When will a Y2K bike be

[IDB1]

considered retro??

Is retro purely an age-related thing or is there a certain something [else] that defines it???

 

[xerxes]

Technically, you can build something brand new that is "retro" or retrospective. Retro is a style, something that evokes the look or style of something from the past. For example the Mazda MX5 is retro, it is styled something like a 60's Lotus Elan.

Something that is old in reality isn't actually retro, it's just old, or perhaps classic or vintage.

So perhaps the name of the site is wrong.

 

[IDB1]

Seems quite a subjective term..

So perhaps the name of the site is wrong.

I'd rather not be responsible for that particular discussion starting

 

[Mr Rippington]

For example this is a 1970, it's just old:



This looks like it's old, but it's a 2006, it's retro:

 

[IDB1]

I think retro is much more than a new product being made to look like it's old.. that's just marketing.. bandwagon jumping.. manufacturers preying on those who must have the latest fashion craze..

By that definition, the late 80's/early 90's bikes that would appear to be the core of the RetroBIKE scene aren't retro at all, just old...
Or is that not what you are saying?

 

[Mr Rippington]

Well, retro is a style but it's not a gimmick. Like the new mini cooper looks a little like an old one but has modern equipment and reliability. Etc with the new mustang or camaro. In theory a retro machine should give the feeling when you're using it of driving the original, and look and possibly even sound similar, but with modern engineering/reliability.

So, I would say my 1995 GT Zaskar is an old mountain bike, it's not really retro because that would imply it has the style of an earlier classic bike.

Mountain biking had pretty much just started when most of the 80's and 90's bikes on this forum were built, so really they are classic or vintage bicycles but since they are only 15-20 years old they don't seem old enough to be called classics and they were actually kinda futuristic looking anyway. So I would say Retro is a good term for them, but they probably fit the description of classic or vintage as well since they were the first generation of their kind.

 

[lewis1641]

In my understanding of what is retro a 2000 bike will never be retro.

 

[hamster]

Well, retro is a style but it's not a gimmick. Like the new mini cooper looks a little like an old one but has modern equipment and reliability. Etc with the new mustang or camaro. In theory a retro machine should give the feeling when you're using it of driving the original, and look and possibly even sound similar, but with modern engineering/reliability.

I was horrified to discover the same live axle and leaf springs under the current Mustang when I drove it...:shock:...I don't know if that makes it retro or just rubbish.
At least the current Cooper conclusively outperforms the original - and a long long time ago I had a 997 Mk1 with an Avonbar engine.

 

[cchris2lou]

oh dear , here we go .

do a serach , 100s of topics on the question .

 

[john]

oh dear , here we go .

do a serach , 100s of topics on the question .

, I thought we were well into 4 figures on that one. Still, no harm having it again.

To answer the original query, probably never.