Coolwall October 2011 - Entry Level Groupsets

[clubby]

on a retro forum, taking a low-end early frameset & choosing to use entry level bits rather than opting for better components to give a project a true entry level factory spec takes a certain amount of dedication.

To actually build and then ride a bike built with low end kit, on a low end frame for the sheer enjoyment of the lack of precision & finesse is, in my opinion, cool!

I agree with the first point, it does take dedication, but so does any obsessive hobby even collecting old bottles or cans. Dedication to something still doesn't make it cool.
Do these people build the bike that way because it's what they've always wanted or just to be different?

 

[Rabbitman]

Low end groupsets are there for a purpose and seem to keep bikes to a price point. Groupset is cool if it is congruent with the frame....so a cheap frame looks fine with a cheap groupset but would look ridiculous with full XTR or Campag. Similarly, a rare as hen's teeth handbuilt steel frame deserves a high end groupset and then can be considered if it's cool. Same frame draped in Alivio would pinpoint where the money ran out.

 

[haulawayjoe]

They are definitley not cool but they served a purpose - they were on affordable bikes that got people out on to the trails. Who knows how may people have taken up this sport we love because of entry level groupsets.

So maybe they are cool, no wait.................still uncool.

 

[jax13]

on a retro forum, taking a low-end early frameset & choosing to use entry level bits rather than opting for better components to give a project a true entry level factory spec takes a certain amount of dedication.

To actually build and then ride a bike built with low end kit, on a low end frame for the sheer enjoyment of the lack of precision & finesse is, in my opinion, cool!

I agree with the first point, it does take dedication, but so does any obsessive hobby even collecting old bottles or cans. Dedication to something still doesn't make it cool.
Do these people build the bike that way because it's what they've always wanted or just to be different?

'cool' is ultimately decided by the way an individual views it.

to compare groupsets to engines in cars... a rusty 1.2 litre mk1 escort thats been left in a garage for the last 20 years isn't cool BUT if someone puts in the hours to do a full resotration and painstakingly refurishes every part, rebuilds the car and enjoys driving it every other weekend at his local owners club when the suns out. the engine itself isn't cool, the context in which the engine is used is cooler than a polar bears toenails to those who move in similar circles. to a chav who looks like he glued an oversized airfix kit onto his corsa, that guy driving around in a 20 year old car is uncool.

from what I can see, the cool wall votes seem to be looked at in black and white by a lot. take something we deem to be 'cool' out of context and it looks daft, regardless of how cool it may be in the retrobike (or wider MTB) community. take something uncool (like low end groups) and put them in the right context and their coolness grows substantially... at least in my opinion it does anyway!

 

[Raging_Bulls]

To continue on Jax' line of thought. A Ferrari 275 GTB engine is cool. Putting it in that same Mk1 escort however doesn't make the car cool, despite being a period-correct engine.

That's basically the problem many bikes here have. They're being rebuilt with period-correct parts, but often of higher spec than the originals.

 

[Drencrom]

from what I can see, the cool wall votes seem to be looked at in black and white by a lot. take something we deem to be 'cool' out of context and it looks daft, regardless of how cool it may be in the retrobike (or wider MTB) community.

That'll be because John made the vote pretty simple:

This month up for the vote are Entry Level Groupsets. We're going to be fairly specific here, after much deliberation we'll limit the vote to Shimano 70GS, Shimano 100GS and Shimano 200 GS

Groupsets, not bikes. It's pretty clear in my opinion. I'm happy to be corrected by John.

take something uncool (like low end groups) and put them in the right context and their coolness grows substantially... at least in my opinion it does anyway!

So the right context would be what exactly?

 

[Raging_Bulls]

So the right context would be what exactly?

A low-end frame.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

so a low end bike, with a crap groupset is cool?

<confused>

 

[legrandefromage]

Horrible. And wtf are those pedals on the bottom pic? :shock:

Thats a True Temper tubed folding MTB sir...

 

[legrandefromage]

Cool as they'll still be here long after we're dust.

And their modern equivalents shift better than higher up the range.