Come on. Fess up.

I've just been looking on ebay. And some early 90's bikes are going for crazy money. I'm just struggling with the logic of it

I tend to want the best 'stuff' I can afford. Which tends to be as up-to-date as I can afford. You could buy yourself a really nice top-end full susser for the price of some of the admittedly tidy, but obscelete bikes.

I don't get it. Would someone explain

Some people have spare cash and already have a nice up-to-date bike so why not have the bike that you always wanted 'back then' but never got?

Or like me, riding it might just bring back good memories of back then 🙂

Afterall, better bikes don't inherently make better rides.

Buy a new bike – wait a few years – then you have a retro classic – simples
Right off for ride on my clockwork (circa 1997)

Who buys 'em? Me, sadly…. I have an old, rigid Kona Hahahahahahana and recently also acquired an old, rigid Cannondale singlespeeder which is lovely to pedal about. Took me a while to get on with the stretched out feel, but it was well worth the effort.

I suppose I just like the immediacy of fully rigid bikes.

hey u-r – which hahanna? think mines 97 odd, darkish red.

why i buy it? because it seemed like a solid steel framed warrior with rack eyelets. paid £150 for the full bike so hardly modern day full sus money!

I think what you mean is "who buys 'OLD' bikes.

To me, retro is something that is new, manufactured using new/up to date manufacturing methods, but made to look old. That is, retrospective should be reminiscent of the past, but actually spanking new.

Oh, and to answer your question – not me. They feel what they are – old.

Yes, we all know that's what 'retro' really means but wrt bikes, 'retro' has taken on the incorrect usage as meaning old bikes.

Don't you sometimes consider buying that bike you desperately wanted in your teenage years but could never afford, just for nostalgia's sake? I know i do.

What finbar said. There's a GT LTS on a forum local to me (Swedish) that looks very tempting. Even has an AMP fork!

I build retro road bikes, wot clubber said it's what i yearned for 25 years ago, and they built em proper then too 😉

Prices for bits aren't too bad if you go to cycle jumbles.

I'm a serial bike swapper so I usually bought them when they were around first time. I do have very happy memories of my 1st 'serious' MTB a Trek singletrack 950, which eventually got used for downhill racing (along with some huge marzocchi Mx forks – 65mm of pure elastomer plushness), and my KHS montana comp for xc race duties.

Real retro

Pashley Guvnor, and British made. Lovely.

Finbar, my dad still has that in his garage. Its a lovely bike apart from the cranks.

I wish that were the case.
My Pace RC 300 frame went for peanuts.

lots of Folks

Take a look here

Back end of last year I bought the bike I dreamed of BITD …

A PACE RC 200 F2 ( with square seat tube 🙂 )

Now in the process of kitting it out with the stuff I couldn't afford then ….

Well, I bought a 'retro classic'… mainly because I liked it, not for it's retro values but for it's engineering and design… any excuse for a pic 😆

Now in the process of ruining it apparently (by switching a few of the more valuable/rare retro bits for more modern equivalents)…

I've still got my 1984 Wicked Fat Chance. And it's still my favourite…

I have for the first time this year. This built up for less that the cost of one disc brake set up.

I'd be tempted by a classic frame with modern components, or a new incarnation of a classic bike like the new Orange Clockwork or this:

PS If you don't know why this bike rocks, go read about John Tomac.

Here's the sh1zzle:

Don't think I've ever typed / said shizzle before – sorry…

The Cannondale was a recent acquisition – swapped for an air rifle. The Kona came from ebay for £50 – plus another £30 to courier it up from London.

I bought this one new in 1978. It's worth a lot more now than the $800 I paid for it, but I would never sell it.

Some people spend money on Marble dogs, Lladro figures, signed shirts in frames, um and other delights.

We like to be surrounded by things that make us happy and a old bike is better than any of the things listed above as it can at least be used, just like an old games console; not as good but reminiscing can be nice.

I'd like to have a Lobo, STS, Zaskar LE, RTS and a 97ish green Lava Dome one day for sure!

Cos it's bright and makes me happy for sunny day pootles.
Cos they're historic and someone needs to love and look after them.
Cos I often find them more interesting than "me too" modern bikes.

I think Mr Kelly has aced us all on this. Very nice indeed. One of the originals built by Joe Breeze.

I had that M300 too till it got nicked, I would love to know what the paint is on them as it's indestructable.

I recently bought a F800 Killer V frame for a project because it looks nice in a weird way. I think built up with modern parts it will be cool for towpaths/the missus and all that.

I have an urge to buy Timburs RC200 coz they were always a bike to drool over when I was wazzing about on my rigid specialized in the late 1980's but i know it'll be horrid to ride in comparison to my Turner.

If the retro MTB scene is anything like the classic motorcycle world then it'll be full of people who don't really care about how it rides but they'll be more concerned that it's got the correct chain set, bottle cage or what ever

Sometimes it's better not to meet your heroes because you'll only be disappointed

Relctant, the paint on that Karakoram is incredibly cool. Love it.

It's about collecting isn't it? Rather than riding I mean.

I've got a 92 Prometheus in the loft.

Funnily enough I just re-built a 1990 rigid steel framed Trek to tow my kiddie trailer, most old bikes handle awfully anyone who lusts after them is just a geek. (nothing wrong with that)

People buy em cos they aint being made any more and will probably appreciate in value….how many "fun" things do that?

I will never part from my columbus max Fuquay!

'cos we know the value and not just the price!

😉

I've got a 1994 Cannondale M500 in the garage with a 1992 Saracen Trekker, maybe I should flog those, they're both awful bikes now!

Retro should only be applied to pre 80s bikes. I've still got my 80s bike, although the frame was hand built there was a huge industry producing all the parts.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mcmoonter/AlvesPics#5451605962842574434

Pre 80's folks mainly built their own bikes and adapted the parts they could find to fit.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mcmoonter/ScottishHouseHomesGardens#5392217568714295698

I reckon this out retros CKs Breezer, by about a century. Could that be a Horst Link?

You mean pre-90's Pete?

Al, 70s bikes are where its at.

mcmoonter, it may pre-date it but i sure wouldn't want to ride it!!

Nice forks, IRD?

sslowpace, Yep IRD, It did have switchback brakes too and an IRD seatpost, but it broke.