Retro Bike as main squeeze?

[TonyMerryfield]

As you can see from my sig I have bit of a mix - currently my 2 rideable bikes are both over a decade old (2003 & 1994).

I've nothing against newer bikes - just in no hurry to get one built up

 

[kingoffootball]

There's people on here who manage to only have one bike?

 

[cce]

I think it depends on how you use it really. A daily commuter needs easily-sourced parts

 

[Seca Blue]

There's people on here who manage to only have one bike?

It's not easy, but I console myself with its stablemate ;-):

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re:

I only have one bike! Like my good lady I'm a one girl kind of guy! :-D Just finished my 92 frame with around the time components that were on my bitd wish list, and am hoping for her maiden voyage this weekend after work, illness, holidays, four young sprogs and a demanding missus! :-D

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re:

Nice stable mate btw!

 

[Fudd]

When I get my fat bike sold I'll be down to two, a 97 Merlin with V brakes and 90mm forks and my modern Ibis with 140mm at each end. The Ibis rolls at the same speed on tarmac, is more comfortable on gentle xc and is so much faster and safer when things get rougher, yet I ride the Merlin about 80% of the time. The Ibis comes out for trail centres and longer xc rides but for everything else I use the Merlin. I think of the Ibis as my Sunday best and the Merlin as a posh daily driver, plus I love the fact that very few people know what a Merlin is. Chain it up outside a shop next to a disc braked Boardman and you know that if some scrotes come along looking to pinch a bike they probably won't bother with mine.

 

[legrandefromage]

Very modern bikes are like riding a soft squishy sofa, no skills required and shite to try and pedal up hill

My dirty all day bikes are either a thoroughly modern year 2000 Marin full suspension with discs or a 1999 Raleigh RSP300 full sus thing.

They ride just like a soft squishy sofa, no skills required and shite to try and pedal up hill

Otherwise its random old chuff from the 1980's or 90's.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

I'd say your friend is partly right. A decent modern full-sus or hardtail bike will seem years ahead of a similar retro Mtb... because they are!! For a lot of people the terrain they ride has changed, and modern bikes are best suited to this. Retro Mtb's are best suited to the type of terrain folk ride them on back in the day (which was basically anywhere, excepting modern trail centres.)
But both retro and modern are great fun, just in slightly different ways.
I'd say start off getting back into things with a retro Mtb, it'll probably be capable of handling the vast majority of whatever you can throw at it.
But when things get rougher, rockier, jumpier, and faster, then try a modern Mtb, you'll be surprised at how well they cope with things a retro Mtb just can't.

 

[Stiff_Orange]

Don't get me wrong my 2014 Lynskey is the best bike I've ever ridden, Climbs like a goat, descends like demon and I can ride it all day without getting beat up, however if you want to learn how to ride a bike nothing beats a fully rigid steel retro bike. No crashing into rocks or roots and expecting the suspension to save you, you have to pick you lines correctly, lift the front and use power where necessary.
Of course it great when you ride an event like Big Dog, which is designed for modern bikes and you're passing people on modern full sussers ;-)