I built a modest C&V collection over the last 20 years or so, but I can't recall anyone ever noticing.

Now it's happened twice in less than a week. Quick words, quickly said by riders quickly going by:

"That's a nice old bike!" said Guy #1, about 75 years old.

"This is its 50th anniversary!" is all I have time to say.

Today Guy #2, a 40-ish man, eases around from behind. "Cool old bike!"

"It's 50 and rides real nice". (and as we all know, it really does)..

What's your reaction when someone notices? It surprised me how good it feels. Preserved cycling history is, well ... fun! Even for non-bike-nerds.

Climb #1
Other cyclist: "Steel is Real!"
Me: "...and heavy" (huff, puff, huff, puff)

Climb #2
Other cyclist: "A retro Pinarello!"
Me: "with retro gearing" (huff, puff, huff, puff)

Climb #3
Other cyclist: "Hey look, a steely!"
Me: "there's always one" (huff, puff, huff, puff)

I'm glad people are appropriately appreciating what you have.

My first "real" bike was almost a chrome Voyageur, but the smallest size then available was 21.5" and 21" was already a stretch for my compact frame. So I got a decent mid-level Centurion that fit me better instead.

After getting a USCF license and deciding the Centurion wasn't "racey" enough, I acquired a used and beat-up Raleigh Professional frame and fork for cheap in 1982 during my poor college student racing days. It was the best I could afford given my financial condition at the time, and it was Raleigh's top-end Tour-level bike when it was built a decade earlier. I equipped it with used Suntour and Sugino parts (nothing like the Record gruppo it had when originally sold) and tubular wheels I built from closeout sales and scrounged parts. And raced the heck out of it for several seasons.

I remember the comments of "Where did you get that old pile?" at the start line of some races, but I knew the frame and components weren't fancy but were the equal (or better) in performance to the ones the other racers had at the time. As the years passed, my friends would rib me with "You still have that pile of junk?" when I'd roll out for fast rides, and on occasion some snob would make a comment in passing.

But I remember that about a decade ago the tone and content of the comments changed. While it seems everyone interested in speed was now astride something made mostly of carbon fiber, titanium, or money, when I'd be rolling along on the Pro people were now saying "Wow! What a classic bike!" Felt a lot better. And when my friends would ask "When are you getting a new road bike?" I'd reply "My current one isn't broken - why do I need a new one?"

It's a good feeling having such a long relationship with a particular bike, especially when it's comfortable, predictable, and reasonably fast. Or in that case riding nearly any classic or vintage bike one might obtain, whether you've had it for weeks or decades. Let's keep 'em rolling...

Ah, the good old days.

"What do you have on the back there, a 21? Are you going touring or something?"

I'll be guy number 3, @Iowa10Speed that is a nice classic bike! Thanks for showing it off.

When I first showed up to the weekly club rides with an old bike, they hardly paid any attention. To them, I was just some old guy who pulled his old bike out of the garage and aired up the tires to get back in shape. Eventually, someone noticed that I was riding a different bike almost every week and asked "just how many bikes do you have?" Now, when I show up, they'll ask what I'm riding today and act interested while I ramble about the bike's history. The shop where we start and end the rides even started hosting a classic bike show after the last ride of the season.

That's a great looking bike. I've looked for a Voyageur before on and off without any luck.

I ride regularly in the Des Moines area, and I do see people riding older bikes. There are not a lot of people riding older bikes but they're out there.

I've taken my 1985 Cannondale ST 400 on a few organized rides and people have asked me about the bike.

I've had a few comments off and on but my favorite was from a little girl, maybe 8-9 years old with her mom: "Ooh, that has really thin pipes." I choose to accept that as a compliment.

I have been living and riding in the Sacramento area, where there are a lot of active cyclists, for just over a year now. In that time, I've probably received more than a dozen compliments on my old bikes - which has mostly been the '79 Mercian Campionissimo. It ranges from people riding by, recognizing the name and saying "nice Mercian!" to folks wanting to stop and share memories of their old bikes for a few minutes. It's a good atmosphere... Oh, and of course I'm excluding any compliments received during the monthly C&V rides!

-Gregory

We were out once on our old Schwinn DeLuxe Twinn tandem and a little kid yelled, "It's a two-sickle bike!"

They know the truth.

Iowa10Speed that's one beautiful Voyageur II! It is so nice to see it in such original condition. Your paint, chrome and decals are so pristine.

I was gifted my Voyageur II as a frameset from Frank the Welder. I built it once as a tourer with non-original parts, fenders, racks, etc., but it basically sat unridden for years. Eventually the bits were stripped, and it was back to a frameset.

Well, about three years ago nlerner offered an early '50s Sturmey Archer AM IGH 27" rear wheel in the classified section and I couldn't resist. As soon as it arrived, I decided it needed to be on the Voyageur. Frank the Welder had also given me an old Schwinn cottered steel crankset, and this is what I built.


My paint is nicked and marred all over revealing the underlying chrome plating. Decals are scratched and sparse in places. The original exposed chrome on the fork crown and headtube lugs is pitted and rusted in places. None of the original components are present, but for me, it is a blast to ride with its narrow 3-speed gearing here on the flat coastal island where I live.

I can scoot along at an average of 14-18 mph but usually get passed by the "dudes" on their CF wonder bikes which probably weigh in at 10lbs+ less! Yet none have ever slowed down long enough to inquire about what I'm riding and listen to the "tick, tick, tick," of the 75-year-old SA IGH.

Yes, this happens to me a fair bit lately. I even got a note left on my locked-up bike a few months ago!

As I was commuting in heavy traffic in the City, I gave appreciation to a man older than I am riding an old English 3-speed. I don't love riding those bikes, but I love the bikes themselves.

That's how I feel about rod brake Raleighs. I've had a few because I can't resist them but inevitably realize what I've done.

Yeah I draw the line before the Tourists. I took a tiny test ride on one and don't want to try one again. I've owned a few Sportses and liked them. As soon as I get on it, it puts a smile on my face. There's something smile-inducing about it. But eventually the widely spaced gears and the high effort required to go anywhere wear me down. I don't know why.

I have had many comments about my old bikes and my reaction nowadays is just “thanks man” . I used to say more but most just admire and really don,t want to hear. The one time that got me most was a lunch ride to the beach from my shop. I was riding a path that cuts through a strawberry field on my Windsor Pro . I could see a couple of guys on skateboards ahead and as soon as they saw me coming they got off their skateboards and stepped aside. They looked to be high school age and as I passed one of them said “ nice Windsor” . I said thanks twice , one for stepping aside and again after the comment. The all time favorite seems to be the Colnago , especially when I stop for coffee .

I've got a few fancy old bikes that sometimes get positive comments from folks, but today I had a first, I was riding my Max Tommasini...

...and at a set of lights I had a 'nice bike' from a dude on an ebike. Made me wonder if an ebike rider has ever had a 'nice bike' comment from a non ebike rider.....he was riding one of those gopping small wheeled fat tyred ebikes made from scaffolding with huge ugly welds, and grateful tho I was for the compliment I couldn't in good faith return the compliment, so just said 'thanks dude'

Maybe there are good looking ebikes out there, but I dont recall seeing any.

90% of the time I don’t ever see another rider, I’m out in the country. Once in awhile the closer I get to the city I’ll see a group of riders on carbon race bikes flying by. I’ve never really had the chance to show off my bikes in person, only here.

“Nice winter trainer!”

It was August.

I was out on my Gios (1991) a while back and came upon a twenty something guy riding along on a newish carbon fiber (of course) bike….He commented, “That bike is old…” I replied, “Everything you see here is old!” …and took off as fast as I could…

I ride my C&Vs in group rides. As a first-timer with a faster group, I am occasionally met with the reaction of "I sure hope this guy on his old bike doesn't slow us down". Sometimes I live up to their expectation! Other times, I hang in there just fine which then leads to another reaction: "Hey you should get a new bike, you'd be surprised how much faster you'd be".

My bike is nothing like any of yours' but she gets compliments pretty much everywhere we go.



On Rocky Creek bridge.

Your bike is just like ours, exactly how you want it to be.

The Strawberry gets kudos most everywhere it goes and it does feel good that people like the juxtaposition of the old and the new which as we know was very much on purpose and a lot of time was taken to get there.

I recall being stopped at a light, in the left turn lane. I was riding my Raleigh Team bike, which has the red/black/yellow team colors. A pick-up pulled up in the next lane and the driver commented something along the lines of "that's a good looking bike!". I might have been wearing a matching Raleigh Team jersey too.



Admittedly, this is a rare occurrence. I do get comments from riding buddies now and then, which does mean a lot! They've seen my various bikes for years, so it means something when they comment on how the stainless spokes glint in the sun or whatever. Much appreciated!

Steve in Peoria

I compliment people's old bikes. I've only gotten a few comments- and only once has someone actually known what I was riding and I glowed about that for a week.

Although it wasn't an old bike- I was trucking along and this couple passed me- I saw and recognized the bike and said something to the effect of cool bike- and then I recognized the rider. The bike was an Ellis Strada Fango and the rider was Dave Wages. That was pretty cool.