The actual term, not so much. The attitude in cycling? Definitely.
Do you think though it predates Henri? Maybe when safety bikes were all the rage some old bastard was upset at the loss of high wheelers? But really nothing much changed until those new-fangled multi-gear bikes. Flies in the face of Rule
#5 . You people griping about sti and carbon are soft like the Pillsbury dough boy.
My answer was to the OP, but I'm sure the concept of retrogrouch was around when the first caveman to strike fire to cook meat, Grob said to Bleek, "what, you can't just eat it raw?"
I don't gripe about STI and carbon, my personal preference is friction and steel. And I'm in a small minority, obviously, based on what I see people riding on, even here in Portlandia where retro is practically the area's motto. "Some of my best friends ride carbon."
I brought up Grant Petersen as a tongue-in-cheek comment, if you ask most "vintage aged" cyclists to name a cycling retro grouch, I'm pretty sure Grant's name would come
#1 on a Pareto list.