View Poll Results: Oldest bike in active service?
Less than 10 years old. Newer is always better!
5
6.02%
10-19 years old. Rim brake heyday is where it's at!
12
14.46%
20-29 years old. Reliving the Lance/Ullrich/Pantani/Riis era!
16
19.28%
30+ years old. Steel is real! Or... who needs indexed shifting?
50
60.24%
Voters: 83. You may not vote on this poll
Oldest bike in active service/rotation?
02-25-24, 11:28 AM
#26
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The scale of improvements/changes are perceived differently by different people. The bicycle used by riders to go off the pavement has evolved dramatically. But on the road side, mostly refinements. Derailleurs/multiple gears was a big development. Shifters moved around and eventually settled on the handlebars as the preferred choice. Braking is going from rim based to discs. Frame/ components materials have changed/evolved. Along the way, with each development, the bike has got more gears, or less gears. With each development, the bike has become lighter, or heavier, more aero, or less aero. It's become more user friendly, or less depending on who's talking about it. By and large, more or less, it's the same "safety bike" that replaced the Penny Farthing. The one thing that hasn't changed at all, at least on BF, is people arguing/discussing every possible aspect about it. Time marches on. 
Edit: I forgot about bikes that aren't human powered or assist the user. Even those aren't new. They've been around for generations. They just went by different names like mopeds.
Edit: I forgot about bikes that aren't human powered or assist the user. Even those aren't new. They've been around for generations. They just went by different names like mopeds.
And yes, a lot of trends do swing back and forth, for ‘reasons.’ Just along for the ride…
02-25-24, 05:00 PM
#27
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I have 2 bikes: older one is a 1990 Klein Pinnacle mountain bike, newer one is a 2011 Specialized Ruby Elite road bike. I wouldn't trade them for anything newer!
02-25-24, 05:31 PM
#28
minimalist cyclist
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'73 Raleigh Grand Prix. Not an elite model but a good example of a bike boom bike complete with cotter pins, steel rims & center pull brakes....and 10 speeds 
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02-25-24, 06:38 PM
#29
Cantilever believer
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Oldest to newest, based on frame age:
1972 Raleigh Professional Mk IV, owned since 1982. Currently equipped with 1990ish components.
1970s Univega frame, owned off & on since 1982, currently set up with newer fixie parts (rode 31+ miles today).
1983 Rans recumbent, bought new. Mix of old & new parts. Friction shift.
1983 Schwinn cruiser, bought as a bare frame in 1993. Set up as an internal-gear neighborhood bike.
1993 Santana tandem, bought new. Mostly original.
1994 Bike Friday New World Tourist, owned since 2001. Mix of parts.
1995 Ross Mt. Cruiser, bought new. Parts are a happy mess. Friction shift (originally indexed).
1996 Nashbar Flashback cruisers x 2, bought new then left in the box for decades. One is set up with a 3x7 touring drivetrain, the other as a 1x9.
1999 (?) Haro EX0 dual suspension MTB, owned since 2022. Mostly stock 2x8.
1972 Raleigh Professional Mk IV, owned since 1982. Currently equipped with 1990ish components.
1970s Univega frame, owned off & on since 1982, currently set up with newer fixie parts (rode 31+ miles today).
1983 Rans recumbent, bought new. Mix of old & new parts. Friction shift.
1983 Schwinn cruiser, bought as a bare frame in 1993. Set up as an internal-gear neighborhood bike.
1993 Santana tandem, bought new. Mostly original.
1994 Bike Friday New World Tourist, owned since 2001. Mix of parts.
1995 Ross Mt. Cruiser, bought new. Parts are a happy mess. Friction shift (originally indexed).
1996 Nashbar Flashback cruisers x 2, bought new then left in the box for decades. One is set up with a 3x7 touring drivetrain, the other as a 1x9.
1999 (?) Haro EX0 dual suspension MTB, owned since 2022. Mostly stock 2x8.
02-25-24, 06:44 PM
#30
Touring Rocks
1965 Moulton Automatic
1965 Moulton Automatic
My Moulton Automatic is still ridden regularly with the original Duomatic 2 speed kickback hub.
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02-25-24, 08:08 PM
#31
Senior Member
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I ride the Ti Mega Tube almost every day. The other two probably 1000 miles a year. The oldest in this bunch is 63 then 87 and finally 95.
02-26-24, 05:21 PM
#32
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Wow, lots of bikes from the 70s through 90s, and one from the 50s! Keep ‘em coming!
For those of you with more experience on pre-STI steeds: are there any big differences between bikes from the 50s through the late 80s? I know they were predominantly steel, with non-indexed downtube shifters. At some point rear dropout spacing increased to 130mm, number of gears went up, and (I think) indexed shifting happened just before the shift to shifter/brake combos, but as far as I’m aware, those are all changes that happened in the latter half of the 80s through early 90s. Lugs vs brazing vs welds? Butting? Bottom bracket standards? Or could a 1956 frame be sold in 1976 with few/no changes?
For those of you with more experience on pre-STI steeds: are there any big differences between bikes from the 50s through the late 80s? I know they were predominantly steel, with non-indexed downtube shifters. At some point rear dropout spacing increased to 130mm, number of gears went up, and (I think) indexed shifting happened just before the shift to shifter/brake combos, but as far as I’m aware, those are all changes that happened in the latter half of the 80s through early 90s. Lugs vs brazing vs welds? Butting? Bottom bracket standards? Or could a 1956 frame be sold in 1976 with few/no changes?
Brent
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02-26-24, 06:42 PM
#33
pan y agua
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ftfy
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
I've kept 2 dork discs that were the nice aluminum metal ones on my various C&V bikes.
02-27-24, 09:09 AM
#35
Sr Member on Sr bikes
Just because one is riding a 30+ year old bike doesn’t mean they don’t have index shifting. All but one of the seven bikes I ride regularly are 30+ years old. Those that had friction shifting when I obtained them, I have converted to index shifting. Actually, in general, the only original parts/components on those bikes is the frame/fork. — Dan
02-27-24, 10:39 AM
#36
Disco Infiltrator
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I was expecting to maybe see some older beach cruisers but so far not.
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02-27-24, 06:17 PM
#37
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02-27-24, 07:54 PM
#38
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Frame is from 2001, maybe the headset too, nothing else is.
02-29-24, 01:41 AM
#39
Veteran, Pacifist
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Until recently my oldest was from 1959. But I ride friction, indexed, Ergo10, Di2 - put it on a 60cm frame and I will ride it.
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
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02-29-24, 12:10 PM
#40
Junior Member
I repainted my dad's old benotto 1500 frame from 79/80 recently. Running 53/39 90's campy cranks, 14-28 freewheel with suntour superbe pro rd and probably oem nuovo record fd. Did swap some thumbies and a scott at-4 handlebars on it. Definitely not oem but I wanted more range out the back and I didn't want to mod the old nuovo record for a 28 freewheel. All the parts came from his stash. Probably just riding it once a week. I like to spread my miles for training out on different bikes.
02-29-24, 12:24 PM
#42
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This is my mid to early 70s Sekine SHS 271. The parts are mainly original. It has a double butted chrome moly frame and makes a fine commuter and lock up bike.
02-29-24, 01:44 PM
#43
Grupetto Bob
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1987 meets 2020
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Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
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03-04-24, 01:47 PM
#44
Old fart
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A 1972 Raleigh Superbe 3-speed is my city bike. I have a 1975 Viscount frankenbike fixed gear, a couple 1979 custom frame bikes, and a 1981 Trek 720 loaded tourer. All of them get ridden.
03-05-24, 08:04 AM
#45
South Carolina Ed
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1973 Holdsworth custom, a Christmas present from mom and dad that I ride frequently, including the last 3 days. I had the frame beautifully restored a few years ago. It's now wearing a tubular wheelset and a white Arione style saddle.
Last edited by sced; 03-05-24 at 08:08 AM.
03-05-24, 08:26 AM
#46
I don't know.
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omg that Holdsworth! Beautiful.
I regularly ride a 1988 mtb and a 1988 road bike. I have some cruisers from the early 1900s but they rarely get ridden and are for sale.
I'm looking for a road bike from my birth year, 1964 or older.
I regularly ride a 1988 mtb and a 1988 road bike. I have some cruisers from the early 1900s but they rarely get ridden and are for sale.
I'm looking for a road bike from my birth year, 1964 or older.
03-05-24, 05:22 PM
#47
Steel is real
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the two oldest road bikes , I have in rotation which are
my 1991 Raleigh Equipe Z made of Reynolds 753 tubing, it was a present from a former pro racer
It will be equipped with mavic cxp30 wheels with campy chorus hubs, chorus 8 speed cassettes, new chain, record syncro II shifters, conti grand prix 4 seasons and slime tubes, I might also change the bar tape
my 1993 Peugeot Prestige(apologizes for the poor pic). It is the bike that I started in road bike competitions back in1996. It is made of the particular Reynolds 708 tubing which gives it confort and a very good handling.
It is getting sl 7800 shifting levers, fd7700 derailleur, rd 7800 dérailleur, cs 7800 10 speed cassette and cn6600 chain as well new tires conti grand prix 4 seasons and slime tubes
my 1991 Raleigh Equipe Z made of Reynolds 753 tubing, it was a present from a former pro racer
It will be equipped with mavic cxp30 wheels with campy chorus hubs, chorus 8 speed cassettes, new chain, record syncro II shifters, conti grand prix 4 seasons and slime tubes, I might also change the bar tape
my 1993 Peugeot Prestige(apologizes for the poor pic). It is the bike that I started in road bike competitions back in1996. It is made of the particular Reynolds 708 tubing which gives it confort and a very good handling.
It is getting sl 7800 shifting levers, fd7700 derailleur, rd 7800 dérailleur, cs 7800 10 speed cassette and cn6600 chain as well new tires conti grand prix 4 seasons and slime tubes
03-05-24, 05:36 PM
#48
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My Cannondale Criterium is from the mid-80s, set up single speed, and is my get-around-town bike. If I see a decent pair of 1” mustache bars, I’ll replace the drops on it, but otherwise it’s great.
My MBK Mirage is also 30+, but with an 11 speed Athena group on it.
My MBK Mirage is also 30+, but with an 11 speed Athena group on it.
03-05-24, 06:16 PM
#49
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Of the three in the rotation, the newest is 32 years old. The oldest, 45
03-06-24, 07:07 PM
#50
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Most of my bikes are 45-52 years old , I don’t have any newer bikes.