I finally have given up on a lot of old stuff. I rode my 300 dollar Bridgestone for over 10 years. Raced it, trained on it, did the family rides and pulled a trailer. Cheap steel, thumbshifters, quill, straight bars and cantis.
At some point I started to realize that this stuff would never wear out and I asked myself what was the point of riding this equipment into eternity??? That is when I started to really attack my old stable and renew with some modern stuff. I did not want to give up reliability for something that broke. Heavy for light. 21 speeds for 30 speeds. All I wanted to do is update the rides. My mb5 was a cheap bike and it did its job well. Yesterday I rode my Gunnar 29er for 3 hours. Singlespeed, Jones bars by titec, singlespeed, xtr vbrakes, Paul levers, steel frame, steel fork and no shifter mechanisms in sight. My position on this bike is dead on, the top tube is perfect. The bars are wonderful. My bridgestone weighed 28 lbs and this weighs 25lbs. The 700c format rolls on tarmac as welll as dirt.
I know for sure that this bike will go another 15 years of service. I have built it with deore xt hubs and mavic rims. Chainring is stainless steel. I have no weak links on this thing just like the mb5.
So, when you look at that old bike.. and it is just a production bike..... pass it down, get a new bike that fits and you like. You only live once and nobody will give you an award for riding junk.
thanks mb-5
Ari
i have an '86 schwinn tempo hanging in my basement that i just can't let go of. i think it wants to be resurected as a singlespeed roadie....
ReplyDeletei also have an '85 peloton that i ride once or twice a year. can't let go of it either.
my wife? well, it'll be 34 years in june and i can't let her go either. see a pattern? lol.
peace out, yo!