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does anyone prefer the good old days of cycling to today (le tour e.t.c)?

have been watching a few films about eddy merckx.for some reason i have been really enjoying watching the films of that time period in cycling (perfectly groomed hair * lovely steel road bikes,proper mutton chops e.t.c  3

there's just something magical about watching classic footage of past heroes racing their bikes.also the world looked a lot more optimistic than today too  20 plus it looked like they were extras from the itallian job  3

i have nothing against today's cycling by the way,but the old footage just makes me wish i was born in that period to have experienced it (even though i'm 37  4

* i am not perfectly groomed at all/as unfashionable as they come too  2

edit they also all looked hard as nails also back in the day  16

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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Mostyn | 11 years ago
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The original (first post) was about the : GOOD OLD DAYS OF CYCLING! Then you young guys started to take another approach to the nostalgic past. Why Comment on Drugs (again and again) When there's nothing new in your statements. BTW, I'm heading towards 65, this year. I did some Racing. TT's and a few Triathlons in years gone bye; but to be honest, the bikes are far better today; and the equipement we use. I began cycle racing in the mid 1960's the amateur cycle events were tough on the competitors in those days, but with a true comradeship of like minded people who loved cycling and their ever evolving bicycles.

Nice to look back sometimes; but don't want to go back.

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Leviathan | 11 years ago
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This is something I call the 'Myth of the old.' Humans are preprogrammed to be nostalgic, it is an important part of our evolutionary psychology. Without it the truth that life is unremittingly boring and often harsh (well as least for most of history) would drive you mad. The 70's and 80's were a horrible time full of brown food, brown clothes, brown furniture and bad hair. We love to cherry pick the best bits of shiny culture and remember it as if it was really our own lives. The fact is you weren't Eddy Merckx or James Hunt, You weren't the Beasty Boys or Ryan Giggs and you aren't Jack Whitehall or Psy.

I mean there are kids today that don't remember a time when dance music didn't exist, when tv was square. My nephew can't understand why I can beat him on computer games even though I am a grown up. I can because 1. he is a child and 2. I have to spend 30 minutes loading a computer game from a cassette player and every time I died I had to go back to the start of the game. I can now play the same games on my laptop in 30 seconds time if I wanted.

If you are so keen on the old times, grow yourself a mullet, swap you rapha aero jersey for a scratchy woolen one and swap your carbon frame for a steel one which weighs 4 times as much and see how fast you feel going up the next hill.

No. Bring on the future instead, I want auto shifting with manual override and a 8K TV delivered in a roll of plastic.

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SideBurn | 11 years ago
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Looking back on "The good 'ol days".... Ahhhh the nostalgia. But. Looking back with rose coloured spectacles is not for me. The only thing that is better about the past is being able to read books where people write candidly about what really happened behind the scenes. I am just saying the past is no better or worse than now. I am currently enjoying 'Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape' about Jacques Anquetil. I do not suppose much has changed, except the quality of the road surfaces, it just gives me an insight into the (dodgy??) dealings that must go on behind the scenes...

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ALIHISGREAT | 11 years ago
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you mean the good old days when they were all buzzing off their tits on amphetamines?

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SideBurn replied to ALIHISGREAT | 11 years ago
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ALIHISGREAT wrote:

you mean the good old days when they were all buzzing off their tits on amphetamines?

Now I was not going to say that  19 But now they are just buzzing on something else  19 Or try to cover their tracks by saying they ate contaminated meat  19

I cannot read the book without wondering whether Jacques 'remarkable' turns of speed were due to  39 speed

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Mr Mike | 11 years ago
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Hmm, I know what you mean and can empathise with you. I'm 42 and stopped racing (in europe ) 10 years ago due to injury and declining willpower/speed/dedication, in short I'd had enough. I remember standing in the sun in 1986 watching Hinault and lemond slog it out on the alpe, steel frames and strapped cleats and you know what, when you get down to it, it's a man on a bike, that's all. So yes the kit is vastly different (better ? not necessarily imho) the the sport while being more scientific is essentially the same. racing hikes is still 70% mental.

just my thoughts obviously

Mike

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Littlesox | 11 years ago
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Know what you mean - friend of mine harps on about the golden days of rallying and showed me some footage from the early 70's - Ford Escorts, Roger Clark, lots of people smoking, big hair - it looked like a different planet !

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