Are current gruppos ugly?

[91Bear]

Originally Posted by reuben

Gremlin and Pacer were two of the ugliest cars ever. Admittedly, the Gremlin came out in 1970 and the Pacer came out in the mid 70s, but..

But maybe the Gremlin was the 1970 death knell as you suggest.

1961 Plymouth

[91Bear]

1962 Dodge Polara

[ianbjor]

Can we talk about bikes with straight blocks vs the 11-36 + long cage monstrosities?

Back in my day we climbed 10% grades on a 42x18 and we liked it.

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by ianbjor

Back in my day we climbed 10% grades on a 42x18 and we liked it.

I believe this belongs in the "biggest lie you ever told" part of the "who are you and what do you look like" thread.

[ianbjor]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

I believe this belongs in the "biggest lie you ever told" part of the "who are you and what do you look like" thread.

LOL. Ok, maybe we didn't _like_ it.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by ianbjor

Can we talk about bikes with straight blocks vs the 11-36 + long cage monstrosities?

Back in my day we climbed 10% grades on a 42x18 and we liked it.

I guess I was soft. My first good bike had a 42x19 granny gear. No hill was too steep. And it was a 7-speed freewheel for an amazing range. No 6-speed here.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by saab2000

I guess I was soft. My first good bike had a 42x19 granny gear. No hill was too steep. And it was a 7-speed freewheel for an amazing range. No 6-speed here.

Back in the day, before calendars were invented and we used sites like Stonehenge to tell time, I started with 42x21 as my lowest gear (six rear cogs), and I struggled on half decent hills, much less real hills. I embraced the suffer decades before the phrase came into being. No spinning or souplesse for me. I was a manly, aka stupid, man. Thank goodness I never tried to ride a real mountain.

After a couple of years it was much easier. Eventually I put on a straight block with 19 at the top with 52/42 chainrings. Them days is over.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by ianbjor

Can we talk about bikes with straight blocks vs the 11-36 + long cage monstrosities?

Back in my day we climbed 10% grades on a 42x18 and we liked it.

[Ewiser]

The whole carbon fiber look is ugly to by eyes. Black on black bikes are so boring Why people think a totally back black is a thing. To me it’s a marketing thing the carbon fiber frame with a gloss coat and the carbon fiber cranks. Just makes for a dud bike.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by Ewiser

The whole carbon fiber look is ugly to by eyes. Black on black bikes are so boring Why people think a totally back black is a thing. To me it’s a marketing thing the carbon fiber frame with a gloss coat and the carbon fiber cranks. Just makes for a dud bike.

This. Soul brother.

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by ianbjor

Can we talk about bikes with straight blocks vs the 11-36 + long cage monstrosities?

Back in my day we climbed 10% grades on a 42x18 and we liked it.

When I was racing a lot everyone had a low gear of 39x23 and my secret weapon for hills was that I secretly had a 38x23.

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by Ewiser

The whole carbon fiber look is ugly to by eyes. Black on black bikes are so boring Why people think a totally back black is a thing. To me it’s a marketing thing the carbon fiber frame with a gloss coat and the carbon fiber cranks. Just makes for a dud bike.

I agree with you regarding black-on-black being overdone, but let’s not paint all carbon fibre frames with the same brush...
95670488-E647-48D1-8214-92422611761B.jpg
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Lugged is the answer.

[Hellgate]

I dunno know...

[19wisconsin64]

It would be a welcome change to have some modern gruppos in silver. Not asking for blue, orange, red or anything else, just some silver to bring a little classic flair / homage / styling back into modern bicycles. Silver, please, and thank you.

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by 19wisconsin64

It would be a welcome change to have some modern gruppos in silver. Not asking for blue, orange, red or anything else, just some silver to bring a little classic flair / homage / styling back into modern bicycles. Silver, please, and thank you.

We had many decades of silver gruppos. Change is good.