Modern bike features that've spoiled old bikes for you..

[wafter]

I love old bikes for many reasons - nostalgia, authenticity and sincerity, cost, sticking two fingers up at modern consumptive culture...

For the most part I'm happy to thumb my nose at the modern cycling developments that I'm told I need by those with an agenda in selling them to me... however there are a few that I really have come to appreciate that sadly can't be retro-fitted to older rides:

Hydraulic disc brakes - no rim wear and associated degradation / mess, consistant performance, great modulation and outright stopping power.

Clearance for wide tyres - wider rubber is more comfortable, makes the bike capable over a wider range of terrain while big clearances play better with mudguards

What modern features would you miss on a vintage bike?

 

[MichaelW2]

LED lights
KEVLAR tyres

 

[a.twiddler]

I like indexed gears but it can be a pain when you go through the changes in historical equipment to get things to match. I was surprised how easy it is to go back to non indexed friction shifters which work without a lot of practice. An added bonus is that they just work with anything. You can mix and match as long as the range of movement is enough.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Built in USB Chargeable Battery instead of Changeable Batteries on Lights

Yeah I know Dynamo (and oil lamps I presume) came earlier but I prefer a light I can change the battery on myself.

 

[Alex321]

LED lights
KEVLAR tyres

Both of those can be fitted perfectly well to an old bike.

 

[Alex321]

Built in USB Chargeable Battery instead of Changeable Batteries on Lights

Yeah I know Dynamo (and oil lamps I presume) came earlier but I prefer a light I can change the battery on myself.

That isn't the question.

It isn't "What modern things do you not like?"

It is "What modern things are there that you DO like, but can't be fitted to a vintage bike?"

 

[Marchrider]

first question is, is my 1988 bike vintage ?

I like the concept of disc brakes, but what are they like for maintenance for someone who rides all winter
I dislike my rim brakes on dirty winters days when they grind the rims away, just hate that noise, but would I be better off with discs, or do they come with their own set of problems?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I like indexed gears but it can be a pain when you go through the changes in historical equipment to get things to match. I was surprised how easy it is to go back to non indexed friction shifters which work without a lot of practice. An added bonus is that they just work with anything. You can mix and match as long as the range of movement is enough.

I use friction bar ends and much prefer over dual controlled indexed.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

but what are they like for maintenance for someone who rides all winter

You don’t maintain them. Just give them a clean when replacing the pads.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The range of modern gearing. No longer run out of gears on steep stuff, unlike my youth.

 

[matticus]

Pneumatic tyres.

 

[Alex321]

first question is, is my 1988 bike vintage ?

I like the concept of disc brakes, but what are they like for maintenance for someone who rides all winter

Much better.

I dislike my rim brakes on dirty winters days when they grind the rims away, just hate that noise, but would I be better off with discs, or do they come with their own set of problems?

Not IME. There is no maintenance really needed beyond changing pads. You may need to bleed them, but very rarely.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Pneumatic tyres.

Matt’s Audax bike, note the routesheet / map holder

 

[matticus]

Peloton.

 

[raleighnut]

I dislike disc brakes on road bikes, OK on MTBs (in fact I own a Mountain bike with disc brakes) but on a road bike they're fugly