Why do you ride/collect retro?

Let's hear it then

Because it reminds me of my youth . Also cause I was finally able to buy some bikes that I dreamed of back in the 80's/early 90's. That's the era I'm most interested in, maybe just because that was when I really got started in mountainbiking (bought my first MTB in 1987)

Greetings,

Michael

same reasons as Mr.Stabbi.. &! because so little of todays market appeals..

I wouldn't say i collect retro. I ride a retro frame because its still the best bike ever.
I have had 2 full suspension bikes (both stolen) and have now gone back to riding my old clockwork (updated slightly with hydraulic brakes and suspension forks) and it outclimbs and out descends my fisher by miles!

I do it because my other hobby, teapot collecting, just isnt doing it for me anymore.



I also like retro because most people dont want it anymore and have no idea of its original worth.

Its a good hobby 'cos as we all know, the bikes we have in our sheds/garages/livingrooms are slowly going up in value as opposed to the expensive new stuff which is going down...


Its quite cool to see modern riders or MTB virgins attracted to all the machined stuff of yester-year (especially if they havent seen it before)

- its like: "why doesnt my bike look and weigh like this?"

I ride them because they are more fun.

BECAUSE

i hate having lots of money

i hate spending lots of time repairing / restoring

i hate trawling all the sites / e bay

i love all the arguments about the new bike / part

but what i hate most of all is having to spend all day on these bloody sites chatting to other crazy minded , retro riding , fortune spending , like minded nutters

cool

i ride collect retro/ride bikes because.
1 i,m getting close to the mid life crisis
2 all the proper MTBER,S i know only ride new modern bikes
3 and wouldn,t be see dead on a old flou paint job
4 they don,t brake down as much
5 and i can still out ride my mates who are a lot younger than me that ride full sussers
6 but not least i prefer older bike they just look better to the eye

...simpler, function over form, more asthetically pleasing.
frames and parts seem to be designed by those into riding, rather than market analysts.

I think it has something to do with the wanting the things you always wanted. That's what the so-called mid-life crisis is about too. Except there's no crisis..

I always wanted a Fat, I remember reading the first test in MBUK years and years ago. I think it was a white Fat with two chainrings and a road sprocket set up? Red forks? Then seeing the Yo [black and white with Pace forks in MBUK] and subsequent Shock-a-Billy.. The one they tested in MTB Pro [team mauve & yellow] was the pinnacle for me.. Then I went travelling with a fat chick and forgot all about it.. Then we broke up and I bought myself an IF Deluxe.. Heaven..

There was simply something "right" about the biking world back then. Something holistic.. Am I taking this too far? :shock:

Perhaps I just like things anodised.. Maybe that's it..