Originally Posted by
HighAltitude
I have another thread in the MTB section where I agonize over whether to "Love It or List It" with my 1998 Specialized Stumpjumper. After deciding to update and improve it, I've gradually come to the conclusion that if I MTB more in the coming years than in recent, I'll probably want a new bike.
But the story is different with my road bike, which is a 90s era Litespeed Classic. It's great, fits me perfectly. No doubt road bike tech has come a long way in 20 years, but I like this bike and plan to keep it. Just thought I'd make this thread so could post the picture.
Yes, they're nice.
I've been riding the same Litespeed Natchez frame since 1997. It was 8 cog Campagnolo when I first built it up, although I moved on to 9 with a new right index cam plus freehubs when they discontinued my favorite cassette, then 10 when I broke a discontinued small part in my shifters.
Currently I run Record Titanium brakes/derailleurs, 2010 Centaur Carbon Ultrashift levers, an FSA SLK-Light carbon triple crank with 50-39-30 rings, 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-26 cassette, SON28 dynamo front hub, PowerTap rear hub, and 25mm deep Velocity Fusion rims with retroreflective powder coating.
It's very comfortable on one day rides past 200 miles.
Apart from more cogs, carbon fiber brake levers that feel nicer in cool weather, electronic shifting without cables to wear out, and disc brakes allowing wider tires road bike technology hasn't changed since the early 1990s when we got integrated brake/shift levers and dual pivot calipers providing more mechanical advantage.
Threadless headsets which can lose adjustment from heavy braking and compact frames that don't leave room for frame pump plus 750ml water bottle on your seat tube are not advancements.
