BoltBreaker

In other words, every frame ever sold by Rivendell - past, present, or future.

Chuck M 

I had one of my Takaras out on the path yesterday and while I was visiting with someone I know who is in their 30s, he commented that my bike was a classic. While I hold that it is a well preserved and original example of an early 80s bike boom bike, I've never considered it classic. But I was impressed that he appreciated that it was an old bike older than him. I guess where one draws the line as far as vintage is concerned one can put a date on, the line for classic can be a bit blurrier and I seem to use rarity, quality or historical significance in that regard. But one Merriam Webster definition states a classic is a typical or perfect example. Maybe we can all appreciate our old bikes more than we already do and the young man I visited with saw something I overlooked.

joesch

Went to a classic bike show

It was quite a delight

All the bikes parked in a row

What a wonderful sight



Some are candy apple red

Others are metallic blue

Some have wild lugs and frame decals

And there's even purple ones too



These bikes are steel real beauties

They were made to last

Some were for cruising

Others to go fast



There's the classic Bianci Specialissi

And I'm willing to bet

That some still remember

The sporty Masi Prestigette



They come from a simpler time

And if truth be told

Compare to the new one's of today

I prefer yesterday's old

TLaurent 

I have several bikes that fall into C&V and am only slightly embarrassed by the youngest in the stable (a 2007 Bianchi Axis with brifters that is too fun to give up). I suppose that the E’roica guidelines are what I tend to follow for classic. Share your passion for bikes and appreciate the feedback from others.

ollo_ollo

None of my C&V bicycles are perfect. I settled for "perfectly typical" and ride them all. Don

Pacsiah

the last time the Tour de France was won on a steel bike and before
1994. Indurain. Pinarello.

Pacsiah

pre-1994. classic.
pre-derailleur. vintage.

Chombi1 

It was quite easy to find the "comfort zone" in what is a C&V bike, just a few years ago.....
It was usually anything built within the 80's and older, and bikes relatively did not change that much in general appearance.
Now that we are in the new millennium, that bracket has moved over to include the 90's and bikes had moved on to include a lot of CF, Ti and aluminum, plus the disappearance of things on bikes like lugs and fork crowns and the introduction of more monocoque compisite and water formed metal designs and bikes came out in so many different forms and shspes, it is a bit harder to define that line where C&V ends and the current, modern era starts.

malcala622 

I consider my 03 Lemond a classic...once it's 25+ years old I consider it vintage.

tlastrange

Funny that I never really considered the bike hanging in my garage as "classic" or "vintage" but after reading here it definitely qualifies.

1987 Trek 2500 with Dura Ace and most other original components. I'm the original owner :-)

salim.martak

does any steel with lugs bikes are welcome here? i'm new wondering if the forum clasify vintage bikes into anything specific, thnks before

Margus223

My response is I would follow the same rules as automobiles. Typically at least it used to be, 20 years is Classic. Of course in Europe they think it is funny as it would require 100 years to qualify

joesch

Lugged steel frames were common for classic bikes and most in the C&V would enjoy seeing these type of bikes even if recent retro builds. Down tube shifters are surely a sign of a classic bike and most of these are 3+ decades old. I also enjoy seeing the head tube badges that many classic rides have unlike the modern decals.

Rocket-Sauce 

Classic? High end, preferably handmade.
Vintage? Old.

Classic and Vintage? The bikes I drooled over when I was in high school and college but couldn't afford.

restlessswind

Anyting with cottered cranks
Penny Farthings
Built by Wright Bros.
Stock with friction stem or downtube shifters, and hooped brake cables
Anything made in Japan, England, France, US or Italy
Steel rims
Equipped brazed on frame pump mounts
5/6 or 10/12 speeds
absence of any aluminum or carbon components

This is a "short list"

Friisk

Steel frame is auto vintage

restlessswind

I have a newer Surly. It is a steel frame

genejockey 

It's like pornography - hard to define, but you know it when you see it. The question is whether your bikes have any redeeming social importance.

P!N20

Fun at the time but there's always a feeling of shame afterwards.

Usually ends messy.

It's only conducted in dark corners of the house.

Starts innocent enough, but before long you're buying strange things off the internet.

Pompiere

My Jamis Quest is also steel. I had been calling it my new bike, but it's ten years old now, so it's on the way to being vintage.

macnak

good question and good thread I've learned a lot

BoltBreaker

So... my new lugged steel bike with MAFAC RAID centerpulls *and* Rohloff IGH is what? Not vintage, not classic... yet, it's curiously similar to the C&V theme, no? I blame gugie

Chuck M 

Is that two top tubes, two down tubes or 1.5 of each?

P!N20

Fetish

Quakertownrich

Lol!