Where does a classic road bike fit in your cycling life?

[Clean39T]

On the heels of XX's evolution of the tire thread and after gawking at the '86 Nova project, I've been thinking a fair bit about what place a classic road bike has in my garage going forward.....and I'm curious to hear other perspectives.

When I say "classic road bike", I'm thinking of what most of us rode on the road for the last twenty years - 23-25mm tires, standard or compact gears maybe maxing out at a 34x28, steepish angles, and an efficient position for riding at 18-20mph solo over varied terrain.

I didn't think I would ever be without a bike like that - and yet here I am now, at N=1 with what could be described as a semi-modern all-road bike that has sub-compact gears and pretty fat 30mm tires, and handles more like the bike you want for a spirited century than an invigorating romp through the twisties. My #2 and #3 bikes on the way (gee, who-wouldda-thought..) are all-road disc/gravel/deep-gravel options that I'm picking up to hit the trails and dirt-roads in Central OR. Which means I'd be getting to bike #4 before selecting a "classic road bike" and that has me wondering if or why I'd even need or want that in my garage at that point.

One argument I can find is that such a bike makes a great trainer - something to put on the rollers and to go out and hammer hill repeats on when the only goal is really to ride hard just for the sake of it. Of course, I can do that on bikes #1-#3 above too, but in general, one can keep a trainer running cheaper than the buffed out specialty bikes that take up the first few hooks.

Or for those who still race on the road in packs - or who may race again next year, if such a thing is a thing again - I guess that bike is still a passport to a reasonably competitive time in the lower categories where skill and experience can overcome the losses of round tubes, spokes, seatposts, and handlebars - or off too-narrow tires. It is certainly cheaper to replace and repair a classic than something that may break in half if you sit on the top tube, or if the bars swing round the wrong way.

Another argument is that such bikes keep us connected to the heart and soul of road riding as we once knew it to be - the times when our heroes were young and we dreamed of all things Italian. Maybe the shock of small irregularities in the pavement jarring up through 23s at 100psi still serves a purpose - or of wrestling a 39x25 up a 10% grade. Maybe it connects us to the images we have of ourself on the bike - or of what it means to ride with panache, efficiency (and cartilage) be dam'd.

Maybe there's an aspect of this too that is regional - I'm moving somewhere with aluring dirt, but if I were in SoCal or parts of the NE, or certainly if I was in France or Italy, it would be a different calculus. And we can't negate that road bikes must be ridden on the road - where big dumb animals are piloting big dumb death missiles - and must have reasonably decent roads to be ridden, which city and county budgets are struggling to keep providing.

Anyway, I'd hoped by the time I got to this point in the post I'd have come up with an answer.

The truth is, I don't know if or where a classic road bike fits in my cycling life at this point.

Also me - I want this Mondonico!

[thirdgenbird]

That’s a tough one. I love classic lugged road bikes with silver bits but find a cross/gravel bike with a wide gear range and a few wheelsets is all I need for recreation. (I’ve also got a budget single speed with fiat pedals for transportation)

I am all about curation (vs collection) and don’t typically keep possessions that don’t see use but in this case, I’ve got a rational excuse. I’ve got a Tommasini my dad bought new. It’s built up exactly how I would want it using a mix of bits that he had on it at various points with a few of my touches sprinkled in. I used to ride it as an occasional Sunday rider but it’s been hanging on the wall since he passed away. It’s been kept in riding condition and will see the road again someday, but it’s currently reclassified as an heirloom. If it were not for this exception, I would probably just own the two bikes in paragraph one.

[FlashUNC]

Always.

[Andy sti]

Road bike forever!

I just have 25mm tires and a 28 on the back - does that still count?

[Nomadmax]

Steel road bikes with SL/SLX tubing and Campagnolo components for me; to the tune of half a dozen. Most with "modern" 10 speed Ergopower and compact cranks, one with CDA Syncro/Delta and my oldest is a throwback with old Super Record and Simplex retro-frictions.

At this point in my life/cycling career, the performance difference between something new that has all the "latest/best" and my bikes is negligible given the 100,000 + mile motor that's lost some compression. Given that, I ride what I did back when I was young, strong and invincible without anything on the handlebars to tell me the awful truth.

Sometimes, when I'm riding back into town with a tailwind, I'm 25 years old again, on a solo breakaway with the thin steel tubes in my lower peripheral vision and the tires singing in my ears; literally, a state of grace. I don't ride what I ride for what they "do", I ride the bikes I have for what they "are".

[reuben]

Originally Posted by Nomadmax

Steel road bikes with SL/SLX tubing and Campagnolo components for me; to the tune of half a dozen. Most with "modern" 10 speed Ergopower and compact cranks, one with CDA Syncro/Delta and my oldest is a throwback with old Super Record and Simplex retro-frictions.

At this point in my life/cycling career, the performance difference between something new that has all the "latest/best" and my bikes is negligible given the 100,000 + mile motor that's lost some compression. Given that, I ride what I did back when I was young, strong and invincible without anything on the handlebars to tell me the awful truth.

Sometimes, when I'm riding back into town with a tailwind, I'm 25 years old again, on a solo breakaway with the thin steel tubes in my lower peripheral vision and the tires singing in my ears; literally, a state of grace. I don't ride what I ride for what they "do", I ride the bikes I have for what they "are".

What he said.

Another potential writer for the Paceline Magazine.

[velomateo]

Everything I ride falls in to the classic category, Serotta, Bertoni and a recently acquired mid 70’s Masi. Even my Moots has down tube shifter mounts, but runs an 11s drivetrain.

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by Nomadmax

Steel road bikes with SL/SLX tubing and Campagnolo components for me; to the tune of half a dozen. Most with "modern" 10 speed Ergopower and compact cranks, one with CDA Syncro/Delta and my oldest is a throwback with old Super Record and Simplex retro-frictions.

At this point in my life/cycling career, the performance difference between something new that has all the "latest/best" and my bikes is negligible given the 100,000 + mile motor that's lost some compression. Given that, I ride what I did back when I was young, strong and invincible without anything on the handlebars to tell me the awful truth.

Sometimes, when I'm riding back into town with a tailwind, I'm 25 years old again, on a solo breakaway with the thin steel tubes in my lower peripheral vision and the tires singing in my ears; literally, a state of grace. I don't ride what I ride for what they "do", I ride the bikes I have for what they "are".

Well said, but I still lie to myself and pretend I am strong. If I don’t believe it no one else will.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[marciero]

If that Seven does not qualify then we are essentially talking race bikes. I have one such bike that I hardly ever ride. I keep it around for fast group rides. But even pre-covid this was like once or twice a year. I also have brought it as a second or third bike on cycling vacations for use as a hill climber. It's the Mt Washington bike.

I have one other bike at is more like that Seven. Steel. 700c x 27 tubulars. It gets ridden once in a great while but for rides less than 70 miles; usually much less. I am in the minority here in that my "all road" bike and my main "road" bike-and for that matter our main tandem- are all 650b and have much wider tires.

[DeBike]

Three of the four bikes I ride most are all steel frame with classic type geometry. I guess the nearest to being truly classic is my late 80s Ochsner. However, I did switch from DT shifters to 9 speed STI a couple of months ago. I do not ride it that much these days as it really is too big for me, 57cm while 53/54 is best for me. 25mm tires are the widest that will fit. Also, last year I stripped it to bare metal, had it powder coated, and rebuilt it with mostly used components.

[Toeclips]

Classic bikes at least for me they give me a sense of history and it makes me feel like I'm doing something old world

[Marvinlungwitz]

.

[paredown]

My real classic from the '70s (my old race bike) is a wall-hanger--needs a rebuild and a better gear range for the reality of my old legs...

But I agree with Reuben--my preferred ride is still a classic setup on a steel frame--and although I love the improvements of better brakes and ergo shifters, as soon as get rolling, muscle memory kicks in, and things fall to hand as they should, gears are selected that feel right--and yes, on a good day I feel as fast as I ever was...

I suspect it is the 'old dog, new trick' problem--I tried mountain biking, and although residual fitness and balance made it relatively easy for me to keep up, it really didn't take. (As HappyCamper will attest--he bought my pretty pristine early gen Fischer).

I'm tempted to try gravel, and may get there with a purpose built bike after all the stories and builds that have been shared--but it is not a priority.

I want the speed (or as much as I can manage) and the sound of my pumped up skinny tires singing on the road--and I don't even mind old school sharp handling where if you run over a quarter, you can tell if it heads or tails facing up...

[Smitty2k1]

Ok I'll bite - being new at this I've never had a real road bike. This is where Paceline needs to help.

My past 5 years of cycling started when I moved into the city with my now wife, sold the car, and began commuting full time on bike share. The next year we moved a little further from work (1 mile to 2.5 miles lol) and I bought a cheap hybrid. Two years ago I decided I wanted a "real" bike to do more than commute, and found a nice touring bike (Jamis Aurora Elite). I put 2,500 miles or so on it that year between commutes, group rides, camping trips, and joy riding. Then I decided it was time to get serious and built up a Black Mountain Cycles Road+ from the frame up, including my own wheels. I put 2,500 miles on that in less than 6 months.

I just had a kid and haven't ridden a bike in almost 5 weeks. I've been dreaming of building a true road bike to compliment my stable of the touring/grocery getter/baby hauler (flat bar basket conversion) and the Road+. I've considered just building a nice 700c wheelset for the Road+, but why not dream of N+1 while I'm stuck holding a crying pooping baby for 12 hours a day?

So what is it Paceline? What kind of bike should I lust after as my pure road go fast bike? I probably don't have the fitness for a true race bike, but something with endurance geometry and 28c tires? Go skinnier and vintage? Budget aluminum with carbon fork? Cheap chinese open mold carbon frame with modern components? So many choices I'm getting analysis paralysis.

... First world problems.

[buddybikes]

Originally Posted by Smitty2k1

Ok I'll bite - being new at this I've never had a real road bike. This is where Paceline needs to help.


So what is it Paceline? What kind of bike should I lust after as my pure road go fast bike? I probably don't have the fitness for a true race bike, but something with endurance geometry and 28c tires? Go skinnier and vintage? Budget aluminum with carbon fork? Cheap chinese open mold carbon frame with modern components? So many choices I'm getting analysis paralysis.

... First world problems.

Once you get sized up, keep eye on classifieds here - stunning machines going for fraction of what they once priced out at.