Anyway. While modern bikes have come with some headaches, overall I much prefer how they ride compared to older ones. That doesn't make the older ones trash and I do like the aesthetics. Unsurprisingly, I especially like the bikes that were current as I was getting into cycling in the mid 200s through about 2015. But just taking disc brakes as an example: yes, they have more stopping power and more reliable all-weather performance. But they also make bike setup a lot easier for me. I'm 5' 5" and the head tube area of my bikes doesn't offer a lot of space. Routing brake and shift cables was always a problem. It's very easy to make a mistake that causes one of your brakes to not operate smoothly, or for cable housing to bind on a stem faceplate bolt when turning the bars. Hydraulic disc brakes solved this problem for me. Any remaining issues with shift cables are solved with electronic shifting, but even I don't want that on all of my bikes. There are too many things to charge up nowadays.

I also like modern developments in geometry, I like the way modern bikes combine stiffness for precise handling with ride comfort, and I like the way modern bikes look. For the most part at least. Of the bikes I actually ride, my oldest is a little less than 6 years old and I'm as happy with my various bikes as I've ever been.