They're just a bit S H one T aren't they, really, to be honest.

I got my old Gios back recently, and spent a bit of time bringing it back to life, and I must say it looks gorgeous now.
Anyway I thought I'd take it out this Sunday on my training ride. And then I thought Why? when I've got a lovely modern road bike that works perfectly.
Still I think I'll have go, it'll be good resitance training if nothing else, and perhaps I'll appriciate more the wonderful world of modern technology that is working brakes.
So out of 10 how rubbish do you think it will be?

If it's a decent steel frame then teh ride may surprise you…

Otherwise, yes, a bit gash. Much moreso for mtbs though.

If it's got retro gearing and your taking it on a lumpy route i reckon it will be fullbore Sh1t! But it will get a lot of attention at the cafe while your buying all the cakes to get you home.

Wouldn't it be better to go into it with an open mind? You might even be surprised in a positive sort of way? It's just going to be different, surely?

That's old, not retro.

Why you young buck, you don't know what you are saying! OK, so the riding position is a bit weird and the brake/gears/suspension will not work as well as you might expect but it is old and cool and has stood the test of time.

The Retrobike Posse of Justice will be waiting for you when least you expect it 😉

+1 Oldgit!

I love classic and modern cars but I have never lusted after a "retro" bike. Driving and riding the aforementioned always reinforces my views!

You should give it a go. Ok, it'll be a bit heavier, downtube shifters mean you have to think a bit more, and it might be a bit whippy (or comfortable) but in the end, however flash the new bike compared with the old, you've still got to pedal them both. Alot of the 'improvements' with a new bike are in your head.

I took an old Graham Weigh road bike out for a spin recently. As I was setting off I was in the same frame of mind as Oldgit. 'Down tube shifters are a pain the @rse, BB area flexes like mad when I'm out of the saddle, even with the stem raised as high as it'll go the position still feels really low, the bars are all curves with nowhere comfortable to put my hands, etc, etc'.
Then at the top of climb I started a long downhill.
'Flexy steel frame is a lot more comfortable than a modern carbon jobby, tubs on 32 spoke wheels give fantastic grip in the corners, modern brake blocks on old calipers work just fine, a steel fork tracks a lot better than most carbon forks, etc, etc'.

Would I swap a modern bike for an old classic? Probably not. Am I going to take the Graham Weigh out for another spin? You betcha I am (as long as there are some big descents ;-).

Every time I go out on my yoeddy I come biek grinning frmo ear to ear 🙂

I have a friend who competes locally (very well) on an old Graham Weigh with tube shifters, happily outgunning full carbon users. Of course put him on a full carbon setup and he might well be a hell of a lot faster! He certainly leaves me for dead these days!

I have a friend who competes locally (very well) on an old Graham Weigh with tube shifters, happily outgunning full carbon users.

That’s because most "improvements" in road bikes are marketing BS. Once you have a stiff, lightish frame with solid functional kit attached to it the rest comes down to the rider. Don't tell anyone though, thats a secret! 😆

what category racer is your friend coffeeking? I'd be interested in seeing a down tube shifting bike winning a bunch sprint. Not saying it can't be done though!

My Cougar roadbike has downtube shifters, skinny steel frame etc.
I love it to bits.

Not bikes, but in the same vein, I took my Step-Dads old Fiesta to get a new tyre a few weeks ago…

1991, 'J' plate, Fiesta 1.1 Popular. 24k miles from new!!!.

No PAS, no CL, no power, crap brakes. Felt almost dangerous by today's standards.

Brought home to me how far car's have moved on in the last 18yrs.

I used to have a BSA Star Rider when I was a kid, three-speed Sturmey, steel rims, steel everything, in fact. I googled the bike, just for fun and found one on a VW owners forum that had modern 700c aero rims, seatpost and saddle, fixed rear, very curvy retro track bars, and nice old pedals, and it was just beautiful, metallic blue and white original paint and all. I really, really wanted that bike, in fact I found a totally original one on eBay, just got no more room in the shed, sadly. 😥

Not carrying a camera on my ride, so it looks like this, well this it!

I think the main problem with the enjoyment would be the downtube shifters, you could try getting some old ergo's or sti's (can't see if it's campag or not)it'll still have that 'retro look' but just be nicer to ride. You could also try and replicate the riding position of your modern bike by changing the stem and/or bars. You can pick up period kit pretty cheap on the ebay. I think that'll make all the difference, no need to make it too hard on yourself keeping it proper. It'd make a good training bike with a few mods.

You just change gear less often. It'll be great fun.

al.

I quite like my old steel road bike, and DT shifters are perfectly adequate 90% of the time (theres only 12 gears to chose from anyway). You just have to pick a gear and stick with it.

The only components that make a difference are wheels and tyres, lighter, low spoke counts and grippy tires will beet the old skool 19mm michelins on 36 spoked wheels any day. Although I've not weighed my new touring bieks 32 spoke front wheel, its pretty effin lite for soemthign 30 years old!

It's all old seven speed Campag, I think Ergo kicked in at eight speed.
Apart from angles all the point to point measurements are the same as my Planet X SL carbon.

I really enjoy riding my retro roadbike (Thorn Audax), retro MTB (Breezer Storm), and my modern MTB. The older bikes have a timeless elegance, don't weigh much, and are very simple and cheap to maintain.

I was disappointed by the retro review in the last What MTB. Whilst the differences are real, they were ridiculously exaggerated

It's all old seven speed Campag, I think Ergo kicked in at eight speed.

Bugger – that'd require some hub tomfoolery then, just buy a retro shirt from ebay and enjoy it then i guess. A Banesto one would clash lovely!

Leggy – he does short and medium TTs and a few longer distance "tester" rides, he recently did the Tour of Britain stage (5 i think, 134 hilly km) where he managed to put in a fairly decent time against the pros (about 40 mins behind the pros but way ahead of many of the ams). But he does only do it when he gets spare time from a lot of travelling and work so not shabby at all. My point being not that he is a brilliant cyclist but that I suspect your bike is not a major limiting factor until you're nearing pro level. Of course every little helps.

sofatester you owe me new laptop. Mine is now covered with very nice pbit of Farçis

Just in case you can't tell it's painted Lime green and metalic purple, see they were proper subtle in the eighties.

This is next to my HJ in the rack today, is it same as yours? Cos the guy who rides this is fast!

Testers, Pah! 😉

Obviously he's a very fit bloke but TTs and "solo" rides are very different from bunch races. I agree that the difference between a modern 1k and 5k bike wouldn't be huge at all but I wouldn't RR with a retro piece when everyone else has ergos/STIs and brakes that work 😯

what category racer is your friend coffeeking? I'd be interested in seeing a down tube shifting bike winning a bunch sprint. Not saying it can't be done though!

See how many times Cav changes gear going down the final sprint on a stage of the Tour De France. I bet it's zero times. He'll be in the highest gear even before the sprint starts….

True breatheeasy, but how many sprints are that well led out? Not forgetting there's often a corner in the last km.
Even in the ToB they're a lot more messy with fewer domestiques available, they definitely be changing gear in the run up to the sprints

Apart from bunch sprints (where I quite agree the STIs must be a significant advantage), down-tube shifters are fine. It's just not a problem.

STI's are an advantage in Crits as well. Lap after lap for an hour in one position. When I think about STI's seem to have changed the patern of our local Crits, it's definately a tighter bunch now and less breakaways.

Hey oldgit I have some good news for you

the 8 speed campag had a 5mm spacing and so did the 7 speed the reason I know that is because I ran a 7 speed screw on block with 8 speed ergos

They Work 😀

ooh you dirty little boy, you pretty sure about then?

hell yes

Well **** my **** with a ******* ******* and **** me ****.
Ebay here I come.

your quite welcome dear chap

when will people learn its not the bike thats fast or slow its the rider

ti_pin_man – Member
when will people learn its not the bike thats fast or slow its the rider

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH its secret do not tell everyone I have got away with that excuse for years 😉

No the bike was S H one T.
There's no way on earth downtube shifters can out gun STI's. The first fast tight corner I came to meant braking, coasting then shifting on the way out, with STIs I could have changed whilst cornering and would have been ready to sprint out of the corner.
Teeny weeny hoods and narrow bars were horrid on the climbs as was the silly small 80's stylee block.
Though the angles that made it hard on the climbs did make it a joy to ride on the flat stuff.
Any one want a full set of Campagnolo Athena including wheels