy owning the parts in mint un-used condition then don't ride them. There have been photographs of beautiful collections of stuff displayed in peoples homes shown here, beats decorating your living room with porcelain flying ducks and figurines.

If you enjoy riding them then do so.

If you want to ride that new old bike you always lusted after as a kid there's only one way to do it, source it all new and un-used, build it up and live your dream!

Thank you for your time.

*Steps down from soap box, slips and lands on arse.*
 
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