Originally Posted by
Angrybk
If you're into Things that Last, despise new technology, so on and so forth, isn't the logical solution to buy a Miyata or something off Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks instead of a new Rivendell with the same tech for a couple thousand?
Fair point. There are a couple of counters, though.
First, that Miyata's been around for 3-4 decades. What's it like internally? Was it left in a soggy Florida garage for 20 years, and it's rusted inside? The new Riv (or any other new bike) is more expensive, but how much is it worth not to risk getting out into the middle of the country and having to walk 15 miles back?
Second, and related to the first, robotic welding and quality control have improved quite a bit in the last 30 years. Perhaps 95% bike boom bikes were machined and welded quite well; 99+% are today.
Ultimately, it's the buyer's choice. How much is extra reliability worth to you? How much are you willing to pay for style points (at least in certain circles)?