Bike of the Month - change needed?

'tis a strange world :)
I remember in my classic car phase (mid 80s tinkering with Alfa GTVs )
you could turn up at a car meet and there would be an 8o year old boy with his Alfa Giulia spider, he drove it to India and back with the misses, the engine developed a bad misfire on the way so detoured via the Alfa factory where he turned up at the gates with a 'you built it, you fix it' attitude.
needless to say the car was well worn but not tatty and totally original....then there would be the young guy with a few bob to spare showing up with a 'chequebook' restoration of a Spider, but all the rocker covers and servos chromed and hosing replaced with aeroquip braided, you could dine off the underside of the oil sump cover...

Both commendable but for entirely different reasons...
I enjoy doing a build, they're never going to be absolutely perfect but I strive for a pleasing combination of parts, and they do get well ridden and eventually sold on to fund the next project ( tho at the moment I forgot the selling on part! ...) .

I kinda like the 'rescue centre' bikes that have been given a new lease of life rather than a museum exhibit, tho' depending on the build I'd be as likely to vote for one as the other.... :cool:
 
I believe that dividing things into different categories has little purpose as very few of those who vote have a strong enough background to differentiate between different bikes. Most votes are based on friendship, or colour preferences, or affiliations to one certain brand...

I likewise don't think that one can say much about how much a bike is used. I have many a bike that have thousands of miles on them but appear as new. Other bikes that have been restored, inasmuch as found in pitiful state, and since only ridden on clear days and fully cleaned and dusted afterwards (take my Fossati from this month's RBotM, it has been ridden over a thousand miles, including on a number of club rides, but still appears pristine). I do however take into account whether the bike is usable or not into consideration when voting, so this month the bike without pedals would not even get considered (even if it were not to have a mismatched fork and chronologically mismatched components).

The sole thing that I find quite hard to accept, and I am likely showing both my age and the fact that I have been collecting vintage bikes for over 30 years, is that there are so many modern bikes with modern components being entered. With all the bike related forums, I find it in poor taste and senseless to enter these bikes here in the retro classic sub-area. I would therefore have nothing against setting a cut-off year or similar criteria for exclusion of "modern" bikes.
 
Citoyen du monde":2efdokd2 said:
... is that there are so many modern bikes with modern components being entered. With all the bike related forums, I find it in poor taste and senseless to enter these bikes here in the retro classic sub-area. I would therefore have nothing against setting a cut-off year or similar criteria for exclusion of "modern" bikes.

In my own head I define 'retrobike' as pre ergo / STI, pref. with sprouting (non aero ) brake cables, which is what I've put here in the past ( as a newbie ) but popped the Chesini in this month 'cos I see lots of modern era bikes entered AND it was xmas colours! :)
 
bikenut2010":1fxaadox said:
Citoyen du monde":1fxaadox said:
... is that there are so many modern bikes with modern components being entered. With all the bike related forums, I find it in poor taste and senseless to enter these bikes here in the retro classic sub-area. I would therefore have nothing against setting a cut-off year or similar criteria for exclusion of "modern" bikes.

In my own head I define 'retrobike' as pre ergo / STI, pref. with sprouting (non aero ) brake cables, which is what I've put here in the past ( as a newbie ) but popped the Chesini in this month 'cos I see lots of modern era bikes entered AND it was xmas colours! :)

My comment was not aimed at anybody in particular and certain ly not against your bike. I do however see that we are getting more and more of what I would consider "modern" bikes.
 
Citoyen du monde":c5v7u70z said:
My comment was not aimed at anybody in particular and certain ly not against your bike. I do however see that we are getting more and more of what I would consider "modern" bikes.

no not at all, I wasn't taking it personally! I was just pointing out that what I originally thought was the criteria seemed a lot more 'flexible' in the light of more contemporary builds being submitted...In my own mind I thought it had be more 'L'eroica'...it seems to trawl a wider net in practice. :cool: :)
 
I think everyone's perception of what is retro will be different and will change as time marches on.

A 20 year olds perception of retro will be different to that of a 60 year old who has been restoring for 30 years.

For me it has to be steel, have down tube gear leavers, non-aero brake cables and toe clips, but I accept other views.

At the end of the day everyone here likes old bikes and best to embrace that common theme.
 
In the scheme of things does it really matter.No money changing hands...etc. well is there :?: :idea: I only ever enter a bike as it maybe of interest to other forum like minded memebers.I don't care if it is period correct . All bikes evolve as do their owners along the way. ;)
At the end of the day your bike/s are your interest,pride and joy and that is all that matters. ;)
 
Montello":2xypmm7a said:
I think everyone's perception of what is retro will be different and will change as time marches on.

A 20 year olds perception of retro will be different to that of a 60 year old who has been restoring for 39 years.

For me it has to be steel, have down tube gear leavers, non-aero brake cables and toe clips, but I accept other views.

At the end of the day everyone here likes old bikes and best to embrace that common theme.


good point, I think even a 20 year old would agree with your definition tho'...
 
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