Captain Stupido
Senior Retro Guru
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I keep seeing people on modern bikes and wondering...
Also, I’m on the Planet X / on one mailing list and a lot of what they sell is appealing and looks good value.
The last time I bought a new bike, probably about 7 years ago, it was a disappointing experience. It was a roughly entry level Genesis road bike. I just fancied trying something modern, and it was reduced, so it seemed like a bargain. I bought it online without even trying it. After a week of riding it I decided to sell it on. I thought the alloy frame was very flat and dead feeling, the groupset felt cheap and didn’t work any better (or as well as) the vintage Shimano kit I was used to. It had carbon forks for what it’s worth (not much was my conclusion). It was uncomfortable, and didn’t inspire confidence in its long term durability.
After that I swore off alloy framed bikes. My current road bike is a late 80s Raleigh quadra, it’s a 531 framed Shimano 105 equipped bike and it’s much nicer than that Genesis was. My fave MTB at the moment is a 1998 Orange Clockwork, with Pace rc36 forks and mostly XT bits. It’s great. Light, nimble and super fun. For touring, going down the shops, etc I’ve got an old Dawes... it’s comfy and it takes a load with ease.
I’ve got other retro bikes too. But 1998 is pretty much as modern as I get. And apart from a trek multitrack that I’ve not got round to building up they’re all steel.
But still I’m wondering what I’m missing out on. Has stuff moved on? What would I need to spend to get something that would make me leave my retros in the garage? Would a modern gravel bike be an eye opener as an all rounder? Or would a modern 29er make the clockwork feel like unnecessarily hard work?
Maybe I have been unlucky with alloy framed bikes? Maybe I’d love a carbon frame? Planet X have some pretty reasonably priced titanium bikes... if I got saving... or maybe steel is still it, for me?
I do accept that disc brakes would be an improvement for off roading in wet and muddy conditions. But these days there are retro bikes with discs...
Anyone want to talk me into/out of buying something new?
Also, I’m on the Planet X / on one mailing list and a lot of what they sell is appealing and looks good value.
The last time I bought a new bike, probably about 7 years ago, it was a disappointing experience. It was a roughly entry level Genesis road bike. I just fancied trying something modern, and it was reduced, so it seemed like a bargain. I bought it online without even trying it. After a week of riding it I decided to sell it on. I thought the alloy frame was very flat and dead feeling, the groupset felt cheap and didn’t work any better (or as well as) the vintage Shimano kit I was used to. It had carbon forks for what it’s worth (not much was my conclusion). It was uncomfortable, and didn’t inspire confidence in its long term durability.
After that I swore off alloy framed bikes. My current road bike is a late 80s Raleigh quadra, it’s a 531 framed Shimano 105 equipped bike and it’s much nicer than that Genesis was. My fave MTB at the moment is a 1998 Orange Clockwork, with Pace rc36 forks and mostly XT bits. It’s great. Light, nimble and super fun. For touring, going down the shops, etc I’ve got an old Dawes... it’s comfy and it takes a load with ease.
I’ve got other retro bikes too. But 1998 is pretty much as modern as I get. And apart from a trek multitrack that I’ve not got round to building up they’re all steel.
But still I’m wondering what I’m missing out on. Has stuff moved on? What would I need to spend to get something that would make me leave my retros in the garage? Would a modern gravel bike be an eye opener as an all rounder? Or would a modern 29er make the clockwork feel like unnecessarily hard work?
Maybe I have been unlucky with alloy framed bikes? Maybe I’d love a carbon frame? Planet X have some pretty reasonably priced titanium bikes... if I got saving... or maybe steel is still it, for me?
I do accept that disc brakes would be an improvement for off roading in wet and muddy conditions. But these days there are retro bikes with discs...
Anyone want to talk me into/out of buying something new?