Why vintage bikes-two pictures.
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Lacey, WA
Posts: 1,710
Bikes: Stevenson Custom, Stevenson Custom Tandem, Nishiki Professional
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 367 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 195 Times
in
127 Posts
Why vintage bikes-two pictures.
This picture kind of summed up our current world of bicycles to me.
"Made in Taiwan", "U.S.A." and "Motobecane" all in one head badge/close to it. A historic French bike now is a brand and while I am sure there is function in this bike, when I look at these welds (seat stay to seat tube) all I see are robot arms (but likely still a welder putting out x hundred frames a day?).
Functional, but disposable, rebuild? Why?
Yet for the cost of this bike, which seems to be what I see in build up to $1,000.00 price range, you could have a vintage bike built by hand, made to be rebuilt and ridden life times and at the $1,000.00 price you're looking at some grail bikes (Miyata Pro I've been lusting over on ebay....).
Yet, there is a comfort, an affirmation, a bicycle is a very very old technology when measured against the every year turn over of the digital world, and yet it works, some would even say it is perfected.
To ride functional hand crafted art, for a pittance, for me it is the why of vintage bikes.
Oh, and the grand kids love to look at them too...their future riders.
"Made in Taiwan", "U.S.A." and "Motobecane" all in one head badge/close to it. A historic French bike now is a brand and while I am sure there is function in this bike, when I look at these welds (seat stay to seat tube) all I see are robot arms (but likely still a welder putting out x hundred frames a day?).
Functional, but disposable, rebuild? Why?
Yet for the cost of this bike, which seems to be what I see in build up to $1,000.00 price range, you could have a vintage bike built by hand, made to be rebuilt and ridden life times and at the $1,000.00 price you're looking at some grail bikes (Miyata Pro I've been lusting over on ebay....).
Yet, there is a comfort, an affirmation, a bicycle is a very very old technology when measured against the every year turn over of the digital world, and yet it works, some would even say it is perfected.
To ride functional hand crafted art, for a pittance, for me it is the why of vintage bikes.
Oh, and the grand kids love to look at them too...their future riders.
Last edited by since6; 06-03-19 at 08:25 AM.
Likes For since6:
#2
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,237
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times
in
3,183 Posts
Agree. Many modern bikes are hideous.
Likes For SurferRosa:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,457
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1629 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 814 Times
in
527 Posts
I didn't think I'd miss lugs that much,..... but I do on these "retro" modern bikes....
Welds just look hideous to me, unless they do a fillet job (A good, clean, well proportioned one).....
Welds just look hideous to me, unless they do a fillet job (A good, clean, well proportioned one).....
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,652
Bikes: too many sparkly Italians, some sweet Americans and a couple interesting Japanese
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 560 Post(s)
Liked 546 Times
in
396 Posts
Modern bikes can be eye sores but there are many modern artists/craftsmen who do work like David Kirk's fillet brazing and lug work that show gratitude, respect, and admiration for the C&V artists/craftsmen of the past.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Menomonee Falls, WI
Posts: 1,850
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: 601 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times
in
530 Posts
Yeah, I’m just not willing to pay that much, for functional, but ugly. That price buys an awful nice CV ride.
Tim
Tim
#7
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 17,229
Bikes: Two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1254 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
174 Posts
Plenty of "vintage" bikes look terrible as well...many have visibly ugly gaps, unfiled lugs...paint Stevie Wonder would write a dirge about...
Threads like this offer nothing IMO. Don't want one? Don't buy one. Buying/restoring a used bike is very different than buying a new one...and it doesn't make you smarter to prefer one to the other. If people said this about your vintage bike, there'd be thread(s) about being picked on. Old bikes can be great. New ones can be great. Get the tool right for you and your budget.
I don't see why this belongs here and not foo.
Threads like this offer nothing IMO. Don't want one? Don't buy one. Buying/restoring a used bike is very different than buying a new one...and it doesn't make you smarter to prefer one to the other. If people said this about your vintage bike, there'd be thread(s) about being picked on. Old bikes can be great. New ones can be great. Get the tool right for you and your budget.
I don't see why this belongs here and not foo.
Likes For rando_couche:
#9
Senior Member
I can appreciate a well-done (generally NOT mass-produced) TIG weld. It really comes down to how much character you want in your bike and sorry to say, welded just ain't got it.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 2,742
Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1136 Post(s)
Liked 649 Times
in
336 Posts
The welds on that Bikes Direct Moto are fine. It's an aluminum bike, so the welds are going to be bigger by virtue of the material. From a welding point of view that is pretty well-done. They are not done by a a robot but by hand. Look up Frank The Welder's current aluminum work and you'll see they aren't that different.
TIG welded bikes do have character and take a lot of skill. The majority on this forum don't find them aesthetically pleasing because to a layman they are not as geometric as a lug.
I agree with the point that the new bikes are usually not a great deal compared to vintage, but you are paying a premium for newer tech and not having to rebuild your bike.
Yes the new Motos are ugly, but other people feel the same way about C&V. Luckily aesthetics is subjective.
TIG welded bikes do have character and take a lot of skill. The majority on this forum don't find them aesthetically pleasing because to a layman they are not as geometric as a lug.
I agree with the point that the new bikes are usually not a great deal compared to vintage, but you are paying a premium for newer tech and not having to rebuild your bike.
Yes the new Motos are ugly, but other people feel the same way about C&V. Luckily aesthetics is subjective.
Last edited by TenGrainBread; 06-05-19 at 07:24 AM.
Likes For TenGrainBread:
#11
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,765
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1384 Post(s)
Liked 1,294 Times
in
819 Posts
Personal opinion: I hate sloping top tubes, and I hate big visible welds. I like cleanly brazed lugwork, either simple or ornate, and a good, clean fillet braze job.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#12
Senior Member
Empty brands are sad. Especially when they really have their own production and development. Why purchase an old brand, when you can just call it your own name and everything would be fine.
I wonder what Alberto Masi says about these:
https://masibikes.com/collections/ur...iale-otto-2019
https://masibikes.com/collections/ur...-vita-tre-2019
I wonder what Alberto Masi says about these:
https://masibikes.com/collections/ur...iale-otto-2019
https://masibikes.com/collections/ur...-vita-tre-2019