Then and now

Then
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'
Now
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inbetween

cheeky, but can't argue against.

Bikes looked so much better in the 1980's, toe-clips and straps, exposed brake cables and down tube shifters, quill stems, Cinelli 66 and 64 'bars, Rolls and Turbo saddles and tubs, heaven! Not a strand of carbon insight, wish I could build a time-machine.

+1 for Then

I absolutely love the look of old road bicycles but I think they ride absolutely terribly.

why would you think that? good ones ride really well actually

Couldn't agree more James, I've got a Francesco Moser "Modello Grand Prix" a Giant Cadex 980c and an ALAN Record Carbone and all ride fantastic.

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My steel bike rides FAR better than my fancy modern carbon bike. It's really noticeable.

Steel is real, Reynolds 531 has won more Tour de France's than any other material. You don't need £7k carbon bikes with deep section wheels and electronic gears to go on a club run, but it's amazing how many people you see who think they do, as Lance said "it's not about the bike"

Reynolds 531 has won more Tour de France's than any other material

I'd dispute that now. Carbon fibre has been ridden by the winner in the Tour for 30 years.

Don't forget there was no winner for nearly 30% of those years.

Yer, good point fussballclub! And andyp but, Reynolds/steel has won a lot, Hinault won in 1985 on Reynolds 753, Lemond used 753 (and TVT) in 1986, Roche '87, Columbus SLX, Indurain won on steel 1991-95, Riis '96 on alloy (and gallons of EPO), and Ullrich, Pantani, then LA on carbon with Trek, I reckon it'd be a close thing, but steel will never win again! And I think that's a shame.

I sold my Cannondale CAAD 10 and bought a steel frame instead (a 1998 Master). Don't want anything else but steel since. And that "old bikes" don't ride well is mostly because they don't fit you right and/or parts got bad maintenance. In the last 3 years I restored several steel bikes (from early eighties till late nineties) and when you got the framesize and stem length right, put new cables and lube some things, they ride as good as new bikes. You miss some gears, that's right but for non-competitive riding that's not an issue.

My friends and I subscribed for next years Maratona dles Dolomites and I promised them that when we get drawn, I will ride it with my '86 Colnago Master (because 1986 is the year the first Maratona took place). My personal best was 5 hr 55 minutes (140 km and 4200 m of climbing) on a sub 7 kilo bike but I think I won't be lots slower when riding the steel Master. I hope. ;-)

Maybe I need to expand on my comment, they look fantastic but from a rider point of view here's what I dislike about how original bicycles ride. This is all in the experience of bicycles I've owned so obviously won't be the same as others.

Note: nearly all of my bikes are steel, the only thing original being the frame and forks, here's what I can't live with:

. down-tube shifters
. flexible quill stems
. small, uncomfortable brake levers that require you to be in the drops to brake properly
. annoying cables being in the way
. deep drop bars
. not enough gears

Also nothing to do with the quality, fit or setup of the bikes I've ran, a few had NOS campagnolo SR from the 80s.

1986 Colnago Master, lovely, good luck you'll be almost as quick (I hope) post a pic of the bike.

I have had a few carbon frames ,but for the last few years only raced and rode on steel don't think I am missing out ,also spitfire planes where made out of 531 say no more .

Good points JamesNQ, but that's all part of the "fun" I recently rode the Redmon GP des Gentlemen (with clubmate - Chris Lovibond) we rode in the "retro" section and won by 4 minutes (although I was 6 or so minutes slower than the year before finishing 2nd on speed 4th on standard on my Colnago Flite TT bike) this was due to Chris being 70!, I had much more fun this year!!!

Don't get me wrong I have a few bikes that I've kept completely original because they are well, original and when I do ride them I kinda take it easy.

Hm, guess I'm getting too personal into "what makes a perfect bike"

Without going off-topic, would be interested to hear what other people see as their dream bike set up? Not the brand, colours etc but the actual feel of the bike.

I'm the same as you JamesNQ, only ride the "retro" when I'm not training "properly" if I'm honest. It's just nice to potter along at 18/19's or so in '80's heaven, although I did 54:08 on a Paké steel track frame, Corima Disc wheel and aero front and Deda clip on tri bars riding 53 x 15 fixed,on H25/2 in the V.T.T.A 25 in October, I was chuffed with that.

In fact you're pretty right, @JamesNQ, those are the things I dislike most too (but maybe I forgot because most of my bikes are post 1990 so have ergopower shifters...). The dt-shifted ones ride as good but indeed less comfy.

I have to confess that the bike I ride most, is my 1998 Master that I built up with Sram Force and lightweight parts.

Here's pics of the "modern classic" and the '86 Master ("under construction")

Lovely Colnago, can't wait to see it when it's finished.

Thanks, me too. ;-)

Only problem is: the SR groupset on the pics is one I bought for an early Eddy Merckx Professional I'm restoring (see https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/273120/#comment12484992). The group is early eighties and I just find it difficult to put an era-incorrect group on this frame. I know that is actually crap because the bike was originally sold with an almost identical groupset on it (only the crankset was non fluted) but that's just me. It wouldn't feel "right" and sooner or later I would change it anyway.

Right now I have some other priorities (finishing my new -steel- mountainbike to ride next years Grand Raid Cristalp, finishing my 1982 Colnago Super, my 1999 Look KG 243 and my 1995 Gios, repainting the Merckx, a 1991 Panasonic PR6000,...) and no money anymore, so it will have to wait. But when we can participate in the Maratona, that Master will become first bike to finish.

Yeah, it's some kind of addictive, those old bikes...

You sound like me, loads of bikes, all different, steel, carbon, alloy, fixed etc

@staggy BTW, like that Alan you've got there. Looks a great groupset on it (early Athena or Chorus?)