The risk we take....

as stevemar says use newer stuff an dont worry
just as likley as crash damage is some little feral urchin stealing it
for a phone topup/ bottle of buckie
i dont use certain bikes in the shitty weather as this takes its toll
on nice polished alloy and build "winter" bikes for this function
but then you get precious about these , just put new hope minis,qr's and
one-on carbon forks on my other winter single speed ......and now dont
want to get it mucky ...obsesive copulsive ? me ?
hmm got an old raliegh frame in the shed maybe should build that

dunno why iv'e got so many bikes
mike

I ride all my bikes all year round, depending on the mood - that way no one bike gets too knackered. I figure by the time the parts need replacing on them all, the kids will have left home and I'll (har har) be able to afford whatever I want then!

Luckily I don't seem to be too heavy on parts

Personally the only old school XTR I use is a front mech on the Fuquay purely because it was the right size in the right place at the right time (and not too badly priced!), I prefer to use a LX/DX/XT mix then I wouldn't lose too much sleep if anything got trashed.....must admit I've been too scared to use my 3DV Paul brake levers as they don't have a scuff on them......yet

Stu

I was racing my new school bike today, and going down a rocks bed at the speed of sound, caught by the race rapture, I crashed opening a little smile on my elbow, and drawing a series of red and purple peaches on my hips.
Nothing special, but it made me thin thrice about taking old school guys out. I'm starting worring about how rare or expensive body parts or organs are and how difficult it would be to replace them.

novekili":xzcpth9e said:

I was racing my new school bike today, and going down a rocks bed at the speed of sound, caught by the race rapture, I crashed opening a little smile on my elbow, and drawing a series of red and purple peaches on my hips.
Nothing special, but it made me thin thrice about taking old school guys out. I'm starting worring about how rare or expensive body parts or organs are and how difficult it would be to replace them.

Click to expand...

LOL, yeah. I took my wife out MTB'ing today and one of the first things I told her was that I don't mind if she ditches the bike or breaks it, the bikes replaceable... She isn't.

LOL, yeah. I took my wife out MTB'ing today and one of the first things I told her was that I don't mind if she ditches the bike or breaks it, the bikes replaceable... She isn't.[/quote]

Yes, but your wife probably hasn't got an Ibis Avion 1989 like mine. :twisted:

novekili":2fu01426 said:

Yes, but your wife probably hasn't got an Ibis Avion 1989 like mine. :twisted:

Click to expand...

Maybe I'm just an old romatic but I'd rather throw my dream bike off a cliff than lose my wife.

(don't ever make me take that decision)

Hmm.. Think... Jezza's Trimble .... down a cliff ... all those carbon (or fiberglass whatever) chips flying around ... so heartbreaking :cry:
I'm romantic too you know....

novekili":37l45jqx said:

I'm romantic too you know....

Click to expand...

Prove it darling

For me the most important thing is to actually be out there riding - what's the use of a bike that doesn't get ridden, unless you rode round the world on it or something and you want to mount it on the wall in a display case.

The heart and soul of a bike for me is it's frame - it's the bit that sings to you when you're riding hard, the bit that ceases to be a separate thing and becomes part of you when you're dialled in and your senses are completely attuned to every sensation it's feeding back to you.

Drivetrain, brakes, yeah they're important I guess but they don't make the bike - they're just bike "clothes" ! I've always tried to build bikes with the best functional stuff I can afford - my old/new mountain bike has current XT on it's 12 year old frame because it works like a dream and is cheaper than trying to round up a host of retro stuff. My road bike has 8-speed Dura Ace as roadies don't seem to appreciate old kit as much and once it's out of date it tends to be really cheap. As Shimano still make 8-speed stuff it's easy to get replacement from current (lower) lines if need be.

I've probably committed retrobike blasphemy above. Where's the confession booth?

Terry...