What state is retro biking in at the moment?

[barry2017]

Re: Re:

okay I'm going to be a fashion victim here but that link to a geezer who bangs on about Recumbents
is building bikes that very few people want....

Like the Giant TCR?

 

[JonTom]

Re:

The original question was: where is retro biking in the grand scheme of things?

Well, if you check out Google Trends and look at what people have been searching for since 2004, you'll see searches for retro / vintage / old bikes is on the increase.

Below is searches worldwide from 2004-2014.



Try it yourself - for anything you're interested in.

https://www.google.com.au/trends/explore#cmpt=q

 

[brocklanders023]

As technology in the industry moves at such pace, the bikes we view now are dated within years. Therefore, the bikes becoming classed as retro is increasing with every passing moment. With this growing genre of bikes comes a growing audience of fans and riders. Now, here is where Retrobike is in danger of becoming dated as the categories become too broad for the age diverse subscribers. I believe that a change is required to meet the new followers needs. My suggestion would be to split the bikes by decade; this is the most logical route and follows the lines of classic cars, bikes, music, art, and fashion. People can relate to particular decades in time far more than the current classification. I think that the technology is better captured and admired when viewed in each decade. I believe that BOTM could be drawn for each decade group too, which gives a fairer appreciation and acknowledgement for each timespan.
Retro is flexible term that we apply to our bikes. Remember that it is a sliding scale, and every bike built is on that scale. When I bought a 2007 Look road bike a few years back, it was admired by so many for its technology, but it's already viewed as dated by the local road club I ride with.

I agree that RB could become more sectional but I think decades are too wide. I love early 90's bikes but lose all interest by the end of the 90's. In a similar way early and late 80's are poles apart. IMO a better system would be split in to something like:

Early years (up to 1987?)
Boom years (1988-1995?)
Tech Years, Suss boom etc (1995-2000?)
Modern Classics (2000 to 5 years from present?)


Something like that anyway.

 

[rjsdavis]

So who wants to tell him ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/granniegear?_ ... 7675.l2559

When you're asking for 20 notes for an old crap saddle that's in THIS condition - you just know that there's something really wrong with the second-hand market.

Don't get me wrong, I've no problem with people asking for top money for their retro items on Fleabay - I do it myself, as it finances my hobby. I, like many others, don't understand why some people on here are berated for buying an old retro bike, stripping it / flipping it and releasing all of the parts on Fleabay for profit. I do this from time to time myself when the right bike comes along.

I'm not sure there is a real slowdown on the sale items - I still find I miss out on everything I'd want to buy as people on here jump onto a sale thread for a cool item within hours of it going up. I can't match that, as I cannot be on here, not only daily, but for hourly as some do. I guess it's just the way it is, but it really narks me off when something I've been hoping to stumble across for years is snapped up within, sometimes minutes! I often rather it went on Fleabay and we all had a fair crack of acquiring it if it's a really desirable item.

I'd love to spend more time riding my retro bikes, but the Kent region does seem to be painfully quiet for users/rides that I've ever seen whenever I've looked. I couldn't even raise the faintest of interests the other month for a shared lift to the icon-o-classic in the West country - this was a real shame as I'd love to have gone. Heigh ho.

 

[Skynet]

There does seem to be less top end/good condition stuff. A lot of tatty stuff with mint asking prices.

 

[cce]

Re: Re:

The original question was: where is retro biking in the grand scheme of things?

Well, if you check out Google Trends and look at what people have been searching for since 2004, you'll see searches for retro / vintage / old bikes is on the increase.

Below is searches worldwide from 2004-2014.



Try it yourself - for anything you're interested in.

https://www.google.com.au/trends/explore#cmpt=q

Old bike and vintage bike are mainly about

which are very fashionable for normals at the mo and in no way mean anything about the popularity of websites like this one

 

[joe careless]

I have had a bit of time away from here in contribution terms but with a weathereye on it. Got sucked into a few of the FB retro/vintage mtb groups had the pleasure of conversing with legends mr C K being a notable one, they're mainly populated by some total handworkers upsetting newbies and oldies alike.
To be honest I figure that the rb mtb market has stabilised, currently 80's 'racer' bikes are doing silly things along with vintage style stuff.
Bike touring is increasing in a big way and I am seeing a trend towards the self-built bike with steel retro mtb framests being used and knowledge based questions being asked in certain forums. Pricing does surprise me at times and makes my head hurt. All I can add is glad I'm back here .

 

[Neil]

I agree that RB could become more sectional but I think decades are too wide. I love early 90's bikes but lose all interest by the end of the 90's. In a similar way early and late 80's are poles apart. IMO a better system would be split in to something like:

Early years (up to 1987?)
Boom years (1988-1995?)
Tech Years, Suss boom etc (1995-2000?)
Modern Classics (2000 to 5 years from present?)


Something like that anyway.

Have to say - I get your point, and agree with your take on this.

I know there is this argument / contention that retro will be perpetually reinvented, and I get that point, but all the same, there's something very distinctive and line-in-the-sand about those times.

Out of your groupings I'm all about the boom years, completely lose interest much after 95 - so whether it's 95 or 97, I guess is a consensus thing, really - I suppose why I've never had a problem in the divide being at 97 - it recognises that there was a change around those times. I have interest in the pre 88 bikes, although I'm not particularly driven to own one.

I can see the value / point in constant reinvention and being all things to all people, retro wise... but I also think there's something to be preserved much like the groupings you suggest, as there were clear changes loosely around those years that very much had quite an impact in the bikes - beyond purely arbitrary divides.

 

[joe careless]

That's the funny thing about modern bikes. There are lots of genuinely better designs that could make them perform better, but no-one makes them.

This is interesting:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ator-27010

The old fart has a point, and in the conversations I have with him more often than not we have agreements and in terms of engineering effeciency recumbents win hands down, I don't own a recumbent but he has built 2 of my bikes and as far as I know I'm the only person that has worn 2 8freight axles out due to silly high milage. I'm halving my bike collection down to basically custom bikes (apart from my 2 marins) concentrating on quality and joy. I keep looking at Pacer's bike though...

 

[EggyBum6969]

my run around bike was stolen
i didnt want to use my xc bike for everything
so i did a look around the bike shops an noticed
they were not what i was after an also mega money for a x5 x4 sram setup

so i got a 2nd hand marin for £125 only wanted it for the frame i did use it as a bike
4 a short while but i got a deal on some wheels new tyres etc changed most of the stuff on it an went 1x9 xt

i reckon i spent less then £400 all in
an now i have got the brakes back to what they were when i fitted them
thanks to 1 small washer/spacer on the bottum brake bolt at the front its great

it would have cost me alot more for a pre-built bike

an as for high end bikes well if you shop around an hit the sales on more then 1 site
at the right time you can put together a few good bikes
way under the budget of 1 in the shops

but the only problem with that is bargin hunting takes up a lot of time
time you cannot get back you only have one life

weigh up the pros an cons an chose which cost less overall
you can get more money you cant buy time