What is Retro?

[daj]

Leading on from Cherry and orange talking about the clockwork limited edition bike.

What is classed as retro?

 

[cherrybomb]

What do you think retro is?

C'os whatever you think is right.

and so is everyone else.

it's that subjective.

..but then maybe everyone's wrong? :?

 

[daj]

ha.ha hmmmm food for thought .....

Anyway all sorted I googled it

The word "retro" derives from the Latin prefix retro, meaning "backwards" or "in past times" -- particularly as seen in the words retrograde, implying a movement toward the past instead of a progress toward the future, and retrospective, referring to a nostalgic (or critical) eye toward the past.

 

[OrangeRetro]

I think my comments about the clockwork not being retro were a bit wrong.. it is really.. I suppose this site makes me think more about the bikes that I used to want while I was at school, not university.. so 1999 seems quite modern.. but then it was 9 years ago.. :shock:.. Where does the time go? I reckon my 5 will be retro before i know it..!

 

[lewis1641]

i feel similar to the above dude. thinking retro bikes sends me back in time to the back of double french classes dreaming about bikes and components which i could never ever afford.

FOR ME 1997 is a bit of a cut off period. it was up to that time where technology (or maybe investment and marketing?) was advancing at an alarming rate. thats how i remember it anyway...

 

[sinnett177]

In vintage motocross we had to divide it up as people were getting shirty as to what was next to them on the start line, so these were formed and they are rigorously enforced:-

- Pre 65' class, any bike pre dating 1965.
- Pre 74' class, as above but pre 1974 with set suspension travels and shock angles.
- Twinshock class, twin rear shocks, drum brakes and air cooled generally the youngest bike being Husqvarna's of 1984 but generally upto 1979/80.
- Evolution class, any bike pre dating 1989, so don't dare buy a 1990 Honda CR 500 (identical to 1989), as you will be turned away.
- Modern, any bike up to current models.

Generally the divide between genre is now so great each hold their own race meetings seperately of the others.

The happy police amongst us who sneer when a beautiful retro-bike is displayed with non period jockey wheels will probably drive us all apart just like above. Please take note .

 

[gibbleking]

i thunk that retro applies to a time when bikes were more than just a money maker and makers were still discovering how to improve the bike and the ride.from what ive seen now most bikes look the same....look at ringle seatposts ...need i say more.some makers clearly knew that some parts they made were more than just functional and were very pretty to look at(most paul componants ect).have to say when i saw the new ringle stuff i thought they looked just the same as the cheap generic stuff that taiwanne churn out by the tonne.you only have to look at use seatposts to see the differance..however this does not mean retro is better.some stuff i had tange shockblades for eg looked great but had 3/4 of an inch travel.my latest ones from suntour(i think) are stiffer and have longer travel.
as well as these points i think the work involved in making older stuff has a p.o.v as well.clearly the manitou frames were beutiful(polished with pretty welds ect) against mass prod robot welded no name stuff that gets a famous name sticker put on at the exit door.quality versus effort to make the bike in my opinion is the mitigating reason for defining what is retro. :idea:

 

[al]

It all depends on age! If your rite young then pretty much everything is retro! Or crap and old,as the yoof would say.

By the way i am 41 today!

Cheers,Al the old git.

 

[sinnett177]

By the way i am 41 today!

Happy Birthday Al, any nice prezzies?

 

[cherrybomb]

By the way i am 41 today!

Cheers,Al the old git.

Happy birthday al, you've cheered me up no end.


..............It was my birthday yesterday but I was ONLY 39.