POLL: to vintage or not.
- Thread starter Brian
- Start date
I don't have much that qualifies as modern. Newest MTB is a Serotta soft tail from around 2002. Newest road is a carbon Raleigh from around 2006. Most of my bikes are in the 1985-2005 range. I ride whatever is a recent build. I think the last road ride was on a steel Look. Last MTB ride was on an old GT that I use to get between farms. Last MTB ride on trails was either the Serotta or a 1990 ish steel Nishiki.
Jesse Danner
New Member
I very much ride the older stuff. Sometimes there are some serious deals to be had. I am currently building up a 99 F2000. I am really looking forward to giving it a spin. It has been sitting idle as a frame only for about 10 years or so. It'll be nice to have it finished. I will post up some pics when I get back to my home computer.
petergt4
Well-Known Member
If by vintage you mean 26" wheel size for mountain bikes, then yeah, I'm totally into that! I know never say never, but I don't know if I'll really get into 27.5 or 29 bikes in the future. I understand the theory behind the larger sizes but to me, this has been totally driven by marketing departments. It all depends on supply of quality 26" tires that will keep me going in the future. It's great that Panaracer are reproducing their famous Dart/Smoke combo, which I'm using on my Killer V now and have a set for my SE1000 resto project once complete. Maybe I should stock up (ie: hoard!) tire sets...
I bought my first Cannondale new in 1989, partially because even then it was one of the few quality bikes mass produced in the USA. There were USA made Treks (kind of blah) and Kleins (lots more money).
I have one Taiwan Cannondale, a 2011 CAAD8 CX. It's as nice as the US made frames, I actually like the geometry better than my 2001 XR800 of the same size.
I have one Taiwan Cannondale, a 2011 CAAD8 CX. It's as nice as the US made frames, I actually like the geometry better than my 2001 XR800 of the same size.
Jesse Danner
New Member
I do have a 2013 scalpel 3 which is of Asian persuasion. Honestly, I think the biggest difference between the US made and the current lineup is the degree of attention spent on cleaning the welds. Thats it. I can deal.
Krazebill
Member
I am old school.
1985 Peugeot PH10LE in Pearl White with Sachs Huret Rival derailleurs for the road bike.
1975 Motobecane Grand Jubilee mixte, double-butted Reynolds 531 main tubes, Nervex Professional lugs, and Huret dropouts. Stronglight 49D crankset, Stronglight v4 Competition headset, and Huret Jubilee derailleurs for the grocery getter.
1997 GT Pantera with all Suntour XC components for trails.
!997 Diamondback Apex SE, setup for commuting/touring.
1994 Specialized Rockhopper Mountain Bike
1985 Cannondale SM600 frame that has just been purchased and waiting for me to decide how to proceed with it.
1985 Peugeot PH10LE in Pearl White with Sachs Huret Rival derailleurs for the road bike.
1975 Motobecane Grand Jubilee mixte, double-butted Reynolds 531 main tubes, Nervex Professional lugs, and Huret dropouts. Stronglight 49D crankset, Stronglight v4 Competition headset, and Huret Jubilee derailleurs for the grocery getter.
1997 GT Pantera with all Suntour XC components for trails.
!997 Diamondback Apex SE, setup for commuting/touring.
1994 Specialized Rockhopper Mountain Bike
1985 Cannondale SM600 frame that has just been purchased and waiting for me to decide how to proceed with it.
Nice selection. I looked at a PX10 for my first road bike but ended up with a Cannondale. I really like the Sachs stuff, just picked up a NOS Rival crank a couple of months ago. You must have put the XC on the GT. I think SunTour was out of the new bike market by 1997. Here's my Stumpjumper - full 6 speed XT. I think it's a 1988.
Len
Well-Known Member
That is gorgeous...
Thanks. It's a fairly recent eBay find, nearly perfect condition. Love the old hardtails for their simplicity and reliability.
Both look like great rides. I'd like to try a modern MTB sometime, but ride off road so little that I can't justify one. My newest MTB is at least 15 years old, a Serotta Ti SoftTail. I was surprised at how much faster even it is compared to a 90s hardtail. I'd expect a similar jump in performance with a modern bike.
jburnha
Member
Hi all,
...I like to refer to what I do as "modernizing" a vintage frame, which works especially OK with Cannondales as even their frames from the 80s still look and behave modern (faux fillet brazed, super stiff, relatively friendly regarding ample braze-ons & standards, for the latter if you ignore BB30, 1 1/4" headsets, random other MTB stuff, and those damn top-tube guides...). I ride my '87 ST400 every day that I can (as a commuter) and often as a bad-weather trainer too. I get on the newer bike ('09, maybe still vintage...?) for group rides or if I want to put my bibs on, hah.
I agree with @petergt4 though -- I fear 26" tire availability, or lack there of, will be the reason I stop riding my '95 M900. Even today it isn't exactly easy to get a good set of rubbers for that bike. Funny, maybe untrue observation: more and more modern bikes are being fitted with disc brakes and perhaps in the not so distant future it will be hard to get hold of good brake pads (I hate disc brakes: the noise they make (they ALWAYS make noise), their functionality (especially closed systems!?!), and their look..!).
Ride safe y'alls.
-John
...I like to refer to what I do as "modernizing" a vintage frame, which works especially OK with Cannondales as even their frames from the 80s still look and behave modern (faux fillet brazed, super stiff, relatively friendly regarding ample braze-ons & standards, for the latter if you ignore BB30, 1 1/4" headsets, random other MTB stuff, and those damn top-tube guides...). I ride my '87 ST400 every day that I can (as a commuter) and often as a bad-weather trainer too. I get on the newer bike ('09, maybe still vintage...?) for group rides or if I want to put my bibs on, hah.
I agree with @petergt4 though -- I fear 26" tire availability, or lack there of, will be the reason I stop riding my '95 M900. Even today it isn't exactly easy to get a good set of rubbers for that bike. Funny, maybe untrue observation: more and more modern bikes are being fitted with disc brakes and perhaps in the not so distant future it will be hard to get hold of good brake pads (I hate disc brakes: the noise they make (they ALWAYS make noise), their functionality (especially closed systems!?!), and their look..!).
Ride safe y'alls.
-John
ChrisW
Well-Known Member
Hi..
I only ride vintage because I only have old bikes.
Unfortunately I lost my wonderful Trek '95 OCLV 5500 road bike a few months ago — a big loss for me!
I also have a 1988 Bridgestone MB-5 "Trailblazer which I only ride occasionally. Think old Bridgestone bikes are cool. (attached)
Most of the time I'm with my vintage Cannondales.
Love the < 1995 diamond frames simply because of the design. They look so simple, muscular and elegant.
I have a soft spot for the pre 1991 models still with "cannondale" on the top tube. Never – until today – saw nicer bike than these. Alas I can't find any love for modern frames..
I'm trying to ride analog bikes as long as I can. Not a fan of e-bikes at all.
On the other hand they are the reason why I got three of my vintage Cannondales. The owners sold them cheap to buy an e-bike instead.
1990 SM800 Red Shred
1991 SH600
1992 T600
1990 SM400
1995 M500
1993 M300
1991 SR600
had a 1988 SM700, but sold it — something I regret today
I only ride vintage because I only have old bikes.
Unfortunately I lost my wonderful Trek '95 OCLV 5500 road bike a few months ago — a big loss for me!
I also have a 1988 Bridgestone MB-5 "Trailblazer which I only ride occasionally. Think old Bridgestone bikes are cool. (attached)Most of the time I'm with my vintage Cannondales.
Love the < 1995 diamond frames simply because of the design. They look so simple, muscular and elegant.
I have a soft spot for the pre 1991 models still with "cannondale" on the top tube. Never – until today – saw nicer bike than these. Alas I can't find any love for modern frames..
I'm trying to ride analog bikes as long as I can. Not a fan of e-bikes at all.
On the other hand they are the reason why I got three of my vintage Cannondales. The owners sold them cheap to buy an e-bike instead.
1990 SM800 Red Shred
1991 SH600
1992 T600
1990 SM400
1995 M500
1993 M300
1991 SR600
had a 1988 SM700, but sold it — something I regret today
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Nice collection. What happened to the Trek? Too bad we ride such different sizes. I have a very nice 1992 (first year I think) 5500 here that I could part with but it's a 58 cm. Here it is as I purchased it about 10 years ago. I've probably ridden it 4 times. I stupidly sold the original Dura Ace parts at some point, it has Ultegra now with GripShift on the ends of the drops. They actually work quite well and are much lighter than STI - probably more reliable as well.
ChrisW
Well-Known Member
A sad story for me. I got this Trek 5500 very luckily from a man who wanted to sell a exercise bike primarily and a road bike in addition without mentioning the model name nor the brand in the ad
. I had no interest in the exercise bike, so I asked him if he sells the Trek only. I paid only 140 Euros for it (!) It came without saddle and only had a Shimano 105 group but was in excellent condition (pic!). It weighed only 8,5 kg and was quick like an arrow.Unfortunately it was stolen on a private party indoors (!) a few months ago.
Love the color of your 5500!
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