Tech / ideas that are old but as good as current quo
- Thread starter Beans
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velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
Re:
1990's rigid Mtb's, every bit as good as modern gravel bikes. Just watched an online clip where by a gravel rider explains why old Mtb's don't compare to modern gravel bikes using geometry comparisons etc. Old bike he chose was a mark one stumpjumper. A mark one stumpjumper is from before anyone thought too much about geometry. By 1990's they had and that's the direct comparison to a modern gravel bike. Moving the goalposts to support an argument is poor.
My other item that was perfectly good and has not really needed an upgrade is square taper bottom brackets. If you can bust one of those you can bust any bottom bracket. Possibly they'd just become too cheap to make and sell to make enough cash from.
1990's rigid Mtb's, every bit as good as modern gravel bikes. Just watched an online clip where by a gravel rider explains why old Mtb's don't compare to modern gravel bikes using geometry comparisons etc. Old bike he chose was a mark one stumpjumper. A mark one stumpjumper is from before anyone thought too much about geometry. By 1990's they had and that's the direct comparison to a modern gravel bike. Moving the goalposts to support an argument is poor.
My other item that was perfectly good and has not really needed an upgrade is square taper bottom brackets. If you can bust one of those you can bust any bottom bracket. Possibly they'd just become too cheap to make and sell to make enough cash from.
fearfactoryüberalles
Senior Retro Guru
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"My other item that was perfectly good and has not really needed an upgrade is square taper bottom brackets. If you can bust one of those you can bust any bottom bracket. Possibly they'd just become too cheap to make and sell to make enough cash from."
Exactly. Easy to maintain/replace, dependable, even some of the cartridge ones are serviceable, very wide variety is available and with a bit of exotica the weight can be sub 150 gr. or so, what's not not like? Poor stiffness? Bollocks, as long as you don't flex the cranks so strongly they are forced to emit heat, you will get the input power back anyway, so don't fool yourself with the latest gadgets, square tapers for life :twisted: !
Exactly. Easy to maintain/replace, dependable, even some of the cartridge ones are serviceable, very wide variety is available and with a bit of exotica the weight can be sub 150 gr. or so, what's not not like? Poor stiffness? Bollocks, as long as you don't flex the cranks so strongly they are forced to emit heat, you will get the input power back anyway, so don't fool yourself with the latest gadgets, square tapers for life :twisted: !
pencilman77
Retro Guru
I can do a good comparison of early 90's mtb vs modern gravel bike. i had a 91 explosif that was set up for commuting to work (fast road tyres etc) and have since sold it (yes i regret it :facepalm: ) and now have a new Boardman adv8.8 gravel / adventure bike as my commuter.
In simple speed terms (confirmed by strava times) the boardman is easily faster, I find it more usable too, dont get me wrong, I loved the Explosif, but i just find the Boardman comfier and easier to ride and live with......So much so, my full sus Kona Hei Hei hasnt even been out of the shed this year!
In simple speed terms (confirmed by strava times) the boardman is easily faster, I find it more usable too, dont get me wrong, I loved the Explosif, but i just find the Boardman comfier and easier to ride and live with......So much so, my full sus Kona Hei Hei hasnt even been out of the shed this year!
munkey_bwy
Retro Guru
Re:
Some more two peneth's
Bar ends - I use classic ones (admittedly small ones to save weight) on all of my retros. Its nice to be able to change hand positions as i suffer terribly with death grip. On my modern bikes i use Ergon grips with built in bar ends even on my 8.5kg carbon cross country rig. I'm also considering using them on my retros.
Wheel sizes - i love the 26" size but it does restrict at times now. All of my modern bikes are 29er wagon wheels, yes they take more effort to get rolling but i can use any tires i wish on them 700c road, CX tires, gravel tires and MTB.
Tubeless - I have to admit that i was a Luddite when its came to tubeless. But i made the switch in 2017 on my 29ers and have never looked back, instant puncture fixes, the weight saving, rotational weight savings....the list goes on. I did a ghetto tubeless on my fat bike this winter & i saved several KG, which on that lump of iron turned it into a different cycling experience. I am even going to be running 26" tubeless on my RC100 at this years Mayhem for those that want to crucify me
1 x drive trains - another luddite thing for me, but it is great, light weight, simple, low maintenance. Try it.....i may even do this to my RC100 for mayhem too. I'm getting older now and anything that makes a ride nicer is well worth looking at.
For all of the purists, the future is now, its also the past and there is nothing wrong with mixing it up.....get out there and ride. Ride for fun, not for show!!!!
Some more two peneth's
Bar ends - I use classic ones (admittedly small ones to save weight) on all of my retros. Its nice to be able to change hand positions as i suffer terribly with death grip. On my modern bikes i use Ergon grips with built in bar ends even on my 8.5kg carbon cross country rig. I'm also considering using them on my retros.
Wheel sizes - i love the 26" size but it does restrict at times now. All of my modern bikes are 29er wagon wheels, yes they take more effort to get rolling but i can use any tires i wish on them 700c road, CX tires, gravel tires and MTB.
Tubeless - I have to admit that i was a Luddite when its came to tubeless. But i made the switch in 2017 on my 29ers and have never looked back, instant puncture fixes, the weight saving, rotational weight savings....the list goes on. I did a ghetto tubeless on my fat bike this winter & i saved several KG, which on that lump of iron turned it into a different cycling experience. I am even going to be running 26" tubeless on my RC100 at this years Mayhem for those that want to crucify me
1 x drive trains - another luddite thing for me, but it is great, light weight, simple, low maintenance. Try it.....i may even do this to my RC100 for mayhem too. I'm getting older now and anything that makes a ride nicer is well worth looking at.
For all of the purists, the future is now, its also the past and there is nothing wrong with mixing it up.....get out there and ride. Ride for fun, not for show!!!!
Duxuk
Retro Guru
mattr":xgt2hind said:
I did 11 min 34 secs on my lap! Well chuffed. I think that my 2 early Whytes have superior suspension which makes them faster. The PRST/JW 4s have virtual pivot point rear which was years ahead of its time. The world is just catching up. The linkage front suspension doesn't bob like a telescopic fork. The brake dive is no fun though! Still the more you brake, the slower you go.
Re: Re:
Agree on 1x drive trains. I don't need closely spaced cog sizes and frankly back in the 90s I'd spend about 95% of my time in the middle chain ring while for the last 5% dropping down to granny and largest cog for steepest climbs. Essentially on the average 21 speed set up I was only using 8 of those gears. If I had my way, I'd be riding an 8 speed with a super low bottom gear.
munkey_bwy":2jvrnkeh said:
Agree on 1x drive trains. I don't need closely spaced cog sizes and frankly back in the 90s I'd spend about 95% of my time in the middle chain ring while for the last 5% dropping down to granny and largest cog for steepest climbs. Essentially on the average 21 speed set up I was only using 8 of those gears. If I had my way, I'd be riding an 8 speed with a super low bottom gear.
ultrazenith
Senior Retro Guru
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Here's my list of retro tech that is still good (or being reinvented):
* latex inner tubes give you almost the same reduction in rolling resistance as going tubeless.
* bar ends are being reinvented as "inner barends", one company is selling plastic barends (at upwards of 30 quid a pair) to be mounted between the grips and lever clamps, with claims from one of their sponsored rider that he's something like 5% faster round an XC course with them.
* square taper BBs are great, my only problem is it's getting hard to find decent chainsets for them.
* latex inner tubes give you almost the same reduction in rolling resistance as going tubeless.
* bar ends are being reinvented as "inner barends", one company is selling plastic barends (at upwards of 30 quid a pair) to be mounted between the grips and lever clamps, with claims from one of their sponsored rider that he's something like 5% faster round an XC course with them.
* square taper BBs are great, my only problem is it's getting hard to find decent chainsets for them.
jonthefish
Senior Retro Guru
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Not popular: Friction shifting for front mechs
Why not popular: Dunno. Folk too stupid or lazy to bother working it out?
Why still good:
1: Clean up shifts - push til it shifts then ease back. No waiting for chain to catch up.
2: Tweak to accommodate changing chain angle.
3: Piece of piss to set up.
Why not popular: Dunno. Folk too stupid or lazy to bother working it out?
Why still good:
1: Clean up shifts - push til it shifts then ease back. No waiting for chain to catch up.
2: Tweak to accommodate changing chain angle.
3: Piece of piss to set up.
jonthefish
Senior Retro Guru
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