Ride 'em all! Old and new - but a couple are a real problem to park and walk away from. Wouldn't want to return to find bits missing and the frame bent where some verminous "tea-leaf" thought he was stronger than a D lock.....

Followup from my original post 5 years ago: I have continued to ride Capo #1 regularly since the fancy repaint. If I did not want to ride a classic bike, I would have nothing to ride right now.

I can't afford a bike that I wouldn't ride.

First, Holy Thread Revival, Batman!

I retired my Raleigh Pro Track from mass start racing when it got to be about 20 years old--it was too pretty to put into those small holes at the back of a miss-n-out. Had I done any more kilos or pursuits, it would have been my first choice, as it was easier to put my TT bar setup on it than my threadless Davidson. I did continue to ride it on the occasional training night. That's the only bike of mine that has had any change in the use I expect of it. I ride everything else without reservation.

Ditto. I have no problem with owning a few museum pieces. Plenty of bikes to ride.

only purchase bikes that fit you.after doing the work to get it road worthy there is no way a person who is into bikes will not get the urge to try it out.over the years i have turned down many "deals" that dont fit because i know i will never be able to ride them.i only use the space for bikes that i know will be on the road.

I'm a steel freak. I have a '84 Trek 610, a '80 Masi GC, a '80 or so Mondonico, and a (dang!!) '80 Woodrup. Each one rides different. If I didn't have a better fitting and (just have to say it) better riding Mondonico, I'd ride the Masi all the time. The Trek and Woodrup have their places. For example I can't fit fenders on the Masi, and the Mondo doesn't even have eyelets.

So yes, ride your classic bike all you like. You really won't hurt it unless you crash.

Road Fan

Definitely ride the old one. With only 2 bikes available my '82 Colnago gets fully half the duty. Would probably look a lot better with new handlebar tape and brake hoods....

Of all my vintage bikes the one that sees the most ride time, by far, is the Nishiki Ariel MTB. I've converted that bike to a MUP rider and it sees a decent amount of trail time. Next would be the Raleigh Record 'cause that's my beater.
Sadly, both my Bianchi and the C'dale SR500 are too new to be called vintage and too old to get respect in the roadie forum. But I love'em just the same.

I would buy any bike, including Fausto's Bianchi, Eddy's Colnago or Constante's Maino, and ride it until it breaks to where I could not ride it. At that point, if it is "famous", I would relagate it to being a wall-queen. If it is a "regular" bike, I would replace the broken part (period correct if possible) and keep on riding the thing like Kurt, until I was dead.

Why wouldn't any of you ride a "famous" bike? Does it matter if a wall-queen is rideable or unrideable? Granted the tires on a 50-year-old bike would be shot, but if they are good to go, so am I.

If you're not gonna ride it, you may as well just have a picture of it. They're easier to keep clean.

Well, I don't actually ride all 30 of my bikes though I plan on it someday. If I come across a bike that has all origional rubber on it I try to get it to someone who likes that kind of thing.
I like to see that kind of stuff, I know a couple of LBSs that have some sweet old stuff hanging on the wall. I can look at it all day. My rides are practical(ish). Maybe whin I'm rich I'll get something to hang on the wall.

^
Best line in this entire thread.

-Kurt

Why buy old stamps if you're not going to mail them? Why buy old coins if you're not going to spend them? In fact, why collect anything at all if a picture would do? We don't all have to buy bikes for the same reason.

ridden approx.1800-2000 miles last yr/60-65K total mileage since new


approx.700 miles in 07


approx. 300 miles in 07


approx. 450 miles in 07

well, here is my story and I'm sticken too it... hehehe I have a not so oldie... but goodie.... it sits in my dining room so i can admire it all the time... I have not riden it for years (probably should, it would do my body good) but I don't it is a 1994 bianchi... see my pic of it... in the dining room of course.

This is a good set of questions, but I do have an answer. The pleasurable thing about experiencing stamps or coins is not the sending or spending, but the design or rarity; purely aesthetic in a way divorced from the original purpose of the article. Plus, if you use a stamp or coin, you have to give it up. However, a vintage bike worth it's salt was designed to go fast, feel good and be an exciting experience for those reasons. If you hang it up and don't ride it, that's denying more than half what it's about, IMO. Same goes for any made object whose purpose was performance -- automobile, firearm, shoe, etc. I don't get why people would never use them, unless they're just not competent to have that aspect of the experience.

aaaahhhhhh but you see... with me the bike in the dining room has some to do with self preservation... heheheh.... I can't admire the bike if I am all laid up in the hospital or something... no I am kidding I am planning on getting back out and re-starting my cycling... I am getting inspired by you all here ar the forum.

I´ve got 10 bikes, old and not so old, and I certainly ride them all. I am of the opinion that a bike needs to get ridden frequently just to keep everything in a good working order.
Obviously, if you have a very special bike you need to be extra careful with it when out riding but it still needs to get out on the tarmac. And you´ll never be able to fully appreciate a bike if you never ride it.

Bingo! I plan to ride the rest of my life, and there is no point (IMHO!!!) to own bikes that will not be ridden.

I just don't have the room for a mini-stable of bikes for display only. We probably do need to go to N+2 (modern roadies for both me and Mrs. Road Fan), but again those will be riders.

Looks like he enjoyed the crash as much as the rest of the drive!!

I think we all want to know if this old beauty is as great as the reputation, and to become more educated by experiencing say, the design and build talent of a Masi, a Colnago, a Woodrup, et cetera!

I want to experience a Herse on an extended basis, but don't want to buy and ressurect one. I probably have enough goodies to get another Italian, US, or Britbike on the road, but French fits are not in my warehouse.

This is exactly the point. Stamps and coins have an historical intellectual side, which never interested me (my dad did both). That aspect of bikes leaves me cold, too. I do study the engineering of bicycles. If I can't ride it and experience the benefit of various innovations, there's no stimulation, beyond just riding. So far though, I think I have great bikes.

Road Fan

Caterham, you ride my size! What are those? I think I recognize the aluminum Vitus.