Originally Posted by
Symox
looks like I inadvertently stepped on a landmine. Didn’t realize it was a touchy subject
I’ll chalk it up to live and learn
Relax: this is the Intraweb - it isn't real. You may have been piled-on by early-adopter types desperate to justify their most recent misguided purchases, but your current bike is better than what you can buy now.
First off, shifting performance hasn't improved. If you've ever run NOS Dura-Ace 7700 or 7800 - it is a revelation. Super crisp and clean shifting; better than my 11-speed gear. The reason why most folks cite older stuff having poor shifting is due to a simple lack of maintenance. Spending $20 per year on new cables and housing would fix this. Hell, I was riding on a steel Pinarello yesterday with 1995 Campagnolo Ergopower shifting. Amazing stuff; Campy got brifters right almost out of the gate.
As far as discs, they are heavy, fussy and unnecessary on a performance road bike. Ditto for 28mm+ tires. So take care of your old steed, as whatever you can buy now at the same inflation-adjusted dollars will be heavy and sluggish downgrade that will ride like a farm tractor.
And for all-round riding in hilly terrain, cherish your triple crankset. God only knows why the industry went to compact doubles and now 1 x.
I have been looking for a road bike lately, and you are correct, it is almost impossible to find a road bike that matches the performance of a elite-level 2010 vintage bike - at any price, anywhere. A local shop had a 2017 Giant TCX Pro rim-brake bike on their website. I contacted them hoping to scoop it up, but it was sold. So I then asked them to track something down with similar specs. They could not. Assuming that they did not have enough motivation, I indicated a budget of $15,000. They still could not; current technology will not allow a bike that is lighter and more responsive than several 10-year old bikes I already own.