stuff that you retrogrouched and now regret?

[vqdriver]

the progress train comes along more and more often now. we either hop on, begrudgingly go for a ride, or just stay behind on the platform. i've been known to stay behind a few times myself, but for some reason, paceliners seem to really like their old tech more than average.
every time shimano/campy releases a new hood shape, or electronic, or discs, or more cogs, or a new crank (ok, i'm with you this one), there's always a handful that take pride in 'stocking up' on the old version because 'there's nothing wrong with it' or they won't take on any anticipated tradeoffs. only to find that they're still sitting on 2 complete 7700 groups a decade later after having built up 2 frames with di2.

i didn't really get it, but then i look at the mint condition hardtail 26er i built up in the dying throes of that wheel size. i have a fs 29er that rides faster, more efficiently, and is loads funner and i can't believe i didn't at least try 29 before buying that 26 frame. that poor thing will be a neighborhood cruiser for its foreseeable lifetime as it has nearly no market appeal.

another for me that i got over pretty quickly is lugged steel frames. i know people still fawn over these, but i'm selfish and want to build them up with modern contact points. improvising lame solutions to get around 1" threaded steerers got real old real fast.

anything in your parts bin you don't know why you have anymore??

[quickfeet]

I bought an old road frame from 2012 that at the time would’ve been the top tier bike in their line. I had listed for on for years and found one nos and had to bite.

Unfortunately I haven’t ridden andhing narrower than 28mm tires since probably 2013 and didn’t even contemplate that they wouldn’t fit. First ride with a small dirt section and I tore all the paint off from the fork and the rear brake bridge. Bike got pulled apart and has been hanging on a hook since. 3 rides total. Sad.

[sparky33]

I have some Mastik tubular glue still. Smells crazy as ever.
Effetto Mariposa tape works more than fine these days.

I also have a dozen+ sets of Compass/RH/GB tires... probably a grand worth (edit 24 tires x 80 is approaching $2,000. ). I am using maybe 4 sets, and the rest I just fondle on occasion...while trying to justify keeping them for maybe someday usage. This isn't retrogrouch really, it's straight up hoarding.

[azrider]

Sram 10 speed bits.........

[joosttx]

Aero wheels. 29er wheels.

[bigbill]

I think the newest road bike I have is the Helix I got from JeffN. Not sure of the year but probably late this decade. None of my road bikes will handle much more than a fat 25 on a wide rim or a 28 on a narrow. I've hung on to two bikes the longest, a Merckx MX Leader I got new in 99, and a Pegoretti BLE I got gently used in 2006. Both are great bikes, the BLE sees more action. I don't have any electronic but I've got newer Chorus/Record and an 8000 group on the Helix.

Probably the most up to date bike is the Coconino Dirt Road Racer with 8000 and 685 levers to 785 calipers. The stuff works great. My Coconino MTB is Boost with 1X11 XT and Hope/WTB handbuilts.

[sonicCows]

Originally Posted by azrider

Sram 10 speed bits.........

I must say, if you can deal with the bad front shifting and loss of 1 cog, SRAM 10 still has a great cost/weight ratio. Force 10 is a pound lighter than R7000 and half a pound less than R8000.

[Alaska Mike]

Originally Posted by sonicCows

I must say, if you can deal with the bad front shifting and loss of 1 cog, SRAM 10 still has a great cost/weight ratio. Force 10 is a pound lighter than R7000 and half a pound less than R8000.

I was just down in my garage sorting out parts. I have enough SRAM 10 speed stuff to build three more bikes and still have the odd spare. That's in addition to the six or seven other bikes I have built up with SRAM Red/Force/Rival 10 speed.

I have dipped my toes into SRAM and Shimano 11 speed, the latest foray being eTap. To be honest, I can't really justify swapping everything over to 11 speed just yet based on performance. Since most of my bikes are from the 2006-2012 era, 10 speed is fine with me.

[82Picchio]

Snip:

Originally Posted by vqdriver

another for me that i got over pretty quickly is lugged steel frames. i know people still fawn over these, but i'm selfish and want to build them up with modern contact points. improvising lame solutions to get around 1" threaded steerers got real old real fast.

Well shame on you. Nothing rides better than a lugged steel frame with modern parts. As for contact points, nothing prevents you from using whatever newfangled saddle and pedals you run. Soma Highway 1 is a great 26.0 modern shaped bar. If you want a 31.8, Nitto makes a great quill stem in 31.8 diameter (UI-12).

[colker]

I love my 26in rigid and hardtails. They bring me lots of fun and are nice to look at.

[72gmc]

Originally Posted by colker

I love my 26in rigid and hardtails. They bring me lots of fun and are nice to look at.

This is where my retrogrouch flares up: looks. My eye really likes pro race bikes from the 80s and klunkers and the like. I appreciate people with the ability to be innovative in a retro weirdo way that looks great--Mister Dangerpants comes to mind.

I don't regret running 9 speed for as long as I did, but I am feeling like it's time to go back to 10 or 11.

[unterhausen]

My main road bike had friction 9 speed until a couple of years ago. Then one night, I was climbing a hill and just sort of ignoring the fact that the rear derailleur wasn't quite in gear. It let loose, and it took me almost 30 minutes to get back rolling again because the chain got stuck behind the chainwheel somehow. My regret was that I had parts sitting on my workbench to go to 10 speed indexed shifting and I hadn't installed them. Same thing happened before that, I had a compact crank sitting on my workbench and I was still using a vintage Campanolo SR crank with a 44 tooth small chain ring. When I put a 11-26 cassette on my bike, I thought it was capitulating to old age, kind of like agreeing to go to the nursing home. Now I realize we were stupidly over-geared BITD. And I have also come to the realization that I'm old.

[colker]

Originally Posted by 72gmc

This is where my retrogrouch flares up: looks. My eye really likes pro race bikes from the 80s and klunkers and the like. I appreciate people with the ability to be innovative in a retro weirdo way that looks great--Mister Dangerpants comes to mind.

I don't regret running 9 speed for as long as I did, but I am feeling like it's time to go back to 10 or 11.

Early team stumpjumpers(the pink team bike) look good!

[jemdet]

I like older frames but prefer if they have something unique about them. Always horizontal top tubes. Friction shifting is great but I like ergo and STI as well.

As for the original question: I must have three bags of 7400/1/2 downtube shifter parts. Boy do they look good... and boy are they terrible!

[NHAero]

My bad lower back finally drove me to a FS 29er in 2015 and yowza what a change over the Litespeed softail 26er! Now that bike gets a lotta use as the dropbar "monstercross" but the 29er gets the MTB rides.

I bought a used CAAD10 in 2017 that was my first bike with integrated shifter/brakes, all previous were barcons. Now I have all four dropbar bikes set up with STI.