What if Retro wasnt retro anymore? Would you still crave it?

i've been thinking about this a lot lately, i'm kind of retro by default, all i ever wanted when i was at uni was a Bontrager and when i bought one that was me done, no other brand has come close. that said current bontrager branded components do nothing for me...but now 12 years on my frame's looking pretty beat and replacing it is proving nigh on impossible.

for me it's about the frame not the parts, i'm not into the flashy anodized stuff, but there are some classics out there...i have some great Syncros Revolution cranks i'm still hammering, a 1998 SID which they had the foresight to fit with a disk mount and the original CK silver hset i fitted with the frame.

...so i'm thinking neo retro with my next build, but that's because i can never see me finding my white whale; so instead it's a Paul Sadoff Rock Lobster in steel - updated recreation of my racelite with the benefits of a custom fit and an 1 1/8 hset, Paul's thumbies, rigid cromo fork, my trusty raceface turbines. just updated with a modern 9 speed groupset, I figure Sadoff's still running the same ad he always has in DR so it's practically retro, albeit new new stock not new old stock.

I ride retro for 2 reasons.

1- I like the old stuff as it is where my roots are and it's what I know.
2- Lets be honest here, it's cheap...

...I have a XT clockwork and a XT/XTR mix RC200.
If I had to have a new bike I would probably have a Kona Kula Deluxe.

If I could justify the expense then a IF steel deluxe, rigid forks, with XTR shifters and mechs, Tune cranks, hubs etc and V brakes would be mine!!

Same way I am saving up to get a 1980's Audi Quattro, if I won the lottery I'd buy a Audi RS6 Avant. But I can't afford it so I'll take the 'classic' so I can still have the pleasure of owning and using top line kit with less outlay. Also like the Pace and the Orange it is an Iconic 'thing' and I do like the kudos attached to owning such an item.

This is my take on it anyway.

Oh! That's a YES to the original question... I went off on a tangent there!