Tuesday, August 27, 2013

A Work in Progress

Welcome to The Retrogrouch Blog. I'm just now getting this set up and trying to figure out the system, so right now things look pretty generic. But here is where I'll be expressing my opinions on bicycles. I love bikes. I'm incredibly opinionated on the subject. I verbally beat my friends into submission on the topic. And for the most part, I don't like where the bicycle industry is taking bikes. Bikes should be simple, and reliable, and beautiful. Sometimes that beauty comes from simplicity and reliability. I believe people should be able to work on their own bikes, because repairing and maintaining your own bike is not just a right of passage, but it also makes one a better cyclist.
I believe the importance of weight in bicycles is overestimated. People obsess about grams. Manufacturers feed off that and shave grams at the expense of safety and durability. I believe that when it comes to bicycle weight, there is "light" and there is "stupid light." Too many bikes and components today are Stupid Light.
I like Steel.
I like Lugs.
I like new stuff, but only when it makes sense and really makes things better. New for the sake of new doesn't make sense. And New is not always Improved.
Check back from time to time. I'll be adding more.

1 comment:

  1. Hi! Just finished reading this entire blog, took me 2 weeks. I. LOVE. IT. I bought a 70's LeJeune 2 years ago and found I had to do some repairs...and since there are entire webpages dedicated to the hell of french vintage parts you can figure I got stuck in the vintage bike psychosis. Currently I am collecting parts to recreate Greg LeMond's Bottechia TT-bike from 1989...I also wrote an article of his medical issues post-gsw in 1987 in a swedish medical journal.

    Thanks for writing and hope you will continue for a long time!

    Best Regards, Marcus

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