Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Why are old bike parts so sucky?

Search
Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Why are old bike parts so sucky?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 12-05-17, 06:21 PM
  #26  
leftthread
Senior Member
 
leftthread's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Land of Cheese
Posts: 1,078
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 213 Times in 105 Posts
The past week or so I've been riding hydro disc. Geez, it's like being on the Schwinn Bantam again: locking the rear in skid. No way am I touching the front brake lever.
leftthread is offline  
Old 12-05-17, 07:39 PM
  #27  
OldsCOOL
Senior Member
 
OldsCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317

Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 313 Posts
Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
As it happens, Issue #60 of Bicycle Quarterly has an article by J.P. Weigle about a recent trip to Japan, where among other things, he visited the Japanese constructeur C.S. Hirose and was shown a Huret Allvit derailleur modified for desmodromic actuation:

Love the minds of R&D folk.

I got pretty good at shifting mine but still didnt care for it.
OldsCOOL is offline  
Old 12-05-17, 07:55 PM
  #28  
iab
Senior Member
 
iab's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NW Burbs, Chicago
Posts: 12,047
Mentioned: 201 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3011 Post(s)
Liked 3,788 Times in 1,405 Posts
Simply because it is fun to try something different. Old, new, it's all good.

As long as you don't buy into the bike making you "better".
iab is offline  
Old 12-05-17, 09:26 PM
  #29  
Drillium Dude 
Banned.
Thread Starter
 
Drillium Dude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,823 Times in 1,709 Posts
Yeah, what was it with those yahoos bitd making Swiss cheese out of those parts? It's not like those parts started off looking any good, but damn, once the mad drillers got going all bets were off!

And don't even get me started on those ass-hatchet, suspended leather "saddles". Luddite Grails, those, amiright?

DD
Drillium Dude is offline  
Old 12-05-17, 09:51 PM
  #30  
mackgoo
Senior Member
 
mackgoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: San Clemente
Posts: 664

Bikes: 87 Bianchi X4, 95 Bianchi Ti Mega Tube, 06 Alan Carbon Cross X33, Gold plated Columbus AIR Guerciotti, 74 Galmozzi Super Competizione, 52 Bianchi Paris Roubaix.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 259 Post(s)
Liked 539 Times in 166 Posts
I disagree with the whole premise. I just finished building up an old X4 with Campy C Record. I'm having a blast riding the bike. The Deltas work great, one finger from the drops, two from the hoods. I'm struck by how quiet the drive train is. I even went overboard and picked up a synchro II. It shifts flawlessly. I don't worry about dropping the chain at either end in the front.
In my opinion the advantage of newer stuff is convenience, period.
[IMG][/IMG]
mackgoo is offline  
Likes For mackgoo:
Old 12-05-17, 10:15 PM
  #31  
himespau 
Senior Member
 
himespau's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 13,443
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4225 Post(s)
Liked 2,945 Times in 1,804 Posts
Originally Posted by bikingshearer
Thag say: Old lugged steel frames good; Campy 10-speed triple and dual-pivot brakes good; combination of both gooder.
I concur 100%. I wish Campy were still making 10 speed triples.
himespau is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 06:51 AM
  #32  
satbuilder 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Southern Maryland
Posts: 1,447

Bikes: A few

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 289 Post(s)
Liked 195 Times in 102 Posts
I wonder if Jeff's cat isn't getting enough attention and took over his keyboard to get back at him
satbuilder is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 06:59 AM
  #33  
thinktubes 
weapons-grade bolognium
 
thinktubes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Across the street from Chicago
Posts: 6,344

Bikes: Battaglin Cromor, Ciocc Designer 84, Schwinn Superior 1981

Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 2,376 Times in 891 Posts
Is Mercury in Retrograde?
thinktubes is online now  
Old 12-06-17, 04:23 PM
  #34  
RobbieTunes
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,409 Times in 909 Posts
Originally Posted by iab
Simply because it is fun to try something different. Old, new, it's all good.

As long as you don't buy into the bike making you "better".
No, but the shorts improve my image....
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 04:25 PM
  #35  
RobbieTunes
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,409 Times in 909 Posts
Originally Posted by wrk101
Yes send me all those crappy old out of date bikes and I will dispose of them for you.

Stopped at a nearby LBS to see if they had any take off parts. Guy asked me the age of my bike. I told him it was a 1987 model. He informed me any bike over five years old is obsolete and not worth repairing... guy was about my age (60+).
That must not have been Hearns. They actually moved some carbon bikes into the Room of Doom.
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 04:26 PM
  #36  
RobbieTunes
Banned.
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 378 Post(s)
Liked 1,409 Times in 909 Posts
Originally Posted by -holiday76
I forget, is "sucky" a good quality or a bad one?

I had an old girlfriend that was really sucky, and ever since then i've been confused.
I think I met her sister. I was so hooked I sold my bike.
RobbieTunes is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 07:52 PM
  #37  
tyler_fred
Senior Member
 
tyler_fred's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Magnolia State, 100° with 110% humidity
Posts: 1,230

Bikes: American, Italian, and Japanese.. in no particular order.

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 350 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times in 128 Posts
Originally Posted by canklecat
My bike has the same complaint about me. "When am I gonna get a rider who can actually do something with me?"
See post #8. Your bike is just repeating what @-holiday76 's old girlfriend had already said...
tyler_fred is offline  
Old 12-06-17, 08:23 PM
  #38  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times in 1,800 Posts
Originally Posted by tyler_fred
See post #8. Your bike is just repeating what @-holiday76 's old girlfriend had already said...
We're starting to sound like those late night TV ads for Red Fortera, that little red pill for men. Those ads are so bad they're good. Especially when the guy recites the same script as the earlier versions with the girl. Great for playing the add-a-line game. Just add "That's what she said" after everything the guy says.

"I was starting to think I didn't have it in me anymore."
(That's what she said.)

"My girlfriend wanted to know what's got into me."
(That's what she said.)

Now whenever I mount my Ironman it smarts off at me.
"Are you on yet? Because I can't tell. Oh, you are? Try pedaling. Oh, you are? I couldn't tell."
canklecat is offline  
Likes For canklecat:
Old 02-11-21, 12:53 PM
  #39  
Barchettaman
Senior Member
 
Barchettaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Posts: 1,544

Bikes: Focus trash find commuter, Eddy Merckx Corsa, BP Stealth TT bike, Leader 720 TT bike, Boardman Comp Hybrid drop bar conversion, Quantec CX budget cyclocross build, SerottaNOS frameset ready to build up!

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 128 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times in 69 Posts
Vintage steel and a modern drivetrain is the best of all worlds.

Others may disagree.

They’re right too.
Barchettaman is offline  
Likes For Barchettaman:
Old 02-11-21, 01:27 PM
  #40  
JaccoW
Overdoing projects
 
JaccoW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rotterdam, former republic of the Netherlands
Posts: 2,397

Bikes: Batavus Randonneur GL, Gazelle Orange Excellent, Gazelle Super Licht, Gazelle Grand Tourist, Gazelle Lausanne, Gazelle Tandem, Koga-Miyata SilverAce, Koga-Miyata WorldTraveller

Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 784 Post(s)
Liked 1,238 Times in 686 Posts
Originally Posted by Barchettaman
Vintage steel and a modern drivetrain is the best of all worlds.

Others may disagree.

They’re right too.
Nice zombie.

Old bike parts can be sucky because they have 40 years of wear on them.
And in some cases "they don't make them like they used to", and that's a good thing. E.g. Cars, certain stems, many lugged carbon fibre bikes.
JaccoW is offline  
Old 02-11-21, 01:39 PM
  #41  
Andy_K 
Senior Member
 
Andy_K's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,742

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,865 Times in 1,439 Posts
Originally Posted by bikingshearer
Thag say: Old lugged steel frames good; Campy 10-speed triple and dual-pivot brakes good; combination of both gooder.
I know this is a three year old post, but I just have to give kudos to how well this captures my philosophy on vintage bikes.

The "triple" part of this is central to why I'm rarely happy with vintage drivetrains (until Campy 10-speed is acknowledged as vintage), Yeah, I know there are some vintage triples, but the newer stuff works better. Pins and ramps on a crank make a big difference.

The "dual-pivot" part captures why I'm rarely happy with vintage brake systems. They weren't designed for riding on the hoods, which is where I'm comfortable, and I just don't like having to use a lot of hand pressure.
__________________
My Bikes
Andy_K is offline  
Likes For Andy_K:
Old 02-11-21, 01:44 PM
  #42  
Moe Zhoost
Half way there
 
Moe Zhoost's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,956

Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 986 Post(s)
Liked 880 Times in 527 Posts
Because your listed parts are much better than what these guys have:


Moe Zhoost is offline  
Likes For Moe Zhoost:
Old 02-11-21, 01:54 PM
  #43  
Phil_gretz
Zip tie Karen
 
Phil_gretz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Posts: 7,004

Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1465 Post(s)
Liked 1,542 Times in 806 Posts
I'm old and fairly worn out, but I'm not sucky. Yet.

BTW, I like old parts on old bikes. I also like new parts on new bikes. I guess that I just like bikes. Is that a sucky idea?
Phil_gretz is offline  
Old 02-11-21, 02:32 PM
  #44  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,498

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7346 Post(s)
Liked 2,452 Times in 1,430 Posts
I also agree that old frames and new or newish components make a good combination. I've modernized most of my old bikes. I was glad to hear the esteemed frame builder Dave Moulton confirm this in an interview on The Outspoken Cyclist.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Likes For noglider:
Old 02-11-21, 03:49 PM
  #45  
cbrstar
BMX Connoisseur
 
cbrstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Canada
Posts: 774

Bikes: 1988 Kuwahara Newport, 1983 Nishiki, 1984 Diamond Back Viper, 1991 Dyno Compe

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 399 Post(s)
Liked 108 Times in 69 Posts
Well at least in my case the new bike isn't going to remind me of when I was young, handsome and awesome!
cbrstar is offline  
Likes For cbrstar:
Old 02-11-21, 04:01 PM
  #46  
tkamd73 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Menomonee Falls, WI
Posts: 1,832

Bikes: 1984 Schwinn Supersport, 1988 Trek 400T, 1977 Trek TX900, 1982 Bianchi Champione del Mondo, 1978 Raleigh Supercourse, 1986 Trek 400 Elance, 1991 Waterford PDG OS Paramount, 1971 Schwinn Sports Tourer, 1985 Trek 670

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 603 Post(s)
Liked 1,062 Times in 534 Posts
I guess put in descending order, Moron, Imbecile, and Idiot, are bad words too.
Tim
tkamd73 is offline  
Old 02-11-21, 07:16 PM
  #47  
Chombi1 
Senior Member
 
Chombi1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,474
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1635 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 824 Times in 533 Posts
Originally Posted by mackgoo
I disagree with the whole premise. I just finished building up an old X4 with Campy C Record. I'm having a blast riding the bike. The Deltas work great, one finger from the drops, two from the hoods. I'm struck by how quiet the drive train is. I even went overboard and picked up a synchro II. It shifts flawlessly. I don't worry about dropping the chain at either end in the front.
In my opinion the advantage of newer stuff is convenience, period.
Uhmmm......Synchro??....... Shift flawlessly??.......
What alternate C&V dimension might you be writing your posts from??........
BTW,.....FANTASTICALLY GORGEOUS BIANCHI YOU HAVE THERE!!
__________________
72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)
Chombi1 is offline  
Old 02-11-21, 08:04 PM
  #48  
bikingshearer 
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
 
bikingshearer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Democratic Peoples' Republic of Berkeley
Posts: 5,645

Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1021 Post(s)
Liked 2,513 Times in 1,051 Posts
Originally Posted by Andy_K
I know this is a three year old post, but I just have to give kudos to how well this captures my philosophy on vintage bikes.

The "triple" part of this is central to why I'm rarely happy with vintage drivetrains (until Campy 10-speed is acknowledged as vintage), Yeah, I know there are some vintage triples, but the newer stuff works better. Pins and ramps on a crank make a big difference.

The "dual-pivot" part captures why I'm rarely happy with vintage brake systems. They weren't designed for riding on the hoods, which is where I'm comfortable, and I just don't like having to use a lot of hand pressure.
You are obviously a man of refinement and discerning taste, with an appreciation for a subtle turn of phrase.
__________________
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
bikingshearer is offline  
Old 02-11-21, 09:49 PM
  #49  
gugie 
Bike Butcher of Portland
 
gugie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 11,630

Bikes: It's complicated.

Mentioned: 1299 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4677 Post(s)
Liked 5,790 Times in 2,279 Posts
Originally Posted by bikingshearer
You are obviously a man of refinement and discerning taste, with an appreciation for a subtle turn of phrase.
That's why he's under contract as my publicist.

__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
gugie is online now  
Old 02-11-21, 10:32 PM
  #50  
repechage
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 20,305
Mentioned: 130 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3464 Post(s)
Liked 2,827 Times in 1,995 Posts
Originally Posted by iab
Simply because it is fun to try something different. Old, new, it's all good.

As long as you don't buy into the bike making you "better".
only the winners all rode full Campagnolo.

you don’t ask too many questions on the winning side.

I started winning races when I had a full Canpagnolo bicycle
repechage is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.