KonAaron Snake 

Yeah...a barend, or DT shifter for the front would solve it right quick...it's a good point. Was it Armstrong that ran that setup? It's a good setup actually. Still...Campy just works

Don't get me wrong, I think alloy is prettier too, but those plastic groups really do work darn well. I might as well confess...I'm going to be cutting down to 4-5 bikes pretty soon, and it's really more the modern ones I'll be keeping.

cs1

I agree on the old frame with modern components. A really good steel frame less fork is at best 1 pound more than AL. CF is a few pounds less. Waterford is making steel frames that build up to sub 20 lb bikes. Actually well under 20 lbs. Personally I swappwd a set of Zonda wheels on one of my bikes. It made a huge difference. Yes the bike wasn't a fly weight but it had a great feel and wheels made all the difference.

Ex Pres 

I own multiple C& and multiple "modern" bikes. I like 'em all.

I have 10s Record/Chorus on my newest, and boy does it shift sweetly - even in black.

The worst part about this bike? It laughs at me: "is this all you got?"

cyclotoine

Clearly the answer is: only you can make that call. It's not for everyone but for some people it makes a lot of sense.

I should and do own a modern bike. It's a 2002 steel frame, with carbon fork and a c.2010 sram red group, dura-ace 7800 crank, but I am all for modern machines. I am intrigued by the CAAD 12 too, supposed to ride as well as many carbon frames.

echo victor 

I recently finished building up a modern Ti bike with 10 speed Ultegra. It's a lot of fun, and for a little bit I was starting to wonder whether I'd stay interested in C&V. Then I picked up a Bianchi ('83 Nuovo Racing, I believe) - pretty sure it's only got SL for the main tubes, and I think it weighs around 23 lbs, but - to reverse the boxing metaphor - it rides below its weight. It feels incredibly quick and nimble... and less effort-ful than just about any bike I've ridden.

So now I'm trying to figure out what makes this quirky, powder coated, (upper) mid-level Bianchi ride so darn well... even compared to a modern bike that's about 15% lighter than it.

It's probably the Tricolor.

leicanthrope

Should? That's totally up to you.

I still love my vintage stuff, but I've never been a Luddite about it. It's always been about the aesthetics and the historical side of things, plus it's often easier to get a better bike that way for the same amount of money. Now that I'm in the business of selling bikes, I finally got around to going more modern. Scored an inexpensive trade-in of an older model (2007) bike from a brand my shop carries to start out with, and I've been tricking it out over the last couple of months. Undoubtedly this won't be the last one, as the sweet sweet employee discounts go a long way to salve the mediocre paychecks endemic to the bike biz.

Besides, since I moved a few months ago to an area with a much less active cycling community / used bike market than what I'm accustomed to, going modern has given me something to tinker with. Plus, carbon fiber and a crankset that can take a small ring less than 42t is appealing with the terrain around here.

Jseis 

I picked up a Colnago Dream about 6 years ago and it is the first modern road bike I've owned (even though it's fast moving towards C&V at 13+ years old). I really enjoy it though it's a bit stiff for centuries (from my POV). I really enjoy its handling. I'll likely (eventually) acquire another more modern bike, possibly CF, maybe 1 X 11, wireless shift, etc.

Tanz

People have a ton of nice bikes around here. I love a coffee and some carbs before riding back across the bridge into the city, it's my usual treat towards the end of a good ride, but I'm often surrounded by folks who probably do more sipping than spinning. As part of that I see a lot of SR and Record eyecandy--which makes sense when the goal is conspicuous consumption. Campy (much less Record and SR) doesn't come on many bikes from the factory, and certainly not on anything more than a level or two down, so bling bling. Chorus (again, like all lines at this point, perhaps save the new one in the near future) doesn't come on anything, so when someone goes out of their way to put a Chorus group together my first thoughts are all business

I'd love to go to 10-11 speed, but I love my heliums

kroozer 

I really like C&V bikes. Most bikes from the 70's and 80's (and many from before that) are perfectly functional in terms of performance, availability, ease of maintenance, etc. In many ways they are more practical that modern bikes for a home mechanic because of their simplicity. I don't really see any need to get a modern bike, but I do have one (1995 Kestrel) because I am curious about the newer stuff and don't want to just automatically shut it out.

rando_couche

I do own a “modern” road bike: 2004 Eddy Merckx Team SC, DA 10sp, Ksyrium SLs, … It’s without doubt the BEST road bike I’ve ever owned or ridden in 40 years in this bike game.To quote Bueller, “It is so choice.If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”
SHOULD you have a “modern” road bike? Do you like to ride hard and fast?If so, a modern bike CAN make the experience more enjoyable.
BUT… for the same money, you can get a lot more in a C&V bike than something new. You just need to shop carefully.
Ambiguous enough for you?
SP
OC, OR

vinfix

I own a modern road bike, after working my way forward in time with the technology over a 10 year period. I'm glad I didn't rush out and buy a "new" bike back then, because it would be obsolete now! I had "vintage" bikes when they were new, kept them a long time, and never updated. When I came back to road biking in earnest, I had no idea about clipless/threadless/indexed sti whatever. I can imagine someone completely new to cycling must get overwhelmed.

I like to tinker on bikes though, and bit by bit I upgraded, converted, etc., and I shopped new bikes along the way. The new stuff actually does work better, is lighter, and easier to work on. It's not as pretty, romantic, or art-like. The big decals and carbon everything on many bikes don't do it for me aesthetically. But I found a steel one I liked at a great price. I wish it looked like a vintage Italian race bike, but it will do just fine until I get a dream bike.

So yes, if you don't know what you're missing, and/or aren't satisifed with your older bike, you should get a modern one.

Wildwood 

With 9 roadies ready to roll, there has to be room for modern bikes. Currently 5 friction shifters and 4 wearing Campy 10spd. I wanted to eval CF and Ti frames so the Calfee and Macalu filled that need.

My take is that if you are riding aggressively and/or with faster groups, you should try a 'modern' drivetrain and shifters. I certainly appreciate more closely spaced gears at times.

horatio 

Two: 2010 C'Dale (carbon); Actionbent recumbent trike.

jmeb

My modern bike is a late 90s steel bike with Ultegra 9sp. I don't spend much time riding in fast groups. What fast riding I do tends to be either with just a couple of folks or on my won. Its my only brifter bike, and I must say they are convenient and easy to use. Probably to the point that I shift more than necessary.

I don't think you *need to* or *should* own a modern bike just because. But if you ride faster some days, like the feeling of slick tech making your work a bit more efficient, then its worth having at least something semi modern.

Took it out and got it a bit dirty last night.




Of course this all assumes we're talking about road bikes. My "vintage" mountain bike (Ti hardtail w/ modern fork, 26" wheels and v-brakes) doesn't hold a candle to a modern trail bike. At least not on the trails and mountains of Colorado.

noglider 

Do I own a modern bike? I don't know; do I? Does my Lemond count? I think the frame is from 1994, and I built it up from the frameset. It has a 2x10 Campagnolo drivetrain. I bought the derailleurs new, and I bought the shifters barely-used. The drivetrain works like a champ. The brakes are old-style single-pivot, and the stem is an old-style quill stem, so the bike is kind of a mixture of old and new.

Lemond:



Should I own a modern bike? Yes, I think I should. I've been thinking about how @fender1 said he kept building the same bike over and over until he found that his Rivendell was everything he ever needed. I wonder if I can and should ditch most of my bikes and replace them with a Rivendell or something like it. Another possibility is updating my Raleigh International with my favorite kind of drivetrain, which is indexed with brifters and zillions of gears. Now I'm thinking of trying the wheels and drivetrain from my Lemond (on my International). It might not fit because of the frame shape.

International:

fender1

Tom,

I say give it a try. I bet if that modern wheel is 130mm it will slip in to the International 's drop outs with very little flexing outward with your thumbs. Then you get much improved shifting and a larger gear range in a bike that is easily configured for almost any type of riding.

noglider 

When I tried cramming a 7-speed freewheel on both my Super Course and on my International, the inside surface of the chainstay was thick enough and far back enough to cause interference. On each of these two bikes, I'm using a 6-speed freewheel. It might be possible that (1) spreading the frame and bending the stays so they bow out in front of the dropout eliminates that problem. It might be possible that (2) a cassette hub somehow eliminates the problem compared with a thread-on type hub. If so, it would be because the last sprocket is smaller or farther from the inside edge of the dropout.

I will try it, though. I know Peter Weigle has done various mods to old Raleighs to make them modernize-able, so maybe some frame bending is possible and worthwhile.

fender1

Curious if it was a modern, cheapo 7 speed freewheel? I have had trouble with their widths (they are made for modern, low end, mtb/hybrid bikes). I tried one on the Woodrup frame I just sold to sir name and it rubbed against the drop out. I switched to an IRD freewheel, 7 speed which copy the old Shimano freewheel standard IIRC and it fit with no issue. The IRD was about 5mm more narrow than the cheapo (sunrace?). Might also be the dish on the wheel. Throw a spacer on and see if that solves it.

Salamandrine 

FWIW a Sunrace 7 speed freewheel fit beautifully into my 60s PX10 (respaced to 126). Frankly it surprised me, and I had expected more of a struggle. Even during the 7 speed era it was not uncommon to have to space the hub out another millimeter to get chain clearance.

I guess a 68ish PX10 with the latest drivetrain tech from 25 years ago doesn't really count as modern does it?

What defines a modern road bike anyway? The new Mercian will be modern, but I'm not sure if that counts?

noglider 

More good thoughts. I'll look into them. I think I was using new-ish Shimano freewheels, but maybe those are wide, too. Now I'm really eager to see how that Campagnolo 10-speed rear wheel fits. I'll check as soon as I can.

@Salamandrine, this is what @Prowler and I were recently musing over yesterday while we were riding together. He'll be glad to know that a 7-speed is worth a try.

due ruote 

My 92 Davidson with 8 speed STI is as modern as I have. I don't ride in groups much and I don't shift a lot. I could pretty easily live without it and be content with my old friction stuff.

kroozer 

I like Wildwood's comment about riding style: if you're really into fast/aggressive riding then you should probably look into modern equipment. I remember when I got into cycling in the 1970's I wasn't looking for anything "vintage". I wanted the best, most modern stuff available. Luckily, at that time pretty much anyone could afford to ride basically the same bikes as the pro's. Reynolds and Columbus frames, Campagnolo and other top end equipment was affordable. I think the really top-end equipment now, 10K or whatever for a bike, is out of reach for most of us.

I think the same could be said for serious touring (If you consider tourers road bikes. I tour on roads, so for me they're road bikes). Real touring bikes weren't even mass-produced until the 1980's, and anything before that time had many serious deficiencies as far as wheels, gearing, frame geometry, racks, brakes, etc. A good modern tourer is way better than just about any vintage one. I consider my '92 Trek 520 "modern" for it's heavy guage tubing, proper angles and clearances, tough wheels, fat tires, indexed 21-speed gearing, and cantilever brakes. I think the newer stuff is even better although I am not convinced about disc brakes. One good thing about old tourers is their simplicity, which is a big virtue out in the middle of nowhere.

On the other hand, for more relaxed recreational or utilitarian riding C&V is perfectly adequate.

Sir_Name 

@noglider, that LeMond is always a treat, I would love to have something like that. Fender1 has already covered it, but I've also fit a 7sp IRD freewheel to a 126 spaced frame with a bit of room to spare.
---
I nabbed this for a steal a few years back and slowly brought it to its current state. It's a lot of fun, but isn't usually the first one I grab. The long term plan is to get some ~modern Campy on it with a second set of stupid-light wheels. In the meantime it's a lot of fun and does its job well.



A buddy's Soma Double Cross



Nice adventure bike. Need to grab a better pic at some point.

Modern bikes are fun and offer a different experience from the vintage stuff (better or worse is up to you for the most part). I like having one. Would love to have an Elephant NFE / MAP / Kirk / Bruce Gordon / etc / etc

clasher

I have a retro-roadie built on a nice Miele built with columbus but decided to give modern bikes a shake and bought a used 2011 specialized roubaix. It's much more comfortable that my Miele even though the only difference is 28mm tires instead of 25mm tires (same brand, Vittoria Open corsa G+) and 2x10 instead of 3x9. I still love my old rides but I find it a lot easier to go faster on my CF bike than my steel one. I dunno that brifters alone are all that modern of a technology, they came out in the early 90s didn't they? For me a love of vintage bikes has never been a hatred of modern bikes. I remember working on a vintage carbon trek from the late 80s or early 90s and it wasn't anything like a modern CF bike, it was still really light but had downtube shifters and 6 speed shimano 600 drivetrain. Kinda had a dead ride to it.

fietsbob

90 close out RB1 frame , parts off the AlAn I used to own in the 80's ... other than the 50-40-24 'Race triple', on a square taper BB.. the rest is older..

my recent bikes are IGH equipped ,, they get the most Use.