Kindaslow

First, let's subtract out all bikes that you love for a reason other than riding them, no nostalgia.

If your bikes all last that long, the N+1 will lead to the need for an extra garage. I want my bikes to be bullett proof for 5-10 years of hard riding. Then, I want something new.

How about you?

PaulH

I've had the same car for 31 years, the same airplane for 30 years, and the same house for 23 years. If something works and is optimal for the job, why replace it? I've had my primary bike for 15 years, so it is my newest vehicle.

OldTryGuy

Paramount is a 1983 and wife told me to buy the Giant in 2013. Don't see anything else in the future as of right now.

BTW, house is 29 years and dealing with original septic system right now. Just finished painting the exterior for the first time. Oh and forgot, wife is original at 43 years a couple of weeks ago. Don't see a replacement anytime soon.

Kindaslow

I cannot picture older stuff being optimal. Functional, yes, optimal no.

And, because it is fun, everything is paid for, and I do not want to give the kids too much....

Kindaslow

A wife is super expensive to replace! I tried that once, and it was worth every penny!

beechnutC23

Cars, not so long, because cars rust so fast here. We kept one car, a '98 Honda, for 15 years and 300k km. My son tried to jack it up on the jack point to change a flat and the jack punched through the body due to excessive rust. So we retired it. My wife got a new car and he inherited her old car. It's 11 years old and has 280k km so every so slightly newer (but it's a VW diesel that was bought in part for longevity). I've owned the same plane (Beech Sundowner) for 13 years but it's for sale now, no longer fly it enough to justify the costs especially since I retired.

My primary bike is now my secondary bike but is 22 years old (a Marinoni Special). I still ride it regularly, rode it twice this week in fact. I agree that if something works and is optimal, keep it. However I do have a carbon bike as well. I live in a very hilly/low mountain area and these old legs appreciate the light weight, the compact crank, and the stiffness that transfers more energy to the road. That's for most of my rides. But when the mission is a century, my old Marinoni, with its custom-fitted frame, is unbeatable. I will replace my carbon bike soon to get a better fit. The current one's frame is just slightly too big for me and is causing me some issues.

Retro Grouch 

The aesthetic and rational sides of my brain are constantly at war.

My bikes are in a constant state of flux. I'm tinkering and changing stuff on them all the time. Eventually I'll reach a point at which I'll totally disassemble a bike, repaint it, and rebuild it for some special use or another. As such, my bikes get quite a bit of maintenance and, frankly, I'm not a high mileage rider. As such, my bikes last for a very long time. I HAVE NEVER HAD A BIKE THAT DIDN'T LAST LONGER THAN i WANTED IT TO LAST. I'm always on the lookout for something different before any of my bikes become non-functional.

Rick@OCRR

My two oldest bike are from '82 (though it was built in '75) and '86. Still ride them both though the Masi has been converted to fixed gear, the Mercian serves well for touring and rain-bike duties. So yes, I am glad they lasted this long and have a few more years in them!

My titanium GT and my GT Zaskar mountain bike are both from '98 so lots of years served by those two.

Rick / OCRR

OldsCOOL

My newest bike is an '88 Cannondale. My shop is big enough to contain them all but the really nice ones are inside the house.

Miele Man

Came across a bicycle shop out in the country and just outside of a small city. They had a lot of NO stuff from the 1980s. I grabbed a few Uniglide cassettes and a bunch of Dura Ace AX brake pads. I also got some NOS Shimano cleats that were designed to be used with the then new Dura Ace AX toeclips. Why buy all that stuff? I figure I'm good now until my bicycling days are over in about 30+ years.

I like my bike and it fits me very well and I enjoy riding it. I'll be keeping it on the road until it or myself wears out.

Cheers

Kindaslow

How many of you go to Baskin-Robbins and order vanilla?



please note, I am glad you love your bikes, but I am going to tease you a little....

Machka 

OK ... I've subtracted out all my bicycles.

What's the next step?



OK

79pmooney

I rode the bike that I knew was what I wanted in 1989. A steel forked Merlin. That as a custom road bike would be it. Well, 18 years went by before I could justify a $4000 bike. When I could, I lived in Portland, OR and TiCyles had made me several stems, I got to see their work up close in progress and talk to owners if the bikes. Going with them was a no-brainer but if I could have had Merlin make it 25 years ago, I'd still be riding it.

And my most fun bike, the 2011 TiCycles fix gear is really just a ti framed road racing fix gear, as if derailleurs had never been invented. Not hard for me to imagine this bike still being a blast to ride as along as a I can still throw my leg over a saddle. If I got this bike 40 years ago, I would see no reason to change much of anything. Granted, it does have a few parts I really like that weren't available then, but I would have worn out the older parts long ago anyway.

My other bikes are built up around: a 1979 custom built for me, an '83 Trek 420 frame and a '73 Raleigh Competition frame.

One reality for me is that stock frames are rarely great fits. Paying good money for an "A" level bike with "B" level fit doesn't appeal to me. My customs and the bikes that I have held on to have "A" quality fits. I'll just tweak them and perhaps get another to do something those bikes aren't good at. (Maybe. I might just keep my life simpler and just enjoy these superb rides.)

Ben

79pmooney

I rarely go to Baskin-Robbins and haven't had their vanilla. Is it to die for? If yes, I might have to go try it.

Ben

Rollfast

Seeing that all of my bikes already have made it 20, 50 and 50+ years and diabetes means vanilla is what I'm left with in moderation vs. sugar free, and I haven't been to a B-R in over 20 years but fondly remember the huge PISTACHIO honey cone I had at the Seattle Center in 1992, prior to all of that...well, YES.

canklecat

I've had the same pair of Herman Survivor boots for 43 years, still on the original soles and heels -- although those will finally need to be replaced this year. Same pair of Larry Mahan elk hide boots for 20 years, with two heel and sole changes. Same pair of Montrail lightweight low top hiking shoes for 10 years, and I'll need to repair holes in both soles with Shoe Goo soon.

When I find something that fits comfortably and keeps working, I keep it. If it's not a perfect, comfortable fit, I get rid of it and find something that suits me better.

I wish I'd kept my 1976 Motobecane Mirage. It fit, it was comfortable, and it worked. I'm pondering a similar road bike, although with more readily available replacement components.

My current bike fits, is comfortable and it works. It's heavy and durable, the bike equivalent to my Herman Survivors. I'll keep riding it as long as I can ride.

Dave Cutter

Well... I've already resorted to storing a perfectly good (clean and ride-able) vintage bike in my lawn mower shed. I feel so ashamed.

I am all for the something new... every now-and-then. But why engineer-in a shortened lifespan. I like the idea of just selling off the old bike (like that is ever going to happen) and replace it with a new bike.

I love me a lugged steel bike with downtube shifters (like the one in the shed)... but I've also been entertaining thoughts of disc brakes on a new road bike.

Kindaslow

I don't want it to break or be worn out in 5-10 years, I would settle on a story the wife would believe regarding needing to replace it.

And, somebody usually gets a great bike.

Funny thing is my 3 bikes that get ridden the least I cannot see selling, but the three that get ridden the most are the ones that are the most likely to get replaced in the 5-10 year window. But, that includes a commuter that gets ridden in terrible weather and MTBs that get ridden hard, no matter the conditions.

D1andonlyDman

I'm very glad that my 30 year-old Tommasini is as good a bike as it was when it was new. The NEWEST of my main road bikes are both 17 years old.

Loose Chain

Yeah, I do. And most of the junk they build now is wonderfully light and woefully disposable and astoundingly expensive.

Wildwood 

My newest bike is a dozen years old, and I rode my 1st adult bike for almost 30 years - so yeah - I do want them to last another 30 years; by which time I likely won't be riding diamond framed bikes. 65 + 30 = 95.

what is most important is that I have enough to keep me happy.

CliffordK

Well, my last bike lasted me through half of High School, through college, and for another 20 years. I suppose there really wasn't any reason to replace it.

I've started experimenting a bit now, and am enjoying it. However, I certainly don't want to start blowing apart frames in the next 5 to 10 years. Nor do I want to loose some very expensive shifters or derailleurs.

Anyway, I can't say that I'll want to keep my current rides forever, or that there won't be something better down the road, but I don't want to be forced to change due to some major parts failure.

This is the 50+ forum. I can't say whether I'll be pedalling or petalling in 40 years.

BobbyG

I would like my bike's motor to last that long!

bikemig 

I took my 1960 Olmo gran sport on a 56 mile ride yesterday. Almost all the parts are original. The bike rides really well even if the 1960 campy era gran sport derailleurs are not as good as the record and nuovo record derailleurs which replaced the gran sport. My 30 plus year old bikes work better mechanically than my 50 plus year old bikes, but then that was true for me as well . Here's a gratuitous pic of the bike on the yesterday's 56 mile ride:

Bandera

Leaving for a 50 mile solo FG ride in few minutes on this old "optimized" bike:



A good quality properly fitted and selected machine can stay in service for many decades, this one for 39 years so far.
As always, suit yourself.

edit: That ride went well despite an unexpected modest thunderstorm and mid-90F temps into a stiffening head wind.
Fixed gear riding is a 19th century tech experience that is well served by having a supple compliant yet efficient frameset that one has put considerable FG seat time on.
Nothing on the market that exceeds the Requirements of the old Trek, that which works: Works.

-Bandera