Posted by: silverbansheebike
I've just mentioned this in another forum but I wonder if there's some crossover point where we can say that everything past a certain year was surely too old or out of place to ride or won't help with skills etc. or if the point of an "old" bike will always be a certain number of years back from the present.
I stepped away from the sport for about a decade. In that time away dropper posts became a common thing, and to be honest it has been such a game changer in terms of the amount of enjoyment that I have on a ride that I will confidently say that I'm not interested in riding a bike without one. So that's how I will determine how "old" is too old. If the frame is not dropper post compatible I'm not interested.
Keep in mind I'm not talking about niche bikes/disciplines. My sons dirt jumper doesn't have a dropper post and I will gladly take it to the pump track and have a good time. If I go to Whistler and I decide to rent a DH bike that doesn't have a dropper - same thing. It will still be a good time.
I'm talking specifically about biking in the woods on trails that involve going up, down, and everything in between, over and over again. Not having to stop and adjust seat height with an allen key or quick release has added an incredible amount of flow to every ride. I'm pretty sure I use my dropper more often than I shift gears (yes, I should probably use my derailleur more, or just say F it and go single speed).