Retroism......why?

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

It exists!

Who Satan?

 

[Tsundere]

Riser bars and bar ends... Oh my! The main problem isn't what other people think; it's having to look at the combination as you ride. Remember, if you vomit forward, it will hit you in the face!

Catalogue spec... Oh my! What is catalogue spec other than some other dude's idea of what a bike should be? Why should it be any more worthwhile than your own? After all, you're the rider; whoever decided the catalogue spec was just doing a day's work and didn't necessarily even ride the bikes in question.

There's a healthy scepticism on Retrobike toward the bike industry today; why not have the same scepticism toward the bike industry of the 80s and 90s? It's not as if cynicism in business was only invented in the current millennium.

You make a couple of fair points, catalogue spec was simply the result of each manufacturers mathematics, how to spec each model in order to get it out at the right price point, keeping it competitive vs rivals while leaving room for profit, I think it's just purists who care about it to the point of obsession though.

As for scepticism towards the industry of old, well mountain biking at the time that we here are all mainly concerned with was a new and blossoming sport, therefore it really was a unique time for the industry in that the behemoths were caught asleep at the wheel, it was small start ups and garden shed inventors who'd been busily designing and perfecting frames and components fit for rough off roading years before the giants woke up. The result was a desperate arms race as the big boys strived to catch up with a sport that was already ballooning in popularity.

The point being that all this innovation and experimentation was going on and lessons were still being learned, Shimano and co were overbuilding their parts desperate as they were not to be known for unreliability in a sport full of unknowns, new techniques and technologies were born, and many fell by the wayside, but for a while we had this situation where there were mid range spec'd bikes being churned out that would go on to last for decades. Of course the giant's soon reeled their R&D departments in and during the mid to late 90's they got back to good old Henry Ford style built in obsolescence with parts designed to fall apart just in time for the next season.

But the bomb proof parts were already out there, and that era is partly why we have such a healthy scepticism towards the modern bike industry, because they went temporarily insane during the 80s and 90s and inadvertently spoiled us rotten.

 

[Deleted member 69416]

Does being on here affect us ? Plant seeds . As Hannibal Lecter said , We covet what we see .

 

[Imlach]

Does being on here affect us ? Plant seeds . As Hannibal Lecter said , We covet what we see .

No RB member in their right mind would eat human organs.

They'd sell them.

Oh, what's that? A big box delivery?

 

[Gtpulse]

Like it or not it’s whatever gives you that dopamine hit. Interesting writings here https://phdprincess.com/blog/disney-collecting?format=amp about collecting and the neuroscience behind it.

The main 5 reasons (arranging and rearranging; social interaction as a result of collecting; competition and status over others; investing; sentimental value) may all or in part strike a chord with many of us, add in the additional dimension of being able to ride/exercise with our drug of choice and it’s easy to see why we do it!

 

[reindeer]

I’ve specialized in german brands, reasonable middle class, nobody collects or cares about and I can blemish the way I want without causing nervous breakdowns. Just mix and match whatever has proven to fit me best. I would never again by free will ride a triple crankset or beartraps, prefer modern brifters over old ones etc. I’ve only kept one true retro build for display to show off my sophistication

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I’ve specialized in german brands, reasonable middle class, nobody collects or cares about and I can blemish the way I want without causing nervous breakdowns. Just mix and match whatever has proven to fit me best. I would never again by free will ride a triple crankset or beartraps, prefer modern brifters over old ones etc. I’ve only kept one true retro build for display to show off my sophistication

I like my triple chainset, but agree with all the rest. I like Raleighs.

 

[Imlach]

I like my triple chainset, but agree with all the rest. I like Raleighs.

Just wait til he catches wind of my mad plans

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Just wait til he catches wind of my mad plans

You're more retrowtf than retrobike mate

 

[Imlach]

You're more retrowtf than retrobike mate

Variety is the spice of life innit