[Closed] Who's gone all retro then?

[url= http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/ ]Retrobike[/url]
Been a member for about 10 years, as have a few other folk on here.
Got a nice Orange Vit T and a slingshot.
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I have a passion for older mtbs, but I've found it is best left in the memory banks under 'ahhhh, nice' 😆

Having built and ridden a few older Zaskars I always come back to something more modern with decent brakes and suspension.

That said, every time I go into the garage I have my first ever real mtb (96 Pantera) hanging on the wall asking me to build it back up.

I've been posting over there. I'm the same though, I need all the £ to keep the modern bikes going! If I bumped into something at a car boot or up the tip I'd probably be tempted.

I never left, still riding a bike from 1994 occasionally.

lol...

I had a 97 Zaskar which I sold to fund the upgrade path but I've always wanted another. Really hope this all works out and this Pantera works out. Already priced up wheels, some SD7 levers, Arch Rival brakes, got a retro XTR rear mech, 9 speed cassette in the bits box and eyes on a 9 speed shifter (not all old school!). Single ring up front, n/w and forks wise I'm not sure to give refurbing the indy xc's or some P2's if I can get a set a a decent price.

Then there's the whole stripping down and painting which I'm looking forward too. Stem, bars and bar ends..... Like a kid at Christmas!!!

Still sometimes ride my 1999 Merlin malt II, just the narrow bars feel a bit strange!

I'm (vaguely) on Retrobike.
Makes me laugh.

FFS, it's a 25 year old BSO. It was crap when it was new and 25 years of being left out in someones garden hasn't made it any better.

Least this new FB page seems to have worked out the difference between a 25 year old BSO and something actually worthy of collection and restoration. Other than a misplaced pair of rose tinted spectacles.

I've got a nice 1996 Bravado in the shed 😀

[URL= http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag344/PJC142/P8060002.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag344/PJC142/P8060002.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

That saddle's long gone though! 😯

I'm on retro bike more than on here. Currently have a 1989 Saracen Tufftrax, 1990 Marin Pine Mountain and 1992 Orange Clockwork fully built with a 1993 GT RTS-1 under restoration. Don't ride them much but I like looking at them.

Ya grumpy sod. Old GT's are way more than BSO'! Don't you appreciate heritage and boyhood dreams?

I've found it is best left in the memory banks under 'ahhhh, nice'

I rode my 1991 Clockwork (Orange + white) around Sherwood Pines a few months back, only because I was staying at centre parcs and it's my shop bike. It was like the old days, kind of, except we didn't have trail centres. It worked, was a fun ride but definitely would have preferred a 'proper' bike without road geometry.

But its in use, mostly shop duties, which its fine at. I get a full 3mm travel from the manitou forks, wonder if there is any elastomer actually left or its just bouncing on the gruft collected over many years. I daren't look.

I suppose it's the same as classic cars though. Of course, modern cars are "better" on the whole but still doesn't stop classic cars being things of beauty, projects to tinker on and fun.

My 1994 Kona Kilauea handles beautifully and is faster to ride in certain areas than my modern bike. Gear changes are perfect, it's light and flickable, and also looks amazing too.

The speed and terrain I see a lot of people riding on would be more suited to a 90's bike than a modern full suss.

Bombjack - probably the spinergy wheels that made it cack, they are awful. Zaskars are ace to ride.

I found Zaskars rather meh actually. Too stiff, too unforgiving.

Didn't help that i weighed about 9 stone wet through when they came out.

Spinergies were horrific though.

my only mountain bike is a 10 year old fsr stumpy....is that retro yet?

I've never owned anything built after 1991 so I'm blisfully unaware of how crap my bike is. But I like it.

Yeah I joined up.
Started mtb in the early 90's with a Trek 930.
Great site with some old names cropping up!
Had a brief period a few years ago with the site Retrobike which lead me to buy a Bontrager and a Dekerf.
Sold them and its all modern now when I realised how much better current stuff is to race on!
Still would be tempted by a Slingshot or a Dogs Bolx if they came up in the right size though!
Thanks,
Max

I'm not on that FB page.....yet

Not that old, my Ritchey P20. Doesn't get ridden that much, but still overly to ride

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/14390661652_a8a0f95cea_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/14390661652_a8a0f95cea_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/nVDUm5 ]Ritchey P20[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

There's quite few of us who still live in the 70's apparently...

I would still have my 98 P7 if it hadn't been stolen, but I wouldnt' be riding it. It really was nothing like as good as a modern bike.

Nostalgia for me is no substitute for handling and technology 🙂

1996 Orange C16-R ... still gets an occasional ride. Worth more to me than it would be to sell.

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Have got a gt sts in the loft. It gets used occasionally but have run out of storage space in the garage / climbing wall for it.
Good fun to ride if a little scary

I use the FB page. It's great looking back to when I was young & fit and the sport was new & exciting. Spoke to people I haven't contacted in years!
I love some of the old bikes and parts too, but don't really understand the obsession with collecting or riding them now.

Im on there and RB. Most of my bikes are old, even my newest one is 26 inch wheeled and triple chainset so seems to have aged quickly.
1992 Proflex
1993 Wheeler
1994 Merlin
1994 Megamo
1995 Zaskar
1996 Orange
2003 Dale Jekyl
2011 Kinesis XC3

The Proflex and Megamo are by far my favourites to ride. With the exception of a 20 mile shakedown ride, I have only ever ridden the Proflex in competition.
The Kinesis is the easiest to ride and does everything perfectly.

Who's gone all retro then?

never stopped 😉 I do have modern bikes but I have older ones that still get ridden a lot.

The speed and terrain I see a lot of people riding on would be more suited to a 90's bike than a modern full suss.

Too true, or a modern gravel bike/gnarmac/monstercross/tourer/justabike.

I always find it interesting chatting to 'new' riders who have somehow been hoodwinked into thinking that its impossible to ride a trail centre blue route without 150mm of travel, sticky tyres, dropper post and disc brakes.

Had a similar experience last week but on the subject of lights, a guy fairly new to MTB, wanted to do try riding the local TC at night and was asking about lights, said he had been reading up and talking to people and was looking at either a new Exposure Toro or MaxxxD, but was worried the Toro wouldn't be bright enough so was swinging towards the MaxxxD, he's only just venturing onto the local red route (very tame more like dark blue) and hasn't ridden any of the off-piste or natural stuff round here, I was gobsmacked that he was thinking a ~2000 lumen light might not be enough, I mean I'm all for getting the best you cna for future use etc. but he was genuinely concerned it [i]might not be possible[/i] to night ride on anyhting less 😯

Some of mine.....

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[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1992%20GT%20Tequesta/6940f48b.jp g" target="_blank">http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1992%20GT%20Tequesta/6940f48b.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1994%20Kona%20Kilauea/DSC03572_zpse13b3a62.jp g" target="_blank">http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1994%20Kona%20Kilauea/DSC03572_zpse13b3a62.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1995%20Kona%20Hahanna/null_zps2538a996.jp g" target="_blank">http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1995%20Kona%20Hahanna/null_zps2538a996.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/Dave%20Lloyd%20Beez%20Kneez/4d6bbdf9.jp g" target="_blank">http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/Dave%20Lloyd%20Beez%20Kneez/4d6bbdf9.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Built this a year of two ago, Saracen kili Racer.
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Semi restoration as I have modernised it in places ie. 1 x groupset,Disc brake and some other bits.
Rides really nice,but feels tiny compared to my 29er.
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Anyone got a proflex?! Always wanted one of those when I was a lad.

I keep thinking of selling this but then I look at it lol has black pedals and a fixed puncture no though
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2 x American Comp Lite, lovely but heavy 89 GT, Barracuda A2X (made by Yeti) all unbuilt at the mo. My new bike is a 2003 foes!

Love that Slingshot!

I'm already in, I have 2 bigfoot smokestones from around 1993/1994. Might be persuaded into selling one, 2 does seem a little bit overkill!
I would agree with a lot of what has already been said- they're great to look at and tinker with and I ride them occasionally, but I'm quickly reminded that steep headangles, narrow bars and long stems went away for a reason.... and then there's cantilever brakes. In the wet....
But if any of you fancy a retro ride in the spring in the forest of dean don't hesitate to ask, I'd love to show some retro fans the trails that got me into mtb 25 years ago. They do seem rougher now, not sure if that's cos they are, or just because I've gotten old and used to modern suspension. Perhaps a bit of both...

https://goo.gl/photos/vdXCDCLs7SH6k6yv7

[i]Anyone got a proflex?! Always wanted one of those when I was a lad.[/i]
I'm a bit of a Proflex & Girvin enthusiast.
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[URL= http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/jamesfuller191/Bikes/Picture%20064_zpskxbaxbey.jp g" target="_blank">http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/jamesfuller191/Bikes/Picture%20064_zpskxbaxbey.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Do mine count?
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Not on FB but occasionally dip into Retrobike which has some great stuff and knowledgeable people. Did a RB Lakes ride which was very friendly but mrs refuses to attend another - big group plus old bikes = faffiest, slowest, coldest ride ever 🙂

Eldest boy is rapidly outgrowing his mum's old bike - Parkpre Ti that she rode at the 95 worlds. Gradually modernised as things die (including the rear Hope hub which has run multiple rims but finally broke this summer in Germany). The frame is now the only original thing left! 20 months since this photo and he is at the limit of seatpost / stems and outgrown 2 sets of spd shoes (retro folks will know the age of his first shoes.....)

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Not properly retro but I'd quite like an old Trailstar like my first one that cracked. Would be a great cheap muck about bike. And it was my very first proper mtb which is always nice.

Yes, I've been posting on there occasionally. I got into MTBing about 1993 and very quickly started XC racing so it's been great looking back through all the images of racing back then.
The early 80s stuff doesn't really do much for me although I do appreciate the passion for the sport which has lead people to keep their bikes from that era.

I'm going to have a rummage through my old pictures and results when I visit my Mum over Christmas, got a feeling there should be a few old MBUK and MTB Pro magazines knocking around in a box in the loft somewhere! All of my stuff will be from about 1993 - 1998.

What I do like about the Facebook page is the fact the all the racers from that era are on it - people like Paul Hinton, Jonny Clay, Barrie Clark who were all at the same races that I did, they were inspirational to us lowly Junior riders.

Added this one to the collection on Sunday. Fork and shock may not be usable, but I always wanted a Y bike.

Only photo in the CL ad
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View from the other side 😯
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But I still haven't finished the 2 retrobikes that I bought last year, so this could be a while... 😳

I have a retrobike (well one and an unfinished project). Saracen Tufftrax from 1990.

Took it out on Sunday evening. Cost me £30 and is immaculate. Hearing mud destroying my gears hurts less when the whole bike cost the same as a low-medium quality cassette. I'm also less worried if I pop to the shops and leave it outside for a few minutes.

As mentioned before, makes me smile though when people say that they aren't capable though. Modern bikes are much nicer, and there's some horrible bikes/ideas from the last thirty years, but older bikes are still good for the majority (if not all but more slowly) of riding I do when riding straight from my house.

My mate has a very nice original condition throughout Marin Muirwoods fully rigid he's looking to off load if anyone's interested...sorry for the slight hijack! Email in profile in interested...

I'm younger than most of these bikes, but those Kona's look perfect 😯

Have been retro since I bought the old girl in 1998:
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Still got it, ride it a few times a year. Mind-bogglingly awful compared to modern stuff but back then it was the dog's

I love bikes from the late nineties because that's when I started riding. I'd love to track down an old Spooky Metalhead frame.

I'm on Retrobike too but spend most of my time on the modern section because I'm not that fussed about the really old stuff, but do appreciate that there are some amazing restorations on there.

I have an old 93/4 Cannondale Beast of the East that I inherited from an uncle who passed away (he was partly responsible for me getting into cycling). I have (very) slowly been in the process of converting into a singlespeed with bits from the era that I started cycling - XTR V's, AC Lo Pro cranks etc. I've hung onto all of the original bits just in case - Pace RC 35's, USE bars and posts. This thread has reminded me to get off my bum an finish it!

God no.

I had a Trek Y5 once. It was shite, but hey you carry on Son 😆 Retro it most certainly wasn't, just a heap of wobbly junk.

I have had thoughts of getting hold of a Klein Attitude again, I once had one for 2 years before I sold it. However nice I have memories of it, and a work of Art it certainly was, I feel if I did own one and got it dirty I'd probably cry.

So, looking at nice pics of retro bikes is a good thing, owning them all over again might not be.

But it'll not stop me from looking out for one.

I'm retro by default inasmuch as I'm forty-something, was raised onskinny-steel and still prefer skinny steel more than budget allows. Modern bikes appear in stable more by accident than design, but mostly because disc brakes. Often wish had retrofitted my old Cinder Cone with discs.

Pic below from 1997 M-Trax 150 with retro-fitted earlier XT drivetrain w/thumbies. Couldn't resist polishing the cranks which is a chore as my 2011 MTB needs nothing other than a hose-spray and oily rag. The newest bike before that was a 2001 F500 which is arguably retro nowadays.

Back to the M-Trax - it works and rides lovely tho, slikety-snik.

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I have a '92 Breezer Storm. The brakes barely work (not at all in the wet), and if you fart it changes direction. Love it!

Still got it, ride it a few times a year. Mind-bogglingly awful compared to modern stuff but back then it was the dog's

I had one (Proflex xp-x) when they were new. I thought it was crap even then.

I had a (very) brief dalliance with an early 90's Marin Bobcat Trail, like this:

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It was very smooth to ride, felt a lot lighter than it was, but having impulse purchased it, I soon flogged it on as it just wasn't going to get ridden. Nice idea, but I'd rather actually ride modern bikes.

If i had a big enough house with room to display a retro bike I'd definitely search out one of those Specialized's like they have in the lobby at Coed Y Brenin!

Been doing up an alpinestars al-mega xt for way too long. Black and white one not the yellow.

For me the Facebook page is all about the people, places, rides, races and parties.

I do like an old mtb but have no interest in owning one, bikes are just tools its the people, scenery and riding that make it worthwhile.

Unovolo - living the Saracen!

I've always been retro 😀

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I'll never sell my mid 90's Marin and late 90's GT, but I'm unlikely to ride them again either, going to hang them on the garage wall instead.

My only contribution to retro biking on the trails is raiding the Hope catalogue of purple parts.

A workmate gave me his knackered Orange Clockwork, wrecked rear wheel, derailleur hanger bent at 90 degrees, I stripped it down and rebuilt with more modern components (the old crap sold well on retro bike and eBay, almost enough to pay for the rebuild), I wasn't aiming for a authentic early '90's just wanted to give it a new lease as our shop bike, cheap powedercoat in homage to the orange-white-orange fade. Does the job but I wouldn't want to ride it off road. At 14.5kg it's good for keeping fit, a kilo heavier than my full-sus!

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If anyone wants to buy a Trek 8000 frame 1996, I've been trying to sell my original MTB for a while, only have the frame left now

My daily saddle is retro. Kept it with me but changed bikes a few times under it.
'92 or '93 Flite Ti
Though I have replaced the leather on it after it disintegrated.

I dip into retro stuff now and then but am quickly reminded new stuff suits me much better. Built up a carbon copy of my mk1 Chameleon which was nicked back in 1998 or something. At the time it was the best thing ever - the "new" one I built was rubbish.

Orange Vitamin T, probably could buy a new Alpine 160 now for what it would have cost 22 years ago
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That Vit T is a lovely bike mate.

Even a purple computer on that? Noice!

I had one of these

[img] http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=161839 [/img]

Didn't have Pace forks though. It had a really nice pair of uber light straight bladed forks that came as spec. I took it into my then LBS for a new drive train. They took the forks off and sold them to some guy (USAF - going home, saw my forks, shop sold them to him) and plugged in a pair of crap bouncers. When I picked it up they said 'we put your new forks in.....' Long story, didn't get my forks back....

Anyway, I built the bike up for my Dad a few years ago. He has it in his garage but is too old to ride it any more. I guess it will wend its way back home in the end.

I still have the stem - crazy long and the bars were secured by one bolt! The thing is, the bars were so narrow there was no leverage on them!

Did it ride like a Ti bike? No. Ti gas pipe I reckon, heavy, stiff as hell and handled like a dog. Other than that.....