The forum pre social media

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I came here in 2014 so I missed "the old days". In 2014 only a few people were still tuning parts. To me it was the era of off the shelf boutique builds. The recipe was the same - high end frame, Lightweight wheels, Tune, Darimo, and other off the shelf light parts.

Berzin1
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 9:35 pm

by Berzin1

The cycling industry is homogenized to the point where there are a small bunch of companies selling the same exact bike, give or take a few small insignifigant modifications. And they all sell their own propietary parts that don't match the specs of frames from different manufacturers.

That's how it is with everything-once a niche market goes corporate it sucks the soul out of that particular industry. And the prices soar to where we are now.

I think I'll go backwards. This is my retro grouch moment. I never thought it would happen to me, but it has.

Now that I finally got my hands on a Calfee Dragonfly Pro (the first model, not the one with the oversized tubes. I had one when they first came out and sold it for some stupid reason, so I already know how it rides) I'm thinking about which parts to go with. I already have a pair of Zipp 202's for it, the rest I'll have to think about. But it won't be electronic, that's for sure.

And I'm bringing back the Spinacci handlebar extensions. How's that for retro? LOL!!!

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idickers
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 01, 2023 5:52 pm

by idickers

Long live retrogrouches! Mine is a Derosa SLX frame with (gasp) Cinelli quill stem and bars. I am updating with Campy 12-speed, but am sticking with mechanical shifting and rim brakes.

Berzin1
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 9:35 pm

by Berzin1

Quill stem-nice!!! Now that's old school. I may go Campy for the 12-speed option, and also because I think the latest Shimno Dura Ace looks like absolute crap. Especially the cranks. They look like plastic pieces of shit. I actually looked into the Camillo stuff-the brakes and cranks look awesome in my opinion-but he has gone of the deep end with those prices.

flying
Posts: 2861
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:16 am

by flying

tarmackev wrote:
Thu May 04, 2023 7:10 pm
I've just been reading through old threads from 05 and wow! The forum was a different place, everyone was very respectful and it felt like community. It feels so positive reading back then.
Yes you are 101% correct it was.
These days a few spoil the place for everyone & many no longer even post :noidea:
Juanmoretime wrote:
Fri May 05, 2023 12:48 pm
It seems like these days everyone wants to really push their opinion and their opinion is not an option, it's the only way.

I personally don't follow pro racing or care what the pro's do. I just love riding my bikes.
+1 Juan :wink:

RTW
in the industry
Posts: 3756
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:32 pm

by RTW

I've been here a long time too. I have re-read some old threads recently, and I know that some of them I wrote to have a discussion. For example, I am buying this frame, what groupset should I use? Then have lots of posts debating what parts work on a particular frame. The reality was that I probably had already decided what I was going to use, but the thread was interesting because it was a discussion. It doesn't strike me that threads are like that any more. Look at the 'If someone bought you a bike' thread.... there are posts basically saying 'I'd buy what I've got, because I was right the first time'. It doesn't promote discussion much.

I think pre social media there were some real friendships made here. For me, it was the only place where I could really find like minded people, who weren't just buying whatever was the best marketed at the time.

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