Dawes hand built - any value?

[sidevalve]

But exactly why are the new bikes better ?

 

[RussellZero]

But exactly why are the new bikes better ?

Cleaner, shinier, quieter (to start with!) more desirable in many cases, something to look forward to owning, etc...

 

[raindog]

I've got an "old" bike and it's just as clean, shiny and quiet as my "new" bike.

 

[RussellZero]

Fair enough, I guess it's a personal/mental thing also then. Technology improvements must help in some areas.

 

[Pottsy]

Better brakes (rim or disc), slicker shifting (from the drops), lighter everything, better tyres, better value (new compared to new) etc. Mainly the components work better and it all weighs less.

None of these count for anything if you're a non-competative cyclist happy with what you have of course.

 

[pubrunner]

Fair enough, I guess it's a personal/mental thing also then. Technology improvements must help in some areas.

I guess it is a case of 'horses for courses'; if I were doing a reasonably swift (ahem) 40 or 50 miler with other forum members, I'd probably use my SBDU 753 Raleigh Whilst not as light as a carbon bike, it ain't far off. It has lively handling and is great fun to ride - perfect (for me) when I'm not cycling too far and not carrying much gear.

If I were doing a longer ride, with less emphasis on outright speed and carrying a fair bit of kit, I'd have no qualms about using a bike such as Russell's.

On my last CC Ride, I did over 100 miles on a bike with a 531 steel frame. As the ride progressed, so did the realisation that I wasn't as (cycling) fit as some (most ) of the other guys. My lack of pace was entirely due to having done b*gger all in the way of training; had I been on a uber-light, carbon-fibre bike, I don't think that I'd have been any quicker. I found my steel bike (with old & heavy Brooks saddle) to be a very comfortable steed.

I'm not an experienced cyclist; by comparison with most on this forum I'm probably very slow. What I do know, is that towards the end of a long ride (for me, anything over 70 miles), the last thing on my mind, is the weight or components on the bike . . . . . . . comfort is the primary concern.

 

[tyred]

Fair enough, I guess it's a personal/mental thing also then. Technology improvements must help in some areas.

Well yes. It helps the manufacturers sell more "upgrades" and more parts in general as a lot of the modern stuff simply is not designed to last.

 

[thegravestoneman]

I can't comment as I have yet to try a 'modern' bike but I am hiring one on holiday this year and looking forward to comparing it with my 30 year old 'new' bike which at the time I had it made for me I was a slave to new ideas and fitted it with all sorts of aero and other equipment which after the initial rush got put onto my hack bikes as I reverted to more traditional equipment to aid general maintenance and ease and joy of use.
At the moment after digging it out after 25 years storage it still feels fast as a very fast thing with a rocket up it's a##e and danged comfortable, but I am now really wanting to try a decent modern one whether ally or carbon I just don't want to end up disappointed with my (hand built ,made to measure for me, beloved, no one else touches it, if the wife would let it, stay in the same bed as us Saracen before they got big and sold out) road bike. Who knows what the outcome will be?

I would also like to know if you can change a few gears in one chunk like on a traditional set up or whether it is all sequential ?

Can't wait to find out either way and look forward to boring every body with my opinions when I come back from holiday in July.

keep cycling and most of all enjoy!!!

 

[sidevalve]

Better brakes (rim or disc), slicker shifting (from the drops), lighter everything, better tyres, better value (new compared to new) etc. Mainly the components work better and it all weighs less.

None of these count for anything if you're a non-competative cyclist happy with what you have of course.

Hmm, Brakes - the old centre pull calipers on alloy rims were pretty damn good actually, shifting from the drops - more fiddly bits to go wrong and wear [ok for the manufacturers of course]. Tyres - you don't keep tyres for 20 years so these are irrelevant. Lighter - by how much ? As I've said before my old Dawes [only a mid range job weighs in at 10 kg [and that includes the brooks saddle] with a bit of a try I could reduce even that by maybe 1/2 a kg. Shifting , well has it really improved THAT much ? We aint going back to the penny farthing here. Yes you can get lighter and better now BUT you have to spend a lot of money [so the better value thing isn't to hot either]. I suspect many riders would be surprised [and maybe shocked] to discover just how good the old bikes really are.

 

[uphillstruggler]

if the bike isnt as comfortable as the new one, and its not going to get used, flog it. no point having something sitting there waiting for you to use it.

it depends on whether yoiu need the cash to put to a new one or you can afford to keep something (room as well as cash) just in case something happens to your new bike. i struggle to let stuff go, especially if i have owned it for 20 years and its still going strong

best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[biggs682]

Cleaner, shinier, quieter (to start with!) more desirable in many cases, something to look forward to owning, etc...

RussellZero if you are not going to use it or dont want to keep it i am sure we could work a deal out

 

[screenman]

I was going to add some more to this post but my quill has run out, damned if I will change to a Biro thingy.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

How come all you guys that like the old stuff have a computer. Just kidding..

Of course we have computers! .........Sent from my Sinclair ZX Spectrum

 

[screenman]

Sidevalve, how does a E93A compare with say a VW B6 diesel.? I have owned them both the first one fully fitted with everything Aquaplane made for them, but the B6 is my current one and a million times better.

 

[thegravestoneman]

how does the weight compare between an E93a and a VW B6 diesel I think the ford might be a tad lighter, and how would the VW cope if fitted with the same engine as the Ford, like the bikes?