Originally Posted by
spinconn
So, why would modern designs be less aggressive than an 80's road bike?
Road bikes in the 80s varied greatly. They cant be grouped into a single style.
In general, road bikes in the first few years had more tire clearance than similar level road bikes in the closing years of the decade.
Some were 73/73 frames. Some were more relaxed and others were more aggressive.
Then you have the general approach of brands where models closer to entry level were more relaxed than top comp models.
Are new road bikes less aggressive? Compare a trek Emonda with an 87 Schwinn Circuit or Super Sport. Head tube angle, seat tube angle, wheelbase, fork offset...are the differences really significant?
But that's just one example and to categorize an entire decade off an example would be a mistake...