Thank god for retro bikes

[Abaca]

So after never buying a mtb magazine for a decade I decided to puck up mountain bike rider and see what's on the up and up.
First off when did mags cost 4.50? Jeez

Anyway whilst I'm in awe of the new tech there's no way I could afford it,I think the most expensive was 4 grand and the cheapest was just under five hundred
Does this lend to the idea that you need an expensive bike to mtb?
I guess they may through a retro/ budget feature in once a year but it doesn't cut it

A monthly feature and tech tips for retro bikes and I would buy this again but I can't see that happening

My most expensive bike is £65 and I have tons of fun on it,the guy that bought my puch road bike spent a grand on a roadbike and is scared to ride it in case it gets broke!

I'm guess I'm lucky I'm not spolied,iv only been on a hardtail once and never on a full sus.

There needs to be more infoi out there like this site supporting retro bikes,does any mag cater at all for this?

Rant over thank god for retro

 

[Abaca]

Re:

Apologies for the spelling

 

[jimo746]

Re:

I don't think there is a magazine dedicated to retro mtb's, at least not in the UK. From what I've seen retro bikes are quite popular on the continent so maybe one of our RB members from France or Germany can tell us if there's a publication out there. I know that in Japan there's quite a bit of interest in all things retro, and British, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have some kind of niche magazine.

I don't think prices of the more budget MTB's have changed all that much tbh, £3-500 still gets you a decent MTB, and I think you get a lot more for your money these days. But the prices of the high end bikes have gone through the roof, plenty of them now cost more than a new small car :shock: I can't justify that sort of money.

I'm happy just riding, whether it be on a £1k full suspension bike, or a £100 retro rigid bike. There's always been those who simply must have the newsest, bestest, most expensive etc. The marketing of MTB's these days is in a different league to when I first got into the sport.

 

[Spudly]

This is very reminiscent of a conversation we had today, myself Fluffychicken and Longun were on a local ride with a few others today, and were passed by a specialized, a LaPierre (sp) and some other modern thing as we had a breather at the top of a climb before enterting some local woods to do a nice little course.

We cracked on, me on my £80 '96 lava dome (rigid) Longy on his pace, Fluffy on his hardtail kona explosif, and we came to the start of the run which is a bombhole which has a small jump out of the other side, and the modern boys were stopped waiting for some walkers (who had moved over for them/us) we set off before them, and got a decent amount of air out of the bombhole (which i cant normally do) and we flew down the twisty tree lined trail and out of the other side and didnt even see the modern boys afterwards!

We mused at where they were, and i was blown away with how well my newest retro rode/handled/and flew, gives me more confidence than any other bikes and i have two other konas, a full sus marin, a zaskar and another rigid marin!

Moral of the surmisation, you dont need mega bucks or a mega bucks bike, to have a laugh, you just need something well set up, good brakes and tyres, and some mates to laugh at you when you fall off

 

[mattr]

4 grand? That's mid range TBH. Most of the big manufacturers have a halo bike at the thick end of 10 grand.
Which anyone decent at riding a bike wouldn't be able to afford anyway. Many hours on the bike sort of restricts earning potential.......

 

[kenaltobelli]

Re:

i get mbr most of the time; mainly for the places to ride
and whats new;this mths the tech tips is how to go tubeless and its been in before.
retro is good nice to see how cheap it can be but it must be good haveing a 10k bike :facepalm:
you rekon?

 

[Neil]

The price and appeal of modern bikes, plus the disposable many seem to have on them, nowadays, has led me to another observation.

BITD, all the people I knew through cycling, were pretty fit and trim - most of them also worked out. A week or two back, I saw a link of somebody I know through work, with loads of pictures of his modern, action-man-on-his-day-off, suspension "rig", and lots of gnarly, grrrr type pictures of him, with it, and some mud splashed around a bit.

Thing is, he's, well, generously proportioned - being tactful, and diplomatic. Your first thoughts on seeing the guy, aren't, well he's obviously well into his cycling. But, if you saw his facebook wall, you'd be forgiven for thinking he's preparing for Le Tour, or the VTT.

How did it happen, that people supposedly quite well into a physical sport like cycling, look like they're bigger 'round the middle, than they are around their chest / shoulders? How does that work?

 

[doctorstewie]

Have you considered that they might be trying to get fit, or even, shock horror, just enjoying themselves, or do you need to be under a certain weight to be a cyclist?

 

[stesnape]

Re:

On the subject of people buying expensive bikes and not knowing how to use the, last year at Gisburn Forest I had some real funny moments. The best being when when a group of show offs all on 3k plus bikes, and looking like they had just bought everything Evans cycles sells, had to move over for my 7 year old nephew on a 24" mtb because they were slowing him down.
On the subject of your waist being wider than your shoulders, not looking fit does not meen they're not fit. I know some 'big' lads in the forces who would wipe the floor with some of those 'fit' looking lads. Can never be too sure.

 

[Neil]

Have you considered that they might be trying to get fit, or even, shock horror, just enjoying themselves, or do you need to be under a certain weight to be a cyclist?

I've considered it, yes.

But in the examples I've seen, summarily dismissed it. They seem to show no real change, over time, and fitness and athleticism of cycling seems to have no bearing in their interest or what they choose to brag about.

Just seems curious, to me. BITD being enthused about cycling seemed to have a requisite component of achievement or aspiration of fitness and athleticism, but these days, for some that I see, it appears to have no bearing or interest whatsoever.

I'm not suggesting that invalidates it - by all means, let them eat cake, um, literally as well metaphorically, it's just a curious change in the times for me.