Why vintage bikes are better than new bikes

[mikeymustard]

Looking through the vintage section of Ebay I came across a photo that explains why old bikes are so much nicer than new. Turns out it's got less to do with craftsmanship than it does good husbandry.
You see, once built, vintage bikes are free range and grass fed!

 

[midlife]

3 sets of suicide levers spotted.....they won't last long in the wild

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

That's what I'm doing wrong! If I put my Carlton in a field the handlebar tape will grow back and the gear setup will be more relaxed.
The poor thing is suffering from stress!

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

3 sets of suicide levers spotted.....they won't last long in the wild

I like my suicide levers. They don't do much but they make me look brave!

 

[biggs682]

I like my suicide levers. They don't do much but they make me look brave!

If the handles are not to sloppy they can be quite useful

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

If the handles are not to sloppy they can be quite useful

TBH they're sorta like the main levers only a bit sloppier and a bit less useful

 

[biggs682]

TBH they're sorta like the main levers only a bit sloppier and a bit less useful

Not that the older style brakes were that great to start with

 

[Milkfloat]

I think it less to do with the grass and more that they get to play on the trampoline when nobody is looking.

 

[southcoast]

They look too good to be put out to grass!

 

[Rooster1]

Are the suicide levers the ones that are in the middle bars that like to fail in your moment of need. Ping, I seem to recall.

 

[raleighnut]

Looking through the vintage section of Ebay I came across a photo that explains why old bikes are so much nicer than new. Turns out it's got less to do with craftsmanship than it does good husbandry.
You see, once built, vintage bikes are free range and grass fed!


View attachment 411644

 

[pawl]

Didn’t ThomasVouclar ride with suicide levers in Paris Roubaix

 

[rogerzilla]

They worked OK if your wheels were very true, so you could keep the pads close to the rim. There was just enough travel in the levers to apply the brakes then. They were killed off by Shimano moving the pivot point of their "aero" levers so they could easily be applied from the hoods. These days, you virtually never see professionals riding on the drops; they set the bars as low as possible and ride on the hoods. They might as well have bullhorns, except they're not allowed in mass-start races.

 

[raleighnut]

They worked OK if your wheels were very true, so you could keep the pads close to the rim. There was just enough travel in the levers to apply the brakes then. They were killed off by Shimano moving the pivot point of their "aero" levers so they could easily be applied from the hoods. These days, you virtually never see professionals riding on the drops; they set the bars as low as possible and ride on the hoods. They might as well have bullhorns, except they're not allowed in mass-start races.

Whereas with older brake levers you could never brake from 'the hoods' you might as well have started blowing in front of you to stop given the leverage achieved by that technique.

 

[mjr]

Didn’t ThomasVouclar ride with suicide levers in Paris Roubaix

I can't find any pics of it. I doubt he's old enough. Are you sure you're not thinking of interrupters aka crosstops aka cyclocrossers?