Any other retro-grouches?

[93XO1Rider]

I'm a self confessed retro-grouch, I ride a lugged steel bike(s) and commute to work in mostly street clothes. I hate shoes with clips and instead ride with Powergrip straps.

I admire the beauty of a smooth, 15 pound carbon fibre bike and enjoy looking at the neon paint job but don't want to own one. I look at my old Bridgestone and my new Rivendell and consider the fact that I'll probably own them both 20 years from now and still be riding them.

My butt is only happy on a leather Brooks saddle or on my recumbent. My bicycle commute is my favorite part of my job and I almost never ride just to ride but perfer to use my bikes for transportation.

 

[RC2]

Bridgestone XO-1 -- that's a classic. You probably have cork bar tape on it? I have a '03 MB-0, love that frame and the prestige tubing.

I don't think you have to be grouchy to appreciate the ride and beauty of a classic steel frame. I'm seriously thinking of a waterford or steelman or the like as a future investment... mmm mmm. Breaking in a Brooks isn't in the cards for me though, I guess that might make one grouchy.

 

[GenitalAparatus]

I'm not much of a roadie, but I do commute to school daily. Like you, I ride an older bike (a junker, not a nice one like either of your bikes) and I do so in my street clothes. Ripped jeans, sweatshirts, whatever suits my mood that day. I ride with toe clips, don't think I'll ever get around to riding with clip-in pedals. Someday I think I'd like to ride a nice steel lugged frame, downtube shifters would be nice. I don't think I'll ever get those STI shifters. I think newer bikes are nice, but the oldies are just beautiful.

 

[JohnO]

Retro on occasion, but not grouchy about it. Have to admit that my 70's vintage 531 framed Falcon has a wonderful ride to it, and the 30 year old Campy equipment performs like it came out of the box yesterday. To tell the truth, my space age carbon framed Trek is maybe 3-4 pounds lighter, but that's it. A well built 531 racer could come in at around 20 pounds. We haven't come that far in the last 30 years.

The Falcon has a brand new (but presoftened, I'm a wimp) Brooks Team Pro saddle. My gut feel (or is that butt feel?) is that the new generation carbon weave seats are a big improvement.

Hate to say it, but the indexed brake handle shifters are a lot better than downtube shifters. I sure like them better.

And my Falcon runs on Clement tubulars, so there. Wish I could find some old silk tires - expensive as the devil, but so beautiful to look at.

 

[Telegram Sam]

Bridgestone XO-1 -- that's a classic. You probably have cork bar tape on it? I have a '03 MB-0, love that frame and the prestige tubing.

I don't think you have to be grouchy to appreciate the ride and beauty of a classic steel frame. I'm seriously thinking of a waterford or steelman or the like as a future investment... mmm mmm. Breaking in a Brooks isn't in the cards for me though, I guess that might make one grouchy.

I have a Bridgestone MB-1 ???...it's from the Early 80's anyway, love to ride it. Periodically I stuff the road bike away and take it on my rides so I can remember how cool steel feels. I also have a 20 year old Marin Eldridge that I still ride all the time (it's my beer run bike- the townie. It has Bio-pace cranks...remember those?) ...
And I miss downtube shifters (on the roadie)- I hate these damn indexed brake handle things, the whole set-up seems flimsy.

 

[93XO1Rider]

I have a Bridgestone MB-1 ???...it's from the Early 80's anyway, love to ride it. Periodically I stuff the road bike away and take it on my rides so I can remember how cool steel feels. I also have a 20 year old Marin Eldridge that I still ride all the time (it's my beer run bike- the townie. It has Bio-pace cranks...remember those?) ...
And I miss downtube shifters (on the roadie)- I hate these damn indexed brake handle things, the whole set-up seems flimsy.

I've got bar end (barcon) shifters on my XO-1, my Rivendell and on my recumbent. I'm pretty hooked on bar ends, they just feel good to me. My Rivendell does not have index'd shifting and the friction is smooth as silk. I can see where indexed shifting has brought zillions of riders into the fold but everyone should step back once in a while and enjoy a good steel bike with friction shifting.

BTW, I used to own a 1993 MB-1 which I sold in a moment of sheer stupidity!!