Originally Posted by smd4

The simple fact remains. Some older tech is just more robust than newer stuff (notice I didn't say more efficient, better, faster, etc...). Forget steam locomotives---go to the example I posted earlier (after you had already quoted me in reply): There are tens of thousands--if not hundreds of thousands--of manual wind pocket watches (mine's a 1911 Hamilton), that are serviceable and operational today. There are virtually no functional examples of the Texas Instruments red LED watches from 1976.

My slide rule is able to do computations that my long-dead solar-powered calculator cannot anymore. And will never, ever stop functioning if properly cared for. My bike will be functioning perfectly long after your plastic bike with electronic parts is nothing but a fond memory in landfill.