in years gone past there was an opportunity for flair and distinction to win BOTM, but nowadays it seems you have to have the bike from the magazine ad, not the bike from your local trails to get close to winning
Hands up if you rode your bike stock back in the day *hand is down*
It's called fashion, it goes in waves and what is popular today will change tomorrow. It's good that we constantly evolve our tastes and change preferences.
That said, it should be no surprise that catalogue builds are popular with the majority as they avoid the esoteric personalisation that polarise opinion.
You also have to remember that as the membership grows and new, younger members join their only point of reference are catalogues rather than actual experience of owning the bikes first time round. Just like classic car owners, Retrobike owners are not just fat old farts who were there first time around and are now trying to recapture their youth, and just like classic cars concours builds are popular.
in years gone past there was an opportunity for flair and distinction to win BOTM, but nowadays it seems you have to have the bike from the magazine ad, not the bike from your local trails to get close to winning
Hands up if you rode your bike stock back in the day *hand is down*
It's called fashion, it goes in waves and what is popular today will change tomorrow. It's good that we constantly evolve our tastes and change preferences.
That said, it should be no surprise that catalogue builds are popular with the majority as they avoid the esoteric personalisation that polarise opinion.
You also have to remember that as the membership grows and new, younger members join their only point of reference are catalogues rather than actual experience of owning the bikes first time round. Just like classic car owners, Retrobike owners are not just fat old farts who were there first time around and are now trying to recapture their youth, and just like classic cars concours builds are popular.
But you can now put together a nice NOS condition M730 or similar groupset, and just transfer it from nice frame to nice frame. You could probably pick up multiple BOTMs that way.
I agree. If I don't like a bike then it won't get my vote but I won't tell the owner that I think his bike is crap. What's the point in that? I don't see anything wrong with a little constructive criticism, especially if something is set up incorrectly but there's no need for rudeness.
By openly stating "I think this bike is one of the best around" (which is what entering BOTM does, whether you like it or not) you are opening yourself to that criticism, and you should take it.
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But you can now put together a nice NOS condition M730 or similar groupset, and just transfer it from nice frame to nice frame. You could probably pick up multiple BOTMs that way.
Honestly M730/732/900 isn't that hard to find (at least around here). Most mass produced Asian frames had a high end model sporting these goods. It is the unique stuff that would stick out from build to build ( more on that later). I have never seen what you claim done on RBUK. But, then , quite honestly I rarely remember names of BOTM contestants from month to month.
I don't know if other Retrobikers do this but I am constantly upgrading/changing all my builds. My passion is early mountain bikes and I happen to have a few bikes between the 1980 and 1985 vintage. As a different/better part become available in my stash, I wouldn't think twice about adding it where it best fits on one of these bikes. This may create a wave where the piece coming off may go through a few different builds until in the end the odd piece is now out. I consider this part of constantly trading up.
I have a set of Crossroads II tires that I know have been photographed on at least four of my bikes. But when the more desirable (for the specific build) Ground Control's, Ground Control's, Comp III, and IRC X1 Racers came along, they got moved.
Now for something a little more complex (hey, now I am on a roll). Years ago I built up a Ritchey TC with a WTB DD cockpit. At that time I already had visions of upgrading the TC to a SC, and I saw the WTB cockpit eventually going on a Potts or Ibis frame.
Well last fall a friend was kind enough to sell me his awesome Potts where that WTB cockpit is going to fit in pretty sweet (always trade up). I sold the TC frame/fork to someone here on RBUK who is stoked for the project. I used the TC sale money to partially offset the cost of the Potts.
Now I don't know if I ever entered the TC in BOTM. If I did, it didn't win. Someday when I get the Potts where I think it is presentable, I may have a go with it in BOTM. Please don't hold it against me if you see the same LD stem, WTB shift Pods, and WTB bars on it as you did on the TC some years before. I promise, it was all part of the master plan.
And just because everybody loves pictures:
Miss this bike already, hope I made the right decision selling, no doubt the RBUK'er who has it now will love it. Saved the cockpit for a Potts:
So far, Changed out the BB, FD,RD, Cranks, so certainly closer, but still quite a ways from entering BOTM. It's quite dirty, and the rims don't match yet. Picture the DD setup above ready for this. Connectors spliced on the cables so it can go back and forth with ease from flat bar to drops. I have been daydreaming about this one long before I got the bike. Heck, since before I got the Ritchey above. Stoked:
Crossroads that have found their way on to a few of my projects. Currently they are without a home:
Just because you see M730 on more than one project, don't think it is the same set. A few times a year I pick up a high end Asian bike. I am not much of a flipper, but this is how I get my parts to use, trade, and supplement my vintage bike addiction. I have no doubt, lots of us here on RBUK have the same approach (constantly trade up):
I think one of the main things at play here is that people just have different ideas of what a competition like BOTM should be. Some feel that really the best bike should win, and some feel that whatever bike tugs at their heartstrings most should win.
Personally I fall in the first camp. I may have loved my Trek 830 once upon a time, but there is no way in hell I'd pick one over some high end race bike from the same time. So, there will always be those that want the underdog, or the dirtiest bike, or the one they had a kid to win. But to me and seems like some others as well it will be the coolest and best put together bike that will win top honors. Let's face it, those bikes are neither cheap nor can they (more often than not) be built half-assed and without attention to detail.
That's the way I see it also. Unfortunately many belong to the second camp because the decision, which bike is the best, is not easy ..or in other words, what's the best bike?
This month it's less about bikes but patina, I'm curious how people interpret patina.
Filth and dirt, paint damage or signs of wear or just something else.
I know picture says more than a thousand words but to show patinas with pics isn't easy.
