When is a bike retro?

When is a bike 'Retro'?

Very good comments.

I think I was probably over stating my point...

That's okay, we all do that on here, sweeping generalisations make this place what it is!

In my opinionated way...

My golden era is 1989 to 1996.

Thats when I was pretty much getting into it and saw pretty much the way it increased in popularity. Over the those years we saw the trends, the cool stuff, the expensive stuff and also the blinkin stupid stuff. Anything theron turned a little stale and most technological advances were with suspension and mass manufacture which pretty much got a little boring. :cry:

I do blame MBUk for a lot of this in the Uk market. Mags such as Mountain Biker and also MTB pro were sooooooooooooo much better. They promoted the engineering, the riding and also the "nice" spirit that mountain biking had in those days. I kinda felt that MBUK turned into a glorified BMX/Punk/jump bike magazine which, ok probably kept up with the majority of their readership, but killed of whole "going for a ride in the countyside" type approach that I was more accustomed to back then.

I remember going to one of the mid-late ninetees cycleshows sponsored by MBUK and didnt really get to see any "cycling" specific stuff at all. It was all trials jumping, table tops and ahem.."pierced celebrities" who were advocating the latest trend in baggy shorts & shin pads. C*cks.

Ok - feathers ruffled?


Discuss!

year of retro

''the Raleigh USAs that John Tomac seemed to do "OK" on were perfectly adequate for racing out of the box. Bling doesn't win races, cyclists do''

I do agree, but Tomac's bike does not prove it!
The titanium lugs for the carbon tubing and the rear triangle were made by Litespeed, Doug Bradbury made special Manitou forks, all the components were top of the range and I think the list price was $6000!

Jez, I agree! I am a true Chipko when it comes to riding, ride light, leave no trace, enjoy the world around you, stay fit and have fun. That is the whole ethos I espouse with mountain biking.

I am not a big fan of the whole ramp riding trail building freeriding bmx/skater refugee dope smoking litter dropping 8" of travel riding thing.

In my humble opinion the sport has changed so dramaticly in the last ten years that what I do has little in common with 'mountain biking' as we knew it. The sport has changed and I haven't, that is why I ride retro and why I feel that retro cannot be defined by years.

Long live Lycra!

(And Ettos!)

:shock:

Yeah I was out in Lycra shorts, SHM210's, Mumbo's, Giro Ventoux and a Pace fleece today! Not a pretty sight but very retro

Bloody hell - people probably though you were a ghost dressed like that...

...or heading to a fancy dress party lol!




Only joking..

In light of the Alto Pro bar ends, I'll forgive you!