Vintage or Modern for long distance races

[M-Power]

Re:

If my life depended on it and i was cycling across Africa, id fit 89 Deore XT throughout. The gear is bombproof, easy to maintain, works very well and is still rolling perfectly after all these years. I did many tours bitd on this kit and never had any mechanicals apart from the odd spoke replacment and wheel true.

I doubt the modern top end kit will be as reliable.

 

[caemis]

Guys, thank you very much! I've made up my mind and besides of a lack of braking power (Disc vs. Canti) and a maybe easier run on 29er compared to 26er (also this is rather a question of fitness I guess) and finally the surly better working front suspension of today (which will cost as much as I can spend in a suitable classic :mrgreen: ) I'll stay with a classic race bike. Of course some adjustment has to be made, but truth is: I love this old steel horses.

Cheers,
Marco

 

[legrandefromage]

These two nutters managed to ride some very standard bicycles in some very none standard terrain 30 years ago

http://kickasstrips.com/2013/12/richard ... the-earth/

 

[caemis]

Thanks for sharing! A remarkable story...

 

[xerxes]

Re:

These two nutters managed to ride some very standard bicycles in some very none standard terrain 30 years ago

One set of clothes for 50 days! Eeeeeeuw.

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re: Re:

These two nutters managed to ride some very standard bicycles in some very none standard terrain 30 years ago

One set of clothes for 50 days! Eeeeeeuw.

Must have smelt like fromage.

 

[cagiva gezzer]

Re:

I have three bikes - 4" FS carbon 29er, 4" HT Alu 29er and a '93/94 GT RTS.

Three years ago I've done the South Downs on the RTS. Two rides of 100miles each, once doing Eastbourne to Winchester in one go. The bike was fine as its comfy and you get far more people talking to you when they see a retro bike come past. Yes the brakes make it harder and the RTS style of suspension works against yon on the long climbs, but it made it and my mate on his 1-by was envious of my granny ring!

South downs plan this year:
29er HT - Training rides
RTS - BHF South Downs ride, at a leisurely pace.
29er FS - Second double attempt where the suspension saves you from getting battered when you're already worn out.

I'd only back out of taking the retro if it was horrendous weather. I'd rather replace cheap sram parts than trash SPIN wheels and old XT parts.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

These two nutters managed to ride some very standard bicycles in some very none standard terrain 30 years ago

http://kickasstrips.com/2013/12/richard ... the-earth/

Ha! Come on LGF - you're taking it to the extremes with your anti technology diatribe. There are many relatively inexpensive aluminum full suspension bikes with good disc brakes and stable platform shocks that are strong, perform well and quite cost effective.

Anyhow, while I appreciate the pro retro sentiments here I see this as a case of Could, would, should.

1. Could you ride a retrobike? Sure, as LGF's post indicates you can "ride" a bike in a wide variety of terrain and people have been doing it for hundreds of years.

2. Would you? Well, that's really all about personal preference and the circumstances. I didn't sell that old steel hardtail because I didn't like it - I sold it because those v-brakes couldn't reliably stop it descending the North Shore Mountains in the rain and I was too much a hack to ride those trails with 3 inches of travel. the modern bike I switched too was much better at stopping in the rain on the steeps and it could handle the drops. But Benedict rides some pretty amazing places on a variety of fat tire bikes - some of which look pretty retro and a bit bodged together. Right tool - right job.

3. Should you? Again, case dependent, but unless you want to make it more difficult or have a certain aesthetic bend - probably not. :twisted:

 

[caemis]

The case of could, would and should, is well said:

1. Could: of course, I do it already for a couple of years only (before I had a few Hardtails and many years a FS) - but I don't miss them.
2. Well, the terrain I usually ride and would go for a ride is the north/east part of Germany - not much mountains and far less rocky stuff, so neither suspension nor braking power seems the big question for me unless I go further south (Black Forest, Alps) or come to the UK (which I would do immediately)...
3. Why not - and yes I somehow want it to be more challenging. I'll take this matter up again in two weeks and considering it with some challenging experiences since I will ride my 90s Kona some hundreds of Kilometers through Israel on trail...

 

[dirttorpedo]

Re:

The case of could, would and should, is well said:

1. Could: of course, I do it already for a couple of years only (before I had a few Hardtails and many years a FS) - but I don't miss them.
2. Well, the terrain I usually ride and would go for a ride is the north/east part of Germany - not much mountains and far less rocky stuff, so neither suspension nor braking power seems the big question for me unless I go further south (Black Forest, Alps) or come to the UK (which I would do immediately)...
3. Why not - and yes I somehow want it to be more challenging. I'll take this matter up again in two weeks and considering it with some challenging experiences since I will ride my 90s Kona some hundreds of Kilometers through Israel on trail...

Sounds like you have your answer.