What state is retro biking in at the moment?

[Mahoney1978]

I must admit I've just come back onto the site from about a year sabbatical. No particular reason, but I had one build that I finished (around 2 years ago) and although a keen mountain biker, didn't have the interest to lurk as much as I was in this forum.

The reason I am back on the site more is that my 'holy grail' is finally on it's way to me and my interest has peaked again. I think you'll find (like others have said) this is what brings people here and depending on what they are building, what they are searching for and friends they find is how long they'll stay.

Since I've come back I've also noticed the For Sale section is not as busy, Ebay thread is less busy etc etc. Maybe it's the season, maybe it's just that people have found that bike they wanted all those years ago and don't feel they need to hit Retro Bike anymore.

No doubt when I've spent all my money getting my Dyna-Tech back on the trail, my interest will wain, but one thing is for sure and that is I'll be back.... I never owned a 1991 Scott Boulder, a Black and Yellow Marin Muirwoods, a an XTR tricked out Specialized Stumpjumper or a bottom of line steel Kona Hahanna... but I sure as hell love to see what people find in barns, in the tip, on the bay and ultimately how they do them up.

 

[secret_squirrel]

I'm back after about 4 months away - it's definitely quieter but I'm unsure If it's just down to the cracking summer we are having - not the hottest but one of the most consistent for a long time. Every night bar a few has been a riding night.

That said the SE area group has been almost on life support this year - only the SE coast gang keeping it going.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

I've seen this before, about 15 years ago with vintage and veteran motorcycles. All of a sudden every bloke with a bike license wanted his dream bike, many of which were British or Italian, demand soared and so did prices, great quality parts flooded out of dusty garages and into the autojumble market. I had a flourishing little 'hobby' business servicing, rebuilding and building engines, gearboxes and entire bikes, but over the course of a couple of years the supplies started to dry up, prices started to climb and eventually it mostly fizzled out. I went to the Cheltenham autojumble a couple of years ago, and most of what was on offer I would have thrown in the scrap bin, and that which is rare ends up on ebay.

Now things have returned to a much less frenetic level, prices are still high (if not higher), as the boom consumed a lot of stock and turned it into machines which rarely get ridden, but those guys that are left are real enthusiasts.

Many pastimes peak and trough and the great thing with retrobikes is that there always seems to be another gem to discover, an early GT, or a Team Marin, a Brodie or an elevated chainstay Overbury's. Plus this is very much a 'one mans meat...' type of hobby, where people tend to specialise (British steel being my thing), so there will always be a demand for just the right brake, fork, wheels etc to complete that project.

As for riding, I'm doing more now than I ever have before, but either in my own company, or with family and friends, as I find organised rides tend not to suit me, but that's the disadvantage of riding with a bunch of guys 20 years younger than me.

 

[legrandefromage]

This years summer is definitely keeping the numbers down as we all actually ride the damn things.

The local tip has changed ownership and now its run by a multinational, its gone the way of many others. Look but dont touch. So no more posting 'unbelievable tip finds'

Busier work for me has meant less time on here or much else for that matter.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Now I have my Kona back I really don't have any urges to buy anything else, the exotica left me a little cold (Dave Lloyd) cos all I really wanted was my Kona back!
Still read the threads, vote in BOTM but don't post as much.

A couple of years ago I went to nearly every national ride but since then they've always fallen on Sundays or on weekends I just can't do. I don't mind the travelling but sometimes things just don't work out like that. This year I might not even make the Peaks ride (my local) for the first time, which will be sad.

 

[chrisv40]

Re:

I've been visiting the site much less than normal and organised rides in my Lincs & East Yorkshire area have been a very hit and miss affair mainly due to me having a new baby on the way in 6 weeks and my 2 deputy's being bust too. Hopefully next year will be a huge improvement.

I've also found myself riding an awful lot more than other years (all on retros) so maybe the great summer is playing its part too.
Come long, cold, dark winter nights I'm sure we will see the site back to capacity.

 

[Ritz]

I've only been on here for a couple of months, but I see this happening on the fishing forums I'm a member of.

Summer is quiet, all out fishing or on holiday, winter is cabin fever time.

Ony got back into proper riding after a lay off of quite a few years and drifted away from a high tech bike to bikes of the 60's, 70's and 80's, first addition was the Raleigh Twenty, then an RSW16 now gone, retro road and mtb bikes.

Prefer the 70's era, harks back to commuting to work on a 5 speed racer, giving my age away now.

I don't see any retro riders down here in west Wales, plenty of roadies, mtbers obviously and families, but no old bike enthusiasts.

No skip or tip finds here and never much for sale locally.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

I think all hobbies that have, as an important part of it, a measure of buying and selling of rare bits, will ebb and flow. Retrobiking has the extra bonus of making time to ride to add in, which some people can't manage, especially to the national rides which may be a distance away.
You'll always get the core members who are able and willing to give it more time than most, but as long as those members welcome newcomers and returnee's back with open arms, which I generally think is what happens on here, it won't die out.
I do think there will be increased interest in 1997 onwards bikes as the numbers of them is diminishing and they are great to ride, but they enable people who won't be able to afford the increasing costs of the pre 97 stuff to get into the older tech without breaking the bank.

 

[dyna-ti]

Im going to the heart of it and blaming the conservatives :? Just everyones skint. Holiday time, bills etc
Possibly need more old bike propaganda, remind people how rubbish modern disposable mtbs are.

 

[broadway]

I do think there will be increased interest in 1997 onwards bikes as the numbers of them is diminishing and they are great to ride, but they enable people who won't be able to afford the increasing costs of the pre 97 stuff to get into the older tech without breaking the bank.

It's not only cost, younger people buying older bikes are more likely to be interested in later bikes when there interest is rekindled and have the disposable income to buy what they wanted BITD.