Your 'Retro' cut-off year

[lewis1641]

Most of the bikes i've owned have been 1993 vintage (khs, rts, couple of konas, saracen) but i consider the retro cut off to be 97. By that time suspension worked properly, v brakes were commonplace and aluminium had taken over.

 

[velomaniac]

1996 for me as V-brakes for the masses in the shape of Shimano M600 allowed me to retro fit good brakes to older bikes. Old bikes became very good in the stopping dept

Nothing else really impressed me after that although many a smart thing has happened in the world of bike :roll:

 

[Agency_Scum]

Mine's not a year it's an ethic. Anything that works damned fine and looks damned good is retro. It soon becomes retro when the marketing people discover users aren't upgrading so they kill it off for " new+imroved " gear the next year.

 

[kaytronika]

I dont really have one. I just like bikes.

 

[Neil G]

Probably 94/95 but still do like some later bikes, notably Spooky Metalheads & Bandwagons

 

[eastcoaststeve]

Probably 94/95 but still do like some later bikes, notably Spooky Metalheads & Bandwagons

.....my brother from a different mother



Can't say I have a firm year on cut off...I'm more of a does it "give me the fuzzies" when I look at it kind of guy.





Steve

 

[weeman_mtb]

I dont really have one. I just like bikes.

This is about where I am. I don't love everything retro and loath everything modern, I like a bit of mix 'n' match.

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

So whats going to be your cut-off year? Mine is now 1993.


Cant put my finger on it but I think that was the last year before big business and marketing really took over and the scene started fracturing into DH and freeride style categories.


1993 or earlier - thats where I'm staying.

1993 is a good year for this.

I'd say 1996/1997 is the cutoff year for "Retro", as there were still a good bunch of semi-large MTB independent and innovative MTB companies; in another year or two they would all be gone or taken over.

As for Vintage cutoff year, it would have to be much much earlier. I'd say m730 groupset and back, so perhaps 1988

 

[mattbrown]

i say the best year is about 1993, overall, and john's got it right for 1997 or before for retro, because for me after about 97, i was loosing interest in mtb'ing, and i was at college and monies were now going elsewhere, altho i have a 1998 bike (same frame geo' etc as the 1997 model),

 

[brocklanders023]

1994 for me as that was the last year of the original Clockwork. 1993's my favourite year for retro though.