Mine? "All The Kit -- Still Sh!t". S'truth. But, it's my Pride & Joy, my Faithful Steed™, even 'though I'm Old and Slow (and only going to get Older and Slower), and the mere sight of it makes me happy.
I agree 100%. He together with Ollie and Hank are my favourite presenters. Conor and Ollie have hearts of gold and make me feel like I actually belong in this sport.
I ride with a rack and small panniers almost all of the time. And I rarely ride without mudguards (fenders). It's a little heavy and slow, but also very comfortable. This arrangement allows me to carry extra gear and food, and I never get too cold or wet or hungry on my rides, which are sometimes 100km or so on weekends. I'm 60 years old and very happy to still be able to do all this, but being well prepared for anything makes me even happier...
My bikes (6} say that after 70+ years of riding it's still as exciting as day 1; which I still remember. We all ride for different reasons throughout our lives. A race is a race, training rides are just that, commuting and running errands on a bike are a choice of lifestyle. They are all great reasons to ride but #1 has to be just riding for the FUN of it. Note: Simon still has the "Killer Instinct" that a élite competitor must have. Ollie's hill climbing season was inspiration to us all. Right ON!
I do have a Sprint-tech rear view mirror to augment my varia radar, I do also have quite severe arthritis which prevents me turning my head for a shoulder check. But still riding at 70 I think I can be forgiven!
I ride a “vintage bike” because it’s what I can afford. I love being on the bike, but I don’t have a spare $5k to upgrade to more tech that doesn’t do anything for me... I’m not trying to win any races.
Old steel bikes just look cool. People dont build hotrods to be "practical" - you build them because yo love them, and they're a bit unique. Same with older bikes.
Agree. I have a couple of bikes Peter Mooney built for me about twenty years ago. They're built with Campy 10, brifters, and Speedplays, but are otherwise very traditional. I really do not find contemporary bikes that good to look at, and I'm at an age where I'm unlikely to take out a racing license.
I have very little accessories on my road bike, but I do have a small, rear-view mirror on the bar end. Honestly, I do not understand the negativity around it. You can safely ride and TRAIN intensely alone and check traffic without compromising breathing and handling. It is very good in group rides to make sure no one gets dropped without notice and even see reckless drivers driving electric cars that do not make any sound.
I ride steel frames with vintage-ish campagnolo, I certainly don't need a weeks notice to change gear or slow down! Probably slow down quicker than the big lads on modern bikes!
Agreed. There's also something enormously satisfying about breezing past a club run on my way to work on my 1980s Peugeot or my 1990s Dawes Audax. I ride these things because I like them, and who needs a better reason than that?
old road bike, changed to x1 gearing and phone mount, 70mm -17 stem, crossfitting and 100kg at 6ft, usually wear sleeveless with a non skin tight top, all black and white with white walled 28c tires, two tube bags with everything and the kitchen sink and three water bottles. Define that :p
I'm definitely the retro rider. The difference is, I don't do it by choice. I can't afford a nice new shiny bike, so I make the most of what I've got because I love riding.
Bar bags, frame bags and bumbags etc...well useful for my off-road rides (90% of the time on MTB and drop bars).....I put jacket, beers, spare tube, food, gels etc in mine....well useful as I'm not keen on a backpack (except in a UK winter)....even got a toolkit bottle sized storage thingy as well.... I've had many a time in some weird freezing cold muddy field edge over the years to take what you need in your bags.....to fix stuff etc
Sorry, I live in NYC, plain black sealth (no attention needed), & yes a frame pump. The trunk bag on back has locks, band aids, some tire tools, my sugar test metering kit, multi tool (I always fine something annoying to adjust), spare battery for phone (my "emcode"), some snacks, lens cleaner packets for my glasses, a tire & a tube. No mirror but a rear view radar light. There are also bags for groceries when going to the store. At 66 bike weight is not that big of a concern since I use my car once in 2-3 months & the bike every other day. The exercise has improved my health!
Maybe the guy that likes the older bikes likes more simplicity and something that requires him to work harder and therefore makes them a stronger rider?
You can ride as hard as you want, a new bike doesn't stop you from riding harder. You just cover more ground with a faster bike, but it comes with a cost which isn't worth it for some: my mom rides a 50yo cruiser, which drives me crazy, but that's just what she likes.
@@wilfdarr if you give 100% on an old bike you might go up to 40-50 kph which works on most roads. Do the same thing on a carbon last gen bike and you'll be flying quite a bit faster and holding on for dear life. If you like to do all out sprints but don't live in an area where riding super fast safely is possible, an older and less aero bike can actually help.
My bike, with its old RSX SIS tech on a CAAD2 frame, says that despite being on a bit in years and no longer racing I can still perform well for the long haul
My mountain bike is covered with packs and lashing points for gear/ whatever. It's tuned but not always the cleanest. It shows I'm a backpacker at heart when I'm not cycling and have a desire to explore anywhere.
I had blood cancer for 20 years but never stopped riding. After a bone marrow transplant at 68 the first thing I wanted to do was get back to riding my bike. That yearning was the impetus to push me to recover. Now, 3 years out, I know I will never be the rider is was but I’ll never stop trying to get there. I went form at 3 wheeler at 2 years old, through more bikes and racing that I can count, to another 3 wheeler (trike) at 73. I don’t know what I would do without riding my bike(s)…., no matter what I ride or how slowly and short I might go, I will ride until I absolutely cannot…
I don't know about the whole world, but I am 100% ready for the documentary about the World Naked Bike Ride. In fact, I demand to see it being heartlessly deprived of things of this nature on the other side of the Atlantic.
Looks left: a home-built gravel bike with misfitted 26" wheels on a new PlanetX frame and a mix of Sora/105 parts. l On my right: a home-built singlespeed road bike in terrible state due to being the main bike. On the side of the rack sits my home-built roadbike, currently in pieces as I don't have the money to upgrade it all at once. And outside my gardenless apartment sits a home-built singlespeed MTB with completely worn out parts and a mullet braking system (disc in the front, V in the back) Yeah, what my bikes say about me is that I am poor.
Speaking as someone with the same disease, the notion that you're saving money is a delusion. The cheapest way to get a complete build kit is already assembled to a finished bike. I suppose you could hunt through junked bikes and restore parts, which is (I'm afraid) an intriguing idea.
@@grumpynerd Actually, I think the road bike came out cheaper and better equipped. However, I took my time and built the thing in 1y4m. But yes, generally you're right. However, nothing can top the satisfaction of riding something you've built with your own hands, nor the valuable experience you gain from doing this. Mistakes in particular. We definitely don't build bikes to save money.
In regards to the Cycling Inspiration pic of the, “ . . . bike by the sea . . .” which Conner identified as Lake Superior, he should know that “sea” is a large freshwater lake north of the Upper Peninsula of the State of Michigan in the U.S. 😉
I have a fixie and I don't really know what that means lol. I am lazy and there's nothing really to fix on a fixie. The coolness is also more important than the practicality of gears.
Introducing another category: the gravel rider: a bewildering sight, the gravel rider explicitly does not give a flying flamingo about aero, claiming it is all about the freedom of exploration while secretly wishing for a road bike or a MTB depending on whatever is needed in the current situation, always longing for what he:she doesn't have ;)
I road mountain bike exclusively as a kid, riding round the city, and would have given anything for something like a gravel bike back then! I've ridden the mountain bike to its full potential exactly 3 times in my life, the rest I'm certain a gravel bike (or cyclocross) would have been the ticket. When I have money, I'm going to have one of each, road, gravel or cyclocross (I haven't made my mind up on that one), and mountain bike!
I ride a lightly-refreshed/restomodded 1982 Ilkeston SBDU Raleigh (with full Campy NR sans brake levers) because: A) I got it for free, B) With Reynolds 753 it's still pretty light, C) I love the look of it. Also I feel like I sometimes have a bit of the "tech nerd/geek" potential in me so riding a vintage (or at least steel frame) bike heads me off a bit from trying to be the lightest or the fastest (though I've gotten it to 28mph in a short sprint, and I'm very much not a regular rider or in shape at all). I also ride a hodgepodge MTB built up from 2005 Salsa Bandito, 2005 RockShox Psylo fork, and 1997 XTR m950 for much the same reasons.
I got the TT bars and bags.. The Garmin mount with the under light.. My bike is a Dutch Bike with a Triple Mullet conversion.. 650b 47 on 11-40 with a modified Alivio 13/17t derailluer making the triplechainring work. I used the bike shopping and have folding baskets and fenders.. But it's 17-117 gear inches allows for some range
Connors sore mimics when Simon was talking about marginal aero gains of 3D printed wahoo mounts....it .is like telling the London Tower to self amputate major parts of its own roof when an autumn storm is to expect
My main ride is a recumbent time trial bike (a Cruzbike V20). It says that I like fast bikes, don't like anything to be sore except my quads, and am not interested in what the UCI thinks I should be riding.
Yup. I ride a 42 year old steel bike. A six-speed with downtube shifters, non-aero cabling, and rim brakes (shocking!) I bought her new and I've never looked back. I've never had the need for anything else either. Sure, I've replaced every component many, many times. It's a piece of cake to work on and inexpensive too. I don't dream of racing and I don't care about my speed. I don't care about my bike's weight and most importantly, I care about keeping up with anyone. I ride for the simple pleasure of being on my bike and going places. My 40 year old bike gives me the same sensation it did forty years ago. Will yours? or will you be chasing the latest cycling technology for the next 40 years? Will you ever be satisified? To give a different reply to the question; "Why wouldn't you want to ride something better?" Sometimes things are really good just the way they are and there is no need for improvement. The only thing I'd really like is to just have more TIME to ride my bike.
Muse kidd, my old PX-10 is 44 this year, I put a carbon seat post, and carbon fork on her. New cranks, headset, brakes, and saddle. She rides like a dream and this old man passes many out on their plastic steeds! Unfortunately, at 63, I don't pass everyone!
muse kidd, you and I could be friends. 🙂👍I did a group ride once with younger guys who snickered and shook their heads at my 30+ yr old Cannondale as they rode their $2000+ Treks. In the end, we all rode st the same pace and finished together...with me on my $200 bike...
Does it have 700c wheels? The main problem with vintage bikes of that era is many came with 27 inch tires (630mm bead seat diameter), and in recent years the choice in that size has really dried up. That makes a big difference. Really everything else from that era still works fine. I think that there's really two areas where thinking has truly advanced since the 70s. The first is tire volume and pressure. I've changed my vintage early 80s steel touring bike to accept 700c wheels, mainly so I could put good tires on it, but as a side effect I can put 38mm tires on the thing where it originally had 32mm. Newer tires unquestionably better than the tires we used to ride on -- faster, more puncture resistant, and more comfortable. Another is people are more open to wide range gearing; corn cob clusters are a thing of the past and good riddance.
Mine says "Mr. Opportunist." I have a nice Trek Domane, but it's maybe not exactly the right size or the color I would have picked... but it was a great deal second hand! My lights are hand-me-downs from a friend, my cycle computer was a closeout special, my seat pack is a promotional item from a bike shop that no longer exists. Even my jerseys are all second hand - great looking designs, but they're all 20 years old and came from a lot at a charity shop. So I guess if you wanted you could also just call me "Mr. Cheapskate."
My Viking Roadmaster (Reynolds 725 steal frame) with Tiagra says this is what I could afford for my first ever road bike. And it’s done the job for the year I’ve had it. Also going to be doing a 300km ride on it in two weeks time for charity.
There was on club member who used to ride with us who had a bag on the back of his bike that when you helped lift it over a gate would give you a hernia. In a factory setting picking up his bike would be a two person lift. He did tell me once he had a FULL tool kit in his bag. I think it may have had a full set on spare clothes if I remember correctly.
I gave up a while ago trying to go fast ( not that I was ever fast!). My 20+ yr old steel bike has a great ride and craftsmanship that speaks of the builder, not of a factory or label.
I think I’m bike rider type 5, the one who went to the bike shop this spring and looked at the covid limited selection of $8k “mid-level mid-grade” bikes and decided the $600 craigslist special I picked up for a song last year will do just fine.
My wife says my bike(s) say “I’m cheap!” All my bikes are “vintage” because I feel no need to replace them just because they are a few years old, I don’t enjoy spending my hard-earned money just to have the latest-and-greatest, and I love the shared history we have…long rides, hard races, rainy days…almost 40 years of riding and racing…I’ve had a number of great bikes, (sometimes they just wear out or break) but have also seen a LOT of questionable, “must have” tech items come and go, only to be replaced by newer, more expensive, less necessary “must haves”.
I don't pass judgement, but I have to admit to being surprised to see so many brand-new bikes out on the roads or the trails (for MTB). I don't understand where all the retro or "just not the latest tech" bikes are... do people really replace things that quickly? I have had the same MTB for about 10 years, and the frame was second hand when I bought it! My road bike is 10 years old too, and looks like new. Maybe people just don't look after things and that's why they need replacing. Hmm... I'm kind of the odd one out with my car too. My 14 year old car looks mint, while I see 5 year old cars that look like garbage. Yeah... I think we're the weird ones.
My bike says “Performance”, just from 8 years ago! And, of course, a top tube bag, for food. Maintained with a steady trickle of eBay bargains! 😂 But I love it…and keep it squeaky clean.
Going to the Sun Road is in Glacier National Park Montana, USA. Open to cyclists only for at least one day after all the snow is removed too. One of the most beautiful places in the US in my opinion.
My bike says I like comfort at any cost while thinking I am a speed demon. S-Works Roubaix 2021 with carbon gray metallic paint job. Carbon handle bars with extra thick bar tape, Roubaix damper set to full softness. Specialized Power Mimic and the new endurance Castelli bibs. Ultegra Di2 Semi-compact with a Quarq Power meter. 160mm front and back disc brakes to make sure I can stop anywhere. Just missing carbon wheels, but running 32mm pirelli Velo Tubeless currently. As I am a heavier rider, goal is to slim down so I can get some deep carbon Zipp's. Talk about motivation. Got the Retul setup for best position on the bike too. No massive bits and bobs except rear light and head unit. Easy to attach headlight as needed, or a go-pro for those epic rides. Bike is cleaned every few rides and lubed to Alex's specs. It turns head and sparkle in the sun, "just like me". Like to use it for good photos, maybe one day I will submit to Bike Vault but need those deep carbon wheels. Bike is named: Mr. Compliance - CCO - Chief Compliance Officer Love the bike, even if I have only had it a short time. But now I am mostly riding 50+ miles ride on the weekend and a few shorter 20 miles rides for weekday relaxing. It wants me to go out more and I say yes every time. So in a sense it is worth it. Could I get the same on a different bike, who knows. I am not looking back. This will last me for decades, unless I crash more.....
I have a 2018 Trek Madone which is a joy to ride. But I also have an 89 Merckx with not quite so vintage but still older Shimano components. I ride the Trek mostly these days but it is the Merckx that gets the looks!
I agree. Modern bike tech may have amazing performance, but it looks sorta vanilla. Small maker steel with a nice (e.g. Joe Bell) paint is something else altogether. Sadly, the guy who built my bikes has hung up the torch. 😟
Hey..... You forgot about the resto mods, absolutely beautiful steel frame from 80s, fantastic paint job with modern wheels, brakes and derailleurs, washed and hung on the living room wall after every ride, yeh also got the modern carbon bike, just don't drool over it as much.
I like to get the loudest, brightest color of bike the manufacturer offers. I like to stand out from the others and I like to stand out to drivers. Right now I have a neon lime green BMC SLR01 and a yellow/red/chameleon/gold S-Works Tarmac SL6. I can easily spot my bike among the rest of my club mates' bikes at the cafe stop.
I'd say my superbike would suggest I like to show off a bit, it's bright red, full carbon complete with red/black camo bar tape and a stem cap I painted to match. My commuter on the other hand would suggest a budget conscious King, carbon frame but every component is secondhand in some way (except tyres obvs) and it's built to be reliable but still quick
‘Modern bikes are just better, and who wouldn’t want to ride a better bike?’ While that may sound logical, it really isn’t that simple. The premise is that more efficient = better, but is it really? For racing, yes. For people who ride for other reasons… well, you can argue about that. I still ride my ‘94 mtb. I rebuilt it into a gravel-ish bike, diet drop bar, faster rolling tires etc. When I tried a full suspension mtb I was unimpressed. It made it way too easy, I found controlling the dropper post and the suspension lockout cumbersome.when I am riding my own bike I must be on top of my game, it requires my full attention and skills. I have a blast, and I FEEL super fast. For me, that makes my bike ‘better’. Why not buy a modern gravelbike? Well, mine is cheap to ride and repair parts when necessary, and it looks cool as hell. For me, that makes my bike better 🤷🏻♂️
I ride a Specialized Diverge Carbon bike with 1X Di2 and love it. I ride in the country in NE Indiana and have rough roads, chip and seal roads, and gravel roads. I want a bike that's comfortable and capable and I have it. It gets dirty all the time and gets cleaned now and then. I do keep it lubed up though. I have no idea what this says about me but then again I don't really care. Have fun!
Sorry Si, but the vintage 1985 Trek 500 is the only ride available to me when I travel to visit family. I'll admit I feel like an old man showing off his vintage Ford Mustang at the local auto show when I ride it, but it is a great ride.
My bike says I ride year round as a commuter. Not perfectly cleaned but well maintained to keep it reliable. Tube bag with repair kit and phone, bottle, lock and tail bag with change of clothes and food for work. Boring and practical but still quicker than the traffic.
My bike says I'm retro/cheap/frugal: Schwinn Peloton with 9-speed Ultegra/DA on a Reynolds 853 steel frame/carbon fork purchased in 1999 (3rd set of wheels - Shimano R500s), still rides great after an estimated 100,000 miles... it means I'm cheap, like the springiness of steel (which I raced on in the '80s), and have yet to find a need to upgrade. My riding buddies are mostly on aluminum or carbon endurance bikes with disc brakes, and I have no problem keeping up. My indoor bike is a 1987 Trek 330 Elance (lugged Reynolds 531 steel) rescued from the landfill and set up with SRAM Force 10sp (gifted by a friend who went 11sp) on a Saris M2... so yes, I'm retro/cheap/frugal.
colors get old but black never does. you can also add color with things like bar tape, chain, saddles which can be changed. but if you have a pink frame cuz you thought it would be cool and different then its hard to change it. unless you have enough money for a few bikes then you gotta be more practical
Going to the Sun Road, is in glacier national Park Montana USA. It literally is one of the most beautiful and scariest roads to travel. Only open a few months out of the year. Due to the massive amount of snow back blankets the road in winter. I seem to be that guy with all the equipment on the bike because I’m in fear of not having something when I need it lol.
I loved the beginning because it was so obvious that they were reading because Connor was laughing at his own jokes and couldn’t believe what was written for him! 😂
My bike says past meets the modern…Emonda ALR, 105 rim brakes with that classic look but Bontrager XXX wheels and carbon seat post, power meter and bike computer. Has all the stuff in all the right places.
My MTB is a bit like that. There are decades worth of different parts to choose from, and you can get a great bike by choosing all the parts that suit you best, regardless of era.
A properly set up & equipped racing bike from any era is a treat to ride. Most people who ride $10k+ modern racing bikes haven’t spent any quality miles on a real steel era racing bike. They are different beasts & require a different appreciation. Unfortunately we only see old dudes with saggy bibs, helmet mirrors, with comfort setups on these old beauties. It’s an image that’s truthfully difficult to shake. Unfortunate
watches gcn+ with jenny graham. lost for words, so raw - truly awesome. With no disrespect to her country man Mark B but whilst i appreciate his round the world in 78 days was not easy, compared to Jenny’s trip it was a holiday …
3:38 I’d say you can glean that the individual used to do some road racing, then got married and had kids. They now want to get out on the bike again after a 15 year absence but can no way justify spending £3-4K on the modern equivalent. Oh hang on, that’s me!👍
You should do a video called “what does your kit say about you” because I find that a lot of road cyclists with the sunglasses covering most of their face are averse to acknowledging a friendly hello or wave sent their way.
Absolutely I time trial on a steel-framed bicycle to have a ready-made excuse - specifically that I had the wrong gear - as I race fixed! TBF, 19-year-old me could do a 10 in 21:30 on a steel-frame road bike, so why can't I now? :)
What does your bike say about you? Let us know 👇
My bike says I must have delivered newspapers a long time ago and I'm too cheap to get a new one.
It says, "Short". But it misses out on skinny and old.
Gorgeously looking but pretty average, nevertheless. Has a good tan, though.
Mine? "All The Kit -- Still Sh!t". S'truth. But, it's my Pride & Joy, my Faithful Steed™, even 'though I'm Old and Slow (and only going to get Older and Slower), and the mere sight of it makes me happy.
he's old!!! got to change his cassette in two days!
Conor is such a great lad; talented yet humble, with a self-deprecating sense of humour; absolutely solid dude
I agree 100%. He together with Ollie and Hank are my favourite presenters. Conor and Ollie have hearts of gold and make me feel like I actually belong in this sport.
My bike says this is what I could afford…still having fun on it.
100% agree
As long as it’s clean 😉
Spot on!
😎👍
Sooo true 👏
I ride with a rack and small panniers almost all of the time. And I rarely ride without mudguards (fenders). It's a little heavy and slow, but also very comfortable. This arrangement allows me to carry extra gear and food, and I never get too cold or wet or hungry on my rides, which are sometimes 100km or so on weekends. I'm 60 years old and very happy to still be able to do all this, but being well prepared for anything makes me even happier...
My bikes (6} say that after 70+ years of riding it's still as exciting as day 1; which I still remember. We all ride for different reasons throughout our lives.
A race is a race, training rides are just that, commuting and running errands on a bike are a choice of lifestyle. They are all great reasons to ride but #1 has to be just riding for the FUN of it.
Note: Simon still has the "Killer Instinct" that a élite competitor must have. Ollie's hill climbing season was inspiration to us all. Right ON!
I do have a Sprint-tech rear view mirror to augment my varia radar, I do also have quite severe arthritis which prevents me turning my head for a shoulder check. But still riding at 70 I think I can be forgiven!
Me too 72 yo ride 4 to 5000 miles a year have vario and mirror I'll ride tilli die.
I ride a “vintage bike” because it’s what I can afford. I love being on the bike, but I don’t have a spare $5k to upgrade to more tech that doesn’t do anything for me... I’m not trying to win any races.
Old steel bikes just look cool. People dont build hotrods to be "practical" - you build them because yo love them, and they're a bit unique. Same with older bikes.
WOW! I think this is the best comment on you tube about vintage bikes. I agree 100%.
Agree. I have a couple of bikes Peter Mooney built for me about twenty years ago. They're built with Campy 10, brifters, and Speedplays, but are otherwise very traditional. I really do not find contemporary bikes that good to look at, and I'm at an age where I'm unlikely to take out a racing license.
I have very little accessories on my road bike, but I do have a small, rear-view mirror on the bar end. Honestly, I do not understand the negativity around it. You can safely ride and TRAIN intensely alone and check traffic without compromising breathing and handling. It is very good in group rides to make sure no one gets dropped without notice and even see reckless drivers driving electric cars that do not make any sound.
Stealth play by Si, sneaking in footage of Ollie being dropped ..... that's a bit below the belt, or in this case, below the bib short strap!
I have a small rear view mirror that I attach to my drop bar. Helps me change lanes and know when there’s cars coming up. It’s really handy.
I ride steel frames with vintage-ish campagnolo, I certainly don't need a weeks notice to change gear or slow down!
Probably slow down quicker than the big lads on modern bikes!
Agreed. There's also something enormously satisfying about breezing past a club run on my way to work on my 1980s Peugeot or my 1990s Dawes Audax. I ride these things because I like them, and who needs a better reason than that?
Thoroughly enjoyed Jenny Graham's Eastbound. What an amazing story and such an inspiration. I laughed about her description of the kangaroos 😂
Simon to Conner- "There's quite a big gap between your legs"
Ooh Matron !
I ride (and race) recumbents, so I guess that means I’m pretty laid back.
old road bike, changed to x1 gearing and phone mount, 70mm -17 stem, crossfitting and 100kg at 6ft, usually wear sleeveless with a non skin tight top, all black and white with white walled 28c tires, two tube bags with everything and the kitchen sink and three water bottles.
Define that :p
I'm definitely the retro rider. The difference is, I don't do it by choice. I can't afford a nice new shiny bike, so I make the most of what I've got because I love riding.
I totally understand Connor, I have a triangle bag my daughters call the snack-bag.
7:40, if I have the space in my bags, I have an OCD to fill it all up and full, all geared up as if it's an apocalypse and pack all i can for survival
My local hardware store sells rolls of velcro. Definitely as effective as zip-ties and reusable (and Si-friendly).
Bar bags, frame bags and bumbags etc...well useful for my off-road rides (90% of the time on MTB and drop bars).....I put jacket, beers, spare tube, food, gels etc in mine....well useful as I'm not keen on a backpack (except in a UK winter)....even got a toolkit bottle sized storage thingy as well....
I've had many a time in some weird freezing cold muddy field edge over the years to take what you need in your bags.....to fix stuff etc
Sorry, I live in NYC, plain black sealth (no attention needed), & yes a frame pump. The trunk bag on back has locks, band aids, some tire tools, my sugar test metering kit, multi tool (I always fine something annoying to adjust), spare battery for phone (my "emcode"), some snacks, lens cleaner packets for my glasses, a tire & a tube. No mirror but a rear view radar light. There are also bags for groceries when going to the store. At 66 bike weight is not that big of a concern since I use my car once in 2-3 months & the bike every other day. The exercise has improved my health!
Maybe the guy that likes the older bikes likes more simplicity and something that requires him to work harder and therefore makes them a stronger rider?
Or maybe he just doesn’t get the need to update something that works .
AMEN TO THAT!
You can ride as hard as you want, a new bike doesn't stop you from riding harder.
You just cover more ground with a faster bike, but it comes with a cost which isn't worth it for some: my mom rides a 50yo cruiser, which drives me crazy, but that's just what she likes.
@@wilfdarr if you give 100% on an old bike you might go up to 40-50 kph which works on most roads. Do the same thing on a carbon last gen bike and you'll be flying quite a bit faster and holding on for dear life. If you like to do all out sprints but don't live in an area where riding super fast safely is possible, an older and less aero bike can actually help.
@@wilfdarr newer is not necessarily faster
Caption: Jasper rifling through Tadej Pogacar’s unwanted jersey bin.
El Alto should be the ending music for every GCN episode.
Skueecky bike? Read ‘the rider’ by Tim Krabbe: Riding a bike poorly maintained indicates your so strong you don’t care, demoralizing your opponents.
My CAAD10 says that I bought the best I could get for the money I had left for a second hand road bike.. it's the rider, not the bike
You gotta like bikes a lot to be this early…
@VEGAN bruh, I was early to the video. I arrived without notification 2 minutes after upload. Why swear?
@VEGAN what are you on about?😂😂😂
@@bybikeboston1334 he's vegan so he needs attention
@@Here2shtpst he needs some milk
My bike, with its old RSX SIS tech on a CAAD2 frame, says that despite being on a bit in years and no longer racing I can still perform well for the long haul
What my bike(s) say about me is, this is what I can afford or more to the point, this is what I could buy without needing a divorce lawyer
My mountain bike is covered with packs and lashing points for gear/ whatever. It's tuned but not always the cleanest. It shows I'm a backpacker at heart when I'm not cycling and have a desire to explore anywhere.
I had blood cancer for 20 years but never stopped riding. After a bone marrow transplant at 68 the first thing I wanted to do was get back to riding my bike. That yearning was the impetus to push me to recover. Now, 3 years out, I know I will never be the rider is was but I’ll never stop trying to get there.
I went form at 3 wheeler at 2 years old, through more bikes and racing that I can count, to another 3 wheeler (trike) at 73. I don’t know what I would do without riding my bike(s)…., no matter what I ride or how slowly and short I might go, I will ride until I absolutely cannot…
Drinking warm porridge on a ride !! Must be categorised as a cereal killer !!
well done!
No, it was just a gruelling ride
I don't know about the whole world, but I am 100% ready for the documentary about the World Naked Bike Ride. In fact, I demand to see it being heartlessly deprived of things of this nature on the other side of the Atlantic.
Looks left: a home-built gravel bike with misfitted 26" wheels on a new PlanetX frame and a mix of Sora/105 parts. l
On my right: a home-built singlespeed road bike in terrible state due to being the main bike.
On the side of the rack sits my home-built roadbike, currently in pieces as I don't have the money to upgrade it all at once.
And outside my gardenless apartment sits a home-built singlespeed MTB with completely worn out parts and a mullet braking system (disc in the front, V in the back)
Yeah, what my bikes say about me is that I am poor.
Speaking as someone with the same disease, the notion that you're saving money is a delusion. The cheapest way to get a complete build kit is already assembled to a finished bike. I suppose you could hunt through junked bikes and restore parts, which is (I'm afraid) an intriguing idea.
@@grumpynerd Actually, I think the road bike came out cheaper and better equipped. However, I took my time and built the thing in 1y4m.
But yes, generally you're right.
However, nothing can top the satisfaction of riding something you've built with your own hands, nor the valuable experience you gain from doing this. Mistakes in particular.
We definitely don't build bikes to save money.
Thanks for the porridge 🥣 idea. It’s the perfect riding fuel.
In regards to the Cycling Inspiration pic of the, “ . . . bike by the sea . . .” which Conner identified as Lake Superior, he should know that “sea” is a large freshwater lake north of the Upper Peninsula of the State of Michigan in the U.S. 😉
I have a fixie and I don't really know what that means lol. I am lazy and there's nothing really to fix on a fixie. The coolness is also more important than the practicality of gears.
Introducing another category: the gravel rider: a bewildering sight, the gravel rider explicitly does not give a flying flamingo about aero, claiming it is all about the freedom of exploration while secretly wishing for a road bike or a MTB depending on whatever is needed in the current situation, always longing for what he:she doesn't have ;)
I road mountain bike exclusively as a kid, riding round the city, and would have given anything for something like a gravel bike back then! I've ridden the mountain bike to its full potential exactly 3 times in my life, the rest I'm certain a gravel bike (or cyclocross) would have been the ticket. When I have money, I'm going to have one of each, road, gravel or cyclocross (I haven't made my mind up on that one), and mountain bike!
Just today I received the ultra sonic cleaning device that I ordered and my drive train is already in pieces. Super clean pieces.
I ride a lightly-refreshed/restomodded 1982 Ilkeston SBDU Raleigh (with full Campy NR sans brake levers) because: A) I got it for free, B) With Reynolds 753 it's still pretty light, C) I love the look of it. Also I feel like I sometimes have a bit of the "tech nerd/geek" potential in me so riding a vintage (or at least steel frame) bike heads me off a bit from trying to be the lightest or the fastest (though I've gotten it to 28mph in a short sprint, and I'm very much not a regular rider or in shape at all).
I also ride a hodgepodge MTB built up from 2005 Salsa Bandito, 2005 RockShox Psylo fork, and 1997 XTR m950 for much the same reasons.
I got the TT bars and bags.. The Garmin mount with the under light.. My bike is a Dutch Bike with a Triple Mullet conversion.. 650b 47 on 11-40 with a modified Alivio 13/17t derailluer making the triplechainring work.
I used the bike shopping and have folding baskets and fenders.. But it's 17-117 gear inches allows for some range
Connors sore mimics when Simon was talking about marginal aero gains of 3D printed wahoo mounts....it .is like telling the London Tower to self amputate major parts of its own roof when an autumn storm is to expect
What does my rear view mirror say about me? That I don’t like getting run over.
The rest my bike and kit mostly says: not much cash to spend.
My main ride is a recumbent time trial bike (a Cruzbike V20).
It says that I like fast bikes, don't like anything to be sore except my quads, and am not interested in what the UCI thinks I should be riding.
"A feat without explanation"
Because bikes are amazing exercise! Saved my life for sure!
Yup. I ride a 42 year old steel bike. A six-speed with downtube shifters, non-aero cabling, and rim brakes (shocking!) I bought her new and I've never looked back. I've never had the need for anything else either. Sure, I've replaced every component many, many times. It's a piece of cake to work on and inexpensive too. I don't dream of racing and I don't care about my speed. I don't care about my bike's weight and most importantly, I care about keeping up with anyone. I ride for the simple pleasure of being on my bike and going places. My 40 year old bike gives me the same sensation it did forty years ago. Will yours? or will you be chasing the latest cycling technology for the next 40 years? Will you ever be satisified?
To give a different reply to the question; "Why wouldn't you want to ride something better?" Sometimes things are really good just the way they are and there is no need for improvement. The only thing I'd really like is to just have more TIME to ride my bike.
Muse kidd, my old PX-10 is 44 this year, I put a carbon seat post, and carbon fork on her. New cranks, headset, brakes, and saddle. She rides like a dream and this old man passes many out on their plastic steeds! Unfortunately, at 63, I don't pass everyone!
muse kidd, you and I could be friends. 🙂👍I did a group ride once with younger guys who snickered and shook their heads at my 30+ yr old Cannondale as they rode their $2000+ Treks. In the end, we all rode st the same pace and finished together...with me on my $200 bike...
Does it have 700c wheels? The main problem with vintage bikes of that era is many came with 27 inch tires (630mm bead seat diameter), and in recent years the choice in that size has really dried up. That makes a big difference. Really everything else from that era still works fine.
I think that there's really two areas where thinking has truly advanced since the 70s. The first is tire volume and pressure. I've changed my vintage early 80s steel touring bike to accept 700c wheels, mainly so I could put good tires on it, but as a side effect I can put 38mm tires on the thing where it originally had 32mm. Newer tires unquestionably better than the tires we used to ride on -- faster, more puncture resistant, and more comfortable. Another is people are more open to wide range gearing; corn cob clusters are a thing of the past and good riddance.
@@grumpynerd Yep 700cc wheels.
Mine says "Mr. Opportunist." I have a nice Trek Domane, but it's maybe not exactly the right size or the color I would have picked... but it was a great deal second hand! My lights are hand-me-downs from a friend, my cycle computer was a closeout special, my seat pack is a promotional item from a bike shop that no longer exists. Even my jerseys are all second hand - great looking designs, but they're all 20 years old and came from a lot at a charity shop. So I guess if you wanted you could also just call me "Mr. Cheapskate."
Caption: Kermit regrets adjusting his shoes at the end of the naked cycle ride.
Caption: "C'mon Ollie, take my hand! How on earth have you been dropped in here??"
My Viking Roadmaster (Reynolds 725 steal frame) with Tiagra says this is what I could afford for my first ever road bike. And it’s done the job for the year I’ve had it.
Also going to be doing a 300km ride on it in two weeks time for charity.
There was on club member who used to ride with us who had a bag on the back of his bike that when you helped lift it over a gate would give you a hernia. In a factory setting picking up his bike would be a two person lift. He did tell me once he had a FULL tool kit in his bag. I think it may have had a full set on spare clothes if I remember correctly.
I gave up a while ago trying to go fast ( not that I was ever fast!). My 20+ yr old steel bike has a great ride and craftsmanship that speaks of the builder, not of a factory or label.
Aww Conner seems to be such a good and friendly guy!
Haha, especially when he is so _nicely_ ridiculing Mr. Flamboyant for a whole minute :)
I think I’m bike rider type 5, the one who went to the bike shop this spring and looked at the covid limited selection of $8k “mid-level mid-grade” bikes and decided the $600 craigslist special I picked up for a song last year will do just fine.
"You are practically a one man food truck on two wheels" - good one 😂 🤣
Really looking forward to watch "Eastbound". Jenny is a real inspiration.
"one man food truck on two wheels" - or in short: "The Gravelist" 🤣
vintage reynolds peugeot with improvised mudguards (old water bottles) and a _fairly_ clean chain... cost £100 and actually goes ok (except uphill)
Great wordsmithing and delivery! Clearly Conor’s book reading has paid off!! Very enjoyable.
Chapeau to Dr Josh the Inspiration winner! Hope you make the 8000km!
My wife says my bike(s) say “I’m cheap!” All my bikes are “vintage” because I feel no need to replace them just because they are a few years old, I don’t enjoy spending my hard-earned money just to have the latest-and-greatest, and I love the shared history we have…long rides, hard races, rainy days…almost 40 years of riding and racing…I’ve had a number of great bikes, (sometimes they just wear out or break) but have also seen a LOT of questionable, “must have” tech items come and go, only to be replaced by newer, more expensive, less necessary “must haves”.
I don't pass judgement, but I have to admit to being surprised to see so many brand-new bikes out on the roads or the trails (for MTB). I don't understand where all the retro or "just not the latest tech" bikes are... do people really replace things that quickly? I have had the same MTB for about 10 years, and the frame was second hand when I bought it! My road bike is 10 years old too, and looks like new. Maybe people just don't look after things and that's why they need replacing. Hmm... I'm kind of the odd one out with my car too. My 14 year old car looks mint, while I see 5 year old cars that look like garbage.
Yeah... I think we're the weird ones.
I have been using shoe goo to fill holes from glass for a couple years! Works wonders.
My bike says “Performance”, just from 8 years ago! And, of course, a top tube bag, for food. Maintained with a steady trickle of eBay bargains! 😂 But I love it…and keep it squeaky clean.
@8:35 HEY!!!! You leave hard-boiled eggs out of this! They're a great way to get some clean protein in in the morning!!
Going to the Sun Road is in Glacier National Park Montana, USA. Open to cyclists only for at least one day after all the snow is removed too. One of the most beautiful places in the US in my opinion.
My bike says I like comfort at any cost while thinking I am a speed demon. S-Works Roubaix 2021 with carbon gray metallic paint job. Carbon handle bars with extra thick bar tape, Roubaix damper set to full softness. Specialized Power Mimic and the new endurance Castelli bibs. Ultegra Di2 Semi-compact with a Quarq Power meter. 160mm front and back disc brakes to make sure I can stop anywhere. Just missing carbon wheels, but running 32mm pirelli Velo Tubeless currently. As I am a heavier rider, goal is to slim down so I can get some deep carbon Zipp's. Talk about motivation. Got the Retul setup for best position on the bike too. No massive bits and bobs except rear light and head unit. Easy to attach headlight as needed, or a go-pro for those epic rides.
Bike is cleaned every few rides and lubed to Alex's specs. It turns head and sparkle in the sun, "just like me". Like to use it for good photos, maybe one day I will submit to Bike Vault but need those deep carbon wheels.
Bike is named: Mr. Compliance - CCO - Chief Compliance Officer
Love the bike, even if I have only had it a short time. But now I am mostly riding 50+ miles ride on the weekend and a few shorter 20 miles rides for weekday relaxing. It wants me to go out more and I say yes every time. So in a sense it is worth it. Could I get the same on a different bike, who knows. I am not looking back. This will last me for decades, unless I crash more.....
Caption: when you throw out the packaging but then remember you don't know how to cook your meal
I have a 2018 Trek Madone which is a joy to ride. But I also have an 89 Merckx with not quite so vintage but still older Shimano components. I ride the Trek mostly these days but it is the Merckx that gets the looks!
I agree. Modern bike tech may have amazing performance, but it looks sorta vanilla. Small maker steel with a nice (e.g. Joe Bell) paint is something else altogether. Sadly, the guy who built my bikes has hung up the torch. 😟
Hey..... You forgot about the resto mods, absolutely beautiful steel frame from 80s, fantastic paint job with modern wheels, brakes and derailleurs, washed and hung on the living room wall after every ride, yeh also got the modern carbon bike, just don't drool over it as much.
I like to get the loudest, brightest color of bike the manufacturer offers. I like to stand out from the others and I like to stand out to drivers. Right now I have a neon lime green BMC SLR01 and a yellow/red/chameleon/gold S-Works Tarmac SL6. I can easily spot my bike among the rest of my club mates' bikes at the cafe stop.
I'd say my superbike would suggest I like to show off a bit, it's bright red, full carbon complete with red/black camo bar tape and a stem cap I painted to match. My commuter on the other hand would suggest a budget conscious King, carbon frame but every component is secondhand in some way (except tyres obvs) and it's built to be reliable but still quick
‘Modern bikes are just better, and who wouldn’t want to ride a better bike?’
While that may sound logical, it really isn’t that simple. The premise is that more efficient = better, but is it really? For racing, yes.
For people who ride for other reasons… well, you can argue about that.
I still ride my ‘94 mtb. I rebuilt it into a gravel-ish bike, diet drop bar, faster rolling tires etc.
When I tried a full suspension mtb I was unimpressed. It made it way too easy, I found controlling the dropper post and the suspension lockout cumbersome.when I am riding my own bike I must be on top of my game, it requires my full attention and skills. I have a blast, and I FEEL super fast. For me, that makes my bike ‘better’.
Why not buy a modern gravelbike? Well, mine is cheap to ride and repair parts when necessary, and it looks cool as hell. For me, that makes my bike better 🤷🏻♂️
Not warm porridge: hot porridge, with apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar. 😋
I feel like a retro cyclist just riding alloy wheels.
U ride alloy wheels What are u a Dinosaur !!!
@@raleighkellyc9375 nah just spent all my money on spiffy kit
Yep i do the same on my Emmelle. And they are 700c the steel ones i replaced are 27inch by 1.25 inch!😊
@@raleighkellyc9375 yeah absolutely prehistoric easy to maintain silent braking and low weight.
Feel like a caveman if you are not riding dura ace
I ride a Specialized Diverge Carbon bike with 1X Di2 and love it. I ride in the country in NE Indiana and have rough roads, chip and seal roads, and gravel roads. I want a bike that's comfortable and capable and I have it. It gets dirty all the time and gets cleaned now and then. I do keep it lubed up though. I have no idea what this says about me but then again I don't really care. Have fun!
I have an all black Triban RC 500 from Decathlon, so I guess im.... cheap? I still love it!
Bonus Cycling shorts:
Finnish F1 driver Valtteri Bottas finished 5th overall (2nd in his age group) racing in the 64 mile SBT GRVL event in Colorado.
Caption: The secret to Jasper's success? He just waited until the podium before he binned it.
Sorry Si, but the vintage 1985 Trek 500 is the only ride available to me when I travel to visit family. I'll admit I feel like an old man showing off his vintage Ford Mustang at the local auto show when I ride it, but it is a great ride.
Considering there's multiple videos of Si riding in speedos, he doesn't have much room to poke at Conor!
My bike says I ride year round as a commuter. Not perfectly cleaned but well maintained to keep it reliable.
Tube bag with repair kit and phone, bottle, lock and tail bag with change of clothes and food for work.
Boring and practical but still quicker than the traffic.
Ok, so....I had loads to say, but???
I will just tell you, I LOVE you GCN.
THANK YOU & keep up the great work.
Cheers!!!
I'm in Simons category, except my black aero bike has gold color accents! 🤣
Easily one of my favourite episodes yet
My bike says I'm retro/cheap/frugal: Schwinn Peloton with 9-speed Ultegra/DA on a Reynolds 853 steel frame/carbon fork purchased in 1999 (3rd set of wheels - Shimano R500s), still rides great after an estimated 100,000 miles... it means I'm cheap, like the springiness of steel (which I raced on in the '80s), and have yet to find a need to upgrade. My riding buddies are mostly on aluminum or carbon endurance bikes with disc brakes, and I have no problem keeping up. My indoor bike is a 1987 Trek 330 Elance (lugged Reynolds 531 steel) rescued from the landfill and set up with SRAM Force 10sp (gifted by a friend who went 11sp) on a Saris M2... so yes, I'm retro/cheap/frugal.
Lol poor Alex, and zip ties. I knew it would come back to haunt him!
colors get old but black never does. you can also add color with things like bar tape, chain, saddles which can be changed. but if you have a pink frame cuz you thought it would be cool and different then its hard to change it. unless you have enough money for a few bikes then you gotta be more practical
Going to the Sun Road, is in glacier national Park Montana USA. It literally is one of the most beautiful and scariest roads to travel. Only open a few months out of the year. Due to the massive amount of snow back blankets the road in winter. I seem to be that guy with all the equipment on the bike because I’m in fear of not having something when I need it lol.
I loved the beginning because it was so obvious that they were reading because Connor was laughing at his own jokes and couldn’t believe what was written for him! 😂
nice to see the lads both clean shaven for a change
My bike says past meets the modern…Emonda ALR, 105 rim brakes with that classic look but Bontrager XXX wheels and carbon seat post, power meter and bike computer. Has all the stuff in all the right places.
My MTB is a bit like that. There are decades worth of different parts to choose from, and you can get a great bike by choosing all the parts that suit you best, regardless of era.
A properly set up & equipped racing bike from any era is a treat to ride. Most people who ride $10k+ modern racing bikes haven’t spent any quality miles on a real steel era racing bike. They are different beasts & require a different appreciation. Unfortunately we only see old dudes with saggy bibs, helmet mirrors, with comfort setups on these old beauties. It’s an image that’s truthfully difficult to shake. Unfortunate
"All the gear, no idea."
A 10,000 $ bike can give you only so much if your 10,000 $ legs are missing.
That Lanterne rouge joke was uncalled for, think people will be surprised how strong Oliver actually is .
watches gcn+ with jenny graham.
lost for words, so raw - truly awesome. With no disrespect to her country man Mark B but whilst i appreciate his round the world in 78 days was not easy, compared to Jenny’s trip it was a holiday …
8:50 One more reason why Si is my favorite.
I’m probably a tech nerd…I have a Ridley Noah fast, and a Ridley Helium SLX with Assioma Duos
3:38 I’d say you can glean that the individual used to do some road racing, then got married and had kids. They now want to get out on the bike again after a 15 year absence but can no way justify spending £3-4K on the modern equivalent. Oh hang on, that’s me!👍
You should do a video called “what does your kit say about you” because I find that a lot of road cyclists with the sunglasses covering most of their face are averse to acknowledging a friendly hello or wave sent their way.
Absolutely I time trial on a steel-framed bicycle to have a ready-made excuse - specifically that I had the wrong gear - as I race fixed! TBF, 19-year-old me could do a 10 in 21:30 on a steel-frame road bike, so why can't I now? :)