When did I become retro?

[bikemoore]

Do our cycling tastes mature and solidify in a certain period of our lives and are we stuck in that period forever?

I started cycling in 1990 after too many years as a dedicated smoker and by the end of the decade had acquired for myself a very nice collection of upper-range steel bikes, clothes and gear and was in good shape. I even became a leg-shaver (which I swore I never would). I prided myself on making wise decisions and insisted on buying excellent quality....not necessarily the absolute best, but the best bang for the buck. I used Campy Chorus instead of Record and bought bikes like a Serotta Atlanta instead of the CSI. I paid close attention to new bikes and products and was always plotting my next purchase.

In the last decade, I've noticed that I'm becoming increasingly "left behind" by cycling and at some point, actually became retro. I didn't suddenly start buying old stuff.....instead, I just quit buying new stuff and gradually my entire collection of everything cycling, including my tastes, became "classic." I now find myself grouchily balking at the astronomical prices of new carbon frames, components, and clothes, ignoring the latest carbon wonder machines on the internet to instead search for nice pictures of Serotta CSIs, Tommasinis, and Merckx MX Leaders to ooh and ahh over.

There are two reasons for my being stuck in the 1990s:
1) In 2001 I got married, then had kids, and my entire thinking about money priorities changed. I used to have nothing else to really spend my money on other than cycling and travelling. Frankly, I lived a nice comfortable single life. Now I think about braces and college savings every time I consider buying something for myself.
2) The excellent quality stuff I bought stubbornly refuses to wear out and I can't justify replacing it other than saying "because I want it".......and then I revert back to reason #1.

So, now when I head out to ride, I'm on one of my 853 steel bikes, am shifting only 9 or 10 speeds, and am wearing my Briko shades, my 8-year-old Diadora shoes and if I'm wearing any pro-team kit its usually Casino or Telekom. I did make one concession to modern gear this year and put a compact crankset on one of my bikes so I can climb the very steep hills above my house, but that's more a concession to age and less time to ride than to wanting anything more modern.

What am I to do? Just accept that I'm a 1990s cyclist riding in 2009 and beyond?

I actually find that I proudly celebrate it when doing a group ride. I love to be a little different and this situation allows to be that way without even trying!

[Louis]

I don't think you can truly be retro unless you're wearing wool jerseys. Hard core types will go the next step, and also wear wool shorts, even in the summer. Brooks saddles are too common to alone brand you retro, but they help. I have some "real" leather chamois shorts (Lycra). Interested? ;)

Louis

PS I use 9-spd Shimano and DT shifters :cool:

[JD Smith]

Do our cycling tastes mature and solidify in a certain period of our lives and are we stuck in that period forever?

I started cycling in 1990 after too many years as a dedicated smoker and by the end of the decade had acquired for myself a very nice collection of upper-range steel bikes, clothes and gear and was in good shape. I even became a leg-shaver (which I swore I never would). I prided myself on making wise decisions and insisted on buying excellent quality....not necessarily the absolute best, but the best bang for the buck. I used Campy Chorus instead of Record and bought bikes like a Serotta Atlanta instead of the CSI. I paid close attention to new bikes and products and was always plotting my next purchase.

In the last decade, I've noticed that I'm becoming increasingly "left behind" by cycling and at some point, actually became retro. I didn't suddenly start buying old stuff.....instead, I just quit buying new stuff and gradually my entire collection of everything cycling, including my tastes, became "classic." I now find myself grouchily balking at the astronomical prices of new carbon frames, components, and clothes, ignoring the latest carbon wonder machines on the internet to instead search for nice pictures of Serotta CSIs, Tommasinis, and Merckx MX Leaders to ooh and ahh over.

There are two reasons for my being stuck in the 1990s:
1) In 2001 I got married, then had kids, and my entire thinking about money priorities changed. I used to have nothing else to really spend my money on other than cycling and travelling. Frankly, I lived a nice comfortable single life. Now I think about braces and college savings every time I consider buying something for myself.
2) The excellent quality stuff I bought stubbornly refuses to wear out and I can't justify replacing it other than saying "because I want it".......and then I revert back to reason #1.

So, now when I head out to ride, I'm on one of my 853 steel bikes, am shifting only 9 or 10 speeds, and am wearing my Briko shades, my 8-year-old Diadora shoes and if I'm wearing any pro-team kit its usually Casino or Telekom. I did make one concession to modern gear this year and put a compact crankset on one of my bikes so I can climb the very steep hills above my house, but that's more a concession to age and less time to ride than to wanting anything more modern.

What am I to do? Just accept that I'm a 1990s cyclist riding in 2009 and beyond?

I actually find that I proudly celebrate it when doing a group ride. I love to be a little different and this situation allows to be that way without even trying!

I'm in the same situation. I still ride 853 steel bikes, running 9-speed. They're cheap and still available. I'm satisified with the ride, and I've had no bad experiences with them.
Dogmatic retro grouches would still handcuff themselves to single pivot brakes and down tube shifters, refusing to acknowledge any benefits to the improved power and ergonomics.With components, I'm more open to improvements. I'm considering outfitting a steel frame with an outboard bottom bracket. Now this isn't an upgrade for upgrade sake. The frame needs a crank, so I'm taking the opportunity to use a new system that has been around a bit, and has received enough good reviews so I don't feel like a guinea pig.
My advice would be this: Just as it can be good to avoid new stuff just because it's new, it's good to avoid remaining retro just for the sake of remaining retro. Don't be afraid to try new clothes. The new fabrics and silicon grippers really are a functional improvement. If you avoid new stuff to maintain a retro image, in an effort to be different, you're still allowing others to dictate what you use.

[Nil Else]

Most of the newest and the greatest becomes the stuff of *neither new nor retro* netherworld in rather short order.

Some bikes stay current/age better than others and become classics.

[dd74]

+1 to every comment so far.

My problem is I only have retro (or rare bikes) and engage in a very fast (and dangerous) group ride on a weekly basis. The guys in that ride mount some of the newest equipment around - which isn't at all the reason I take notice of them. What I see are frames and components that are replaceable.

I can't replace my 1985 Colnago, my 2000 Schwinn-Serotta Paramount, nor my 1994 Bilatto-LeMond. None of these bikes are made any longer. If I crash, destroy the rig and components along with it - game over.

I've Shimano Dura Ace 7800 on the Billato-LeMond, the Paramount has Dura-Ace 9-speed, and the Colnago has vintage CR hooked up to a Shimano Ultegra 9-speed 12-25 w/ old Bontrager Race Lites. Personally, I really can't see going further with the newest of the components. The electronic Dura-Ace to me is as stupid as paddle shifters on a Ferrari, and the latest Campy 11 doesn't interest me in the least bit.

Physically, I can't out pedal the 53-12, and as far as weight vs. comfort, the old Paramount skirts the line. To me, the new carbon, carbon mix, Ti, and even steel is just over the top. If I can take a 20+ Colnago with a 9-speed cassette hooked up to DTs and hang for a while with the group ride, good gawd, what more do I need? I just don't want to touch wheels with the dude in front of me. So, as a point of reference, I'll probably look into some sort of beat-me-up-throw-me-away, Al/cf mix just to dice it up with these guys w/o worry. I don't really care what it is as long as it's 53cm and fits.

In short, retro is good. Just be careful how you use your retro gear.

[Peter P.]

The problem, bikemoore, is that you have reached the zen-like state of a bike master. Here, wisdom prevails and you've learned it's THE RIDE that counts and THE RIDER that makes the bike fast. The desire to spend money chasing that elusive improvement in speed has waned, putting money in your pocket and a smile on your face.

So you ask, what to do? Ride your bikes and feel good in the wisdom knowing there will come a time to replace bikes and parts and that is when they are worn or broken, not out of style. There is great satisfaction in opening your wallet to buy new parts because the old ones have given up the ghost, because you won't feel you've squandered your money feeding some addiction but are fulfilling a need.

dd74 however, has a problem. As he says;

"My problem is I only have retro (or rare bikes) and engage in a very fast (and dangerous) group ride on a weekly basis. The guys in that ride mount some of the newest equipment around - which isn't at all the reason I take notice of them. What I see are frames and components that are replaceable.

I can't replace my 1985 Colnago, my 2000 Schwinn-Serotta Paramount, nor my 1994 Bilatto-LeMond. None of these bikes are made any longer. If I crash, destroy the rig and components along with it - game over.
... Just be careful how you use your retro gear."

He covets his bikes as rare objects, like art. Sure, they look gorgeous, have a history and bring back memories and in my opinion far outclass the bikes of today, but they are tools whose function is to be used and the fact is, tools wear out be it Ferraris, Martin guitars, or bicycles. To try to preserve them in perpetuity will prohibit pushing yourself to your limits and even perhaps, your enjoyment of the ride.

dd74 has not quite reached Zen yet.

So enjoy your retro bikes, ride them hard, and don't shed a tear when it's time for them to go.

[Rueda Tropical]

There's not much in bicycle technology that has changed in the last 40 years that would make much difference to a recreational cyclist. About the only exceptions for me are modern brakes pads and brifters. The MAFAC center pulls I mounted on my wifes bike are lighter then most top of the line modern sidepulls and with modern brake pads stop better then most high end brakes. The latest innovation in handlebar geometry is to bring back the geometry of the 60's., etc.,.

After a while you've been there done that and the hype doesn't mean as much.

[gregclimbs]

...shifting only 9 or 10 speeds...

I don't think you can claim grouchiness until you are running a number of speeds that they no longer make cassettes for...

;)

g

[Polyglot]

...they look gorgeous, have a history and bring back memories and in my opinion far outclass the bikes of today, but they are tools whose function is to be used and the fact is, tools wear out be it Ferraris, Martin guitars, or bicycles. To try to preserve them in perpetuity will prohibit pushing yourself to your limits and even perhaps, your enjoyment of the ride.

So enjoy your retro bikes, ride them hard, and don't shed a tear when it's time for them to go.

I couldn't agree more. I have many of what are defined by many collectors as "high collectibles", all but one of them get ridden and anybody (within reason) can come and try them out.

[tsarpepe]

Excellent thread, guys!

Bikemore, if I detect a tone of elegy in your post, then it is THIS tone that is anachronistic, not your gear. Old steel bikes have never been more coveted than now. Come and take a look on the streets of New York. It's the same trend as with vintage jeans. Yes, technically, it is a "retro" style, but this retro is more "in" than just about any new technological marvel from Trek, Cervelo, etc.

So, chin up!

[palincss]

+1 to every comment so far.

My problem is I only have retro (or rare bikes) and engage in a very fast (and dangerous) group ride on a weekly basis. The guys in that ride mount some of the newest equipment around - which isn't at all the reason I take notice of them. What I see are frames and components that are replaceable.

I can't replace my 1985 Colnago, my 2000 Schwinn-Serotta Paramount, nor my 1994 Bilatto-LeMond. None of these bikes are made any longer. If I crash, destroy the rig and components along with it - game over.


And what is wrong with this picture? Are you under the illusion that you are always going to get up and walk away from a crash? You've got a hell of a lot more at risk than a bike.

Ebay is full of bikes, and none of yours have real historical significance in a way that would admit their being called irreplaceable. There are plenty of fine custom builders who can build you anything you like, including your 85 Colnago only built as it should have been built.

You, on the other hand -- that could be a very different story.

[dd74]

Ebay is full of bikes, and none of yours have real historical significance in a way that would admit their being called irreplaceable. There are plenty of fine custom builders who can build you anything you like, including your 85 Colnago only built as it should have been built.
That's fine. They're still irreplaceable to me.

[zott28]

I'm sure in some way all that read this tread could sympathize in one way or another. I ride newer stuff, but I fell this way about music, so I get it. I'm 33 and I already hate new music. I thought it wouldn't happen til my 50's at least.

[jimp1234]

Retro is fine, but remember nothing lasts forever, and unless you're meticulous about inspecting and replacing when necessary your bars, stem, seat binder bolt, seat rails, crank arms, peddle axles, and a few other critical parts, you might be in for a unpleasant surprise one day.

[palincss]

That's fine. They're still irreplaceable to me.


All right, one last time and then I'll let it go. If a ride is so reckless and dangerous you are worried about your bikes surviving, perhaps instead of fretting about the bike, you should give a moment's thought to YOU surviving, and maybe find yourself a safer ride.

If that precious bike was destroyed I'm sure it would be very emotionally wrenching, but eventually you'd find a replacement that you would love as much and that would be as good. Crashing that hard provides an excellent chance of damaging yourself in a way that won't heal as good as new, or maybe even at all.

There. I'm done.

[JohnHemlock]

If I can take a 20+ Colnago with a 9-speed cassette hooked up to DTs and hang for a while with the group ride, good gawd, what more do I need?

You are my hero. I am almost ready to draft an email to a builder to let him know he can keep my deposit.

[Dekonick]

I love this chit!

I became a retro grouch and never even knew it happened... Time marches on, but I have found what I enjoy riding. I would bet this is the common theme with all 'retro' riders - they have found what owrks for them and thus no longer need to search for the newest 'svelte' ride. Some continue to search - I don't.

I have found perfection (for me) in 2 bikes - the Hors Categorie, and the steel Serotta (CR, CSI, - they all feel similar - at least the 2 I have)

As far as the bits on the bike - I am always open to improvements (minus the B-17 - thats PERFECT) so wheels, components, etc are fair game... but 10 sp is fine for me... as was 9, and 8...

I am also always open to improvements in shoes, pedals, CLOTHES, helmets... but I doubt the frame will improve dramatically. (enough to make me buy a new plastic bike)

I look at the collection Douglas has (too bad he no longer posts here...) and am in awe - but still love the 4 bikes I own. I am happy for now... with most of my frames being almost 10 years old, and one almost 20. They still ride great - guess that makes me a grouch.

Not sayn I wouldnt take a new plastic bike, I just won't buy one.

[bikemoore]

See, I don't ride in wool or use friction shifting because I would have to move backwards in time instead of staying stuck in the 1990s while the rest of the cycling world moves on without me.

[dd74]

You are my hero. I am almost ready to draft an email to a builder to let him know he can keep my deposit.
It's a cool setup and works really well. I connect with all 9 gears, from 12-23. I didn't even have to adjust the derailleurs. No worry about eight, nine or ten speed brifters. Just pop in the rear wheel and have at it.

Plus, with the older components you gain some respect, especially if you're climbing in a 42. :cool:

[dd74]

Anyway, in cycling what is so grouchy about being retro? I watched "Gran Torino" last night. In my mind Clint's character was the true typical retro grouch. :D

[bikemoore]

I had to look up what elegy means, but there is some truth in what you say. I feel some regret that I no longer keep up with the times when I used to feel like all of my gear was pretty much state-of-the-art. But I also really like the bikes I have and feel like new bikes would not really satisfy me the way that my older ones do.

Of course I do also feel some melancholy looking back at my previous life when I had the disposable income to buy what I wanted when I wanted it, as much time as I wanted to ride, and fewer responsibilities. But that's not really the issue that I have. I greatly prefer being a husband and a dad.

I'm just curious about how common it might be for us to be "shaped" by a certain period of cycling that then continues to define us as cyclists for a long time...maybe even for the remainder of our lives.

[dd74]

I'm just curious about how common it might be for us to be "shaped" by a certain period of cycling that then continues to define us as cyclists for a long time...maybe even for the remainder of our lives.
The mid-80s was when I started cycling. Alexi Grewal and Davis Phinney were my heroes. And the Colnago was my first real road racing bike. That's about all I have to add.

[William]

I'm still running DA 8sp on my Zank. Does that count? The stuff just won't die and I see no need to replace it until it gives it up. I'm in the same boat as you so the OP's original post speaks to me. I feel like I'm at that stage where I don't care what other folks ride, and balk at the direction pricing and planned obsolescence has gone in the cycling industry. I am at a disadvantage in size in that custom is pretty much in order if I want a frame that fits so I have to work around that. But I have no problem throwing an older gruppo on a new frame.


Halleluiah Brother!!!





William

[sg8357]

I don't think you can claim grouchiness until you are running a number of speeds that they no longer make cassettes for...

;)
g

What is a cassette ? :)

Uber Grouchyism is any shifter using a fork to move the chain.
Super Champion, Cambio-Corsa etc.

According to the CR rules modern time begin in 1983.
So cassettes and clicky shifters are not legally retro.

If you put a Sturmey Archer FM hub on a Madone, you are just
temporally confused.

Scott G.

[kong79]

I never managed to get out of the early 90's. The only roadie I have is an early 90's Serotta Nova Special X with the same era Ultegra 7 speed w/down tube shifters. My wife see's no need for me to own more than one road bike and one MB. I can't even convince her that I really need new components because my old stuff won't break. Someday the kids will be out of college and than maybe she'll let me spend some money, but that day is along way out.

[texbike]

I'm a bit retro-grouchy myself. I've moved past the "Classic Rendezvous" era stuff and focused on late 80s/early 90s equipment that seems to bridge the gap between "classic" and modern functionality.

In other words, high-end steel production frames from that era w/130 mm rear spacing and 7400 Dura Ace (8 speed). The stuff is bullet-proof and the bikes ride fantastic.

I have modern machines as well that are quite pleasing. However, the aesthetic and functionality of the bikes of the late 80s/early 90s era really do it for me.

Texbike

[Tobias]

Do our cycling tastes mature and solidify in a certain period of our lives and are we stuck in that period forever?
I think it’s easy for new riders or the young to try new stuff constantly due to the illusion that new “modern” equipment will be superior in one way or another. With experience we become more realistic and accept that a new 15-pound bike or a tenth gear won’t allow us to haul our fat behind up a climb like the skinny 130 pounder. It may be a slow process but in my opinion we all get there eventually to some degree.

For me personally retro can be the pursuit of reminders of happier times but it’s also a little about becoming skeptical that new is that much better. Which in a way is sad because some new things are indeed better.

[spacemen3]

Yesterday, I rode 50 miles on one of my old bikes with an early 80's drivetrain: downtube friction shifters and Suntour BL derailleurs. I wish my brifter bikes were as engaging to ride and as trouble free to maintain. :)

[veggieburger]

The answer to all you retro fellows out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn29DvMITu4

Eeeeexcellent...

[DHallerman]

I don't think you can claim grouchiness until you are running a number of speeds that they no longer make cassettes for...

Cassettes?

Nah, freewheels. Run a number of speeds that they no longer make freewheels for.

[bigreen505]

I think I have done the usual progression from steel to ti to aluminum/carbon to full carbon and I'm now looking to replace the full carbon bike (that I've ridden twice) with something steel, possibly a CSi. I don't race and I don't do group rides, I just want something that feels good. The carbon/aluminum was my favorite by a long way until it cracked, though I always wished it had a little better power transfer. It was a decent bike and probably the best fitting bike I've ever had. My carbon bike, a Canondale Synapse, is perfect in almost every way but has no soul.

I needed/wanted a coffee shop/commuter bike. Something fun to ride, but not something that I worry about, so I pulled a late '80s Japanese Bianchi out of the garage and cleaned it up. The bike is a little beat up and definitely shows 20 years of use, but feels like the day I bought it.

Everyone has one bike that you rode once -- maybe you bought it, maybe you just borrowed it for a short ride -- that transformed your idea of what a bike is/should be and sets the bar for everything else. That bike for me was a CSi that my LBS had. I spent 5 min. on it, but it just felt right. I would love to get some real time on one. My old ti Sampson was close, but didn't really have a lot of snap when I jumped on it, and the fit was a bit off, but on the whole it was close.

I don't see myself as a technogrouch or stuck in the past, but perhaps realizing that newer is not always better. If I had $10k to throw at a bike I might feel differently.

[RIHans]

I think the OP is just fine on his 90's steel frame and gear. He has a bike he loves, it works, enjoy. Other obligations take the "bike money", and he is choosing wisely.
Those older steel bikes ride just fine. I own a couple. I've owned many, many more. But I choose to regard a bike as a tool to ride, not collect. I have friends who ponder over cable and tire color combos. I only care if it fits well and works well. Good wheels are my indulgence.
I like new bikes. My new alu is the best ride I've ever had, and I've owned and ridden
the best steel from the US, Italy, and Belgium.

Enjoy riding the bike you have, you don't need any upgrades...

[dd74]

Hmmm...what's the best steel from Belgium?

The older bikes were so much more aesthetically pleasing. The graphics didn't rape your eyesight and proper wheels look much better than those ugly as sin carbon wheels.

Now and then I screw around with the thought of buying a new carbon bike, but honestly, what is it going to do for me? I can't flex the BB of either the '85 or '94 steel frames I have, nor flex the 00 Serotta. Road feel, vibration deadening -- yeah, how about resolving that with bars in the tire dept.

I do know the last modern group I'll buy is SRAM Rival. I think Rival has somewhat of that simplicity look I remember from old components, plus it supposedly works really well.

A while ago, I saw a Grandis that I think would make a nice addition to the stall. We'll see.

Meanwhile, carbon's siren song still calls. Let us hope I don't crash my steel rig into the plastic rocks along the shore. :rolleyes:

[JD Smith]

I'm a bit retro-grouchy myself. I've moved past the "Classic Rendezvous" era stuff and focused on late 80s/early 90s equipment that seems to bridge the gap between "classic" and modern functionality.

In other words, high-end steel production frames from that era w/130 mm rear spacing and 7400 Dura Ace (8 speed). The stuff is bullet-proof and the bikes ride fantastic.

I have modern machines as well that are quite pleasing. However, the aesthetic and functionality of the bikes of the late 80s/early 90s era really do it for me.

Texbike

I got to do a tune up for a lady with a custom Landshark with DA 7400. It was well used, but felt like it was just perfectly broken in, settled into a comfort zone of functionality. Hubs still smooth, no slip in the brake or deraillaur pivots.
I'm building up an 853 steel Fuji Roubaix Pro with DA 7800 stuff, probably use DT Swiss or Ambrosio Excellence rims. I hope it's still settled in that zone in ten years.

[Seramount]

not sure where I fall in terms of grouchiness (my friends might say I peg the meter)...

I certainly don't care about details such as wearing wool (allergic to that crap anyway). But, like dd74, my appreciation for bikes centers around a specific aesthetic. Sloping top tubes, deep carbon rims, oversized flat-bladed spokes, industrial-looking stems, ergo carbon bars...these all stimulate a powerful gag reflex in me (like white riding shorts do).

Those things probably function well enough, but something about the look stops me cold. I don't want them and would never purchase them. If them came on a free bike, I'd remove them.

I'm ok with modern shifters, don't care how many speeds...5, 6, 10 whatevs. A level saddle, a parallel top tube, a crankset that doesn't resemble the slab-sided head of a battleaxe, a finely fashioned quill stem, an absence of garish logos, and bits made of shiny, polished metal, not carbon...these are things I like.

[mister]

nice steel from belgium is probably Merckx.

if the shifters are indexed and the freewheel doesn't thread on the hub then it's not retro grouch in my book... :beer:

[dd74]

And the heavier the bike the better. I'm starting to get to the point where I don't feel comfortable on anything much less than 20 lbs. The ride is nicer on heavier bikes, they handle fine, and sprinting is easier as I don't have to worry about losing control of the bike (because of its weight, or lack thereof).

At least that's my experience.

[Bob Ross]

A minor semantic quibble -- and it's an observation that I'd made prior to reading this thread -- but the term "retro grouch" gets kicked around in cycling forums quite a bit, when in fact the people it is used to describe (or who describe themselves as such) usually seem to be one or the other: They're either Retro, or Grouchy. Or, if both, rarely in such even proportions that it warrants the inclusive term "retro grouch".

[bluesea]

Since when did frames and equipment from the 90s, or 80s for that matter, become retro?

[Ken Robb]

Since when did frames and equipment from the 90s, or 80s for that matter, become retro?

2000 according to the kid in our hi-tech LBS :rolleyes:

[bikemoore]

See?......time moves quickly and, before you know it, what you think is still pretty current has actually gotten fairly old and your stuff, like mine, is retro......and you never even knew when it happened. You may think stuff that predates yours is retro while a cyclist that came into the sport in the last five years thinks that a 10-speed carbon bike from 2003 is pretty old fashioned. Look how dated the previous Trek Madone already looks compared to the latest Madone.

My 1990s bikes have square-taper bottom brackets, aluminum handlebars, and 32-spoke wheels! Some even have quill stems and 8-speed drive trains on them!! Can you imagine?

[RIHans]

"nice steel from belgium is probably Merckx."


SLX 90's... super nice bike.

[flyingporkpies]

I'm a bit retro-grouchy myself. I've moved past the "Classic Rendezvous" era stuff and focused on late 80s/early 90s equipment that seems to bridge the gap between "classic" and modern functionality.

In other words, high-end steel production frames from that era w/130 mm rear spacing and 7400 Dura Ace (8 speed). The stuff is bullet-proof and the bikes ride fantastic.

I have modern machines as well that are quite pleasing. However, the aesthetic and functionality of the bikes of the late 80s/early 90s era really do it for me.

Texbike

I have never swung a leg over an aluminium or carbon bike. I thought I was so retro as to want only 1 bike as long as it was the same age as me (made in '67, ideally a Peugeot). But then, failing to find such a bike I came across a Motorola Merckx Corsa, chipped to buggery. I rode it and loved it. A 1970 Peugeot came along and was outfitted with downtube shifters just to ride a bit while I planned its restoration. It was a solid ride, but I realised I wasn't going to swap it for my '91 Merckx (as Tex says, it's a good period - if only for the 130mm spacing), I then tried a late 80's Reynolds 531 Peu in mint condition, outfitted with my well worn Brooks and new style hooded campag centaur. It's somehow comfier than the Merckx, but higher, less sprightly. It might see the light of day for a really long Audax (like 24hrs or 1200k) but I honestly can't see myself reaching for it unless the Merckx has a mechanical I don't have time to fix. While the Peu got all the $ attention the Merckx ended up with the hand me downs - Veloce 9 speed rear shifter, shimano 600 downtube front shifter, Chorus front derailler, Centaur cranks, 105 front brake, exage rear brake (with dura ace pads as good if not a better combo than the new centaur brakes and imho a bit prettier) and American Classic wheels. You know what, I'm content. Sure, I'm getting 10 speed 08 Record shifters (they didn't beat that shape) and to make the 2 bikes more equipped for interchangeability and the rear AC Hurricane is being replaced by a record/mavic wheel, but I honestly think that might be it. I haven't changed my bike position for a long time. I might just be about to run out of things to buy?!
Oh, one more thing, anyone got a Corsa Extra 59cm cc they want to ship to Australia?

[endosch2]

My first road bike was a 88 or 89 lugged steel Cilo I bought in college. I have no desires whatsoever to go back to a bike like that. I have never been tempted by the retro movement. Here is why I think I am better off:

I have not had a flat in four years of riding Michelin PR1, PR2, PR3. I have never had to true my Ksyrium SLS (I have had to true my O4CD 32H 14G Brass nipple record hub wheels 2X in the past season). I have way more confidence shifting under power with my 10 Speed Record / Chorus set-up, I never have to re- center my brakes, my slotted seat is way more comfortable, I shift way more frequently with Ergo Brifters, and my bike is light (16.5 lbs) on top of it all, and compact gearing is great here in mountain land.

In my area there are these group ride drop-outs who join the retro movement full force, with all the fixins like the huge leather seat bags, heavy steel bikes "that last forever" but still seem to be replaced by the owners with the next new heavy retro steel bike the next year, bar end shifters, etc. I wont do it.

[Vancouverdave]

I started cycling in middle school in 1968. Have become a bike industry "lifer," and ride equipment that's years, if not a decade, behind anything most of my roadie customers use. When I look at my bikes, realize how low-maintainance and ignorable they are, realize how many 10 speed chains I've replaced for other people this year, remember a few carbon forks that I've urged people to ****can after crashes or garage-door incidents, it causes me to think of my own bikes not as "classic" or "retro," but as "pre-fraudulent."

[Mr. Squirrel]

i'm thinking of going to dura ace bar cons.....does this make me retro?


mr. squirrel

[GoJavs]

853 rules. I've got two LeMonds circa 2001-02 and they are horses. I swear those things will last 30 years. My MJ, along with my Waterford 1200 and my Tesch 101 keep my Giant on the rack all the time.

I've stopped fighting it. Enjoy it! :)