modern Bikes?

[shedobits]

A good bike is good regardless of wheel size and that is seriously where it should end. If it feels pony, it is pony.

I love riding ALL of my bikes, a 26" Fully, two 29" Hardtails and a Solid SS.

' had some bad luck with carbon though.

 

[The History Man]

I like having a choice. Depends on my mood, route, surface, weather, company, stupidity.

Shamefully, I just nipped out to the Co-op in the car. There seems to be a lack of places to secure a bike in my village. Bread, oil and mcvities cheddars. My dream is to work close enough to ride in. If that were the case I would buy something modern for the purpose.

 

[Neil]

now we are back on topic ..... and no, I am not turning it into a discussion about confectionary.

There seem to be a few committed retrobikers that will not accept times have moved on. I am guessing they were 12 or 13 reading mtb mags and drooled over bikes they could not afford. 20 years on, they have the cash and the older bikes are being sold off at a lot less in real times than they were when they were new so they are buying their dream bike(s). These same people with their rose tinted blinkers will say retrobikes are better regardless going as far as saying they have soul. Eh? Bicycles are bits of metal and plastic, inanimiate objects so could not possibly have souls, even if it could be proven souls exist. Then they say they are faster than modern bikes. I am not so sure about that. :? The equipment used by the top XC riders I would have thought been a good indication of what is faster over the terrain and that non of them are using steel framed rigid bikes with cantilever brakes seems to me to indicate retrobikes are not. Or that retrobikes are more fun because they make riding more difficult. Having front suspension and brakes that stop does make the trail easier but it makes it no less fun, just different.

If you subscribe to the theory of evolution, then it also would apply to man-made items: cars, computers, TV sets and bicycles. Other than the BSO from Argos or Tescos, you would struggle to buy a steel frame bike with rigid forks, horizontal top tube, cantilever brakes etc. Why? Simply because you can get the same tool to do the sme job better e.g. a bike with a lighter aluminium or carbon fibre frame, suspension forks, disc brakes that stop in the dry and wet and maybe even *shock * *horror* 29 inch wheels. :shock:

In short, modern bikes are better. The grand-daddy of mtbs says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km67fjE8DqE

Now that does not mean we should not love the old bikes. They are the reason we have better bikes today. :mrgreen:

I don't mean to upset anyone or start an argument but have deep admiration the retobikers who will go to great lengths to restore an old frame, sometimes something pulled out of a skip, kit it out with period correct components with a tendancy bordering on obsesivness by buying up old fire extinguishers to get period correct air to inflate the tyres!!! :shock: Just like classic cars (which similarly are not as good as modern ones think performance, reliability etc) it is nice to know that somebody is willing to spend time and sometimes large sums of money to maintain bikes that are part of our history.

Due to old codger disease, I cannot ride a rigid fork off road and would never give up disc brakes so do not partake in the retrobike restoration per se. My oldest bike is 'a 96 proflex that has been convered to disc brakes, 3x9 gears, a modern rear shock and carbon fibres bits that I will not part with due to sentimental reasons even though the swing arm flexes like cheese - oops, didn't mean to go there :facepalm: - weighs a ton and is not as good offroad as any other my modern FS bikes.

err so carry on, maybe we'll get to page 10!

I'm probably one of those retrobikers that haven't moved on. Nor do I want to.

But I'm not in denial - it's not because I'm against change, per se - hell I've exploited that rollercoaster. Nor is it because I believe my preferences are better than newer kit - they're probably not for a lot of terrain. And I don't buy into this bobbins of ascribing "soul" to inanimate chunks of metal, and the various psychological games of Twister some do, to apply anthropomorphism to bikes - I struggle with buying from that funky bakery when we're talking about the human condition, never mind bits of metal. I'll relent if we're talking about music - but that's my final offer.

All the same, I don't want to move on - I don't want to turn it up to 11, I'm happy with the bikes I've got, just like I was perfectly happy back in the day. I've always been drawn to a certain degree of longevity with things, and not throwing away perfectly good things, just to get something newer - well maybe where gadgets are concerned, but otherwise...

There may come a day when all my bikes from the retro era are all worn out or broken - I doubt it, they've survived this long - but all the same, I'm playing along for the sake of the hypothetical. And when such time comes, I wouldn't reject newer stuff, I'd still have a bike of some kind. And yes, I suspect if that ever happens, I'll miss my old bikes. Not because they'd likely be better, merely that they lasted well, remind me of better times and memories, not because of any ethereal notion of "soul" or "character" though.

 

[shedobits]

Re:

For me it's all about the ride and getting to places I wouldn't bother to walk to. Two years ago I spent a week riding all the classic trails in the Peak District on a Solid '93 Lava Dome and rode everything until I came to Jacobs ladder. As I was the only person around if things had gone wrong I walked down some of it and rode some. I like to think that if I'd been on a modern bike I'd have given it a better go.

I loved all of the bikes I've owned but I think that this sums up the difference between modern and retro for me.

Writing this I think I'm gonna go back for some more riding and Bakewell Tart.

 

[EggyBum6969]

im happy with what ive got
the only problem is i dont get out enough

im sure i would enjoy test riding or hiring a 29ner or a fatbike
just to see if there good an fun to ride

but where is the bike industry going to go next

will we see frames made to take a 29ner with a normal tyre on upfront an a 24" wheel at the back with a massive chunky tyre on the little rear wheel

 

[bolly]

Re:

29ers down south no hills southern softies
27.5 up north mountains northern blokes
26 Scotland big mountains hard men !!!!!

 

[legrandefromage]

'technology'

'cycling'

"That 1 degree head angle change over the 2011 model really brings the trails alive "

Blah...

First 29er I rode was last week, it was fast but the forks were so flexy they really spoilt the ride. But then like many I've been riding 700c with fatter tyres off road for a long time on road and touring frames. Have had discs for nearly 20 years so they are firmly engraved into my cycling but after getting off the 29 it made the 26 feel like a kids bike. And my £70 retro bike had blown it's BB out all over Thetford.

That had almost dissolved my resistance to wasting a load of money on a new bike.

Almost...

 

[highlandsflyer]

Re:

Glad no one has mentioned the stereotypes to explain why the further north you get the more retro the rides! Doh, I just did!

Seriously though, it is all good.

The benefits of the bigger wheels seem to be mainly 'ironing out' the trail.

Well, even on the trails round here I am happy to have them nice and rough.

I am not competing though.

The extra weight is a bother to me though, as I am often carrying my bike. OK this is an easy problem to solve by spending a little more money. Ah, but there goes that stereotype again..

I guess I am one of those who will stick with older bikes until they have run out. Now given the number of amazing 26" frames out there that will be more than my lifetime.

Besides, you can run 27.5 on a hell of a lot of those frames.

 

[The History Man]

They make nice steel ones. If not I wouldn't have bothered. Aloooominumm is not for me.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Yup, once I see a decently priced Jamis Dragon 853 29-er frame I will be on it. Certainly makes a lot of sense for the taller fella.