Spending, say, a grand, on a bike to ride, in order to have less bikes.

[Woz]

If low budget enters the equation, then forget modern IMHO.

Sell some old tat, and get some some top-notch old old tat would be my advice. Throw the money at the frame, forks, wheels and tyres.

No one notices the difference between a Kalloy seat-post and a Thomson.

 

[CassidyAce]

I'm not entirely convinced by the 1x naysaying - all drivetrains have their compromises, and I never use all the ratios available with a triple - I mainly stay in the middle ring, only using the other two for steep climbs or descents. But at the end of the day gearing comes down to where and how you ride. What works for one person might not work for another... trying stuff is the only way to really find out what works.

Also, if I rode a new bike enough that the cost of cassette replacement became an issue then the initial purchase would have been worthwhile. These days a worn out chain is a rare occurrence and a cause for celebration as it means I've been putting the miles in.

But the truth is I could survive without disc brakes. And riding the Giant down to the shops and back a few times this week I am coming round to accepting the fact that the riding position is not ideal for its chosen use. Oh and it's a bit short for carrying panniers, heel rub would get annoying on a long ride.

But there is a balance to be struck. My old Dawes (see pic below) was a favourite do it all bike for a few years but in the end while it was a great city bike, when I moved to Devon I found it a bit too sit up and beg for attacking long climbs or off roading. I sort of regret selling it though, I think maybe it just needed some tweaking.

But yeah, I think I'm convinced to "stick to my retro guns" as @Tootyred suggests. Crack on with the next build, and the Giant, lovely as it is, will probably get sold at some point.

The question now is, what next. I've got three likely candidates, interestingly all with different sized wheels.

View attachment 581518

The Dawes looks a reasonable basis for a flat bar, Jack-of-all-trades bike, provided the fit is good and it has the clearance for whatever tyres you might want. If the fit is not good, there really is little point, no matter what the quality of the frame might be. Otherwise, I tend to agree with @Woz and @legrandefromage: upgrading a frame you're happy with, either with new or higher quality retro parts might be the best way forward.

As for 1x, I wouldn't call myself a naysayer—obviously, it suits some people and @clubby is correct: it makes sense for full suss MTBs, especially 29ers with dropper posts—but I am sceptical when it is presented as an 'upgrade' rather than as just an alternative for other types of bike. The 'upgrade' part is marketing spin. For gravel bikes, surely, it should be presented as just an alternative option because, as you say, the choice will depend on the terrain, riding style, and personal preference. Notably, on road bikes, for the time-being, it looks like 1x will remain an option but not dominate the market. @d8mok appears to be happy with his 1x, though 42t 1x on a gravel bike is quite a different proposition from a 29er 1x with 36t being ridden on roads and paths. With a decent 42t 1x gravel bike and a decent level of fitness, he will be quick, very probably faster than a comparable rider on a retro 26er; however, I see a lot of riders plodding along on 1x 29er MTBs on paths and roads and they are slow, not so much because the bikes are no good as because the bikes are not optimal for that purpose. In contrast, d8mok is using his bike for its intended purpose. Speed might not be your priority but plodding isn't likely to encourage enough riding to wear out cassettes!

Funnily enough, the only thing from modern bikes that I really miss on retros is the very thing that you are not bothered about: disc brakes. Vive la différence!

 

[Captain Stupido]

Funnily enough, the only thing from modern bikes that I really miss on retros is the very thing that you are not bothered about: disc brakes. Vive la différence!

No, i agree, disc brakes are probably the main justification for going modern... but ultimately if I have survived 40 years of riding bikes without them then I can probably continue to do without...

 

[Captain Stupido]

bunging later components onto an old frame is very rewarding, good value for money and can keep an old nag in the stable for many moons to come.

This comes from experience, the one thing about RB is that we mostly ride and can be seen out and about so 'behind the keyboard' comments can be left for Facebook - if thats your thing.

I dont particularly want to stick with 7 speed, it sucks, or even triples for that matter but 9spd for MTB and 10spd for road is way more than adequate

I agree in spirit, but from my experience 7 speed (or even 6 speed) drivetrains are fine. I agree with @CassidyAce that disc brakes are the main reason to go modern, and that's not an upgrade path that an old frame offers.

I suspect though that if there's a difference in opinion it's down to our environment. Devon hills require a wide range of gears and really effective brakes. The Cambridgeshire fens probably reward a rider with closely spaced gear ratios and aerodynamic riding position. Brakes, meh.

But cantis and V brakes can both work really well so yeah.

 

[brocklanders023]

Finally got out on this and once I got used to it I was impressed. The riding position is very comfortable and I didn't get any of the shoulder pain I sometimes do on the gravel bike. I rode a route I often do and the Whippet felt slower than my drop bar but actually, when looking at Strava it was well in the ballpark.

No point comparing it to my full suss as it's a world away from that and much more old school in spirit but I'm going to enjoy matching it up to my gravel bike as they hit the same brief but in a different way. I imagine I'll probably take this down a more MTB route in the end so it sits in the middle of my modern bikes rather than replace any.

Anyway, thoughts on the ride were that the stem is far too short and doesn't suit the light front end. I'll be trying it with 80/90mm on the next ride.
Sram continues to disappoint with the gears seemingly impossible to set correctly across the cassette, the lack of 'pull' option on the shifter being a pain and the brakes, although adequate are miles off the Shimano equivalent, let alone my Hope E4's! I also think the 1x12 gearing does not suit the bike but that's not helped by the 32 tooth front ring. Luckily there's a front mech mount so at some point I expect I'll go Shimano 2x10. It could also do with lighter wheels although I plan to run it tubeless so that will help.

Sounds like I don't like it but I really do! If the OP is considering a new bike I'd certainly put the Whippet on the list, especially if you can get it discounted like I did. It's a great base to faff around with.

 

[retroJIM]

That's a nice looking bike!

 

[legrandefromage]

But but thats a flat bar gravel XC freeride towpath terrorist enduro to the shops back from the shops to the pub back from the pub slightly wobbly bicycle!

Actually managed to ride bicycle today...

Yeah!

It hides its 9spd very well with the Tange Champion No.5 tubing twangy enough - cost about £60 to build

 

[Takingabreak]

Apologies for the rambling post. Happens every now and then, basically I need the good people of RB land to talk me out of buying a new bike.

I'm probably always going to have one or two projects on the go, but overall I could do with having fewer bikes, and riding more. The ultimate quest for me is increasingly becoming finding the least compromised "do it all" bike that I can, and I'm wondering about how throwing a bit more money at the problem might help solve it. Most of my builds seem to cost about £300 when all's said and done. What about a grand on something old or new?

Comfort is more important than speed, but I want something efficient enough that I can cover distance. It needs to be rugged (and capable) enough for both carrying luggage and riding on trails.

Recently I attempted to crack this by building up an Orange C16R, with rigid forks, in drop bar flavour. It was quite a fun bike, but ultimately a bit sluggish on the road, and twitchy on the trails - I got bored of it.

Having had lots of road bikes with flat bars, and lots of MTBs with drops, I'm coming round to the conclusion that while I like drops for covering distance on roads, flat bars work so much better for me over anything remotely technical that they're probably the best option for a do it all bike.

Also, I've never owned a 29er, but it seems to me that bigger wheels do roll better on tarmac. This seems to be the main compromise when it comes to using a retro MTB for "everything". It seems weird to me that modern thinking is that these big wheels are better off road too... but it makes me wonder whether a modern rigid MTB or a gravel bike (with straight bars) would do the job better.

Based on the theory that bigger wheels are better I've got a Dawes Synthesis 700c hybrid build in the queue as well as a 27" Claud Butler Majestic which are both different answers to the question, but realistically unlikely to be the "ultimate" answer, if only because I'd really like something with disc brakes. It's bloody hilly here and brakes are important!

The best compromise in my stable today is a Giant Cadex. It's pretty fast over any surface, handles brilliantly, is lightweight and reasonably comfortable and will go pretty much anywhere. It's my first carbon bike and while I prefer the ride quality and feel of a steel frame I appreciate the virtues of carbon fibre. Being critical it's perhaps a bit too racy in feel, not exactly a comfy cruiser, and a bit of a boneshaker on the trails. I'm not sure I'd want to use it for loaded touring off road, either.

View attachment 581125

Here and now, my (hard tail) Clockwork is pretty much all the fun I need at the local trail centre, and I have a slightly dull Trek road bike which is as good a bike as i'm likely to need for the limited amount of pure summer road riding I do. It's the compromise bike that's just a bit too...compromised.

So what about a more modern (or just more expensive) do it all bike. I mean, it's hard to believe that something like the bike below wouldn't be "better" overall than the Giant... disc brakes, big wheels (and tyres), a titanium frame and carbon forks... sounds good, right? If I cleared some of the chaff out of the cellar I'd have a grand in no time... if I could stop myself spending it on more projects!

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOORRSX/on-one-rocky-road-sram-sx-titanium-adventure-bike
Or what about something a bit more retro? What would you buy? What have you bought already?

I have often thought a Dawes Synthesis with V brakes instead of cantis would make a really good do it all bike - particularly if it was the Reynolds 653 tubing version

 

[brocklanders023]

That's a nice looking bike!

Cheers mate, it's what the Prestige went towards.

Preferred looking at the Prestige but this is XL and I still have loads of post showing so you can see how I struggled to fit on the 19" Orange.

 

[legrandefromage]

I agree in spirit, but from my experience 7 speed (or even 6 speed) drivetrains are fine. I agree with @CassidyAce that disc brakes are the main reason to go modern, and that's not an upgrade path that an old frame offers.

I suspect though that if there's a difference in opinion it's down to our environment. Devon hills require a wide range of gears and really effective brakes. The Cambridgeshire fens probably reward a rider with closely spaced gear ratios and aerodynamic riding position. Brakes, meh.

But cantis and V brakes can both work really well so yeah.

But... but! I ride in the Peaks! With cantilevers! and and and my Zaskar had discs in 1995! Exclamation mark Mark!!