Why do you 'do' Retrobikes?

[gibbleking]

I'm here because i'm stuck in that time period, i'm still listening early 90's music on Mini-Disc, and driving an 80's car.

Mini-disc - I still have several portables, although it's getting to be much more occasional usage.

Used to think they were one of the coolest gadgets out there - almost a bit of a secret.

i love minidisc players...sound is much bettter than mp3 players......have you got the net md type lp ....they are quite costly still..

as for the bike thing ......spent all my youth messing about on bikes and i suppose im still keeping a part of that alive in me thru the bike......also being a dude im addicted to pretty shiny things ..

 

[stevetait]

Hey, Im only 30 but when I was a youth doing the Sherwood Pines leagues and Diamond Back youth races outside Allly Pally at bike shows I had massive MTB dreams that were smattered with images of the latest GT Thermoplastic goodness and Amp shiney stuff, Manitous and CNC'd stuff in sShockwave in Nottingham, Klein (full stop!)..all out of reach.

My RST/LX clad ridgeback donated its organs to my new Zaskar frame in 1995 and subsequent Mag 21's made way for Amp F3's but it never eased the burden of my longing for the ultimate stuff. Biking made way for running and 4 years ago I rediscovered MTB for myself and stripped the LE back and rebuilt... then this year I discovered you lot, as did my wallet and my dreams.

Im into retro bikes because they help realise those things you cant get on paper round money and your first job. That and a deep seated belief that the real hayday for quality bikes and parts, lovingly tended bikes and a great fun sport may well have passed. Anything I can do to preserve a great era is fine by me!! XC riding, Weekend jaunts to the Peaks or Lakes and the Polaris Challenge are just simply great exploits that were / are made even better by those retro machines and the folks who follow and understand them.

Retrobikes rock... its a simple truth!

 

[big.eck]

new bikes are just like new cars , they all look the bloody same........

if i had to ditch all my bikes and only keep one i'd be keeping my raleigh massif........ it makes me feel like i'm 12 again and you don't get that with a new bike.

thats why i've always had cars and motorbikes from the 70s-80s , they just give you something that a new motor can't........

 

[racedoctor]

I go to my local branch of Leisure Lakes if i require something for the bike that doesnt need to be 'old' and I enjoy looking round at all the modern stuff but not once do I feel like I actually want any of them. They have some realy nice top end stuff in there but other than looking i'm just not interested. Yet I look at this forum and nearly everyday somebody posts a pic and I think ooh i'd love one of those

 

[mvd1974]

I think I just don't want to get any older...
I bought my Ibis in '95, build it with what I could afford. During the years I kept on upgrading and upgrading and upgrading... and before I knew it people were talking about retro. For me it just was the same bike with component of the right era..

And YES I admit, I like the older designs in everything. Most of it has more character, soul or what ever you call it... and on the other hand, it's nice to see thumbs up when I cruise in my Volvo 480 or work on my SAAB 99Turbo or talk to 'older' guys about the golden era of mountainbiking...

Also for me John Tomac is still Mr. Mountainbike.

 

[Rambo]

I didn't get into retrobikes - I bought a Team Marin when it was new in '93 and have loved riding it ever since. I only realised how 'retro' it was when doing Mayhem on it a couple of years ago people commented on it.

To me it's just been the only bike I wanted to ride and there was no reason to get a new one (until I bought a new Yeti ASR this year that is)

I've hardly ridden the Marin since until this Saturday when I took it for a spin to the shops and I swear its a better ride that the brand new Yeti - the gears are slicker - it just feels right.

Next weekend will be a retro ride.

 

[Neil G]

As above

Started riding late 80s and brought my dream Hei Hei in '94....just kept it since and have been doing it up and riding it as it's nice to ride & a tad special.

New bike have their place though, mine is a bit of a hack bike for taking out in the mud

 

[any123]

i love retro bikes because of kleins, and the late 80's early 90's was when i was racing and its the fun of trying to find a part like strata forks and also I just bought the new flash off the shelf which is not as fun as trying to build somthing that you know is near on impossible if it was not for retrobike. god forbid this site ever goes down.

thanks andy

 

[ryan]

Why do I love retrobikes? Well I have one (at least according to this website). It was good quality back then and seems to still be competetive today when compared to ditching it for a newer bike. It has sentimental value and most of the retrobikes bring back those sweet childhood memories.

Ryan

 

[feetabix]

i think for me it all echoes an era when drilled ano parts and titanium bolts were cool,personal touches.....self expression on a bike.....as i have aged and battled with lifes problems i have hardened into a black and white cynic and just see the cycle industry as a profit machine......remember a time when one page of mbuk listed photos of every decent bike on one page?.....klein attitude and pace rc100 top right,through various marins,rocky mountains, alpinestars etc etc......thrash your paper round until suitably far up the page and go enjoy......great times!!.....adulthood and ebay mean i am now in that top right hand corner and i enjoy each minute tinkering and riding them!!!