Can't beat the feeling

[al]

Sadly too posh round here for bike jumbles.

Either that or not enough hipsters.

You only have yourself to blame.

al.

 

[markoc]

The memories of spending hours in OnYourBike and Rayments in Brighton, looking at the same bikes as I had done the week before - scrutinising every last detail. Seeing if they had the latest widget or trick bit in that I'd read about in MBUK/MBR/MBi to feel it in my hand. No chance of ever being able to afford it, but that and the heady smell of GT85 and new rubber was the stuff that teenage dreams were made of. Walking out with an ano bottle cage bolt to go with the one I bought the week before. A few more weeks and I'd have the complete set.

Every once in while my ebay trawling takes me back, or a random post on here about a long forgotten bit of kit or rider.

Happy days. Night and day from bike shops (in the main) of today, much is the shame.

 

[d00m]

It was the new bike smell for me. That clean oil and fresh rubber... ooh er

 

[pictonroad]

I'm partial to ordering tyres to be delivered just to experience the visceral thrill of time travel when I open the package and inhale...

Ahhhh

If I was to come into serious money I'd build myself a home pub in the style of a wooden floored bikeshop in 1996. Stock the cabinets with anodised trinkets and caratti catalogues. I'd just spend my evenings wandering around in a blissful fug of nostalgia.

 

[Bike Hoarder]

I'd build myself a home pub in the style of a wooden floored bikeshop in 1996. Stock the cabinets with anodised trinkets and caratti catalogues. I'd just spend my evenings wandering around in a blissful fug of nostalgia.

Sounds like a slice of heaven right there!

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Now i go into the only close shop....and just go "Meeeea" nothing of interest, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing of any quality....

Bike shops for me are now just places where I buy cables, tyres*, consumables like chain lube and bike specific clothing.

They hold no thrill for me. All the bikes look the same and there is always some snotty twirp who takes one look at my grey beard and asks if I want to see their range of eBikes.

"eBikes are for people on disability benefits or the terminally lazy. I'm 55 and I still ride single speed. I've got pimples on my arse older than you, now get outta my way, junior."

*tyres: for my 29" daily rider. 26" tyres are now only the wire bead cheap crap hanging up out of reach fit only for department store bikes, if they have any at all.

 

[player]

The memories of spending hours in OnYourBike and Rayments in Brighton, looking at the same bikes as I had done the week before - scrutinising every last detail. Seeing if they had the latest widget or trick bit in that I'd read about in MBUK/MBR/MBi to feel it in my hand. No chance of ever being able to afford it, but that and the heady smell of GT85 and new rubber was the stuff that teenage dreams were made of. Walking out with an ano bottle cage bolt to go with the one I bought the week before. A few more weeks and I'd have the complete set.

Every once in while my ebay trawling takes me back, or a random post on here about a long forgotten bit of kit or rider.

Happy days. Night and day from bike shops (in the main) of today, much is the shame.

When I think back to the old shops I use to visit, the smell of GT-85 in the air, is the first thing I think about!

As said, there's no excitement walking into any bike shop these days unfortunately..........