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

[Gunk]

Similarly for the Shimano SIS. Beloved of ‘weight weenies’ and ‘bike nouveau’? No. But it will take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. Unlike some of their more ‘femme’ offerings.

6/7 speed SIS can be indexed in under 2 minutes, I love them when they’re on the stand at work, just so easy.

 

[lostinthought]

I was told by an experienced audax rider that her rear wheel kept pulling over on hard efforts on climbs on one ride. Neither she nor her equally experienced companions could stop it happening!

The problem turned out to be that she was using ultralight titanium QR skewers. The problem was solved by switching back to standard (heavier, but much less stretchy) Shimano QRs.

Good point, I’d forgotten about those awful things

 

[simongt]

As was walking on hills

As the peelers on 'duty roadster' bikes would also do to save energy for any potential pursuit - !

 

[Hover Fly]

Expensive for the basic feature it offers, often used as a sign of wealth, many fakes sold on street corners, and owners often mugged for them?

You missed too valuable to take out of the house, hence my (ex-military) Explorer that can't go exploring.

 

[a.twiddler]

Has anyone here actually had their QR tightened wheel come loose, when they have done it up properly?

On the contrary, in the days when screw on free wheels were the norm, I managed to break a couple of rear axles, and I only found out about them when undoing the quick release. QRs are pretty tough and tenacious when done up properly.

 

[brommieinkorea]

With rim brakes, it's unheard of, as long as your condition of "done it up properly" is held to.

Disc brakes- certainly theoretically possible and I vaguely remember dramatic accounts of wheels falling out when discs first became popular, especially around suspension forks which could create curious situations where QR's could unwind. I assumed this is why thru-axles took over, to solve the wheel-ejection problem?

That "disc brakes work their way loose" is an old wives tale. If the caliper is holding onto the disc, which is solidly attached to the hub, the wheel cannot come out ! Never had a quick release loosen, Tullio did a great job by replacing big wing nuts. Through axles offer a little better rigidity, and they're great to sell someone a new bike.

 

[brommieinkorea]

The rims on my touring wheels are 40 years old, and are not worn out yet - not for want of trying. Perhaps modern ‘race’ wheels are more delicate?

I've destroyed rims on a bike with rim brakes in under a year (5000miles). Mid level mountain bike on the road , 2000- 2001. A lot of this depends on your area and usage, wet roads are hell on rims with a rubber block shoving grit into the rim.

 

[brommieinkorea]

Ahead set headsets are also pretty nice.

 

[Punkawallah]

I've destroyed rims on a bike with rim brakes in under a year (5000miles). Mid level mountain bike on the road , 2000- 2001. A lot of this depends on your area and usage, wet roads are hell on rims with a rubber block shoving grit into the rim.

Googling out of curiosity, I find a huge variety in estimates of wheel rim life. For alloy rims we are looking at 1500 miles to 25,0l00 miles, depending on care, quality and conditions. That’s some range.
In terms of years, I get 1-2 years to 50 years. Wow.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm late to the thread but my 5p

I'm not someone who owns lots of bikes or has a high bike turnover but I do own one old (mid 80s) and one new (2012) one.

The only thing that bugged me about the old bike was the narrow dropouts that limited my options with when choosing modern hubs and wheels for lower gearing. I say "bugged" because it no longer bugs me because I fixed the problem by cold setting (=bending) the frame.

I'm perfectly happy with with the rest of it. I've never ridden a bike with disc brakes, and what you've never had, you don't miss. I'm entirely happy with non-indexed gears. I can get 30mm tyres on it (without mudguards). I wouldn't know a thru axle if it bit me on the bum.

I'm not knocking these things, I'm sure disc brakes are great but I've just never tried them. I have indexed gears on my modern bike and they're OK. (Actually they aren't OK at the moment as they were a bit wonky on my last ride, but I'll sort that out)

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I'm not knocking these things, I'm sure disc brakes are great but I've just never tried them.

Disc brakes are alright (I'm talking road use here), but it's not like they're essential and in fact, I tried them and went back to rim brakes. The way some people go on about discs you'd think it was impossible to even think about cycling without them.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Chain drive and gearing ruined the cycling experience for me. I could see over the hedges on my penny farthing.

Try a recumbent and you get even less view over the hedge !

 

[Hover Fly]

Disc brakes are alright (I'm talking road use here), but it's not like they're essential and in fact, I tried them and went back to rim brakes. The way some people go on about discs you'd think it was impossible to even think about cycling without them.

To hear some people talk “dual pivot are a great improvement over single” then a few years later “disc are a massive improvement over rim brakes” How ever did we manage to ride round the alps back in the eighties?

 

[Alex321]

To hear some people talk “dual pivot are a great improvement over single” then a few years later “disc are a massive improvement over rim brakes” How ever did we manage to ride round the alps back in the eighties?

Carefully!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

To hear some people talk “dual pivot are a great improvement over single” then a few years later “disc are a massive improvement over rim brakes” How ever did we manage to ride round the alps back in the eighties?

Exactly! My singlespeed - a 1977 Mercian - still features its original single pivot Weinmann calipers. Sure, they aren't as good as modern brakes, but the difference is not huge.