Are modern bikes overpriced?

NeilM":1zdnj3i6 said:

What I am saying is that retro bespoke is better than or at the very least equal to modern production made.

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If in order to find a bike better than or equal to a modern one you need to look at hand crafted frames, you're making a pretty good case for how good modern bikes are.

KDM":1e346dbd said:

Modern bikes are made better but that is also why they have no soul and in 20 years time will be a recycled coke can rather than a piece of history still alive.

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See the thing that annoys me about this (and I don't mean you in particular, happens in most of these types of discussions) is that quite often peoples opinion is based on what they see in Evans or Halfords or even most LBS's. Theres a whole load of stuff out there. Look at Singular, Cotic, Dialled, Canfield,Surly,Salsa,Pipedream,Stanton,Curtis, Enigma, Niner, Transition... I could go on. All making very nicely made interesting bikes. And if you go bespoke I don't think theres ever been a greater choice.

Russell":22trn1l3 said:

NeilM":22trn1l3 said:

What I am saying is that retro bespoke is better than or at the very least equal to modern production made.

Click to expand...

If in order to find a bike better than or equal to a modern one you need to look at hand crafted frames, you're making a pretty good case for how good modern bikes are.

Click to expand...

I haven't said anything against modern bikes.

Read my post; Pete said that modern bikes are better built than older bikes. I said that was not the case.

I'm not getting into a pissing contest here, if you guys are looking for an argument, then do it amongst yourselves. As cyclists we suffer enough antagonism from ramblers, dog walkers, most road users and countless others, we certainly don't need to fight amongst ourselves over who's knob is bigger than who's.

New bikes are like Yorkie bars...

They are big ugly bland lumps, fashioned into a block, with little or no apeal and covered in a nondesript wrapper, but they get the job done.

Give me a tube of Smarties any day.



al.

kaiser":wrxgczea said:

KDM":wrxgczea said:

Modern bikes are made better but that is also why they have no soul and in 20 years time will be a recycled coke can rather than a piece of history still alive.

Click to expand...

See the thing that annoys me about this (and I don't mean you in particular, happens in most of these types of discussions) is that quite often peoples opinion is based on what they see in Evans or Halfords or even most LBS's. Theres a whole load of stuff out there. Look at Singular, Cotic, Dialled, Canfield,Surly,Salsa,Pipedream,Stanton,Curtis, Enigma, Niner, Transition... I could go on. All making very nicely made interesting bikes. And if you go bespoke I don't think theres ever been a greater choice.

Click to expand...

Got to agree here. I reckon we are entering a golden age of cycling. There is so much out there, generalisations really don't work.

highlandsflyer":13oqauqf said:

kaiser":13oqauqf said:

KDM":13oqauqf said:

Modern bikes are made better but that is also why they have no soul and in 20 years time will be a recycled coke can rather than a piece of history still alive.

Click to expand...

See the thing that annoys me about this (and I don't mean you in particular, happens in most of these types of discussions) is that quite often peoples opinion is based on what they see in Evans or Halfords or even most LBS's. Theres a whole load of stuff out there. Look at Singular, Cotic, Dialled, Canfield,Surly,Salsa,Pipedream,Stanton,Curtis, Enigma, Niner, Transition... I could go on. All making very nicely made interesting bikes. And if you go bespoke I don't think theres ever been a greater choice.

Click to expand...

Got to agree here. I reckon we are entering a golden age of cycling. There is so much out there, generalisations really don't work.

Click to expand...

But then we would be having this discussion in mtbr and not retro bike

Don't forget, the pound nearly halved in value against the yen back in late 2008. Overnight the price of anything Shimano doubled. You could get a brand new XTR rear mech for £50 back in mid 2008.

A bike is a bike, no difference in them, my old Marin still blasts past the numpty in all the gear on his 3k Spesh not because its any better or lighter but because it's powered by Nostalgiarama.

I'm always going to think the older bikes are better bascially because they were out , I was in my hey day of drinking,smoking tabs and actually getting laid more than once a year.

I see an old bike and it takes me back I see a new bike I think "Hey thats nice" buts thats all no memories for me so I'll always think it's worse than my oldie.

I do think the new bikes are a bit samey though and I bet my Marin weighs less than a lot of them because if they weighed any less I'd have to put a lead weight on it to stop it floating away.

I think ride quality has gone from bikes £500-£800 now all generic riding Alu crap with funny shaped frames that are for looks only and they all ride the same ie 'lumpy' with cheap nasty forks.

We all need a pay rise too

Money be damned - those new extruded bendy tubed Specialized or Konas that I see everywhere aren't nearly as beautiful as my Stumpjumper or Fire Mountain. I like to look at my bikes. And they do the job perfectly for me without 6+ inches of weight increasing travel.