Redemption ride - finishing unfinished business / Old school vs New

[ColonelJLloyd]

Great pics, Nick. Looks like an amazing ride and no wonder why you'd be eager to do it again in short order.

There is a whole lot of dry stone work in this area, especially in horse country. Gobs of it. Always makes me sad when I see a felled tree on a section of fence that is 150 years old. A couple years back I saw miles and miles wrecked from trees uprooted from a tornado that ripped through.

But as you've been told in this thread, you're wrong. An old Columbus/Reynolds frame is every bit the tool as a modern carbon frame. Nothing has meaningfully advanced in 40 years so you must not be doing it right.

[smead]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

It makes me laugh how some people, especially on this forum, will swear up and down that their vintage steel bike is as fast/stiff/comfortable as a good carbon bike.

My steel vintage bike is not as stiff as my uber plastic bike.

My steel vintage bike is way more comfortable than my uber plastic bike.

My steel vintage bike is 95% as fast as my uber plastic bike on the roads I ride. The other 5%, which is always 95% of the difference, is my fitness.

[adampaiva]

Nice pics @Angry.
Here's another one for you. This one was even better. Did this on tuesday.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4099608810

just one pic for now. But it includes some more stone porn.

20200922-DSCF9670.jpg by Adam Paiva, on Flickr

[Tandem Rider]

Good on you for getting back out there, I'm the same way, I WILL do the ride. I agree about the bike too, the new bikes are simply faster. I have everything from an early 70s winter training bike built for a pro, to a Tarmac. Tarmac is measurably faster. It's not always the most fun ride, but it's faster, if that's the yardstick you are using. That being said, I've been having a blast on an 80's custom frame with 9spd parts on it, so there's that too. Bottom line, unless you have a number pinned on, it's all about the fun, and YOU get to decide how the fun gets measured on your ride.

[b_thesing]

Looks like an amazing ride on both bikes! Worth doing 1.75 times. Thanks for sharing!

[oldpotatoe]

Oof, zero comparison. The carbon modern bike is better in every single category than the yesteryear steel bike.

Except...

Unfortunately at the tail end, my RD grenaded itself and i had to walk my ass out with zero cell coverage.

Maybe put old components on that whizbang, "better in 'almost' every way", carbon wunderbike.

->

[R3awak3n]

Looks like a fantastic ride Nick. The Catskills is an amazing place. Very happy to be up here... Now I need to get back on the bike.


As far as the carbon vs steel. I think if you put the same components on the steel bike it would be a different experience but at the end of the day you would still come here and say that the carbon bike rode better. I have ridden a few carbon bikes and they ride really well and when you are trying to do big miles and fast they can't be beat. You just feel fast, the stiffness is there, the comfort is there, ect. However, I will pick a metal bike over carbon any day of the week now and this is why I love aluminum. To me it has some characteristics of carbon but also some of steel and its cheap, can't go wrong there.

Its cool to hate on carbon here and also say that the pro world moved to carbon because of money, yada yada and some of this is true but for some things carbon bikes are just better...

[Tickdoc]

Just beautiful pics. Spot on comparison and I love that weinmann Merckx. My neighbor/ride buddy has one as well and that paint scheme is stunning.

Give me a beautiful day in a lovely place to ride Like yours and I’d pick the old bike any day. I love the feel of the steel frame/fork and the solid shifting of the older groups.

Now if I’m in a group of spirited riders Who are on all plastic, you know you are going to put in a little extra to keep up with them. The dynamics of that ride change from steel is real, to steel is real heavy.

I like new stuff too, and although I have no more all plastic bikes in the stable, modern light carbon bits on a metal/mixed frame have been my go-to formula for years now. At least most of them have hydraulic disc brakes now bringing down the weight advantage.

I still love showing up on Group rides ( or at least I used to!) with thin tube all steel and keeping up with the group. Passing carbon on a climb is an awesome feeling. Taking a long pull on steel is equally rewarding. I know I’m working harder but it is so enjoyable to know the craftsmanship that went into the bike compared to a factory made outsourced frame.

At the end of the day it doesn’t matter so long as you are enjoying yourself on the bike, whatever it be made of.

Thanks for the pics and the post.

[AngryScientist]

Great comments, thanks!

To be sure, i love steel bikes, and certainly own more than a handful of them. I now have a great picture of what i want my next and probably last for a long time bike to look and feel like, and i'm confident the builder i have in mind will be able to make it happen.

update: i just went out to the garage to get some stuff ready for this weekend, whaa haha ha! both of my FMB's on the Merckx are completely flat! i guess this route snuck something in to kill a set of tubes too, lol. They did feel a little soft at the end of the ride, oh well!

update 2: i just won an ebay auction for these little numbers. New shoes for the steel bike!

The good news is Fall is my favorite time for riding, so hopefully there are plenty more days to pile the miles on in NY, and this bike should blend in with foliage colors nicely!

[nalax]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

So last week i rode a metric route (most of) that Adam P here put together. Unfortunately at the tail end, my RD grenaded itself and i had to walk my ass out with zero cell coverage.

Nick, you might consider carrying a small chain tool and quick link just in case a similar mishap comes up in the future. Singlespeed it home. Nice ride and photos!

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

my next and probably last for a long time bike

[mtechnica]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Except...


Maybe put old components on that whizbang, "better in 'almost' every way", carbon wunderbike.

->

Idk some of them are just better. Not sure about random treks or giants or whatever. My old calfee tetra pro is lighter and more compliant over bumps and stiffer on climbs than any steel bike I’ve had. Maybe there are a lot of carbon frames that just aren’t good but I’ve only ever had high end lugged carbon frames so that skews my perspective I’m sure.

[tuscanyswe]

Those wheels looks nice what are they? looks almost custom with ksyrium carbon rims?

[charliedid]

Open Pro rims?

Very curious about those.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Those wheels looks nice what are they? looks almost custom with ksyrium carbon rims?

Open pro carbon UST yes.

I’ll report back when I get them.