What's your personal take on what makes a Retrobike for you?

[sylus]

being old enough to complain about the "yoof" and tell them back in the day it was so much better

O and cantis and admiring glances of people saying hey I used to have one of them and knowing through me it still exists

 

[MisterGrizzly]

admiring glances of people saying hey I used to have one of them and knowing through me it still exists

Nice one

 

[matt24777]

Though I wish we could still easily get new higher end cassettes when they run out!

Yeah that is a bit of a bugger that one!

 

[Rampage]

Something doesn't break on every ride.

 

[mikede]

It's all been said:

Rim brakes(especially Canti's)
8 speed max
Square taper BB
5 Arm cranks
Flat bars

Period-correct mods, if it's not a catalog build.

It's the attitude and appreciation of like-minded retro-riders that also makes them special. For what they cost for the fun to be had, there's almost no way to beat it with today's rides.

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Having grown up with the '70s customising scene for 'bikes and cars I have to admit to not giving a fig for period/catalogue spec! :shock:

I like retro bikes for the usual yearning for my lost youth, plus I find them much more aesthetically pleasing than modern stuff; I then kit them out with what I think looks best for that particular build.

My Kili Wot is a prime example; it didn't exist BiTD, but it should have, and it's none the less retro for it

 

[Rich34]

Lycra roadie shorts, walking boots and toestraps, 7-speed sprockets. Steel frames because everything else was just an excercise in style and would never catch on. According to my Dad. :roll:

 

[MisterGrizzly]

Nicely put Stevo...

And on the aesthetics... Speaking of flat bars... 31.8 just ruins the finesse of a 25.4 relationship.... :roll:

 

[Pyro Tim]

For me it has to be rim brakes, and 90 to 96 I guess. Doesn't need to be factory spec, but has to be done with bits available then. I upgraded my bikes back then, and see nothing wrong with tricking out a retro ride. In fact I'd go as far as say that they are more true than the factory spec bikes, because we were all tricking out and personalising our bikes at the time, at least all my mates were. If you had a 100/200GS 300/400LX bike, and I did, the first thing you did was start upgrading the groupset.

 

[matt24777]

For me it has to be rim brakes, and 90 to 96 I guess. Doesn't need to be factory spec, but has to be done with bits available then. I upgraded my bikes back then, and see nothing wrong with tricking out a retro ride. In fact I'd go as far as say that they are more true than the factory spec bikes, because we were all tricking out and personalising our bikes at the time, at least all my mates were. If you had a 100/200GS 300/400LX bike, and I did, the first thing you did was start upgrading the groupset.

Totally agree with that. it was all about tricking it out, MBUK was full of ads for things that would make your bike better/lighter, most died fairly quickly but some endured.

31.8 just ruins the finesse of a 25.4 relationship

This is so true.

Only thing I have to add that I forgot earlier is Weight! people don't seem to worry about it any more, BITD weight was important.