What state is retro biking in at the moment?

[brocklanders023]

Just been pondering where retro biking is in the grand scheme of things. It seems to me the site is not as busy as it used to be and that the for sale section has plenty of posts but many items hang around for ages that would have been snapped up in no time a year or two back.

I must admit I do not spend as much time involved it retro biking as I used to but have also noticed past frequent posters now tending to hang out in the sections + going on the rides but not really posting in general chat.

I know that for myself most of the fun of our hobby was seeing threads of bikes I remembered from bitd and buying + building bikes I was interested in. I think I am less active (apart from my 7 month old boy :roll: ) because I've got my hands on most of what I wanted and seen threads on all the exotica I dreamt of when young. It's rare I see a build thread that really makes me go Oooooooh :shock: as, for me, most have been done.

Due to family commitments I don't get chance to ride enough full stop, let alone retro but from checking out the sections it seems that people are happy with what they've got and ride more, talk less.

Interested to hear retrobikers views.

 

[LikeClockwork]

Re:

Funny, because I've just been having this very same conversation with a retro biking mate over the last few days! I think perhaps some of us have attained what we dreamt of 'BITD' (for me, a 90's jungle graphics Kona....) and we are less inclined to keep upgrading, and more inclined to just get and and ride.

I know I've never ridden as much as I have this year, on the Kona, it's just got me out there, I love it, and I'm amazed how good it is for a 15 year plus old bike. Having said that, I'm always looking to shift stuff on to fund my hobby, and I have noticed it's gone very stagnant lately. Can test the theory further as I've just collected a load of stuff off a mate to sell for him as he's off travelling, and I think a lot of it will struggle whereas a year or two ago, it wouldn't have.

We will see....perhaps we've all just grown up and got, as you say, more important things and priorities to concentrate on for now. Perhaps it's all just, dare I say it, cyclic.... :facepalm:

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Yeah, it does seem that members from a few years back have either found what they what so go out and ride or have drifted away, like my closest riding pals. I noticed this a while back but the class of 2010 were replaced by the class of 2011/12 if you know what I mean. The new people asked the same questions we all did when we first joined. It just seems that there's less new people coming through to replace the natural wastage.

 

[Mr Toad]

Re:

I've only really got back into biking recently , having dug my old bear valley out of the garage and recommissioned it.

My interest has definately been rekindled , and modern bikes just don't do it for me , too complex , too much going on.

So , I've been looking and it dawned on me that all my dream bikes from back in the day are very much more affordable now , and my skills have progressed to the point that giving these old girls some tlc is well within my capabilities now. I like the challenge of finding parts as well.

So currently in the garage I have , 1990 bear valley , 1989 team marin , 1994 gt bravado , 1993 Stumpjumper ( mid build ) , 1992 gt avalanche ( mid build ) , 1992 marin team issue ( mid build ).

Once these are all finished , that's pretty much my dream stable from when I was 15/16. Work and kids mean I don't get to ride much , but just the fact that they are there should I want to is enough for me.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Parts are plentiful now as more have come out of the woodwork, but the side effect is people snap bikes up for more than they used to go or want better condition.. Rare things are not so rare as more pop up.

Our group have splintered put as organising rides on Facebook and the pub is easier than on here. So people tend to chat and sell more there now as far as I can see.

EBay is getting expensive to sell small items added with post and new stuff is becoming cheaper to buy from CRC than a second hand 200gs part on eBay.

People are not travelling for rides, I think the moors national weekend where a weekend of riding is there might show this is happeneong. No idea what the southern attendance is like.

But less retro bikes seem to turn up and comfy day bikes seem to be the thing.

But as with all hobbies (and internet forums as a whole over the 15+ years I've used them). People drift in and out over time.


I'm still here, stripping parts intricaly down to the little bits to rebuild. Learning about the bikes parts etc.
Getting old bits to work again for no good reason and still don't ride modern things.

The purists are still there, you'll find them other sites and Facebook.

 

[The History Man]

Over the last 18 months I've been on here, soaking up info, asking stupid questions, making schoolboy errors, starting with the brands I remember, muddy fox and Marin and now progressing to handmade British steel. Beyond that I think it gets a bit hard to move up without spending a fortune so will soon be concentrating on riding and tweaking with less building and searching. Perhaps that's the natural progression?

Don't do Facebook or any other sites/forums. Tried this one and liked it. Luddite here.

 

[wookiee]

Re:

My 2 penneth!

I joined the site when I was seeking a bit of nostalgia and a reliving of my youth. I was on the hunt for the bike I had always dreamed of when I was a spotty 16 year old, but could never afford BITD. For me that was a 1991 Team Marin, which I did find and still own. Its a beautiful bike and has a place in my heart. But unlike the beautiful condition of my Marin, the sands of time have not been so kind on me! Back in the early 90's I was younger, fitter and had way more time on my hands than I have now...Now I am nearly 40 with a 4.5 year old and another on the way in the next few weeks! So with that and a job it leaves little time for riding. I still manage to get out most nights after work for an hour or so despite this. But when I do its to have an easier more sympathetic ride to my aging body!

I am not about to deny that I am not as fit as I should be and certainly could do with loosing a pound or two! But its the modern bikes that see the most action. IMHO they just work better...the ride position on a retrobike is an acquired taste, and reminds me of my youth...youth that I don't have any more! The modern bike ride is more forgiving.

As for the thirst for retro parts/bikes... Its still there but I think people have realized that the parts/bikes they thought they would never see/find, do surface fairly frequently. I'm not talking about the boutique gear, but your mainstream Shimano stuff and bikes from big manufacturers. Also if like, me you have achieved your child hood goal you relatively happy with your lot. All you can do is start to drool and appreciate rarer bikes which you can't justify the cost of as you won't realistically ride them enough. Not being someone who has bikes for museum purposes I can't keep a bike I don't ride...(that and I don't have the space!)

At the end of the day I love the old bikes, its a part of my growing up/teen aspirations so and they will always hold a warm place in my heart..,but I have grown up...got older and where I am at now is that I have embraced some of the modern tech too. It suits me now, and now is where I am riding...my heart still loves the retro and gets a buzz from it too.

Just my thoughts

Doug

 

[troje]

Re:

It might be a bit subjective. Measuring popularity on retro bits offering is probably not the best way to do. Summer season does have an impact and frankly speaking, I think the parts that are currently for sale are not on the high standard as I've seen here earlier. Lots of second grade stuff or heavily overpriced.

 

[spike3]

The forsale section is deffinetly much quieter now than it was a year or two ago.

 

[MADJEZ]

Its the holiday season plus people are probably out riding more than staying in posting/selling.
Wait for the winter and we'll all be back in our sheds/garages and scouring ebay for that rare frame/part !!