The future of our hobby?....

[ez054098]

I plan to pass my knowledge and love of mountain bikes on to my kids. I will tell them why they made them better in the late 80s. early-mid 90s.

This is what i do, and its working

My son has a Raleigh Urban mountain bike, i often take him into my LBS and ask him which bike he wants to replace it - he say he likes his as its got proper cantilever brakes :roll:

Then there is hope.

 

[titch__16]

As long as people have a passion for bicycles, there will be a section of those enthusiasts (maniacs) who appreciate fine machinery of the past.

Exactly. No matter what it is, there will always be people who look to the future and people who reminisce. All generations have their own stamp to pass onto the next and although some may not take in the information and continue with the passion, there will be those who do. It is in those people that this niche will live on and even if the hobby does 'die out', somewhere along the line it will be resurrected.

 

[Neil]

In that case there wouldn't be any interest in Penny Farthings and pre-WW2 bikes.

When "our generation" is gone, those early MTBs will turn from retro to vintage.

I disagree; our current interest is the same as that in the motorcycle world for 'Sixteener Specials...'

...a bunch of middleaged blokes with more money than sense trying to relive their lost youth.

Todays generation lives in a 'Throw Away Society' that just does not attach the same value to 'anything' any more...

...do you seriously think the next generation of middleaged blokes are going to get all misty eyed over a Yamaha Jog or a Peugeot Speedfight?

I don't think so!

It'll be the same with our bikes; have you ever seen the type of people who are 'interested in PennyFarthings?' They're invariably almost as old as the bikes they ride...

...and they pronounce 'House' as 'Hyce!'

So not really a favourable comparison there!

As Fraser used to say...

...'We're doomed!' :roll:

I think I'd largely agree.

I think it's a recent thing in society for nostalgia of certain times to become more important - and perhaps some relative affluence at certain ages has helped bolster that. Whether that's a result of the baby boomer era, of just natural evolution, I'm unclear.

But there's another aspect - that you allude to - in times past, people were less focused on consumerism, and tended to value and keep things longer - and yes, despite the cliche, society had less of a "throw away" attitude.

Fast-forward to now and the past decade, or so - can I imagine people becoming quite as nostalgic about things like iPods and mobile phones as people did from earlier times did with things like walkmans and personal audio - maybe - but to a notably lesser degree - I think people are less attached.

I know I am, I've only got to think about the mobile phones I've gone through over time, to realise, I've got precious little attachment to them. Perhaps I'll reserve some sentiment for my Nokia N8. Last things I really cared about, technology wise, were my minidisc portables, and my first Archos media player.

I think, over time, such nostalgia and obsessing over things that are kind of old, will become much more fringe (than it is currently). Even the antique market is largely ruled by subjective forces driven by interest - there's rarely, if ever, true absolutes there.

 

[Neil]

As long as people have a passion for bicycles, there will be a section of those enthusiasts (maniacs) who appreciate fine machinery of the past.

Exactly. No matter what it is, there will always be people who look to the future and people who reminisce. All generations have their own stamp to pass onto the next and although some may not take in the information and continue with the passion, there will be those who do. It is in those people that this niche will live on and even if the hobby does 'die out', somewhere along the line it will be resurrected.

I think there's a difference, though.

So you're younger than probably most, here - but that's probably the exception, rather than the rule, so to speak.

As a generalism, I can't help but think that most, here, are drawn to bikes from a certain era, because they were around, and mountain biking in that era, and over time, almost as a natural consequence, that has become conditioned in memory as something of a golden time.

That people who didn't experience these bikes, in that time, isn't a bad thing, in my opinion, or any less valid - but is different. And by that I mean, you can see certain fashions for things - like fixies - old bikes, for some who weren't around then, can be something of a fleeting fashion.

Now true enough, in those demographs, and for those type of bikes (or other things) there may also be a small percentage who do so on pure merit). But most on fashion.

I just think it's a completely different draw for people who were around then.

For people who weren't, there's it being a bit niche, perhaps a tad trendy, some may do so because of influence from older people / family members - some may do it out of pure discovery and / or on merit.

I can't help but think, though, that it will diminish - if nothing else as a consequence of people seemingly less sentimental about their possessions, and society being much more about acquiring and disposing.

 

[NeilM]

I think RetroBikes are already a niche: Go to any cycle trail centre and you'll see that there is no shortage of riders in their 30's, 40's, 50's and older. How many are riding retro bikes? Almost none of them maybe 1 or 2% at best, and of those you can be sure that some are just on old bikes they got given or bought from a s/h shop because it was cheap.

Old bikes, cars, motorbikes, trains, traction engines, steam boats etc are all niche, but there will always be a hard core of enthusiasts, much as there is now.

 

[widowmaker]

I preach about retro bikes to anyone who will listen, and sometimes those that wont listen

 

[Ally]

Very good question. Only time will hold the answer I suppose.

At the end of the day, its our hobby, and why should it mean as much to another generation. If they are interested, it'll mean something else to them.

Looking at the longer heritage of road biking though, plenty of people have an interest in biking beyond their years. Plenty of folk here working on bikes older than they are in the road section.

I think there is always going to be an interest and a value in significant bikes, or bikes which have been crafted by individuals. I always like to think that a persons time has an intrinsic worth. I can't see my 1985 Raleigh Maverik being worth anything, but my Pace RC200F2 might still have worth. I am drawing a distinction between worth and monetary value.

I really do feel lucky to have seen the emergence of a new facet to biking, and I love the feeling my bikes give me and the memories of the time, but I gererally just likes bikes, so hopefully the next generation will value our bikes to some degree; they might just not be ridden as much.

Personally, I can't see all our bikes ending up in a skip. I think some will, but some will be well looked after and cherished.

 

[raidan73]

I agree that today's society is much more about consumerism and if something is old or broken then we just throw it away and replace it.

I'm sure part of this is due to cost of repair v cost of replacement and (without sounding like a miserable old git) things not being built to last any more. We all know that a lot (not all!) of the parts that we buy for our retro machines will take more of a hammering than their modern day counterparts.

Is this because society has dictated this to manufacturers today or the manufacturers have made it this way for society?

 

[Neil]

I agree that today's society is much more about consumerism and if something is old or broken then we just throw it away and replace it.

I'm sure part of this is due to cost of repair v cost of replacement and (without sounding like a miserable old git) things not being built to last any more. We all know that a lot (not all!) of the parts that we buy for our retro machines will take more of a hammering than their modern day counterparts.

Is this because society has dictated this to manufacturers today or the manufacturers have made it this way for society?

Probably a warm soothing blend of both of those reasons, plus a another: modern market economies are predicated on the basis of consumerism. Without it, or signficant reduction in it, and they crash.

 

[bren]

I thoght this would be a thread about the rain. :?

Retro ark