when will this be considered a Retrobike?

[petgel]

Yup.

Discounted already -30% from new after season for owner.
Discounted -30% when second owner buys it in 1 year.
Discounted -30% when third owner potentially buys obsolete un-upgradable shit in year 3+

That leaves 10% left. Which equates to selling some used kitchen utensil on Ebay, or the charity shop, or the tip to offload.

I would wait it out. But it will never be retro around here - which is the reference.

This for me at least is just something not to bother with along with all the over produced and marketed bullshit moulded clones with no hope, glamour, nor charisma, nor real real history to speak of.

Well said!

 

[petgel]

Around the same time there will be a new “to die for” technology in bikes called rim brakes. Then with these new rim brakes someone will invent the “quick release wheel” with a beautiful skewer as you don’t need to be so precise with wheel placement to 0.000002” so can do away with those “thru axles” (which aren’t really an axle at all but a long threaded bolt”. And now that CF is old hat we won’t need big 35mm tyres and all that rotating weight…..I could go on…

 

[Rapparee87]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

because i it

Doesn't carbon degrade over time? As in decades? That's not a statement, but a query.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Doesn't carbon degrade over time? As in decades? That's not a statement, but a query.

There isn't any reason for it to degrade - basically it's fabric set in epoxy.
But the high end stuff is not designed to last, but be light.
Consequently the fabric gets micro-tears in it through use, and weakens with age.

Similarly of course the lightweight aluminium frames tend to have a shorter life due to fatigue, and steel through corrosion.

There's no point adding weight to gain longevity for race kit.

 

[novocaine]

There isn't any reason for it to degrade - basically it's fabric set in epoxy.
But the high end stuff is not designed to last, but be light.
Consequently the fabric gets micro-tears in it through use, and weakens with age.

Similarly of course the lightweight aluminium frames tend to have a shorter life due to fatigue, and steel through corrosion.

There's no point adding weight to gain longevity for race kit.

Epoxy isn't uv stable so it will also degrade from being in the sun.

Thus CF bike really should be ridden at night, or on the trainer only.

 

[LondonClassic]

Doesn't carbon degrade over time? As in decades? That's not a statement, but a query.

Aside from just a bike thing but for any CF object
..carbon fibre resin photo degrades with exposure to UV - so over time this would weaken and eventually cause the resin to crack and fail, making the composite structurally unsound. The resin will break down first anyway, even if no UV is present such as say...in a landfill. Beyond that the fibres essentially last 'forever'.

Sorry that is not a bike specific comment but a general one.

PS spend ages half cut typing a response and @novocaine beat me to it.

 

[Rapparee87]

Steel still has a big advantage though. They don't necessarily break when crashed.

 

[Dicky71]

My experience is that nobody actually loves their carbon bike.
As soon as something better comes along, they swap.

Fickle feckers

Steel is the opposite end of the material spectrum, ti and ally hang out in the middle ground.

I have just started to get to know my Giant Cadex 980. It has taken me over 4 years to build it and I don't feel that I am in a hurry to get rid of it. As of date, I am happy with the result. I'm not ready to say i'm in love with it, we've only just started but this could be the beginning of a long lastning relationship. I've put a lot of time and effort into it and I can say that i'm not disapointed. It will just have to do for the time being.

 

[bikeworkshop]

I have just started to get to know my Giant Cadex 980. It has taken me over 4 years to build it and I don't feel that I am in a hurry to get rid of it. As of date, I am happy with the result. I'm not ready to say i'm in love with it, we've only just started but this could be the beginning of a long lastning relationship. I've put a lot of time and effort into it and I can say that i'm not disapointed. It will just have to do for the time being.

I should clarify:
I was referring to the new bike buyers, not a retro resurrection.
The reasons for the purchase are completely different.