Originally Posted by
StanSeven
The biggest thing you miss out on with modern bikes is the gears. It's not the lighter weight, frame material, stiffness, or brifters. It's the fact that you can crowd 10 or 11 gears where 6 are. Over a long distance of 40 or 50 miles of varying terrain, maintaining an even cadence makes a difference.
You really think so? I think some riders benefit from gears more than others. I do like closely spaced gears, but I do fine riding up and down hills without shifting much or at all.
My most important upgrades to old bikes are clipless pedals and modern tires. I just put some lightweight wheels and some high-end tires on a relatively heavy bike, and wow. Clipless pedals, too, of course.