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#Post#: 2968--------------------------------------------------
Retro Mountain Bikes
By: Dr Z Date: July 19, 2019, 11:35 am
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I've always cycled to one degree or another, whether it is
actually going out to the woods and finding trails (nothing
decent around here though) ...or just commuting. I can put my
hand on my heart and say that I enjoy cycling far more than I do
driving.
That said, hauling my 23st around on a 29er was getting
harder and harder, and I was actually on the brink of buying an
eBike! Fortunately though, Diabetes gave me the kick up the arse
I needed, and I have now shed 5 stone (and counting) - Even at
an admittedly still hefty 18 stone, I feel absolutely weightless
on my bikes! I am jumping off kerbs and hopping over speed
ramps at every opportunity. I am sure people are watching
wondering what that 50 year old bloke is doing jumping around
like a kid, but meh, that's their problem.
Anyway, I've got my main bike (entry level Aluminium 29er) A
cheapo Fat Bike, loads of fun, and an Electra Cruiser. but none
or them feel as fun to ride as the Chromoly hardtails of the
90's,
So when I have been shopping around to buy a new bike, I keep
finding myself looking at the old Treks, Giants, Marins,
Cannondales and Konas from the 90's.. and some of the REALLY
heavy downhill stuff too from that era too. (I enjoy nothing
more than riding past Roadies on pieces of carbon on a
ridiculously heavy bike, even if they do catch me up and destroy
me seconds later!
Also looking at the ones I couldn't afford in the 90's. Stuff
like this
HTML https://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb15534395/p5pb15534395.jpg
This
HTML https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/54/e1/aa54e1db93c807198b9c4881686c22e1.jpg
Perhaps this?
[img]
HTML http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=268972[/img]
...or my favourite of all ...
HTML https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3DMAAOSwjm5dHOje/s-l1600.jpg
Does anyone else ride, or even just appreciate these retro
bikes? Would you choose one over the technological advances of
the 21st century? I am having to force myself to close the
browser before I buy something I might regret [emoji3]
#Post#: 2970--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: dirtyvest Date: July 19, 2019, 2:12 pm
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Now if you talking retro BMXs of the 80s we'd be on to
something.
I did have a Timberline GT mountain bike in the 90s tho
#Post#: 2974--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: ANIMAL Date: July 19, 2019, 3:25 pm
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FML the 90’s are retro now!
No i don’t think I ever would. I had a GT from about 2003, a
great mountain bike, it was about £1200 new. It was solid yet
light and held up against my 25stone+ frame. But last year I
treated myself through the works “bike to work” scheme for a new
bike(tax free). I got myself a top range Voodoo mountain bike. I
can literally lift it with my pinky, the gears ratios are
incredible, it moves with minimal effort, I couldn’t believe the
difference. Getting on the old bike now would feel like I’m
dragging a tractor tyre behind me.
I’d say great for nostalgia hit if you want to use the bike
properly, get a new one !
#Post#: 2978--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: Dr Z Date: July 20, 2019, 4:30 am
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^^ That's pretty much what my head says. The 2013 Kona I am
riding still feels great to ride, but it is aluminium, and there
is stiffness to the ride that my 1996 Kona just didn't have. Of
course back then Chromoly was almost the budget option, whereas
now you pay a premium if you DON'T want Aluminium.
As for using it properly, well, no. any retro bike would be
nothing more than a cruiser, not that I ever do anything more
that light XC anyway (little choice around here!) If I were
truly looking for a bike to suit my riding, I think I pretty
much already have it in the 29er, if I stick 35c tyres on it,
it feels as close to a road bike as I'd liked to have got at 23
stone, and at 23 stone the gearing seemed fine too, although now
at 18st I am running out of gears way too often, If and when I
get to 16 stone or below I might review the situation, but I've
always considered road bikes to be a tad delicate for my
lifestyle.
I just think there is a beauty in these older bikes that just
seemed to fade away in the mid 2000's onwards. I see an LTS-1
with full XT, or even XTR pop up for £300-400 and think "Wow"
and my finger hovers over the button.... then like you say,
reality kicks in, and I have to remember I'd be buying little
more than an ornament.
#Post#: 2979--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: Dr Z Date: July 20, 2019, 4:36 am
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[quote author=dirtyvest link=topic=144.msg2970#msg2970
date=1563563570]
Now if you talking retro BMXs of the 80s we'd be on to
something.
I did have a Timberline GT mountain bike in the 90s tho
[/quote]
Was never really way into BMX, I got given Piranha XL with
aluminium mags, Someone had cut one of the spokes with a
hacksaw, but being a kid I just carried on riding it, and it was
fine!
I have noticed that Raleigh Burners seem to have a bit of
respect now? Everyone hated them when I was a kid, and the
'proper' bmx lads used to say 'they ain't real BMX's' ... but
they appear to change hands for decent money now.
#Post#: 2985--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: dirtyvest Date: July 20, 2019, 1:24 pm
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Burners were wicked. But I had one so I'm bias lol... and a
Powell Peralta skateboard
#Post#: 3282--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: H0M3R Date: July 30, 2019, 4:09 am
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Used to be well into my mountain biking in my teens, dirt
jumping mainly with some trials and street thrown in, whatever
we could ride at the time really, barely any skateparks about
even then. However, I dislocated my shoulder doing a jump, and
then a couple more times after so had surgery to fix it at 18
years old, after that I kinda stopped riding altogether as I had
discovered cars, women and clubbing. Massively regret it now as
I was quite good on my bike back in the day lol. The last 18
months or so I have been getting back into it and loving it
again, although I'm nowhere near the level I was. Confidence has
dipped massively on the real jumps and drops.
I used to ride a DMR Sidekick, and it was mint, took everything
I threw at it. Had bomber forks, middleburn cranks, hope disc
brakes and mavic DH rims with hope hubs. It was worth about
£1500, which 15 years ago was mega money at the time. I used to
build my bikes back then (or continuously upgrade parts as I
went along), as buying a ready-to-go jump bike wasn't the done
thing. I've got a photo of it somewhere but I cannot find it.
It sat in the garage for a long time unused so decided to sell
the frame and build an xc/trail bike with the parts. Not a good
idea tbh, as jump bike components aren't really suited to xc
riding. I should have sold the DMR as a ready build retro jump
bike, and then bought a seecond hand ready to go xc/trail bike,
but because I built the DMR I was too attached to all the
components lol. Bought a Scott Genius carbon fibre full suss
frame, and I'm still using it now, although its not the best as
the components don't work very well with the frame. Its doing
the job though, can't afford a new bike atm.
I can't wait to get a new bike, I love the retro GT's and Kona's
etc, but the new bikes are on an other level now. Like Animal
says, the gear ratios are so much better now, even with a single
ring up front, the climbs take less effort, the wheels are
bigger which give you more speed and better control over the
bumps, they are lighter, and look amazing. The cost has gone up
with it though, a reasonably specced bike these days starts at
£2k.
Ebikes are taking over now as well, and although I would never
get one, they really are incredible. My mate rides one, and the
uphills feel like a an easy flat. I had a go on it and and said
after 1 minute, I don't want to get used to this otherwise I'll
never ride a regular bike again lol. So swapped back to my tank
of a bike lol.
#Post#: 3317--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: Dr Z Date: July 30, 2019, 2:02 pm
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Yeah, I follow Sam Pilgrim on YouTube, and he throws his ebike
around better than most people can a jump or trials bike! I saw
him landing a huge front flip on it the other day.
I was on the brink of buying one, as I felt like I just didn't
have the energy for riding anymore, but after dropping some
weight I've found my mojo again. If you are riding seriously
though, being able to ride the downhill the bomb back up to the
top with the assistance must be the nuts!
#Post#: 3364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Retro Mountain Bikes
By: H0M3R Date: July 31, 2019, 9:32 am
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[quote author=Zoidberg MD link=topic=144.msg3317#msg3317
date=1564513338]
Yeah, I follow Sam Pilgrim on YouTube, and he throws his ebike
around better than most people can a jump or trials bike! I saw
him landing a huge front flip on it the other day.
I was on the brink of buying one, as I felt like I just didn't
have the energy for riding anymore, but after dropping some
weight I've found my mojo again. If you are riding seriously
though, being able to ride the downhill the bomb back up to the
top with the assistance must be the nuts!
[/quote]
Unless you have real difficulty in getting about then I don't
see the point in spending so much money on an ebike, although I
can see the temptation as it makes the difficult bits of
mountain biking so much easier. If you like ragging it down a
hill but struggle to climb up it in the first place it makes
sense, but its a lot of money for something most able bodied
people shouldn't need without a bit of fitness.
I used to work with someone who used to be well over 20 stone,
and he's lost a lot of weight since getting an ebike. Its made
getting into mtbing much easier for him, and he's on it all the
time now. Riding an ebike is still better for you than not
riding at all.
The lad I ride with has cerebral palsy, although he's quite
fortunate in the sense that he's not affected too badly by it
and no-one would know he's got it. But he still struggles to
keep up with me so it's a no brainer for him to get an ebike,
that way we can ride together at a similar level.
If you do proper downhill mtbing though you don't need to worry
about climbs anyway. A lot of the proper tracks in Wales have
vans/minibuses that take you and your bike to the top. Canada's
ski lifts are also used all year round, winter is for skiing and
summer is for mtbers. What a place to live eh?
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