a rambling account of insecurity and lycra

[legrandefromage]

After work, climbed into bed this morning at 5am after answering a few PMs expecting an long unbroken sleep.

Wake up at 10.10am in a cold sweat - where is this hobby of ours taking us?

Personally I think I've peaked, without spending ridiculous amounts of money, I've gone as far as I can with the retro MTB side of it all. I've got vintage UK built, some good US presence, some innovative, some whacky. Theres still along way to go on the retro roadie side of it all (am I a frustrated secret roadie, only coming out of the roadie closet at weekends with short haired hairpiece, lycra and going by the name, Bernard?).


I look in the man cave and am just amazed at whats in there, as a 19 year old I think a semi would happened just looking, God only knows what if I have owned something like that back then, in 'the day' (whenever that was).

I even ride more, yes, its true I do actually ride a bike - I have confirmed photographic evidence


So, after 3 years of lurking and some 9000 posts of rambling nonsense - where do we go from here....?

 

[tintin40]

What is the meaning of retro life? Ride and enjoy

 

[mikee]

WDS tekro all mountain single speed south american is i hear the next
big thing


i think you just give them all away in a charidee stylee thing
me first

 

[Dr S]

Crikey, if that's you in the above pic then cycling is doing wonders for your body in the time since we last met. In fact if you are wearing that same outfit I will be following very close behind on the Peaks Meet.

Ding Dong!!

 

[Hilts]

I think anyone who has been on this site for a while has at some point questioned their sanity. There was a time when I had about 12 bikes on the go, don't think any more than 6/7 were ever fully rideable at one time but it didn't stop me acquiring bits and tinkering at all hours once wife and kids had gone to bed...

However there comes a point, an epiphany if you will, where you realise that your hobby of cycling has been replaced by your new hobby of ebay watching, garage tinkering and forum watching. You make a decision that you have too many bikes and it's time to rationalise...

Over the course of the last 2 years I have reduced my garage contents to what I consider to be the perfect balance..

I have a retro MTB - The Ritchey
I have a modern MTB - SC Superlight
I have a retro roadie - Koga Miyata (current one is broken but new one is on it's way)
I have a modern roadie with a retro twinge - Pegoretti
and i commute on my 90 Exposif which is now a frankenhack single speed.
The wife rides a 1989 Alpinestar..

I love looking at all the old bikes on here and it's great that some people enjoy their huge collections. For me it's more about riding and time constraints mean that tinkering gets in the way of riding...

There will be others that join and do as we all did, buying everything you ever lusted at as a kid, then acquiring new desirables when you see the other stuff that is out there that escaped your attention back in 1990, and then deciding that it's time to concentrate on the riding !!

There was a fabulous thread started by Lid a few years ago which summed it up very nicely...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12159&highlight=

 

[Dr.Robotnik]

That girl is amazing.

 

[bduc61]

So, after 3 years of lurking and some 9000 posts of rambling nonsense - where do we go from here....?

seems a very good start to me

makes me think I should find a tandem and do the stoker with her in front - you have her number

a tandem - bloody hell how am I going to put it in the garage :roll:

 

[tintin40]

shame about the modern bike

 

[jax13]

any hobby that is enjoyed leads to uncontrolable hoarding - once you reach a point where you have a disposable income, it becomes worse as (in my experience) you tend to go after the items of envy you couldn't afford on a students wage when you really wanted them.

I just about have my firearms habit in check, I am back down to one vehicle (albeit a cross between hobby & need), I am limiting myself to 3 bikes - one for the road, one for the trails and a SS for when i fancy something a little different. My retro games console collection is at capacity but I stopped hoarding games a couple of years ago because i only turn to one or two of the epic titles from each platform.


I will be the first to admit I have self control issues when it comes to picking up that 'thing' you just want on the spur of the moment but if you can afford to indulge yourself, then indulge. you can't take your bank balance with you so enjoy it........ my philosophy is that for all the hobbies I have that take up my free cash, I have something to show for my disposable income and if needed, I could sell them on and recoup the financial drain of my hobbies.

I rarely drink, don't smoke and as a result i'm not sticking £100 a week in the till of the local pub or the fag machine like so many of my mates do so why not carry on and be happy with having the ability to enjoy your free time!

 

[racedoctor]

My retro games console collection is at capacity but I stopped hoarding games a couple of years ago because i only turn to one or two of the epic titles from each platform.


I will be the first to admit I have self control issues when it comes to picking up that 'thing' you just want on the spur of the moment but if you can afford to indulge yourself, then indulge. you can't take your bank balance with you so enjoy it........ my philosophy is that for all the hobbies I have that take up my free cash, I have something to show for my disposable income and if needed, I could sell them on and recoup the financial drain of my hobbies.

I have got rid of most of my collecting bug through my retro games collecting, I haven't bought any more retro games for well over a year now. However my spare room now looks like this;

I have a small collection of single malt whisky's about 20 but I plan on drinking them all so it's not a true collection

As for bikes, I have just one retro-ish bike, i lust after lots of parts and bikes on eBay and the for sale thread but so far I've been very good at not buying much. I do need a 2nd bike though for more regular use. Just looking out for something cheap enough to leave in the garage but nice enough to treasure and enjoy. If I had limitless supplies of cash and space then a retro bike collection would be something I would love.