You know you are old when...Y

[F-ZeroOne]

You may enjoy this, then, PVFA (most relevant part starts about two minutes in):

[PFVA]

"The Sound of Music"

Of course I remember that. They still show it our TV around Christmas. All generations are introduced to it. Of course nowadays some may be staring into their mobiles rather than watching the movie.

[Mat]

Bicycle prices.
What the absolute fuck is up with contemporary bicycle prices?!

A "cheap" Brompton will set you back a grand.

Back when I used to cycle seriously, a grand would have bought you a professional-ready, top-of-the-line racing bike.
But nowadays such a bike could easily end up setting you back £12K!

This seriously breaks my brain.
I mean, yes, I know that the materials they're using to produce these bikes are very advanced in comparison, and I also know that for some reason, electronic brakes and gears have taken over from ye olde cable-driven versions (which is something else that horrifies the engineer in me; what the fuck do you do if the electronics break on you?)

But even taking those into account, this strikes me as hyper-inflation gone crazy.

I think this is possibly having an exaggerated effect on me specifically, as when I got seriously into cycling in my yoof, I built my first racer from scratch for free using parts donated by friends (well, there was the cost of handlebar tape and a can of spraypaint.) And I did thousands of miles on that bike, eventually giving it to a friend when I moved out of home.

If the intent is to encourage more people to cycle, surely having bicycles cost as much as or even more than a second-hand car is utter madness?

[zip accident]

Bicycle prices.

What the absolute fuck is up with contemporary bicycle prices?!

First Amazon offer £1,499 (electric), second £187, third £199, I think your brand is trying it on.

If the intent is to encourage more people to cycle, surely having bicycles cost as much as or even more than a second-hand car is utter madness?

If that were the intention they'd do a lot more. The intention clearly is to force people to use cars.

[tufty]

Bicycle prices.
What the absolute fuck is up with contemporary bicycle prices?!

Bikes have become status symbols, something to be seen with rather than a mode of transport or a sport accessory. "Lifestyle brands" aimed at people with massive disposable incomes. It's bollocks.

[Whiteball]

Bicycle prices.
What the absolute fuck is up with contemporary bicycle prices?!

Bikes have become status symbols, something to be seen with rather than a mode of transport or a sport accessory. "Lifestyle brands" aimed at people with massive disposable incomes. It's bollocks.

same as just about everything else these days it seems...

[PFVA]

When you see someone talking about floppy disks and you remember using those very well including the 8 inches one.

[venusian]

Bicycle prices.
What the absolute fuck is up with contemporary bicycle prices?!
If the intent is to encourage more people to cycle, surely having bicycles cost as much as or even more than a second-hand car is utter madness?

Ignore the big brands. Get yourself off to Decathlon or similar. The Triban range is very well regarded and starts at £400.

Yes, you can send £14K but only because there are more things to spend on now. It's inflation of kit options (electronic gear change, deep rim wheels, power meters, carbon everything...) rather than straight up price inflation (although, of course, that happens too).

[PFVA]

I'm old.

I remember these people.

I had been in California for a couple of years when the Iran-Contra Affair Scandal happened. They were selling weapons to Iran to finance the "Contras".

They don't mention in this piece but I remember Reagan saying the famous "I don't remember" and George Bush senior then VP saying he was following orders. And all of that also contributed to all the mess that there is now in El Salvador.

Oliver North marries Fawn Hall, his document-shredding secretary at the center of Iran-Contra scandal

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/09/poli ... pLUXJyNBsg

[PFVA]

I remember the early days of Mario (and I was already over 21)
Ow boy...

[zip accident]

Some of us (me) actually are old.

[rowan]

Varifocals make their appearance upon your nose.

Cost twice as much and vision is worse for both distance and close up but at least I can see something of either without constantly changing.

[zip accident]

Varifocals make their appearance upon your nose.

Cost twice as much and vision is worse for both distance and close up but at least I can see something of either without constantly changing.

Twice as much? I got a pair with frame for £55, cheapest options all round, I don't think bifocals would have been cheaper, admittedly I didn't ask. I'm not getting on with them any better than you seem to be, but maybe they'll get better with practice.

[NorthWay]

Varifocals make their appearance upon your nose.

Is that what is called "Progressive" over here? Sounds like the same thing. Often also called "Passive-Aggressive" for some rhyming reason.
That is what my daily glasses are. My sunglasses are still -3.5 (when you sum up the corrections).

[rowan]

Is that what is called "Progressive" over here?

Yeah "progressive" is the more technically correct name but everyone's called them varifocal here for at least 40 years.

Twice as much? I got a pair with frame for £55

I don't really want to say how much I've spent at the optician in the last month but the varifocal lenses are approaching twice the single-vision price. I also have the useless brand new single-vision lenses which I got first, only to find "this is the point I can no longer read the computer screen".

I do seem to be getting used to the varis quite quickly though.