Classic & Vintage - So, what Kool Aid are YOU respectfully declining?

It seems to be a BF phenomenon that we join and have a few bikes that we like and just want to know how to fix something that's wrong, but before long we have a growing list of grail bikes and components and paraphernalia that we just have to have. The needful things of BF tend to fall into an assortment of tidy categories; the English tourer, the bike that so-and-so built before yadayada, the rare Italian speeder, that special elusive French beauty, the Mexican, Don Johnson, etc, etc. So, I'm wondering- which of the cult bikes just don't hook you? For example- the Ironman. I know it's great, and I really enjoy hearing those who like them wax rhapsodic, but it's just not my bag.

French bikes - I tried a PX10 and while light and different, I didn't like it much.

Tourers - I cannot understand why people like these things. If you aren't doing fully loaded touring for super long distances, why want one. As a commuter, a sports tourer is more than enough for me. (Miyata 610 and Fuji TS IV, both moved on to new homes)

Fujis - Awful pieces of crap. Why would anyone want one? I hate them so much that I started a program to recycle the frames. Just send them my way and I will deal with it discreetly. ;)

Most Italian stuff thats newer than the early 80's. That and Paramounts.

I have become a complete heretic. I have broken with n+1.

Everything except Campy Record and Dura Ace bikes.

Campagnolo.
Bags with canvas and leather.
Weight weenie-ism.

Interesting question. I actually only have about 5 bikes but I have no real desire for any more. I'm pretty content to ride what I have, unless of course something special drops in my lap.

I guess that means there are several flavors I haven't drunk. The "tweed" bike, IGH hubs in general, modern drivetrains on classic frames come to mind. Not that I don't think they're all cool; I just don't feel a particular need to own them.

Indexing

Campagnolo and Celeste Green

Friction shifting.
Pedals with toe clips.
French bikes/parts.
Cantilever brakes.
Cloth handlebar tape, especially when shellac is involved.
Paramounts.
Loaded tourers for anything but loaded touring.

Campy and top-tier Italian bikes.

I love the way the campy stuff looks, but have always been happier with the performance of similar era Shimano stuff. I seem to be a sucker for the smaller Italian marques: Battaglin, Faggin, Ciocc.

the whole velo orange look - a few practical things sure, but do you really need all that stuff on your bike all the time?

Tourers - I cannot understand why people like these things.

Fujis - Awful pieces of crap. Why would anyone want one? I hate them so much that I started a program to recycle the frames. Just send them my way and I will deal with it discreetly. ;)

So would you want the Fuji Del Rey that I'm getting rid of :eek:? It's a tourer...

Updating my Nuovo Classics to 10+ spd with brifters and deepdish wheels. I have Classics for a reason.


I really tried to hold out on the everything black koolaid but as most of you know I gulpped it right down on my Batavus build

Anything Schwinn. Anything.

Schwinn. Grew up in Europe so I don't harbor nostalgia towards an irrational teenage craving.

Shimano on roadbikes. Grew up in Europe so I harbor insatiable nostalgia towards my own teenage craving: Campagnolo.

Team issue and logo jerseys. Stupid looking. Unless they have greater than 50% wool content.

Handbuilt, custom steel frames. I respect artisan industries but less so the money needed to participate.

Middleweight cruiser bikes. Not keen on the styling and they are too heavy.
Sting Rays. Been there, done that. When I was 12.

Schwinn. Grew up in Europe so I don't harbor nostalgia towards an irrational teenage craving.

Shimano on roadbikes. Grew up in Europe so I harbor insatiable nostalgia towards my own teenage craving: Campagnolo.

Team issue and logo jerseys. Stupid looking. Unless they have greater than 50% wool content.

Handbuilt, custom steel frames. I respect artisan industries but less so the money needed to participate.

jan, I'm surprised you don't have 650B on the list, given your seemingly successful experiments with 650A.

Ah, I love it all if it was before 1984. Except I don't mess much with Japanese stuff. Nothing wrong with it, just not my thang.

If it doesn't have Campy it's not worth riding! ;-)

the whole velo orange look - a few practical things sure, but do you really need all that stuff on your bike all the time?

I'm not sure what you mean by "all that stuff"? Do you mean fenders, lights and bags? Of course those are not needed all the time, but it's normally a PITA to remove and reinstall those things on a need basis. Maybe you mean other things?

i figured this would have been mentioned in the first couple posts: track bikes for non-track use your bars a foot below your saddle. modern or vintage, it's an impractical and potentially dangerous trend for the sake of "style points." (and i mean track bikes, not any fixed gear bike)

schwinn electroforged (varsity, etc) i don't get the hype. they work, they usually still work, that's not something to droll over to me

downtube shifters unless i am building a restoration piece, i hate 'em. maybe it's just my short arms, but i'll find any way to bring my shifting up closer to my bars

I'm not sure what you mean by "all that stuff"? Do you mean fenders, lights and bags? Of course those are not needed all the time, but it's normally a PITA to remove and reinstall those things on a need basis. Maybe you mean other things?

well instead of "all the time" I guess I meant just "all that stuff". I've seen several bikes dressed out like this, but you're right once it's on there it ain't coming off.

CO2 cartridges, brifters, RB-1s, tubular rim tape, to name a few.

Great thread topic!

There's a lot of hype that I don't subscribe to, many already mentioned, but here goes:

- Ironmans: While I like some of the paint schemes, I don't find them especially attractive. To me, they are nice mid priced bikes.

- Unicrown forks: I don't find them attractive, and I've yet to find one that improves the ride quality. (...but I haven't ridden the Tommasini version.)

- English bikes and/or tweed bikes, IGH, tourers, Velo Orange, leather/canvas bags and racks, using a fully loaded touring bike for any reason other than loaded touring

- Rigid mountain bikes for commuting or other road use: Particularly the notion that it's impossible to go off of paved roads or even ride rough surface streets without a survivalist/post-apocalyptic off road rig. (love the 'Gravel Grinders' thread, btw)

- Suspension mountain bikes for anything other that mountain biking/off-roading

- Builder/'workmanship' snobbery: I really don't believe that certain Italian bikes are always built master craftsmen and blessed before before each one leaves the shop. having nice lug shorelines can make a frame nice to stare at, but a builder who knows about geometry and tubing shape/thickness often makes a better bike for actually riding.

- Groupset snobbery: I've read a lot on these pages about how such and such brand's product is either unusable or infallible, while a another brand's product is infallible or unusable. I've ridden nearly every popular high-end (then or now) group. They all have their quirks, and I understand that people have their preferences.

Patina
Shimano
Japanese bikes, (only exception for me is a 3Rensho)
Suntour , the largest heaviest rear derailleurs on the planet
Fully loaded touring bikes used for everything but touring
French, anything french......

The idea that shimano is "just as good, if not better". See also Suntour.

velo orange retro crap.

The creed that gaspipe clunkers are bikes too.

modest opinions.

Peugeot PX10: Probably the most over rated C&V bicycle. It barely squeaks out of mid-range level but people go ga-ga over them and think they're high end product.

Italian threading: Metric diameter combined with an imperial thread count and the Whitworth thread angle! What kind of engineering is that? You just don't walk into your local hardware store and pick up taps and dies for that.

Syncro: World's worst index system.

Suntour , the largest heaviest rear derailleurs on the planet


1975 Cyclone (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_Cyclone_black_derailleur_%285902_1st_style%29.html) - 175g

1975 Nuovo Record (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Campagnolo_Nuovo_Record_derailleur_%281020_A_3rd_style%29.html) - 205g

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTbg7hhB13U/Td_F28QooeI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/ZR4CcCPqrvk/s400/kool-aid.gif

Galmozzis....why so much fuss over old bikes with a chicke...I mean, rooster on it's head tube??
Galmozzi fans talk about them like they're Mona Lisa-like masterpieces, plus all the intrigue about fakes being made iand passed on to collectors for crazy money by shady Euro sellers..... I look at pics of them and with dog style tilted head, I don't get it......yet?
Frankly, I'd prefer a Hetchins over them any time.... At least with a Hetchins you see right away what's special about it.

Chombi

Oh, I forgot one:

- N+1: If riding is your main goal, there are practical limitations on how many bikes you can enjoy.

1975 Cyclone (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_Cyclone_black_derailleur_%285902_1st_style%29.html) - 175g

1975 Nuovo Record (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Campagnolo_Nuovo_Record_derailleur_%281020_A_3rd_style%29.html) - 205g

Take your facts and shove-em! I want a recount, get out the scales!!

Kool Aid I refuse to drink:

The notion that certain bikes have "soul" because a certain person made them.

Dressing my bikes up in a certain fashion so some people here will gush over the glamor shots.

Obsessive period correctness.

Grant Petersen.

Hating Grant Petersen.

VO parts, not because they necessarily look bad, but because they're way too expensive.

- Groupset snobbery: I've read a lot on these pages about how such and such brand's product is either unusable or infallible, while a another brand's product is infallible or unusable. I've ridden nearly every popular high-end (then or now) group. They all have their quirks, and I understand that people have their preferences.

Ok, now that one makes too much sense to be in here. I guess i'll have to adopt that one as mine too. I've tried lots of "POS" equipment like Shimano Eagle, Shimano Positron... and honestly, I thought they were just fine.

I must be too new to BF as I haven't drank any of it yet. I more than happy with my 110 (the horror), which just happened to be the first decent road bike I found on CL that was both my size and in my price range.

Is this thread really going to do anything but have people insulting one another's preferences?

Is this thread really going to do anything but have people insulting one another's preferences?

What, you have a problem with segregation??? What is this, 2012??

Here, I'll make it about something else:
Group ride in NEO, who's in!

any bike that isn't practical (since i ride my bikes).

i laugh any time i see some italian "work of art" that is barely used, crazy uncomfortable setup, and with 23mm or less tires. i know 99% of these get ridden at about 10mph for 5 miles 20 times per year (DD is an exception).

I fetishize pretty much everything bike related. I'm a Kool-aid drunk.

adjustable stems

What, you have a problem with segregation??? What is this, 2012??

Here, I'll make it about something else:
Group ride in NEO, who's in!Holy Toledo, Batman!

Is this thread really going to do anything but have people insulting one another's preferences?

Uh-oh. Sounds like you got into the 'if you can't say anything nice' Kool Aid. We'll have none of that at this party.

1975 Cyclone (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_Cyclone_black_derailleur_%285902_1st_style%29.html) - 175g

1975 Nuovo Record (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Campagnolo_Nuovo_Record_derailleur_%281020_A_3rd_style%29.html) - 205g

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTbg7hhB13U/Td_F28QooeI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/ZR4CcCPqrvk/s400/kool-aid.gif



I didn't say all are the heaviest. Just some of them feel as heavy as a crankset.

Bikes without stuck Seatposts or headsets...WHAT? you mean there aren't supposed to come that way?? :D

My 13 year old asked me to explain that whole "Campy is Best" thing, as he compared his 86 Team Fuji SunTour "Sprint Grouppo" to the Campy of the day...All I could come up with was "It's Italian"! ;-) I guess the poor thing is deluded!!!

Well, "respectful" is in the thread title, so that's implied in my post at least.

Y'all can send all that nasty French stuff my way, I'll be glad to dispose of it for you...

Y'all can send all that nasty French stuff my way, I'll be glad to dispose of it for you...

Oh, your about to receive a flurry of Huret Alvit derailleurs like you never thought possible.

UO-8s. The best turd of the bunch is still a turd.

Group ride in NEO, who's in!

I'm in. Do you have a proposed date?