What old cycling technology don't you ever want to see again?

[classic33]

I was about to ask what's wrong with them; we use them a lot, then realised you probably meant the old "zoom" with the 4.5 volt flat battery. Still, they were better than anything else at the time, particularly once you'd put a halogen bulb in, and vastly better than ever ready bike lights, which often wouldn't work at all, even if the old Zooms seem ropey now. I even used those caving on occasion when I didn't have a proper light for some reason

They use the battery that the doctor didn't like.

 

[raleighnut]

slightly mistifying in view of the Brit reputation (of old) for good engineering and if anything over-engineering stuff.
Can only think that it was because they didn't really expect folk to use them much/serious tourists being relatively rare/the tourists there were often being of the BO-ridden grizzeled types that would disappear for a week with just a carradice saddle-bag.

I dunno about BO but every Canvas tent I've had emitted a certain aroma

 

[Kajjal]

No freewheel mechanism which meant the pedals just spinned,had a bike when very young like that, trying to stop going downhill was like putting your feet into a combine harvester as like most 1970’s bikes the brakes were just for show

 

[raleighnut]

Knutsford is the place to get off a hobby horse

My parents moved there in 1986 (Dad worked for the Nuclear Power lot and was one of the bods they transferred from Whetstone to somewhere near Jodrell Bank) Bit of a strange town though but once I found the decent pub (the Lord Eldon) it was OK. Parents lived right on the edge though on Kingsway so I could walk into town with the Dog through the Heath.

 

[geocycle]

Bits of cardboard in the spokes of yer chopper to make sound like a motorbike!

 

[Chris S]

The advantage of short mudguards is that they kept the dust and similar debris off the brake pivots. But try getting hold of them now - !

Paulus has a set if anybody needs one
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/does-anybody-know-what-this-is.275440/#post-6419569

 

[Andy in Germany]

My parents moved there in 1986 (Dad worked for the Nuclear Power lot and was one of the bods they transferred from Whetstone to somewhere near Jodrell Bank) Bit of a strange town though but once I found the decent pub (the Lord Eldon) it was OK. Parents lived right on the edge though on Kingsway so I could walk into town with the Dog through the Heath.

That's extremely strange. We must have been in the town at the same time as I lived there from ca. 1981-89.

 

[kynikos]

Seven pages in and no-one's mentioned...

stirrup brakes

I still have the scar to remind me why.

 

[Donger]

Toe clips and straps.
Tubes in tyres.
Gear indicators.
Drop bar brake levers without hidden cables.
19mm tyres.

I'm still using the first three of those on one of my bikes, and the first two on the other!!!! More of a dinosaur than I thought.

 

[raleighnut]

That's extremely strange. We must have been in the town at the same time as I lived there from ca. 1981-89.

Nah I didn't live there but I visited 3-4 times a year sometimes for a week or longer (over Christmas)

 

[Mr Celine]

Steel frames. And I haven't seen that piece of old technology since skipping my Pioneer, which rusted to bits faster than a Lancia.

 

[matticus]

Steel frames. And I haven't seen that piece of old technology since skipping my Pioneer, which rusted to bits faster than a Lancia.

Oh come on people. nearly two hours and noone has given Celine the satisfaction of a bite?? Surely all you steel frame fans aren't out riding the things, too busy to rise to some prime Cyclechat bait?

 

[Drago]

Plastic frames. So passe. Will be as interesting to future generations as plastic milk bottles.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Steel frames. And I haven't seen that piece of old technology since skipping my Pioneer, which rusted to bits faster than a Lancia.

Yeah but plastic bikes dissolve in the rain in a nano second

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Gel saddles