My impression is that through the 80s, the running gear just got more refined. A lot of mid-range stuff (derailleurs, brakes, shifters, wheelsets) seems to work better than the more high end stuff in the 70s.

90's , oversized tubing and hardened steel along with indexing that worked well.

I just enjoy the ride of the 80's more, and I started out liking the 70's stuff better, but the finer steel and better components hold up better as I've gotten older and clumsier.

Everyone keeps mentioning better steels - I'm not seeing it. Is SLX that dramatic an improvement on SL? The real steel advances were late 80s/90s.

Uhmmm....you can start with 753 (yes, heat treated 531, but thus stronger)...then the first oversized tubesets.... those were improvements.... And there were the air hardened stuff....

I really don't see 753 as a huge improvement, it's incremental (and it's origins are 70s). Yes, OS began late 80s, but it really didn't become popular until the 90s (like 753 was uncommon until 80s). I see OS as being more 90s. To me 80s means SLX/TSX and air hardened, and I don't think that's much different than 70s.

Think about which year Ben Serrota's Colorado frameset come out. I see you have a Colorado II.

I think 753 frames a quite a bit different than 531 frames, with all due respect. I spent some time on an Eddy Merckx Grand Prix.

I also see you have a Steve "Cash Only" Bilenky. Is he still in business?

A 753 frame's very strong resistance to cold setting kinda gives us a layman's idea how much stronger it might be compared to 531, especially in high stress incidents like a crash which I think is a BIG improvement.....
If presented with a choice between a frame with the best 531 tubing or 753....I would not hesitate for a second to go with 753 and I think many C&Vers would too....

Bilenky is still in business - I find it better not to comment much beyond that. I like the tandem very much and I'll leave it at that.

You can't claim both 753/air hardening and OS as 80s - it's either or. I'll give 753 as 80s since most is, but by the same token...the majority of OS road frames you see are 90s. My Merckx is 753 - I doubt I could tell the ride apart from SL or 531 ( and it's surprisingly not light).

Didn't Masi use OS type steel tubing on their 3V Volumetrica frames, well within the 80's, at least I think for sure, for the earliest ones built in Italy.....?
Those frames really caught my eye, but unfortunately, I never could afford them...:(

I started out being all about the 80's bikes, but now only have a couple of them. The rest of my stable has become 1970's American, European, and one made in Mexico of European descent. (Carabela). I just like the older more antique look. There was a BIG appearance jump in the early 80's, and yes components were suddenly better too, seemingly out of the blue. 70's bikes have the appearance of being older than they are, yet still have decent components for the time period. I imagine that's why I like them. I am not sure why, but indexed shifting seems to bore me to tears now, when I used to love it. Gimme some friction bar ends, and I'm happy. I guess I am converting myself into a modern day retrogrouch?:lol:,,,,BD