FAO of those forumites riding ancient bikes

sheepsteeth

Gerryattrick wrote:

Thanks for the welcome.

Putting insults aside for a moment there's no doubt that there's been great technical improvement in MTBs in 25 years - it would be strange if there hadn't, so which is better, retro or modern, is a sterile argument.

You may as well ask why many people collect, renovate and drive old cars - the simple answer is they enjoy it.

You can have great fun buying, renovating and riding retro bikes (road and MTB), you ought to try it. Although to be fair, taking rider ability into account, a retro MTB would never match a modern bike down a black run

now thats more like an answer.

i never see these old fashioned bikes out and about so i knda figured they were for collecting (in much the same way as classic cars are in all reality) as opposed to actually using.

hence asking about them being for reminiscing and what not.

blister pus

You bet, big boy!!

and Emo Homo

sheepsteeth

MountainMonster wrote:

My favourite post in their thread was about how modern bikes have not changed in the last 10 years. That made me giggle quite a bit. Hmmm, more efficient suspension, better performing components at lighter weight, and shiny colours must not be an improvement. Neither is the use of carbon now in parts a change.

this is a good point, my 05 stumpy performed very differently to my 09 one, the sus system was the very same and the shock very similar but they felt different. as it happens, i still hve the 05 one and the 09 one is long gone.

my bionicon is the most modern bike i have ever owned and is in my opinion more advanced than any of the bikes i sold to buy it, those bikes were 09 and 08 so there was a pretty big change in the last few years at least.

cooldad

Some get used, some are just for show.
Been on a few Retrobike rides. Good fun, but shifting from discs to cantis is scary for the first few minutes, and by the end you have forearms like Popeye.

cooldad

blister pus wrote:

You bet, big boy!!

and Emo Homo

Haven't heard from Emo Kid for a while. Do you have him chained up in your basement?

kaytronika

Never ridden a bike with discs.

Don't own a bike less than 15 years old at the moment.

Don't understand why there are so many questions about what people ride.

Andy

kaytronika wrote:

Don't understand why there are so many questions about what people ride.

Maybe he just wanted to know?

kaytronika

Andy wrote:

kaytronika wrote:

Don't understand why there are so many questions about what people ride.

Maybe he just wanted to know?

Fair point.

I ride my 90s bike because I bought it then and it has been with me for such a long time

I ride my 80s bike because despite it having Dia Compe cantilevers, no suspension and narrow tyres, it is genuinely really good fun to ride downhill.
Simple, yet fun.

I'll buy a modern bike soon.

sheepsteeth

kaytronika wrote:

Never ridden a bike with discs.

Don't own a bike less than 15 years old at the moment.

Don't understand why there are so many questions about what people ride.

go you!!

why do you need to answer then.

everyone stop, go back to the first question in this thread then look at the replies which followed then tell me why the people on old bikes have got so upset.

i really dont understand, i even did the decent thing and started a separate thread for my question.

Gerryattrick

sheepsteeth wrote:

edit, i got the wrong bloke, but i still enjoy it none the less.

Never let the facts get in the way of a good argument.

Just noticed the number of posts :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

That can't be right can it??? If it is and assuming you do get some sleep you're posting around 14 responses every waking hour. That certainly disproves the old saying about give 1000 monkeys typewriters and eventually they'll write something sensible.

sheepsteeth

drummondjhn wrote:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133676&highlight=

what we think

so are you all a gang and you are their spokesperson?

sheepsteeth

why are "your lot" so consumed by post counts?

thekickingmule

What I don't understand about retro bikes, is that you buy old parts to go with them, like a 1996 XT rear mech or something. Surely these are in short supply now, so every time you go out riding, you risk breaking a piece of history. :?:

sheepsteeth

you seem to have confused the word history and crapp.

only joking

but seriously

kaytronika

thekickingmule wrote:

What I don't understand about retro bikes, is that you buy old parts to go with them, like a 1996 XT rear mech or something. Surely these are in short supply now, so every time you go out riding, you risk breaking a piece of history. :?:

Technically only the same as riding a 2009 bike with a 2009 XT rear mech.

Just a bit further down the line.

thekickingmule

kaytronika wrote:

thekickingmule wrote:

What I don't understand about retro bikes, is that you buy old parts to go with them, like a 1996 XT rear mech or something. Surely these are in short supply now, so every time you go out riding, you risk breaking a piece of history. :?:

Technically only the same as riding a 2009 bike with a 2009 XT rear mech.

Just a bit further down the line.

Not really. My bike is 2010, has a 2010 XT rear mech, if I break the rear mech, i'll get a 2011 rear mech, in 4 years, I'd buy a 2015 rear mech.

From what I've seen, retro lovers have to have the exact year model that their frame is. Clearly I'm just missing 'something'.

sheepsteeth

id be careful, some old coffin dodger might knock your teeth down your throat!!

cooldad

You are missing something. A show bike would have to have the right mech, but they didn't change every year. The XT Shadow on my modern bike from 2008 hasn't changed - still the same in the shops.
And there's plenty of old stuff still around.

cooldad

sheepsteeth wrote:

id be careful, some old coffin dodger might knock your teeth down your throat!!

Unless we glue them in carefully every morning.

kaytronika

thekickingmule wrote:

Not really. My bike is 2010, has a 2010 XT rear mech, if I break the rear mech, i'll get a 2011 rear mech, in 4 years, I'd buy a 2015 rear mech.

From what I've seen, retro lovers have to have the exact year model that their frame is. Clearly I'm just missing 'something'.

True enough, still one less 2010 XT rear mech in the world.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over sticking a modern 7 speed rear mech on my 1994 bike... Just making use of something I invested in years ago.

Northwind

That's what I did with mine, then, it is not concours 7 speed kit is excellently cheap now.

thekickingmule

cooldad wrote:

You are missing something. A show bike would have to have the right mech, .....

A 'show' bike? So some are bought for show, like classic cars, not really ridden too harshly, more to show it off?

One day there won't be any rear mechs left from the early to mid 90's, then people won't dare take out the bike for fear of catching it on a rock, surely? Don't get me wrong, I no qualms with you if you want to restore a bike to its original glory. I've watched Andy B building his through another forum, and have to say it looks nice, it's just I wouldn't dare ride it for fear of breaking it!

Gerryattrick

thekickingmule wrote:

From what I've seen, retro lovers have to have the exact year model that their frame is. Clearly I'm just missing 'something'.

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, just like someone renovating an old MG Midget won't put a modern fuel injection system in to replace their old carburettor, while others love to "pimp" their cars.

Sometimes they'll go for period accuracy and sometimes they'll mix and match to put their own stamp on the bike, or just to try it out. Sometimes they are for show or "garage queens", other times they're ridden a lot. Usually they own several bikes that interest them, and very often - shock & horror - they also ride modern bikes. Very strange people.

It seems there are some very narrow-minded people, who feel it necessary to pigeon-hole other bikers, in both camps.

thekickingmule

kaytronika wrote:

thekickingmule wrote:

Not really. My bike is 2010, has a 2010 XT rear mech, if I break the rear mech, i'll get a 2011 rear mech, in 4 years, I'd buy a 2015 rear mech.

From what I've seen, retro lovers have to have the exact year model that their frame is. Clearly I'm just missing 'something'.

True enough, still one less 2010 XT rear mech in the world.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over sticking a modern 7 speed rear mech on my 1994 bike... Just making use of something I invested in years ago.

So you have an old bike, not a retro bike? I think they're 2 different things really. I had an old bike up until 2 months ago. I had amazing fun with V-Brakes going down inners, GT, some Peaks descents and more, but I'm soooo much happier now

kaytronika

thekickingmule wrote:

So you have an old bike, not a retro bike? I think they're 2 different things really. I had an old bike up until 2 months ago. I had amazing fun with V-Brakes going down inners, GT, some Peaks descents and more, but I'm soooo much happier now

Now we're getting in to the nitty gritty of what makes a retro bike. Can of worms!

I have a 1994 GT Timberline that is a work horse and will get bits replaced with whatever it needs

I have a 1989 Saracen Tufftrax that has it's original full 1989 Mountain LX groupset... If I broke something on that I'd probably try to source a period correct part. Or at the very least something owd.

I'm also shopping for a modern bike to replace the 2003 Avalanche I sold last week.

The Saracen is still the most fun to ride off the side of Rivington Pike, even though it nearly killed me.

thekickingmule

kaytronika wrote:

The Saracen is still the most fun to ride off the side of Rivington Pike, even though it nearly killed me.

Fair play to you! I'll keep an eye out when I'm up there!

Each to their own I suppose, I think I'll stick to what I have, not because I'm 'narrow minded' like Gerrattrick thinks, but because I struggle enough with the modern stuff

El Capitano

cooldad

Some are for show - rare, classic, worth money call them what you will.
Some are ridden properly, and some are just old.
Parts do last though - this is just an old hack from 1988, but still has original mechs (Mountain Exage), cassette (6 speed), wheels and mighty Biopace chainrings etc, but some bits have been replaced - now has awesome Girvin Flexistem. And Mint Sauce stickers.
And who couldn't love a sharkfin chainstay protector.

kaytronika

thekickingmule wrote:

I struggle enough with the modern stuff

Trust me, riding with a rigid fork and shit brakes will help you pick good lines pretty quickly

thekickingmule

Haha I know about shoot brakes! I once went flying down Suicide Break in the Peaks using my feet as the V's had lost all usefulness in the wet! Fun, but I'm glad i've 'upgraded'