Love the quiet of a freewheel and friction shifting
Went for a ride today on my old Peugeot and I was amazed at how much pleasure I got from the quiet-ness of the drivetrain. No ratcheting noise when coasting, no clicking sounds when shifting, gosh it was nice. I was on smooth pavement with vitually no traffic towards the end of the day.
The old bikes aren't as light as the new ones, they're not as stiff, don't climb or sprint as well, but they win hands down in the quiet category. Also win in the low maintenance category.