Evolution going backwards is similar to how it looks to be in many cases too. There were finely tuned bikes 80 years ago, steel frames, simple aluminium rims, improvements were gradually added over the decades, but the average bike sold today is not superior to a good vintage. Really good derailleur is way above what was in the past, but if anyone here is familiar with the 5 or 10 gear derailleur from the 1970-80, they know it was a thing you had to develop a feel for, but hopefully discovered too, that chaning gears worked fine and they lasted trouble free many times longer than what we get today. I don't know if technology always improved the general situation, in some ways yes, in others it was a turn for the worse; especially the average bike. For decades Sachs/Sram, Shimano, and Sturmey Archer have had very dependable 3 speeds and coaster brake hubs. They still do, but lately I have come across 2-3 year old Shimano hubs very poorly made. It's like the game is to have a very low quality range of products along with the better, like a pecking order of bike parts. These hubs aren't that cheap to buy, just to make. When they have a good production, they can turn out good quality for a good price, it's like they deliberately choose not to in some cases.