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And that 2015 Golf diesel will embrace the 'retro' by leaving just as much oil on the ground as any 1966 car would, just like my neighbours Sirocco does.
Unfortunately a lot of modern is sold solely off the back/ reputation of a dim and distant original (such as the Golf) to con the purchaser into buying into a lifestyle or dream that will make them instantly better / more attractive to the opposite sex/ a hero down the pub/ trail centre car park.
Todays Golf/ focus/etc is very bland and unappealing because it does exactly the same as everything else on the road, it cant get you there any quicker than the Golf of ten years ago because of more traffic (ironically caused by more people buying into the dream/ lifestyle), speed cameras and new lower speed limits.
Cars are a lousy analogy as they are completely tied up in the red tape of environmental suppression and safety plus the owners still think they have right of way over a bicycle.
A modern bike needs more maintenance and often quite specialist, especially for shock refurbishment or servicing. It is more than just anecdotal that components seem to wear quicker. There are just as many recent bad design failures as anything from 25 years ago too.
So no, I dont buy into the lifestyle or dream based on some forgotten legend, I still ride the originals, the creators, not the mimics.
The Cranes didnt need a plastic frame, dropper post and 8 inches of travel to ride up Kilimanjaro nor did Nick Crane ride around the world on anything more than a simple 12 spd 531 Raleigh road bike.
'Modern' helps when its too expensive to make 'old' fit or work better but by 'modern' I mean dual pivots in place of single pivot, 700c cassette in place of worn 27 1/4 and so on. But even then that purchase was purely retro, sold entirely on the basis of appearing to be something else but its certainly no better than its 25 year old distant cousin - its just a lifestyle.
Unfortunately a lot of modern is sold solely off the back/ reputation of a dim and distant original (such as the Golf) to con the purchaser into buying into a lifestyle or dream that will make them instantly better / more attractive to the opposite sex/ a hero down the pub/ trail centre car park.
Todays Golf/ focus/etc is very bland and unappealing because it does exactly the same as everything else on the road, it cant get you there any quicker than the Golf of ten years ago because of more traffic (ironically caused by more people buying into the dream/ lifestyle), speed cameras and new lower speed limits.
Cars are a lousy analogy as they are completely tied up in the red tape of environmental suppression and safety plus the owners still think they have right of way over a bicycle.
A modern bike needs more maintenance and often quite specialist, especially for shock refurbishment or servicing. It is more than just anecdotal that components seem to wear quicker. There are just as many recent bad design failures as anything from 25 years ago too.
So no, I dont buy into the lifestyle or dream based on some forgotten legend, I still ride the originals, the creators, not the mimics.
The Cranes didnt need a plastic frame, dropper post and 8 inches of travel to ride up Kilimanjaro nor did Nick Crane ride around the world on anything more than a simple 12 spd 531 Raleigh road bike.
'Modern' helps when its too expensive to make 'old' fit or work better but by 'modern' I mean dual pivots in place of single pivot, 700c cassette in place of worn 27 1/4 and so on. But even then that purchase was purely retro, sold entirely on the basis of appearing to be something else but its certainly no better than its 25 year old distant cousin - its just a lifestyle.
