Broctoon

It's not as common as the deeply flawed claim that if you don't believe something will benefit you personally (whether or not you've even tried it), then nobody else will benefit from it either. You don't have to be a world class pro to enjoy and see real gains from the use of indexed shifting, aero brake levers, modern frame materials, modern tires, or countless other developments--including clipless pedals. If you don't like these things or you find they don't help you, that's fine. Don't use them. Many other amateur or recreational riders benefit from them--millions, in fact. They are not deluded, are not victims of some corporate conspiracy, are not mindless sheep led to waste their money for zero benefit.

I never understand how retro-grouch curmudgeons reconcile the logic of claiming that the 30, 40, or 60 year old bike they ride is the pinnacle of design and technology, and everything that's been introduced since is a pointless waste. Why are you not riding a penny farthing? Or maybe a safety bike with wooden wheels and whatever they called those stupid barely functional brake systems from the 19th century? How is it that your rotten old junky 1960s bike came with everything that any non-pro rider will ever need? By your logic, the bikes that came a generation before also had everything you need, and so did the ones before that, etc. You're essentially saying, "The year 19xx was the point at which bikes came with every worthwhile development, because that's when I turned 18 years old and could afford my first serious bike."

I'm not a fan of disc brakes on road bikes, but that's the direction bike technology is going, so I'm sure I'll switch to them someday. Likewise probably some kind of electronic automatic shifting system, or who knows what. I like the current state of the industry and sometimes cringe when I see how bikes are becoming more expensive and packed with increasingly high-tech gadgets. But I'd be a fool to insistently dismiss all future tech developments without even giving them a try. I love the modern stuff I've already taken on (e.g. clipless pedals, GPS and radar, tubeless tires, a few carbon fiber parts), so I have to at least be open minded enough to accept that good stuff continuously comes to market. It takes incredible ignorance and even personal hubris to believe that whatever the bike world had to offer when you were young is the gold standard... everything prior is obviously outdated, and everything since is needless corporate greed.