How old is retro?

[legrandefromage]

The purists (collectors) will shudder that my 1994 bike has a custom spray job, but so be it.

Let's not criticise other people's hobbies. They are no more (or less) pointless than your own.

I dont think there are any 'purists' on this site - ok, someone may hunt down the last tiny part to make a race replica, but then that is of historical importance.

And there are some who want their bikes to be exactly as they bought it some years before, again, theres no probs with that.

My own zaskar has been ridden for miles/ years and as a semi retirement pressie, I've redone it as I would have back in 1993, Ok theres some NOS involved but the forks wont be original, nor will the XT/ 105 rear mech.

And there are hundreds of people on here who have a 'custom paint job' on their bikes :roll:

- I think you need to go and rethink what attitude you want to bring to this site. Simply mocking 'collectors' isnt going to endear you to the rest of the world but, if you simply want to argue 'what is retro' then fair enough.

But, there is a specific point where the burgioning sport/ hobby of mountain bikes became too big and it lost something which it has been ignoring / unable to regain ever since.

As a bunch of 30/40 somethings from 'back in the day' when this all happened, we are happy to welcome those younger types to tap into that 'halcyon' time (that word again) where there was an inocence about it, something in the air of the late '80s, early '90s that filled music/ bikes/ life in general that has disappeared in recent times (misty eyed).

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Re: Retro

Hi, what about my chrom moly 930 singletrack trek, plain but serviceable lugged frame, Canti brakes..but sadly have been through a few sets of wheels, this mud just destroys the rims, or is it my cautious nature?

Is that the one with 'Electric plum/purple' paint?

 

[GarethPJ]

How about "More than X percent the age of its owner"?

Then we can argue about the value of X

I was about to suggest 50, but that might be a high barrier. Of my bikes, only my 1988 Dave Yates would be anywhere close.

30 percent?

John, who was quite startled when he realised he had a colleague who was younger than MBUK...

Let's not do 50%. 1987 was a long time ago.

Really though I don't think the age of the rider is relevant. It's the style of the bike that counts. If a company built a new bike resembling a 1995 bike in every important respect then to my mind that would be retro.

If you try to find definitions of the term retro you will generally find that the item in question doesn't have to actually be old. For example: "A fashion, decor, design, or style reminiscent of things past".

 

[John Stevenson]

Let's not do 50%. 1987 was a long time ago.

My thoughts exactly

 

[GarethPJ]

er.... I ride bikes too? My Zaskar frame has covered some 60,000 miles since new

I never said you didn't. Maybe I should have said:

"You're a collector. I'm just a rider who likes old style stuff."

For the sake of completeness I like simple stuff. I only have moving parts on my off road bikes if they absolutely have to move. So no gears then and no suspension of any kind.

 

[pete_mcc]

John, who was quite startled when he realised he had a colleague who was younger than MBUK...

That's horrible isn't it! But it does mean that he'll have no recollection of printed crimes against fashion and taste that you lot committed back then (although that comment should be aimed at Brant/Zak and Hemmings more than most -mmm Bula.)!

It's a bit like you know you're getting old when the songs of your youth are being covered by a bunch of stageschool teenies. Songs that were once proclamations of independance and rebellion are now 'catchy tunes to dance to' with a set routine...

To me Retro is a feeling rather than a number, what makes you misty-eyed, what makes you smile. That's going to be different for everyone dependent on when you got into it all - after all are you part of the Raleigh Mustang, Activator II or Saracen Jump bike generation?

-Do you remember a time when gears had no clicks, just crunches?
-Do you remember when the foot was concidered a braking option and 'pad compound' was dependent on whether you were wearing Vans or Converse?
-How about when the imperial weight system was preferable to metric as the lower numbers made your bike sound lighter?
-Or finally do you remember when racers had characters and personalities rather than trainers and dieticians?

If your answers were mainly yes' then retro is what you lusted after or rode back then, otherwise you're too young and I don't like you.

 

[John Stevenson]

But it does mean that he'll have no recollection of printed crimes against fashion and taste that you lot committed back then

He doesn't need to, the MBUK guys have this file of incriminating pics that they get out when they want to embarrass me!

I'd still love the bike I lusted after in 1988, a Fisher Procaliber. In fact, I almost bought one from a second hand shop in Sydney when I loved in 1995, but it was the wrong size. Kicking myself now.

 

[BarneyRubble]

But it does mean that he'll have no recollection of printed crimes against fashion and taste that you lot committed back then

He doesn't need to, the MBUK guys have this file of incriminating pics that they get out when they want to embarrass me!

Plus any of us who still have a VHS and the early free MBUK vids will be able to re-live those crimes again and again.

 

[GarethPJ]

It's important, I feel, to distinguish between nostalgia and retro. Yes, when I see a Maverick I feel nostalgic, somebody half my age wasn't even born when the Maverick was introduced, but the fact that they can't feel any nostalgia for 1985 doesn't preclude them from riding and enjoying an early Maverick.

 

[pete_mcc]

It's important, I feel, to distinguish between nostalgia and retro. Yes, when I see a Maverick I feel nostalgic, somebody half my age wasn't even born when the Maverick was introduced, but the fact that they can't feel any nostalgia for 1985 doesn't preclude them from riding and enjoying an early Maverick.

No but it procludes them from being liked by me as they are far too young!

I think it's an interesting one as more and more people start getting into retro bikes there is going to be less and less of a 'nostalgia' thing, people won't build up bikes because they were what they rode BITD. They will probably focus more on interesting bikes and ones with a bit of hertitage or history and will probably throw more money at them than we are now. Also probably means that there will be less of the eclectic builds that we do (because they were the bits we wanted back then) and more of a focus on 'factory finishes' and documented builds