I dont think I could ever be accused of doing things for other people....if I had, life would be very different.....and really not in a good way.
I think one reason could be that I don't really see retro as retro...the bikes I use are the bikes I use, most are old, some I've had a very very long time, but adding new / non catalogue parts isn't really a problem as they have been evolving since day 1.
I could see that if you "got into" retro bikes, to fulfill as
@pw_pw_la said a regressive need, that having thecexact bike you wanted way back when, is the appeal....and you want what you want!
But it still doesn't explain that slight "itchiness" as
@widowmaker said about putting the "wrong " brakes on.....
Its kinda why I posed the question.
Certainly sounds like something I'd say!
For myself, the journey has already moved pretty rapidly; from bikes I lusted over, to bikes I didn't even know existed back then, and now to refining my expectations, searches, spending and tastes more towards certain, specific things I really want. I'm also more inclined to spend my retro pennies on things that have been proved tried and trusted, versus the next shiny, cool looking thing that catches my eye.
My builds and bikes have also already changed quite a bit over a relatively short space of time, and this is down to two factors:
1. Refining my own take on this retro thing; a personal ethos when it comes to old bikes, if you will (I've thought about writing this up, actually, as a kind of essay/manifesto for and to myself). My own little corner of this world, if you will.
2. Riding more.
The second one is key.
As much as I love old bikes, I need them to work! I can only justify spending my limited funds on things I know I will enjoy out on the trails. I ride more now than ever, and I want to enjoy the ride as much as the bike.
This means I am already WAY less strict when it comes to period correctness, and will now happily include modern components if I feel they improve and suit the bike.
For me, their inclusion comes down to taste. I think a successful build can go any number of ways, and it's really all about making sure it feels right. Both aesthetically and mechanically. Does that modern element work harmoniously with the rest of the bike? Does that old rear derailleur shift well? Are those bars wide enough to give me a comfortable and responsive ride?
New stuff on old bikes can look great, as can old stuff on new ones. It's just about getting the balance right between aesthetics and performance.
(I've just this weekend, finally, "finished" a new bike, that, for me, has come the closest to nailing this approach. I'm actually quite proud of it, and it not only looks the part, but it rides superbly too. The build came as much from necessity and availability as desire, but I'm really pleased with the results. I'll make a thread for it soon, promise!)
Another factor in all this retro businessis that there aren't as many modern builders that I'm as excited about as there are from way-back-when. And those that I am, I'm currently priced out of because most of them would mean having a custom bike built. Something I'm itching today, but I really need to start saving up for!
When it comes to retro stuff, I like not only the history of the builder and manufacturer of these bikes and components, but also of the riders that came before me! I like old shit. I like the feeling of something being handed down, of still being used. I like stories!
I like the idea of saving and cherishing well-made things that have existed for decades. I like meeting and talking to other like-minded people that like this too!
I also hate capitalism and modernism in equal measure, but I can appreciate that there are new things that are made just as well, or maybe even better than some of the old shit I instinctively gravitate towards too. I'd rather buy a vintage Champion sweatshirt, and also an older Potts. But Paul make better brakes now than ever, and a modern Chris King headset still looks the part!
I guess the main thing is this: I want to ride a bike I'm excited about, but I also don't want to feel too precious towards it! It's a machine, a tool. The riding is the thing. So I want to know that I can just go and ride the shit out of it, and not be so worried all the time about breaking something irreplaceable and costly, that will take me another decade of hunting and hustling to replace!
