Fifty Plus (50+) - "New Fangled" stuff that you just don't care about.

There a lot of things I like about being over 50. With my good showing of grey hair, the blue-shirts in Best Buy leave me alone. Cops in their 20's and 30's call me "sir". Money in the bank? Yep, got it. No one ever asks me "do you have experience"?

What do I like best? Well, I don't have to care what the cool crowd thinks. I don't use a cycle computer. Heart rate monitor? Nope. Clipless pedals? I didn't need them in the 70's, and I don't need them now. Don't like it? Tough noogies. Don't like the brakes on my fixie? I don't care. A fixie with brakes on both wheels seems to activate some kind of weird, agitated sub-routine in the 20-somethings. Beats the heck out of me as to what the problem is. Ditto for my lack of a cycle computer. People look at me totally dumbfounded over this. "Don't you care about your,,,," insert some kind of numbers here.

So, I was wondering if any of my fellow over-50 riders felt the same way about some things. Is here stuff you do where you don't really care what anyone thinks?

Money in the bank? Yep, got it.

So, umm, could I borrow a little something to tide me over 'til payday?

I feel the same way about most things, except clipless pedals. I didn't use any in the 1970's because there were none. I didn't get with the program until 1998. But I wouldn't go back to toe clips, no more than I would go cross-country skiing on skis with no bindings. It's one of the few cycling developments that really make a difference versus what we had to use before. But no computers on the bike for me. I ride to get away from that. On the other hand, I don't care about brakes on a fixie because I don't ride one, so I guess we're not one big monolithic block just because of age.

Yes. It doesn't bother me at all to wear my pink helmet with tropical flowers and my fun bike socks together with my Sidi shoes on my little-black-dress bike. Sort of the opposite of wearing a full lycra team kit on my upright hybrid. :D

I have no use for those Garmin Navigator thingies, especially the talking
ones. I've got a wife to tell me when I screw up. A neighbor offered his
to us (garmin, not wife) to use on our bi-annual college kid trip to Milwaukee
last month and I graciously declined. I like the maps just fine, and something
about my "Aura" seems to mess up electronic gizmos.

MP3 players & ipods... no use for them, though I do like compact disc players.
I love my digital camera, and I used to coat film for a living. I take
it on all my rides.

Enough complaining for now.

Love my mp3 player, and like to record my miles traveled and time with the simple wired velometer and occasionally remember my pay as you go cell phone. But no clipless required, no Garmin or heart rate monitor, cell phone doesn't take pictures on have web access. No text messages, no Blackberrie. On longer rides I carry simple breakfast bars, no super gel shot blocks.

I must be older than I thought... :)

In 1999, I made the statements that

1. I can think of no reason why I would need a cell phone.

2. What in the world would I ever need a computer for.

3. Digital Camera? That'll never catch on

4. Married? Me? I think not.

2008

1. I have a nice Motorola Krzr Cell phone.

2. Well, I'm posting here. Right?

3. Uh, My Pentax K20D sure is a nice camera.

4. Well, Never say never.

I still think automatic transmissions on cars are just a fad. With one brief exception, none of the cars I've bought for my personal use have had automatics.

I swore I'd never own a cell phone, but now I do.:rolleyes: Yes we change, and as Stuart Smalley would say "that's okay".

I don't even know what a MP3 is.:50:

In the 70's I rode with clips and cleats,cut off jeans said I would never wear cycle shorts,a cycling cap and said I would never wear a helmet.I could cruise at 20mph all day long.I started back riding a month ago on my old road bike with clips and cleats and a helmet.Then 2 weeks ago got my first fixie(love it) with a front brake and clipless pedals(love them) and also a pair of bibbs and a couple of jerseys plan to buy another pair of bibbs and another jersey tomorrow.Since I work some times until 7:00pm I also got a small light and tail light so people could see me when I ride after supper something I would have never done in the 70's.As for a cycle computer and HRM I think I will pass on them right now riding about 15mph and loving it wouldn't want to get to serious that might take the fun out of riding.

I try to appreciate the old stuff that still works, and adopt the new stuff that fits my lifestyle.

So I still have (and occasionally ride) 2 early 80s road bikes,
I often wear wool on cool weather cycling days,
I still have a record player and vinyl albums,
I still have an old Scottish cap I bought on my first trip abroad nearly 40 years ago,
I still have my Oakley Eyeshades,
I still ski non-shaped skis,
I only wish I still had my luggable Osborne.
I can't tell you how old my best 2 pairs of leather shoes are, etc.

But on the other hand,
I mostly ride 10 speed Campy road bikes (1 carbon fiber & 1 lugged steel)
I couldn't do business without my cell phone, soon to be PDA (way better than the old Palm)
Breathable materials are great on the bike and for winter sports,
etc., etc.

Don't think I'll be ordering a power meter for my next bike.
Oh, and a personal trainer is definately NOT my style.

Riding a Brooks Saddle with springs.... Ahhhh...

(not quite over 50, but knocing on the door :)

I don't know... I guess I like it all or, at least accept it.
Not a big phone of many people with cell phones but the phones themselves have their place
But I like the carbon and the clipless (Speedplays, for goodness sake) and the Garmin... all that stuff.
But I'd love to have the steel Varsity back that I had in my teens or the steel Gitane I had in my 20s-30s

Never thought I would enjoy traveling with a RV and now I do. Never thought I would use online banking and now I do. I thought my Thomas Brothers maps were fine now I use a GPS or Streets and trips on my Laptop for all my trips. I jumped ship to the digital world years ago. I believe I sold my last 35MM Nikon in 2000. I haven’t used a day planner since I got my first Palm Pilot and now I use my PDA as a phone, day planner, address book and sometimes e-mail.

If it makes my life easier and gives me more time to enjoy my hobbies I am willing to give it a try. I sold my Sextant three weeks after getting my first GPS when I had my boat. I enjoy watching people that are good at doing things the “old” way. But I see nothing wrong with using the technology we have developed. I don’t hand crank homemade Ice cream I used a electric motor to do that for me. That way I get to eat it sooner.

I still think automatic transmissions on cars are just a fad. With one brief exception, none of the cars I've bought for my personal use have had automatics.

I've never considered it to be "driving" unless you're shifting gears. This is the big difference between North American and European drivers, and why Europeans are better drivers (besides the fact that they have more respect for cyclists). They take driving seriously, and most Euro rental cars have a manual transmission. Automatics are for wimps, and anyone who can't shift a manual can't doesn't really know how to drive.

The one concession I would make to an automatic transmission would be a car with the Formula 1 "paddle shifters." Somehow they remind me a lot of the brake lever shifters on bikes.

But back to the OP - I've been winding down my racing career, so I have never bothered to get the cranks or hubs that measure your power output. I used a heart rate monitor for awhile, but once I got used to what the various zones felt like, I stopped using it. But I am toying with the idea of getting a GPS with the map display. This may become a standard piece of equipment on recreatoinal rides. I can see riders downloading route sheets onto their GPS's at the start of a ride. The only problem is that my GPS would have to be kinda large if I don't want to wear my reading glasses while riding. I like having a small bike computer, since I use just about every inch of the handlebar tops changing hand positions on rides.

L.

Some folks are ahead of the curve, some folks are behind the curve, some folks are right on with the curve.

I used to be ahead of the curve, at least as far as knowledge about stuff went. Now I feel behind the curve. There is just too much stuff going on and too many new things as far as changes in the world we live in to keep up, and, besides, it can be darn expensive.

I read advertisements on the internet and catalogs on the internet for items that I don't have a clue what they are used for.

BUt, I think this is a product of simply getting older. My mind is weighted down with the products and ideas of the past. If I was young again, I wouldn't have all that junk in my head to clog things up.

Overall, I pretty much don't care, fashion-wise, what folks think about me - how I dress, what I wear, etc.

Gotta go ride in the dark with my new lights.

I don't think I saw any other riders in Louisville's Mayor's Hike and Bike ride on Labor Day using a Camelbak. I had my Camelbak Mule, and like not having to reach down for a water bottle, or wonder where I'll store my wallet, keys, and freebies that were given out. Real convenient, and the water stayed cold! And I wear regular wicking t-shirts and running shorts when riding, and my pedals are mtb style platforms. Not what most road riders use, but suits me just fine.

Clipless? Yep. Love 'em
Computer? Yep. Helps me keep track of how fit I am, and find my way on brevets.
Helmet? Yep.
Lycra bib shorts? Yep. I wore wool shorts back in the '70s. Never again.
Indexed shifting? Yep. No muss, no fuss. (and my cars have almost all been stick, thanks.)
Fixed gear? Nope. Been there, done that, can't see the point except for racer training.
15lb CF wonder-bike? Nope. Can't afford one, and if I could, I'd probably buy top-end custom steel instead.
Recumbent? Yep. Switched over a year ago, after 45 years on df's. Why on earth did I wait so long?

Overall, it seems I have this bizarre obsession with stuff that works...

Scott P
Bend, OR

In 1999, I made the statements that

1. I can think of no reason why I would need a cell phone.

2. What in the world would I ever need a computer for.

3. Digital Camera? That'll never catch on

4. Married? Me? I think not.

2008

1. I have a nice Motorola Krzr Cell phone.

2. Well, I'm posting here. Right?

3. Uh, My Pentax K20D sure is a nice camera.

4. Well, Never say never.

The part about the computer reminds me of when I worked for US Steel Chemical division and our esteemed but dumb president made the famous quote in 1980 that "there will be no $5000 paper weights on anyone's desk as long as I am boss".

Denver mentioned being ahead, behind or on the curve.... in the past, my jobs pretty mcuh required me to be ahead of the curve. now.... i make a conscious effort to do more with less technology. i ride rather than drive when possible. i don't watch t.v. or listen to an mp3. i read books with pages. rarely listen to the radio.

eh... who can say? each generation has a wide variety. ours is no different.

be well,

jim

Powered lawnmowers and..........................jet engines. I just can't get used to those darn contraptions........................;)

I love technologyl. In fact, in college I wrote a paper called, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Computer" -- 1n 1968, I think. That said, I haven't found the NEED for ALL the new gadgets, but understand those who need everything. Couldn't live without the 7000 songs on my iPod. I use one of my two digital cameras every day and spend time playing with the photos on the computer. I have found a simple cell phone handy in the last couple of years, but can go days without using it. No GPS for bike or car, but will probably succumb eventually.

So, I was wondering if any of my fellow over-50 riders felt the same way about some things. Is here stuff you do where you don't really care what anyone thinks?

I've never been one to care what others think but I love my Garmins, smart-phone and computers:thumb:

In 1999, I made the statements that

1. I can think of no reason why I would need a cell phone.

2. What in the world would I ever need a computer for.

3. Digital Camera? That'll never catch on

4. Married? Me? I think not.

2008

1. I have a nice Motorola Krzr Cell phone.

2. Well, I'm posting here. Right?

3. Uh, My Pentax K20D sure is a nice camera.

4. Well, Never say never.

Nothing like life to prove one wrong. A good thing in your favor is that you have the objectivity and sense of humor to know when to change with the circumstances. Obviously, you are not qualified to be a politician because you "flip flop" on the issues.

I won't have wireless routers in the house and I work from home. I have a cell phone for work and I will buy one when I retire, but I always use it on the speaker phone. I don't think its healthy to have one glued to your ear. We don't download movies. Or use a GPS to travel.
I love clipping in to all of my bikes. The advantage over cages is tremendous. I've used a computer on my road bikes since i got back in the saddle three years ago. I like knowing how far I've ridden and how fast I am going. Its part of the fun for me, and also lets me know if I am getting faster/slower. I've been thinking about a Garmin - something like a 305 - because I think i would enjoy having information on climbing; mostly because I do so much of it. Heart rate? don't care. I'm not training for the Tour.

Once you get into cycling- there are a few things you have to have. Best toy for a bike is a computer- Doesn't improve your speed but does remind me of how slow I am and that metrics are still as long as they used to be. Difference is that it has evolved into a Garmin 305 so have also got rid of another item cluttering up the bars in the Heart rate monitor.

Clipless are the best investment I have ever made

Camera is a must but although I own a phone- it is for emergencies if I ever remember to keep it charged up and in the pocket.

C.F. frames and I reserve judgement at present but given the choice- I would not go 10 speed again- 9 speed has better options for hills.

Most of my toys work- but the problem has been getting the right one for me. Took 5 years to get a Goretex- but the best investment in clothing I could have made. The garmin is superb and I only need one for 5 bikes. Clipless pedals and I can't ride a bike that does not have them. Now if only I could stretch to the Assos Riding clothing to see if it really is that good.

No GPS for bike or car, but will probably succumb eventually.

I just recently bought a GPS for the van and I can't believe I waited so long. I no longer need to google an address, print the map and carry it in the van. I just plug in the address and it guides me to the location:thumb:

The best feature is locating nearby services such as restaurants and banks when you're traveling.

Clipless for 20 years now, but stopped using a bike computer in 2002. Don't have a cell phone or Ipod.
I could live without most of the electronics out there, but I work on cars for a living. Unless you have first hand knowledge of these things, you have no idea how complex they are, especially the new diesels. We have cars with 25 computers on board, all talking to each other, and sometimes lying.

I think it strange that folks adopt technology or whatever because the "cool crowd" adopts it. It think it even stranger when people resist new stuff for no particular reason other than that the "cool crowd" adopts it.

To me it sounds like the OP cares more about what the 20 somethings think than I do. He just chooses to be contrary and relishes that role. I learn from the 20 somethings when I can and buck the trend when it makes sense to do so.

Cycle computer - Some of my riding is training. Knowing how far and how fast is important for that. Some of my riding is touring. Knowing how far is a huge help in navigating. Knowing how fast is a help in knowing if I will get to my planned destination before dark or if I need to make some adjustment. Knowing cadence is useful for either. There are times when I take the computer off to prevent a ride from becoming a training ride.

Clipless pedals - I adopted them as soon as SPD came out. I was racing mountain bikes at the time and they were a great thing. WAY better than clips and straps. I can't imagine going back.

Cell Phone - Don't talk on it much, but find it useful and always carry it.

Text Messaging - Use it once in a while.

Ten Speed Cassettes - Love it on my road bike, happy with 9 on my touring bike.

Carbon Fiber - Too pricey for me, I settled for aluminum with carbon fork and seat stays.

Digital Camera - Love it.

GPS - I love it for hiking and sailing, but don't use it too often for biking.

HRM - Used it for a while, but now I know what it would be without looking so I seldom bother.

Shaped Skis - Love them.

Sailboats - Love my classic Alberg 30, not crazy about new designs.

I got so tired of shopping for a razor --- two blades... three blades.... no, wait, four blades! --- that I grew a beard. I mean we're just cutting a few facial hairs! Now a GPS can get me where I'm going without having an argument with my "co-pilot", and a cycle computer can prove to my wife that I really was out riding "x" number of miles and not hiding out somewhere doing something I'm not supposed to do. Digital cameras have encouraged me to take more shots and not worry so much about the cost of doing so. Text messaging allows me to communicate with my sons without them feeling that I'm being a burden (they are much more likely to respond to a text message than answer their phone when it rings). My "Pocket PC/cell phone" allows me to work from almost anywhere, making spending time with family and friends so much easier. AND... the Internet allows me to spend time browsing for more bike porn and dreaming about when the winter months will end. So, I guess it's mostly just the new fangled razors that I have no use for.

I've been using clipless pedals since '85, and a bike computer almost as long, so I don't consider either "New Fangled."

Re: Other non-cycling technolgies, I'm on board with everything except the Garmin, and happy to be there! The Garmin may be along soon . . .

Re: Manual-Shift Gearbox, I have one on my weekend car, Miata (5-Speed) and love it! I have a CVT (New Fangled automatic) on the Honda Insight, but I needed it to get CA Car-Pool Lane stickers (the manual Insight didn't qualify) and love the 70+ mpg (though the manual gearbox model has "lean-burn" and can do better).

Rick / OCRR

Manual transmissions are how I made my living before they dragged me kicking and screaming into the dispatch office. On my time, it's choose-and-cruise.
Cell phone? Check.
Computer? Check, both desktop and laptop.
GPS device? Nope.
Clipless pedals? Not even sure what they are. Just regular old put-my-foot-on-it-and-push-down on my bike.
HRM? Have one, have never used it.
Cycle computer? Check. But mostly because I keep track of my mileage for my "Walk to Rivendell"--which is walking, cycling, and ellipticalling to Rivendell.
DigiCam? Well, it's a digital picture-taking device. Eventually I'll upgrade to a digiSLR to replace the filmSLR (which never seems to get used much these days). And I don't take it on the weekday rides, but I do take it along on the weekend rides.

I guess I'm fairly with it for an old fart - I get most of my news and do most of my shopping on the web, I have a GPS for car travel, I use a cell phone (but I'm just not into texting - if you're gonna use a cell phone, why not just talk to 'em?), and have a digital camera.

Regarding my transportation - bikes and cars - I'm pretty much a throwback. I like stick shifts (learned to drive a standard on a 1954 Ahrens-Fox fire engine with no synchromesh), and I abhor those cars that "think" for you, and make decisions for you regarding when the radio should turn off or when the headlights should go off and on and so forth.

My bike has a steel frame and has bar-end shifters and pedals with toe-clips and straps (although it does have a computer and I do use a heart-rate monitor). Also a Brooks B17 - been in the catalog since the late 1800's - saddle.

I have no interest in an i-Pod, and think people that wear 'em while jogging or skating or bike riding are idiots and an accident waiting to happen.

I do still have a 35mm SLR (real chemical film) camera for those situations when the digital isn't smart enough to get the right exposure.

My favorite pistol is a Colt 1911 .45 Auto (designed for the U.S. Cavalry, and designed not to knock down enemy cavalrmen, but their horses), and my favorite rifle is the M1 Garand (I own two).

Been married to the same woman for 30 years - that says a lot right there, doesn't it!

I find this thread interesting. We all get older and have concerns how that goes. This thread made me think about what I do.
I have at least three passions in addition to being married to one women for 46 years:
Biking for exercise. That means that I try very hard to stay on top of the latest things and skills so I get faster and not slower. Slower means getting older, right? Nope! Not acceptable.
-----------------------------------
Computer Chess. That means that I pay attention to the latest and greatest computers and constantly try to improve. I am a bad looser. Chess has a rating system and you cannot fool yourselves. I do all I can to improve and not decline. Otherwise I have to admit I am getting older, right? Cannot have that.
-----------------------------------------
Music. Collecting and listen to music. Any music. Thank technology for YouTube and streaming video and music. I have 4 computers and a fabulous sound system to deal with this obsession.
-------------------------------------------
Now I am out of time but there are good books to read and travel to be done and good wine and food.
Life can be good.

I've never owned an automatic transmission. Here in the mountains it doesn't make sense to me; I've really gotten into the costing downhill habit - just throw it in neutral and let her go. I'm not an uber-miler but it does help save on gas as well as wear and tear on our very old vehicles.
Shaped skis. If I was still lift skiing or actively tele'ng then I would probably get a pair. I resent being forced to use an automatic, just another thing to break down on a car.

One thing I don't need to enjoy riding is some fancy trendy bicycle spandex outfit. When you get past a certain age the human body was never meant to be engulfed in brightly colored spandex. It was meant to breathe like a fine wine. ..:)...Let's just say I've seen a few bikers on the paths who have pushed the tensile strength limit of their spandex to the max. It amazes me how some thick people actually think they look "good" in bike pants and a form fitting top. When I see the way some of the bikers dress the first thought that comes to my mind is "What were you thinking when you bought that?"....

One thing I don't need to enjoy riding is some fancy trendy bicycle spandex outfit. When you get past a certain age the human body was never meant to be engulfed in brightly colored spandex. It was meant to breathe like a fine wine. ..:)...Let's just say I've seen a few bikers on the paths who have pushed the tensile strength limit of their spandex to the max. It amazes me how some thick people actually think they look "good" in bike pants and a form fitting top. When I see the way some of the bikers dress the first thought that comes to my mind is "What were you thinking when you bought that?"....

Could be they were thinking "compression garment". On a serious note, I dress for comfort when riding, and I find bibs and a high tech jersey about the most comfortable thing for spending hours in the saddle.

Let's just say I've seen a few bikers on the paths who have pushed the tensile strength limit of their spandex to the max.

Hey, I resemble that remark.



It amazes me how some thick people actually think they look "good" in bike pants and a form fitting top.

Golly, and all along I was wrong......:(

In reality, how they look has nothing to do with why I wear them.

My wife is an artist, and I think she is finally glad we bought a Nikon D-80 two years ago.
We just replaced her bulky Nokia "candy bar" cellphone with a folding Motorola Razr, which is small enough for me to carry when cycling, and with which I can take a photograph if I ever need to. (Car illegally parked in the bicycle lane? Road hazard? etc.)

I still refuse to splurge on cable TV, and we still have old analog CRT television sets. We have a rooftop antenna with a 26dB head amplifier, and I just got one of the digital-to-analog converter retrofit boxes. We don't watch enough TV to justify rushing out and buying a fancy new flat screen digital set while the old units still work.

I do think modern cycling clothes are great. If you're going to spend 8 or 9 hours in the saddle, nothing beats good lycra shorts/bibs. Wicking jerseys, ploypro skull caps and glove liners, and windproof materials are the shiznit. scv roadie in the Death Ride jersey, big j in the black vest.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/P1110130mugshot.jpg

I love how my bike shifts, and I love how my butt feels (or rather, doesn't feel!) in my padded shorts. Here's to technology!

One thing I don't need to enjoy riding is some fancy trendy bicycle spandex outfit. When you get past a certain age the human body was never meant to be engulfed in brightly colored spandex. It was meant to breathe like a fine wine. ..:)...Let's just say I've seen a few bikers on the paths who have pushed the tensile strength limit of their spandex to the max. It amazes me how some thick people actually think they look "good" in bike pants and a form fitting top. When I see the way some of the bikers dress the first thought that comes to my mind is "What were you thinking when you bought that?"....

Yeah - and when I go swimming I wear a Brooks Brother's suit, and when I play tennis, I wear army boots and khakis.

I always try and wear what is appropriate to the activity!

I was an old fart at age 30 - now I accept technology and use it where it works for me.
Some times the old stuff works better than the new stuff - most of the time that is not the case.
Cycle computers, HRMs - you won't improve what you don't measure. The power you have in a $20 cyclo computer is amazing - same is true for an $80 HRM.
GPS is an amazing and fantastic piece of technology but it does not replace a compus and map - try navigating by GPS under a canopy of trees. I own and love my two GPS's but have no use for a talking GPS. MP3 player - amazing how much music you cana get on one little device - CDs will go the way of vinyl. Automatic transmission - don't own one, not because I don't like them but because they usually add $2K to the price of the vehicle and both my wife and I can drive a standard. Digital camera vs film - are you kidding, digital is the way to go. Brifters and 10 speed cassetts vs 5 speed and down tubes, no question - bikes have gotten so much better, will never go back.

Not all "new" things are better or valuable but many are. Our technology evolves and makes our lives better with each passing year. Things are moving so fast we can't keep up - we keep up better than we did before the information was avialable to us on the web but now things are changing so fast we can't keep up even when the information is easily available - the changes are happening so fast.

Now - the good thing is we have so much experience we can judge for ourselves what are the good advances and what is junk.

I don't tend to be on the bleeding edge - I wait until others have tested the waters first.

Now - the good thing is we have so much experience we can judge for ourselves what are the good advances and what is junk

I just had a conversation yesterday with my early 30ish asst. manager about this; the belief that the "baby boomers" are not as accepting of new technology (she heard this in a management seminar). This was brought on by my complaints about the new computerised documentation system going in. I had to point out to her that I have been using computers at work since before she was born and in fact my brother developed one of the first hospital -wide documentation systems in 1980ish. What I simply don't accept is that we must or should put up with the flaws in this particular product, since it hurts productivity. What would be differently about Gen X or Y that they do? Is it that they were never exposed to appliances that lasted for decades? Or maybe this is the outcome of primary education that has confused a tool (computer use) with the desired outcome (thinking skills).

I've always been interested in buying new electronic stuff. I've been programming computers for 34 years, I bought an IBM PC right after they came out. I've been a little bit behind in buying the latest CD players/DVD players/MP3 players, etc., and I don't have hi-def TV yet. But what I've found recently is that as I get older I'm more satisfied with slightly older technology and don't feel that I have to buy the latest stuff just as soon as it comes out. IOW don't fix it if it isn't broken.

A few years ago I worked with a guy that bought the latest stuff. He had satellite radio in his car and had hidef satellite tv at home. One time the CD player in my car had jammed and I had just come back from a trip so I had a box of cassette tapes in the car. He got in my car and couldn't believe that I actually was listening to cassette tapes. But so what, they still worked.

Well just the other day I realized that everything I have is old- my car is 10 years old, I have standard def analog TV, my computer is 7 years old, my cellphone is 4 years old, my bike is 20 years old! So I decided that even if it all works I can justify upgrading a little so I'm going to plan a program to upgrade a few things as I can afford it. Of course I'm starting with the bikes! Both bikes have Shimano 7-speed STI using freewheels, so I'm going to build new wheels to use freehubs. And my little 15" monitor is getting hard to see so I'm going to upgrade that too.

Hey, I resemble that remark.




Golly, and all along I was wrong......:(

In reality, how they look has nothing to do with why I wear them.

Never knew you followed the Racing scene:innocent:

Brifters? No thanks. Tricked out wheels? Nope. 32 spoke work fine for me. Bars with 9 different hand positions? No, I`ll take my 44cm Cinelli bars, thank you. Weirdly angled stems? Don`t get it. Sloping top tubes? Pass.

Some more rant on this subject:
I like to use stuff until it breaks, fix it and use it some more. I will update to newer stuff if it makes my life better and is worth the cost. So here is the issue - with things changing so fast you can't repair stuff anymore, the parts just aren't available. This past week I had to do a design for a special experiment and needed to design a very special analog circuit - I haven't done this in over 20 years. To get the performance I need I can't use the new stuff - it just doesn't have the specs, I needed a special discrete device (not an integrated circuit) and no one makes these anymore. When I asked one of our young specialists in this area he pointed me to a new part I had dismissed earlier, I asked him how he would achieve the specs I needed - he said it can't be done. I showed him the part I wanted to use, his eyes lit up and he said - I had not idea they made devices like this, they don't anymore...

My home computers are circ 1998 - except one I got free a few years ago which is a 2005.
My GPS is a 2002, my TV is a 1990, my cars - 1996 (113K miles) & 2002 (85K miles). My theory is that if you buy just behind the latest thing you can get it on sale cheap (HD TV is just not cheap enough yet for me - needs to be under $500 for me to buy it). I think HDTV is great and would like to have one but not at the current price and not until more DVDs are HD.

The issue with not investing in new technology is not learning the skills to use the new technology. The old joke is how us old folk have to ask our grand kids to program the VCR - it's not that we could not do it - it is just you get uncomfortable with the new technology if you are not use to it. Learning the skills, vocabulary and techniques associated with the new stuff. The other issue I find is that as the eyes go and new technology makes things smaller it becomes frustrating fighting vision issues while you are trying to get things to work. Nothing beats young eyes, young legs, and well some of my other body parts when they were younger:D

One last rant:
The great thing about working with new young and talented scientists is that they don't know what "can't be done". The great thing about working with older experienced world class scientists is that they do know "what can't be done".

I did finally get a cell phone about five years ago. Yeah, it's convenient. The main reason for my getting one, is the disappearance of the good old public phone booth. Man, who remembers actual phone booths? A verizon tech told me they're removing almost all pay phones. The ones that are inside buildings, such as movie theaters and stores, will probably stay for the time being.

Gee, we probably have an entire generation now that has never seen an actual phone booth, and who have never heard the expression "Here's a dime in case you need to make a call."