Who's got a 29'er?

[kaiser]

My worry now is that if I get one and like it as much as you guys do, what am I going to do with all my retro bikes :roll:

That can be an issue, but the way I look at it is this.

Retrobike is as much a state of mind as it is about the actual bike IMHO.

You will still love your Roberts, you just might save it for special occasions. The rest of your collection will depend on circumstances, but loving 29ers or fatbikes or both does not mean Retrobikes don't have their place. It just means you can't be one of those 'holier than thou' types who 'only ride retro'. And that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Well said! At the end of the day you'll still be a cyclist, just you'll have another tool to do another job and hopefully more grins, vive le difference.

 

[IbocProSX]

I love'em. I've got both modern and retro, steel, Ti and carbon bikes in 26"and 29ers. But the truth is that since getting my first 29er 5 years ago most of my project builds have been big wheeled (but not all).

The standout 29er to me is the the rigid steel hardtail. Be it geared or SS, the experience of a nice steel rigid build with big wheels is more than the sum of parts. It is the perfect blend of old skool craft and modern riding, the definition of "retro"?

Enjoy!!

 

[NeilM]

BLIMEY :shock:

Yup, that's the way to go.

All (but one) of my bikes are steel, and having spent some time this afternoon looking at carbon frames, and remembering how much I disliked the noise of crap hitting the downtube of my STS-2, I shall investigate further.

What kind of weight are steel bikes coming out at?

 

[firedfromthecircus]

If you can't quite stretch to an IF then you'll be wanting a niner sir9.

853 29er lovelyness. :mrgreen:

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Of course, if Ti was your thing I think a member up here might still be selling his 20" Raijin.

 

[NeilM]

Not going single speed, I don't have the lungs for it. I leave that sort of thing to much younger, fitter men.... like my son :evil:

No one over here making anything nice in steel?

 

[kaiser]

Funnily enough theres not too much data out there on frame weights. IMO the weight thing was played out as different bike styles came in, its now the same with 29ers. That Honzo above IIRC weighs in the region of 7lbs (frame) but its meant to be that way bombproof and stiff for a more gravity based ride. In a roundabout way I'm kinda saying that think of what type of bike/riding you want to do and go from there.

 

[kaiser]

No one over here making anything nice in steel?

Cotic Solaris and the Singular Swift would be a fair starting point. Dialled bikes have also released a 29er too.

 

[firedfromthecircus]

No one over here making anything nice in steel?

Singular Swift?

 

[firedfromthecircus]

And Shand would be top of my list if I was looking for a custom.