I posted this yesterday on the 50+ forum (well, yeah, since I'm 54...) and figured that since it relates more to C&V bikes, it really should go here:


Yesterday I took a quick ride out to Agee's Bicycles here in Richmond, Virginia out on Broad St. I rode the backroads through various neighborhoods with my old trusty Garmin eTrex GPS mounted on the handlebars. Total trip, 4.65 miles each way = 9.30 miles total in 41:05 (not including time spent in the store).

A funny story, while I was in Agee's nosing around looking at various high tech, carbon framed, something-something, road bikes - mostly Trek (Agee's is a primary Trek dealer), I couldn't believe the cost of some of them... I'm sorry, but I just stood there thinking to myself, "OMG, seriously?!?"

Anyway, the owner (a gray haired guy around my age) noticed my old Fuji outside and mentioned that I was wise to ride this morning and not later this afternoon when it's supposed to be a roasting 98°F outside! One thing led to another, and I went outside and wheeled my old Fuji into the store. The clerks and bike techs all looked over at it and gave approving comments like, "Oh wow man, classic!" and "Look at that... An 'old school' Fuji with downtube shifters!". When I told the owner (who was looking it over) that it was from 1985, he also said, "This is in excellent shape! We get these old steel framed bikes in here from time to time. They just keep on going and won't die. If there's anything you need, just drop it off with us, and we'll keep it going for another 30 years! (I guess he had to make a sales/service pitch for the repair shop).


EDIT: I guess it's safe to say that C&V bikes are (and probably always will be) viewed by LBS's as "cool" and "old school" and not put down or ridiculed. They will always have a special place in our hearts. Like the owner/older guy in the LBS was saying, "old bikes will just keep on going and will never die". Wouldn't you agree?