If they ain't for ridin' , what good are they?
There are as many answers to that question as there are people to answer it. We all do what we do for our own reasons. For me...
I love the anticipation of
the hunt. I love the joy of a
nice find. I love to
study and research what I found. I love to
get what I found on the road. I love to ride what I found and compare it to other good bikes I have owned. I love
to look at an old bicycle. As you can see, riding is only a part of a much larger picture, in my case. To that add this...
If it is the ride that is important, does anyone else think as I do? The newer bikes, fitted with newer components are nicer to ride, easier to ride and more comfortable to ride. That is my opinion, but I still like my older bikes more.
So, the bikes, even unridden, are still of value to their owners, but in different ways. Keep in mind that this is all an opinion, just as the OP's is.