Originally Posted by Poguemahone
Keep in mind a lot of the hi-end older frames are handmade and silver brazed. If they're going after 30+ years, they are not liable to stop anytime soon. And the cost of comparable workmanship today is out of the range of bottom feeder of the economy types like me. So if other folks think old 531 bikes are worthless, it's fine by me.
I'm with you here and now, Poguemahone.
I never lusted over a bike; I rode the one my parents gave me when I was a child (one speed and backpedaling brakes, banana saddle and chopper handlebars, wow, I miss it...); I rode the one I could possibly afford when I was a teen (one of those 10 sp. CCM Targa), given I was not passionate about cycling per se, but used a bicycle as a means of transportation (the concept of locking a bike was not a priority then... yes, SOMETIMES I locked the bike, and sometimes, NOT, and this did not make any difference...). In the end of the '70's, one of my friends lusted for a bike badly and bought it (a nice Peugeot, don't remember the model, but waaayyyyyyy lighter than my crappy Targa...and way more expensive, three to fourfold), but did not give it the appropriate amount of care, and was riding it like a tank... result, by the end of this summer, if I was still riding my crappy targa (in a rather correct shape), his Peugeot was litterally going down in shreds, spokes broken, cables ripped, et alii...
To make a story short, after an episode with several 18 and 21 sp. MTB's, and then a total absence of bike in my life (for nearly 8 years), I'm back to cycling on a mid-'80's Bianchi 12 sp. I love that bike, and I'm looking for some other equivalent one (other nice brands and makes of the past) in the near future (planning on to get as many fine used bikes as I can possibly get and ride). And I would not change that for a "modern" bike, be it made of carbon, alu or Ti.
When I see a used bike, my question is still: is it in good shape, mechanically speaking ? Does it feel good when I ride it ? What is the brand, where was it made ? How much does it cost ? If the amount of money demanded for that is reasonable, if the other questions are answered by "Yes", then, I buy...and ride...
BTW, it's ironic to buy a bike a very cheap price, and realizing that everything you want to add to it (to get it back in REAL shape) is going to be more expensive than the bike itself. Not to mention the need to renew the biking clothes. Feels weird to me...
But the most important thing is: at last, I ride on a good, responsive bike, and God, I like this !
Sapolin