Very much agree with this. See lots of bikes on here and think why did you put that on instead of xyz? I also think part of the appeal of a dream build, is the build. Chasing the parts is part of the fun. Lots of bikes I enjoyed building but lost interest in after I’ve ridden them a few times. Never ever got back what I put into them but that was never the point. I paid to build the bike I wanted.
Culling the fleet!
- Thread starter benjabbi
- Start date
Very much agree with this. See lots of bikes on here and think why did you put that on instead of xyz? I also think part of the appeal of a dream build, is the build. Chasing the parts is part of the fun. Lots of bikes I enjoyed building but lost interest in after I’ve ridden them a few times. Never ever got back what I put into them but that was never the point. I paid to build the bike I wanted.
If you specifically need advice on Bonty Ti Lite, mine cracked around the driveside slightly oddly positioned chainstay welds.
I imported mine from U.S. in pre retro bike day’s , as very much my ultimate mtb - having spent most of 1990s on a Bonty OR.
Prehaps I rode it too intensively , however was pretty upset to have it fail (I even think about still as I ride by same spot today).
Broken / unridable it did offer much satisfaction to me … eventually found somebody on here was interested in purchasing for a modest cost , and had ti welding capabilities avialible to him. Seemed like a good solution.
Just offering my own experience and thoughts, which might only be relavant to my former frame…plus had K.B. autograph it when it was still my main rider at a race.
Prehaps a compromise solution is too wait until a fellow Retrobiker posts a wanted advert looking for whatever specific xyz thing…
I imported mine from U.S. in pre retro bike day’s , as very much my ultimate mtb - having spent most of 1990s on a Bonty OR.
Prehaps I rode it too intensively , however was pretty upset to have it fail (I even think about still as I ride by same spot today).
Broken / unridable it did offer much satisfaction to me … eventually found somebody on here was interested in purchasing for a modest cost , and had ti welding capabilities avialible to him. Seemed like a good solution.
Just offering my own experience and thoughts, which might only be relavant to my former frame…plus had K.B. autograph it when it was still my main rider at a race.
Prehaps a compromise solution is too wait until a fellow Retrobiker posts a wanted advert looking for whatever specific xyz thing…
dirttorpedo
Senior Retro Guru
I try to keep only bikes that spark joy, but still have trouble selling the ones I love less.
If you love riding and looking at it I'd keep it. In the grand scheme of things it's not worth megabucks and you'd struggle to get another one.
The beauty of that frame is that once you've got a set of forks (or two) you can build it any way you like.
I've just got rid of my racelite for similar reasons, bit probably shouldn't have.
benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
@slackboy you're probably right! I suppose there's nothing stopping me swapping parts around to keep it fresh.
@dirttorpedo that's the thing they all spark something at the moment, I did try briefly to sell the Kilauea but changed my mind. I suspect, ultimately, I'm just going to have to face the fact that there's probably going to be more rather than less going forward
@dirttorpedo that's the thing they all spark something at the moment, I did try briefly to sell the Kilauea but changed my mind. I suspect, ultimately, I'm just going to have to face the fact that there's probably going to be more rather than less going forward
Your all like Egyptian fish!
In denial......
"Its only a problem if you think its a problem".....i know several high functioning drug addicts who still believe that!
Cull the fleet and enjoy...really enjoy what you are left with.
Try imagining each one stolen.....which are you upset about? Those are the keepers.
In denial......
"Its only a problem if you think its a problem".....i know several high functioning drug addicts who still believe that!
Cull the fleet and enjoy...really enjoy what you are left with.
Try imagining each one stolen.....which are you upset about? Those are the keepers.
Frankenorange
Orange 🍊 Fan
You could buy another bike which is really good and that will help you decide which one should definitely be sold. Repeat that several times and eventually all of the existing fleet will be sold.
pw_pw_la
Senior Retro Guru
I'm not at the culling stage yet, but I have been trading things out recently, and I think, as others have said, a lot of my enjoyment is in building the bikes up. So selling/buying a complete bike has almost zero appeal.
I'm always going to want to keep certain things off a bike I sell, for other projects (even a new bike looks better with a few, choice, old bits!) And other people are always going to want to do certain things to any bike they buy from you. Varying tastes being what they are.
Then you factor in the losses from the cost of parts purchased vs a realistic price for a full bike, and it starts to make almost no sense selling something complete (unless, maybe, it's a catalog-spec, garage queen unicorn)
It's not that I don't love riding them, I do, but, let's face it, the differences between most of our old mountain bikes are negligible at best. In the sense that if they're good for one type of riding, the others of their kind probably will suffice too.
So then the question becomes: Do I care more about owning a bunch of different old bikes because they mean something to me; because they're important in their own ways? Or do I care more about owning different bikes that ride differently and can be used for different things?
Because, let's be honest, we're all owning multiple bikes come what may! There's no way any of us are getting down to one. If we were we wouldn't be here!
But I can see a future where I own a few less vintage 26" MTBs, and a wider variety of bikes, new and old, in general.
Problem is, I can just as easily see a future where I own 100 vintage 26" MTBs and nothing else!
What am I saying?
I guess: Goodluck!
I'm always going to want to keep certain things off a bike I sell, for other projects (even a new bike looks better with a few, choice, old bits!) And other people are always going to want to do certain things to any bike they buy from you. Varying tastes being what they are.
Then you factor in the losses from the cost of parts purchased vs a realistic price for a full bike, and it starts to make almost no sense selling something complete (unless, maybe, it's a catalog-spec, garage queen unicorn)
It's not that I don't love riding them, I do, but, let's face it, the differences between most of our old mountain bikes are negligible at best. In the sense that if they're good for one type of riding, the others of their kind probably will suffice too.
So then the question becomes: Do I care more about owning a bunch of different old bikes because they mean something to me; because they're important in their own ways? Or do I care more about owning different bikes that ride differently and can be used for different things?
Because, let's be honest, we're all owning multiple bikes come what may! There's no way any of us are getting down to one. If we were we wouldn't be here!
But I can see a future where I own a few less vintage 26" MTBs, and a wider variety of bikes, new and old, in general.
Problem is, I can just as easily see a future where I own 100 vintage 26" MTBs and nothing else!
What am I saying?
I guess: Goodluck!
pw_pw_la
Senior Retro Guru
Or the existing fleet will be doubled!
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
I can't comment and I deny everything. 
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