Sell my modern Full Suss to build my dream retro bike?

Don't do it ! Old bikes are rubbish, new ones are much better.


If a giant meteorite wipes out half the UK, you'll need the LaPierre to safely make it through the crater.

If aliens see you riding your bike and teleport you to the top of the Mount Everest so they can eat you in private, you won't be able to descend as quickly with the Fat Ti.

When the zombie apocalypse happens and you need to ride your bike to the other side of the world, you'll need something that's easy to weld back together. Ideally steel, but most welders can do aluminium too. Ti is a problem though.

See it now? You really NEED that 160mm of travel and those disc brakes.

In all seriousness : ask a Fat Ti owning RB member to have a go on his bike before you sell the modern. Then decide

We_are_Stevo":1m4vhp4u said:

Hmmm, form over function perhaps?

I still feel the same about motorbikes; I love the sound of a tuned British twin (Triumph Daytona 500 in this case) as I practically grew up at Snetterton in the 60's and 70's. I also love the BMW 1200GS, also a twin albeit over twice the size.

Now my heart says the Daytona is my favourite, but my head knows the difference between lugging a heavy bike out of the shed in the eternal hope it will start first kick, before lurching off down the road to a chorus of blatting open megaphone pipes and near-50-year-old valve lash...

...and pressing the button on the GS knowing that in a couple of hours I can be on the other side of the Channel en route to Paris, rather than the other side of town looking for a Chiropractor! :|

Though it's the Daytona I could just sit and look at...

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I won't argue with the mile eating capacity of the GS, but if you want to avoid the chiropractor don't drop it!

They weigh a freakin tonne!

The Daytona is a sweet bike, another one my dad added to his collection when he retired, I have thrown a leg over that on the twisties of the West Highlands and I can attest to the flick-ability. Not a heavy bike at all!

I like full sussers and La Pierre make some of the best there are, but there is something to be said for keeping things simple and bonnie.

Do it! No one lives forever, although we do reincarnate.

buy the bike of your dreams. millionaires dont go out buying ferrari scaletti's, they buy daytonas and leave the pose crap to the people who want the look, not the heritage.
take the susser, is it an icon? does it carve its name in the annuls of your own personal history? does it make you feel like king of the hill at the trail centre when its mixed in with all the others?
go to any meet, doesnt matter whether its bikes, cars, planes or stamps. its the icons that get the attention and the love not the stuff that anyone can go and buy.
its your dream so why not live it? you have the option to do it now, that option may diminish in the future, you cant lose finacialy (well you can if you keep the susser).
I built my near unicorn bike on the basis that the opportunity was there and I walk past my susser to get to it every time I ride off road. every time.
if your still in doubt ask yourself this. what would mint sauce do?
good luck with your descision

Chute55uk":37o6j3os said:

what would mint sauce do?

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Buy a modern bike. :mrgreen:

Chute55uk":3o46okuq said:

I built my near unicorn bike on the basis that the opportunity was there and I walk past my susser to get to it every time I ride off road. every time.

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Yep and I haven't ridden mine since I did my Buck Shaver up. Don't get me wrong, the novelty of an old bike (contradiction in terms?!) may wear off but for me it's all about the nostalgia and as I get older that just gets stronger!

I reckon I can do both eventually....might as well give it a shot while I can!

I was out on Sunday and these fellas were in the car park with their Specialized and Trek full suspension bikes, a couple had the same model....I parked up next to them and they all were asking about the Fat. Don't get me wrong I don't think any of us do it for the admiration (or do we?!) but as you say they're iconic.

I guess it's not a bad place to be either way!

It's the same with the Daytona; it was parked outside my brothers shop one lunchtime when a bunch of modern race-rep's went zipping past...

...30 seconds later they all came zipping back, parked up and came into the shop to ask whose bike it was?

I just sold my Santa Cruz Superlight as I never ever chose to ride it.
I built up an Orange Vit T2 instead.
Saying that, I have also ordered a modern hardtail too

There are moments when I'm tempted to sell all of mine and buy a full-sus 29'er... :?

We_are_Stevo":2jdqosm0 said:

There are moments when I'm tempted to sell all of mine and buy a full-sus 29'er... :?

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...I too can confess to looking at 29ers...

wookiee":1dw05rxg said:

We_are_Stevo":1dw05rxg said:

There are moments when I'm tempted to sell all of mine and buy a full-sus 29'er... :?

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...I too can confess to looking at 29ers...

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Rode a friend's Spesh 29er Hardtail....was actually very good!