1982 Vintage with new hoops

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Bikes have always been expensive... this one in 1982 was bought for 2,000,000 lire, which was about 800-1000 pounds... what is it in today's money? 3-4 grand I assume, which is in line with something similar today. The only difference with today's bikes is that I am not sure these will be in the same conditions in 30 years time... for the reasons discussed above

Trouble is, back in 1982 there would have been someone making the same comments about your new bike not lasting in the same way bikes did in the 1950s!

Hoopdriver wrote:

Funnily enough I do not recall that being so much a topic of conversation as it is today. Certain bikes were seen as being made better than others, but that is about it - at least from my memory, which stretches back into the 1960s

I don't think it's that much of a topic today. Have a look in buying advice section. I don't see many people asking how long a bike will last. Most people don't want a bike that lasts 30 years, they will have bought something else by then.

But that isn't really what I wa getting at. Everything had to be new at some point. And then someone would have moaned about it. Such as the fancy derailleur gears. Or maybe the cable brakes. What was wrong with rod brakes? Far less likely to brake a rod than a gable! And the same thing will happen in the furture. Someone will be suggesting in 30 years from now that modern bikes don't last as long as a good old trusty carbon bike with electronic gears.

greasedscotsman wrote:

Hoopdriver wrote:

Funnily enough I do not recall that being so much a topic of conversation as it is today. Certain bikes were seen as being made better than others, but that is about it - at least from my memory, which stretches back into the 1960s

I don't think it's that much of a topic today. Have a look in buying advice section. I don't see many people asking how long a bike will last. Most people don't want a bike that lasts 30 years, they will have bought something else by then.

But that isn't really what I wa getting at. Everything had to be new at some point. And then someone would have moaned about it. Such as the fancy derailleur gears. Or maybe the cable brakes. What was wrong with rod brakes? Far less likely to brake a rod than a gable! And the same thing will happen in the furture. Someone will be suggesting in 30 years from now that modern bikes don't last as long as a good old trusty carbon bike with electronic gears.

I was thinking specifically about the hoo-hah one hears about carbon cracking, getting wet, etc.

ugo.santalucia wrote:

nathancom wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

donkykong wrote:

great looking vintage bike, i just love the classic machines

They are coming back... the reliability and hassle free running make them viable alternatives to high maintenance fiddly 10-11 speeded modern bikes

To be honest, I can't say I find 11-speed campag any more fiddly to maintain than a 7-speed downshifter drivetrain with the benefit of STIs.

It's probably relatively new... indexed gearing is bound to go out of tune and need periodic readjustments. Gear cables with inner and outer tend to get rusted and gunked with muck and need to be replaced far more frequently at great cost. Cassettes last a lot less than old freewheels. Narrow chains last a lot less than chunky 6-7 speed ones... bottom bracket bearings, freehubs, I can go on... 8)

Well adjusting the indexing of the gears has hardly changed. A 1980s rear derailleur is exactly the same as contemporary one in all important respects. Bikes definitely require a lot of attention to run well but that is all part of the pleasure of owning them or a good source of income for LBS. Admittedly, STIs are a sealed component to me and I wouldn't know where to start to overhaul one but apart from that everything else can get adjusted in 5-10 mins after the bike is cleaned. Otherwise, the shorter lifespan of some components is a direct result of moving towards lighter materials and that is a price I am definitely willing to pay when I am peddling uphill or accelerating.

Don't get me wrong, I think that is a stunning bike and truly valid in its own right without need of comparison to modern machines. Likewise bikes produced today and the engineering involved in modern components is equally deserving of praise and admiration. Seeing that bike does make me miss my 80s steel frame. I guess replacing that can be a project for next year.