Who Still Rides Retrobikes

[hollister]

It's so weird to see all the "it's your bike, do what makes you happy" comments(almost always in reference to putting a bunch of modern parts on) here on retrobike

And then see how judgmental y'all get when it comes to how people enjoy their own bikes

It's a cognitive dissonance/hypocrisy cocktail, hold the common sense please

 

[jimo746]

wait... what?!? :shock:

I guess it's their choice, folk have classic cars that remain in garages or museums to be longingly looked at and lovingly polished. I don't see a problem with that.

Personally I ride retro, the Proflex is my daily rider, I care for it and all, but it's meant for riding so that's how I use it (again, like the historic car rallies and the events at Goodwood etc where cherished classics get a good thrashing ).

 

[GingerSpeshster]

Raced my 92 Stumpy at a local Cyclocross last Sunday. Was only retrobike there in a sea of shiny super-lightweight CXs. I came last, but had a complete blast riding the old girl. (Only last due to me being crap!)

My 89 Stumpy is for Sunday best, but still involves going up the woods with the kids.

 

[brocklanders023]

Must admit I don't see a problem with people collecting bikes and not using them. Have not got the space or money to do it myself but all the retro I've had since joining the site have only been occasional users.

Before retrobikes I collected retro r/c buggies. the less perfect ones got a thrashing but the NOS or fully restored just sat looking pretty.

 

[kaiser]

Mine could probably get off the Garage Queen moniker on a technicality, but for all intent and purposes they are fair weather friends. On my modern bikes I can go faster/slower/higher/steeper/further/harder you name it. I've embraced the million and one different niches/marketing strategies and I now have a tool for every job rather than one bike to rule them all. My Retrobikes (apart from the odd ride) fill a desire of ownership and collecting things, of finding parts and building something I find aesthetically pleasing, of having the bits and bikes I pored over BITD and the things I now see I like.

 

[Matthews]

I mainly ride my modern , better brakes, front suspension gearing but the Orange is for retro rides and will get used (only been on 1 since I finished it), as anyone who went on the ride will testify it got used hard and blathered in crud .
Matthew

 

[dbmtb]

Not riding my retros as much as I should - but that's because I'm trying to push visibility of the Focus brand in my local area....

But I do air them sometimes when I think noone is looking. Or I want to be anonymous.

 

[petitpal]

My only ride is the 96 Zaskar; so always ride retro (when I can actually get out on it!)

I can understand not wanting to ride a bike though - when I first got the Zaskar frame (in 96) it took me weeks to build it up, despite my only other MTB being trashed. Was just too beautiful and had to live in my bedroom. Also have to consider those retro MTBs that are prone to cracking or breaking under hard use - can understand why those may be kept back. Each to their own I say - but I just happen to love to ride the nuts off mine (or possibly me).

 

[DegsUk]

Not riding my retros as much as I should - but that's because I'm trying to push visibility of the Focus brand in my local area....

Focus was the name of my first ever MTB back in 89-90 iirc green and white only got a blurred pic of it now but i use my carrera kathmandu for work and its just waiting for its new BB then its the work horse again

 

[lrh]

The thing that's shocked me is how aggressive people can be in buying bikes and parts they don't need, can't afford, and won't use... The more aggressive the purchase the quicker it will be split or re-sold :shock:

As an engineer at heart I like to see mechanical stuff in motion. I enjoy the beauty of bikes as much as anyone but that's only half the pleasure of owning them.

On moderns... They make my eyes bleed. Retro bikes aren't retro to me they just the bikes I know and love, same as late 80s and early 90s cars.