modern Bikes?

[drystonepaul]

Re: Re:

There are plenty of performance advantages to be found in modern bikes.

Most of them lack any character and soul though.

Couldnt agree more - "we have a choice of colours, black or black"

Sorry thats rubbish. Look at the Cotic Soul, any Singular, the new Stooge, Salsa, Surly, Stanton......and thats only the S's. All very colourful and have as much 'soul' as any dale, marin , saracen etc

I did say most, and not all...

I think I'd been working on a Giant and a Specialized on that particular day. I agree that there are plenty of lovely modern bikes and most of them appear to be due to the resurgence of steel as a material. Not that it ever went away mind you.

I guess the point I was driving at is that just like modern cars, there is little to distinguish between many volume sales manufacturers nowadays especially in the low to mid part of the range which is where many new cyclists/customers will be buying.

This is actually probably no different to the market twenty years ago, so I guess that nostalgia and sentiment is the biggest factor clouding my judgement.

I agree about the anaesthetizing effect of too much technology though. Some modern full sussers make some trails feel about as challenging as sitting in an armchair.
Just don't get me started on electrically assisted bikes and the urbanisation of the countryside.

 

[JamesM]

Re: Re:

I guess the point I was driving at is that just like modern cars, there is little to distinguish between many volume sales manufacturers nowadays especially in the low to mid part of the range which is where many new cyclists/customers will be buying.

This is actually probably no different to the market twenty years ago, so I guess that nostalgia and sentiment is the biggest factor clouding my judgement.

I remember back in the 80's my dad saying that all modern cars look the same. I didn't agree, a 205 GTI looked nothing like an XR2 . 25 to 30 years on, and to me, all modern cars look the same

 

[paulswheels]

Re:

Hate, truly do hate to say, 3 rides in on my Intense Carbine and I'm saying why didn't I switch to a modern bike sooner.

That said, certain bikes in the arsenal would be hard pressed to leave the quiver, if ever. Yet others prior to the mod bike arrival, I would have said never are soon to be on the block.

I figure that I will use the new bike 90%+ of the time and on fair weather days and just out for nostalgia rides use the ones I was brought up on.

Just my thoughts

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re: Re:

I guess the point I was driving at is that just like modern cars, there is little to distinguish between many volume sales manufacturers nowadays especially in the low to mid part of the range which is where many new cyclists/customers will be buying.

This is actually probably no different to the market twenty years ago, so I guess that nostalgia and sentiment is the biggest factor clouding my judgement.

I remember back in the 80's my dad saying that all modern cars look the same. I didn't agree, a 205 GTI looked nothing like an XR2 . 25 to 30 years on, and to me, all modern cars look the same

Yes, my dad said the same and it simply was not true. Today all cars are similar.....and boring/easy to drive. Modern bikes all look the same to me and quite frankly hate the shape of them! I grew up with the classic mtb and today they look like distorted monstrosities.

 

[cce]

Douglas Adams put it fairly well

“I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”

 

[kaiser]

Re:

very good, that should be on a Retrobike T

 

[doctorstewie]

I have heard stories of folks being ridiculed whilst on their retro machines, and I have to say that is not my experience. I was out at Afan last week, and Dare Park and we met and talked to a fair few other riders. The only comment passed on my bike ( a 97 Rift Zone ) was "That's really nice!" This from a very nice woman on a modern swoopy full susser covered in all kinds of techno magic who was giving my riding partner loads of info on riding courses. All anyone talked about was what were the best trails, how many times we'd fallen off and where were the tea rooms. The closest anyone got to remarking on the superiority of new kit was my riding partner trying to persuade me to get a Camelbak.
I'll be getting a newer ( but not fully modern) Marin full suss when I can afford one, and I have a modern Cannondale Hybrid which has convinced me I would like a modern hardtail too, but I get heaps of fun out of whatever I ride. And, interestingly I get more fun out of my Rift Zone now than I did riding one BITD, because I'd never been to a Trail Centre then. I still love a "normal" ride, but places like Afan and Bikepark are a big step forward in my view. Less ramblers and horses to scare and a great riding vibe.

 

[wadsy]

Douglas Adams put it fairly well

“I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”

 

[legrandefromage]

I feel dirty when out riding on my cheapy bikes - they usually cost less than the gopro mount on the bicycle behind...

 

[highlandsflyer]

Feel happy in the knowledge that that mount may well be more of a danger to the rider than your quill stem.