why do you prefer a retro bike to a modern bike?

[dbmtb]

The fun of the quest:as you have to search that little bit harder to make your bike "just right" as you can't just order "that" component from the suppliers.

The "talking point" factor.

And they "Look" better than modern bikes.

But TBH, I do prefer the "ride" of modern bikes these days.

 

[jimo746]

I'm a masochist, I revel in hardtail frames with little or no suspension and brakes which only occasionally stop me from slamming into the nearest tree...

Actually, brakes and suspension aside, not a great deal has changed in the last 20 years imo, and bikes from the early 90's seem to have more character than their modern relatives.

 

[clunker]

Modern sorry but with a retro twist

 

[hot chilli]

i stopped riding for some time..
used to race.
used to spend lots of money on bikes, but that was 10 /15 years ago.

the bikes i would love to own now are the bikes/parts could'nt afford when i was at school.

the ones i "Should have had" ...

still own my DH bike i used to race on, but i would really call that retro.. some would..

 

[Afflicted.John]

I feel your pain hot chilli... Same here although I don't harbour aspirations for a downhill frame. I need steel to invigorate me! I need a Kona!

The most fun I ever had was riding the coal tips of the Rhondda Heritage Park on my rigid Lava Dome. After moving to Surrey at 15 nothing compared...and the bike got nicked :-(

 

[retroyetirigid]

Modern bikes are a lot more hassle. Discs are a pain to set up compared to canti's or V's, suspension requires more setting up, drivetrain wears out quicker because of the number of gears (9 & 10 speed systems at the back) and most modern bikes have no 'soul'.

 

[legrandefromage]

somebody here pointed out that new bikes lack finesse, you just ride over the stuff you'd have to think about on an older bike.

somebody else told me how great 'modern geometry' was - I pointed out the 1992 zolatone Marin parked next to a Whyte 905, the geometry was exactly the same - except with the Whyte, the bars where about a foot higher due to the Fox forks (that need servicing every 40 hours of riding BTW).

the bewildering array of 'standards' - too many!

and its getting expensive, to get a decent new bike these days, its £2,000 at least for a 'mid range' bike and even then you may find the odd bit of Alivio poking out.

at the moment, a good retro steel bike represents excellent value for money- 7/8/9 spd consumables are still widely available (cassettes, chains etc) so why not.

 

[mikee]

old bikes are cheaper generally

old bikes tend to be a lot more interesting to look at , you cant beat
a set of roller cams for asthetic lovely-ness ,5 bolt cranks look just right
(btw have you seen the latest xtr cranks ?, i'm sure i've seen that shape
before somewhare )

my modern bike's great , but no-one looks at it on a ride out , if i take
an old bike it usually gets attention ,occasionally not negative too

 

[juice]

why do you prefer a retro bike to a modern bike?

The genuine reason is because my body still allows me to drive this ridgid old bike of mine and it is also easy to maintain for me since 1991.

The romantic feelings towards this special era like Hip Hop's "golden age", the often quoted "BITD" mountainbike days or when the Burton brothers started to surf in the snow has grown in me over time.

Maybe a little of topic but when i think of my grandpa his childhood memories were all about war. He often watched the Tour de France but not because of the cycling. He sat in front of the TV and recognised the landscape of the 2nd world war. These memories were so cruel that he never was able to overcome them.

My own childhood memories are all about LL Cool J when he rocked the bells, about how i destroyed my first Vision Snowboard, about things that are mostly all gone but my bike. I am - and so should be my whole generation - very thankful for a childhood in peace.

I guess my spinal discs will tell me when the time has come to get my first proper 29er full suspension hydraulic new school monster to take my dog for a walk. Till this day it's all about my Marin Eldridge Grade.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Before I came here I didn't think of my bike as retro. It was just my bike. I keep pomising myself that I will try a modern. I still haven't ridden full suspension or a fork giving over 80mm for that matter. Disc brakes remain untried and the only carbon fibre I have ever ridden is on my Pace forks.

Should I try something a little newer?