It seems that vintage bikes are quite popular at the moment, and it is easy to see why. There is something strangely pleasurable about taking something from the past, like a vintage bike, restoring it to it’s former glory and then being able to enjoy riding and showing it off.
Maybe it is because some people like to be different, and by riding a vintage bike you will stand out from the crowd, as nobody else will own an old fashioned bicycle quite like yours. Nowadays, the only time that you see adults riding on bicycles, they are wearing lycra or spandex colorful clothing, fancy cycling shoes and helmets, with well toned butts and legs shown off to perfection.
It certainly looks as though cycling as we used to know it has lost its way. If you own a vintage bike, you can get away with riding in any street clothes that you feel comfortable in, without feeling like you are doing something wrong. Instead of riding hunched over your racing handle bars, you can ride in a upright position on your vintage bike and look around you enjoying the scenery as you pedal along.
Most vintage bikes have a chain guard, so you can wear long pants while taking your ride, which is practically unheard of today. Your seat is comfortable and springy and supports your weight well without giving you an aching coccyx like a lot of the modern bicycles do. You will even have fenders or mudguards, so you can now go ahead and ride through that puddle of water and not have to worry about getting any of the spray on your back.
Strange how that is how vintage bikes used to be made, but today these small but significant parts are sadly missing. Maybe this is done to make the bike more streamlined, but if you are somebody who likes to ride in comfort a vintage bike is definitely the way to go.
To read more vintage bikes and handbuild bicycles, click on the image below:
