Vintage bike vs modern bike

[vickster]

Am I right in thinking that riding a vintage bike will mean you will feel more of the bumps in the road?

I’ve read contradictory statements. I’ve read that a steel bike will be more rigid on the roads and I’ve read that a steel bike will make you feel every bump in the road and be more uncomfortable compared to newer bikes.

Probably due to the skinny tyres on the vintage vs fatter tyres on a modern adventure/gravel/road bike. Not just down to frame material

 

[Dogtrousers]

Am I right in thinking that riding a vintage bike will mean you will feel more of the bumps in the road?

I’ve read contradictory statements. I’ve read that a steel bike will be more rigid on the roads and I’ve read that a steel bike will make you feel every bump in the road and be more uncomfortable compared to newer bikes.

That probably has more to do with tyres and frame design than frame material.

I would have thought. I don't know.

Note that not all steel bikes are "vintage". I ride a nice shiny new (ish) modern one.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Am I right in thinking that riding a vintage bike will mean you will feel more of the bumps in the road?

I’ve read contradictory statements. I’ve read that a steel bike will be more rigid on the roads and I’ve read that a steel bike will make you feel every bump in the road and be more uncomfortable compared to newer bikes.

There are lots of factors and it depends what you're comparing with what....
Frame tubes, geometry, tyre size. OK, sweeping generalisation alert!!

In general people will say that older 'quality steel' frames like say 531 are more flexy and tend to absorb bumps better than modern stiffer bikes. My 531 framed road bikes are more forgiving than my 853 Rourke - I am considering to fit a 531 fork to this frame to make it a bit smoother on our modern shitty roads
Quality steel tends to be more forgiving than aluminium which while light and stiff can be a bit vibey.
Carbon fibre can be made to have all kinds of properties....
But, within my stable I have a mid 80s 531 MTB tubing MTB bike which when on fat off-road tyres will still shake your fillings-out and a 90s Colombus Nivachrome steel Omega road-bike which was like riding a hammer drill....

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Ride comfort and frame material is a far from straightforward subject, and is far more nuanced than a simple calculation of frame stiffness against rider weight.
I strongly suspect that much of the perceived good or bad ride qualities actually derive from the resonant signature of each structural element of a frame and the vibration transmission behaviour of the frame as a complete entity.. It could well just be a happy accident that the vibration transmission in highly respected materials such as 531 just happens to be benign, when the original design brief was primarily to save weight for sporting purposes.

 

[roley poley]

when I read old stories of cycle travel they often have to get the bike frame fixed at a blacksmiths or welded by some local they could do that with steel as you can now ...you will be bug***ed with an aluminium one today .so I suppose the big difference is repairability

 

[Hover Fly]

Having ridden steel bikes in 531, 753 and both OS and standard (skinny) 631 and 853, I wouldn’t worry about the number, but oversize definitely is an improvement for their heavyweight at least.

 

[fossyant]

My two 1990's bikes certainly aren't slow or heavy. Weigh 9kg for a steel bike. Has indexed down tube shifters. They are slightly more comfy than my alloy framed bike. The best bike was hand built for me and is Dura Ace equipped and it a delight to ride.

 

[Venod]

I acknowledge that some frames are stiffer than others and different geometry and construction makes for different riding characteristics, but after years of riding all manner of frames with different materials and geometry, I have found the biggest improvement to comfort is bigger tyres with lower PSI, tubeless improves the ride even more.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

after years of riding all manner of frames with different materials and geometry, I have found the biggest improvement to comfort is bigger tyres with lower PSI, tubeless improves the ride even more.

Whilst I would generally agree that wider tyres run at lower pressures make for a more comfortable ride, this does not explain why my Raleigh Royal 531 frame is still more comfortable on 1 1/8" wide tyres than my steel framed hybrids running 35/38mm tyres at only two thirds of the pressure. The Royal is smoother than even my Raleigh Gemini on 35mm tyres, which has 531 main tubes, although the fork is hi-tensile.
I really must build up my 1987-ish Ian May full 531ST tourer frame and see how that rides compared to the Royal. I'd expect it to ride well, but I'll be surprised if it is any more comfortable as the ST spec tubes are slightly thicker walled than regular 531.

 

[Gunk]

I’ve just sold a 531 framed Royal and the buyer quickly took it around the block and couldn’t believe how smooth and comfortable it was. Compared with a modern alloy or even carbon bike they just seem to soak up the bumps. If it had been slightly smaller I would have hung on to it, it was that good to ride.

I’m tempted to reframe my Aluminium road bike with a Genesis Equilibrium 725 steel frame if I can find a decent used one which is my size, I think I’d then have the best of both worlds.