When is a bike retro?

[jez-4-bikes-max]

I still wear my very gay purple Pace fleece so dont worry!

 

[Stick Legs]

Oh that makes me feel much better mine is the Green one with the pertex lining down the front. I used to have a petrel grey Pace ultrafleece (£110 and a crimbo present from my mum in '94) and some scrote nicked it at a party about 3 months after I got it... RATS.

 

[andrewl]

Just thought I'd ask how old do you think a bike has got to be before its considered retro, or what makes a retro bike?. Is my DDG slammer 2 considered retro now that they don't make them anymore?.

"Retro" as such is a very poor defining term, just look at some of the definitions before you make any calls.

noun
1. a fashion reminiscent of the past

adj.
1. Involving, relating to, or reminiscent of things past; retrospective:
2. of or designating the style of an earlier time:

As no time frame is attached to the term retro it is obviously quite possible to buy a brand new retro item be it bike, clothes or car off the shelf or showroom floor.

The Santa Cruz Nomad is considered retro is some cricles as it has curvy tubes etc. Similarly any new bike with a quill stem could be considered retro (or cheap rubbish ).

Personally I refer to my bikes with the actual period they were built as they are not new representations of a past era. ie

My Klein Attitude is "an example of a high end MTB from the early 90s"
"The King Kahuna is an example of a late 90s high end XC bike"

Similary my 60s car is an early 60s car (or a classic car) and not a "retro" car.

I wouldn't stress about whether someone thinks your bike is retro or not, and just enjoy the ride.

 

[Stick Legs]

Good call!

 

[Radar]

Pace fleeces... yes still wearing my purple and pink Pace fleece. It's in the wash. One tooth has come off the zip very recently, and I'm sure it has shrunk because it feels like it is getting a bit too close a fit

£15 bargain from the Mountain Equipment factory shop (Glossop) something like 14 years ago. Got a shed load of Pace shorts too, which have only recently died.