Re:
Been through all the brakes. Cantis stopped, V's sropped, cable discs stopped, Maguras stopped (exiting to see the flex when you squeezed them) and hydraulic discs stopped. Discs were great for UK mud as did not clog up? Enjoyed riding whether they stopped or not.
I have tried all frame materials and my favourite is steel. I guess what I am trying to say is that I have been sucked up with the "must have the latest". I had my four children and 8 years later went for retro as I know it and remember them the best......and must be going through my mid life crisis! I honestly think there was more skill in riding a fully rigid bike, and like everything else today? Its about making things easier and more comfortable. Who wants reliability? It was all about the fun repairing your bike on the trail. Thumbies? What a godsend. When your gears went out of sink as your rear mech got caught? Switch to friction. What do you do these days, because although bikes may be reliable, trails are not. As a comparison, my 1988 Renault 5 GT Turbo was a blast to drive in the day, cars today? Boring!