So are bicycles improving... really?

[DogmaStu]

No they have other issues

What has your experience been?

Mine has been flawless in the last 4 years and 80000km.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What has your experience been?

Mine has been flawless in the last 4 years and 80000km.

Batteries discharging unexpectedly, not shifting, getting stuck in lowest gear despite battery being good, auto trim going a bit mad, wired electrical connections corroding are what a number of my friends have told me.

 

[DogmaStu]

Quite, like bloody charging (not so green is it ?). I have the original gear cables on my best bike - Dura Ace 7400 series - they were much better made, and still perfect after over 30 years.

Cables have never been an issue for me. Electronic is massively expensive, especially in a crash, or ripping a mech off whilst MTB'ing.

Charging is a problem for being 'green'? Do you not have a mobile? Lights?

I have the original cables and everything on a 21 year old Giant MTB...but it has never been raced, never used for anything other than pootling about on. Things do tend to last longer if they aren't subjected to heavy usage.

Agreed that electronic is expensive, albeit "massively" is debatable - Shimano 105 for example. However, just because something costs more than another thing doesn't make it rubbish or worse.

 

[DogmaStu]

Batteries discharging unexpectedly, not shifting, getting stuck in lowest gear despite battery being good, wired electrical connections corroding are what a number of my friends have told me.

But no actual experience yourself? Hmmm.

I've yet to hear of any of those issues from anyone in my Clubs or race team and I certainly have never experienced any.

Are they keeping their bikes outside in wet conditions? Sounds more like owner negligence to me rather than well-maintained.

 

[cougie uk]

Shimano STI would regularly trash my gear cables.

I think there was one version that did but the first DA version with the cables out was perfect for me.

Luckily I avoided the dodgy version.

 

[cougie uk]

But no actual experience yourself? Hmmm.

I've yet to hear of any of those issues from anyone in my Clubs or race team and I certainly have never experienced any.

Are they keeping their bikes outside in wet conditions? Sounds more like owner negligence to me rather than well-maintained.

Was it GCN that tried to break Di2 ? Even somersaulting the bike into the sea didn't stop it working. It's tougher than you'd think.

 

[GuyBoden]

Yes, modern bicycles are faster.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

But no actual experience yourself? Hmmm.

You may find you don’t need direct experience, to be able to report problems you’ve heard from friends. Funny that eh 🤔

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I think there was one version that did but the first DA version with the cables out was perfect for me.

Luckily I avoided the dodgy version.

I’ve had both Ultegra and 105 not only trash cables, but the shifting mechanism in the levers fail. No wonder with all those micro plastic cogs and tight cable angles. Can you fix them, can you buggery! It’s what made me switch to bar end indexed, and then friction; as I prefer the feel and smoothness of the latter compared to indexed.

 

[DogmaStu]

You may find you don’t need direct experience, to be able to report problems you’ve heard from friends. Funny that eh 🤔

Very funny - fishy even.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

What I consider to be a “beautiful” bike usually means an older bike. While I enjoy riding newer bikes, I don’t find the look to be as appealing.
These are the wife and mine 1988 Schwinn Paramounts built into reproductions of the Team Schwinn Wheaties from that same era. We however avoided the correct downtube shifters and went with Shimano 7100 which (imo) is one of the most attractive looking brifter groupset ever made. Sorry for the lousy photo 😕
View attachment 690301

Beautiful... although you really do owe us some better photographs

 

[Tomm Williams]

Beautiful... although you really do owe us some better photographs

This is the wife’s who’s is a bit more historically accurate than mine. It was done by Tommy O Designs in WI who consulted directly with Joe Bell as to exactly how the bike should look. He nailed it. Mine is close but hers is spot on. Of course we took some liberties with neck stems and things that made them more comfortable to us but otherwise they are pretty convincing reproductions.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

This is the wife’s who’s is a bit more historically accurate than mine. It was done by Tommy O Designs in WI who consulted directly with Joe Bell as to exactly how the bike should look. He nailed it. Mine is close but hers is spot on. Of course we took some liberties with neck stems and things that made them more comfortable to us but otherwise they are pretty convincing reproductions.

Wow... lovely rides!

I’d be torn between riding the wheels off of them or keeping them pristine as artwork in my living room.

I think they’d reside on display in the house but get taken out for a good run on perfect sunny days. Because whats the point of having them if you don’t beat on them a bit?

 

[Tomm Williams]

Wow... lovely rides!

I’d be torn between riding the wheels off of them or keeping them pristine as artwork in my living room.

I think they’d reside on display in the house but get taken out for a good run on perfect sunny days. Because whats the point of having them if you don’t beat on them a bit?

They get ridden a bit in rotation with other bikes but admittedly not as much as they should. I did a century on mine and it was comfortable enough to finish.