Old bike photos let's see yours

my 1989 Cannondale SM600, taken in 1993.

resprayed by Venom Cycles in Birmingham in Spokes and Saddles (malvern) team colours, who i did a little bit or racing for back in the day. It was a purple base coat with a duotone lacquer, so in some light it looked kinda blue ish, but in others it was purple metallic. kinda like a flip paint, but in the early 90's

Custom Chas Bland 531 fork, flexstem, USE seatpost, XT gears, thumbies, X-Lite Stubbie pro bar ends, snowflake wheel (on those XT hubs with the grease ports) Think it was a MA40MB front rim and a 217SUP on the rear as I broke the original MA40 landing on the steps near Aquarius in Gt Malvern. Dia Compe SS5 levers, 987 front brake and deore U brake rear, crud claw and a Mt Zefal pump!

Arse up - head down!... 🙂

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nice, colour matched forks. that a stumpy? 1994 ish?

I had the frame and fork lowers resprayed by Mercian in Derby.

Wheels were Mavic Sunset Rims on Sachs Quartz hubs. Full XT for everything else.

Has there been a better looking rim than Mavic Sunsets!? 🙂

that a stumpy? 1994 ish?

Yep, early nineties.

First MTB, Claude Butler from about 1995. No photos sadly.

https://flic.kr/p/LFHnL

Missed out a HT, went straight to this from the fully rigid CB. 80mm of travel both ends 🙂 Great colour, narrow bars, long stem. And those V brakes weren't much use in a claggy Chiltern winter.

My first full-suss - did 1000's of miles on this...

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Those whyte designed marins still look modern. Such a great bike

A bit of a scratch on my mate's MacB after an XC race (well, during). About 1997

Not sure if this image works, not my bike but v similar to the one I had from new. 1992 Raleigh Dynatech Diablo LX.
Biopace! Titanium frame! (replaced under warranty when the down tube bubbled st the head tube).
I think the only upgrade I had was the x lite bar ends.

&hash=f513a94d5a59f3c66e2a1f9fc849cb4a" rel="nofollow" >

An image very much of it's time! Top of Spooky Wood in 2006, bike owned since 2000

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/43/99842145_a87443cef5_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/43/99842145_a87443cef5_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9PHAi ]Adventurous[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/le_grande_momo/ ]Matt Cotterill[/url], on Flickr

First trip to Morzine, summer 2004

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Can't find any from before that (apart from a very small me on a Tomahawk). Pre digital camera, I suppose

1991 rad-as-f

Lycra seat cover
Specialized Helmet
Oakley wish-you-were’s
Super narrow bars

Retro bike bragging points if you can identify the three bikes in the two pics.

Still got my old Scott Sawtooth (hanging in the garage). It was the bike I used for family fun days but not for serious off-roading.  Later I took up road riding before resurrecting the Sawtooth to start playing off-road again.

Took it on local military land and Swinley then bought a full-suspension.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157675272@N05/49556179407/in/dateposted-public/

Ti Inbred - circa 2004 during Coast-to-Coast. I still own this bike, and it's my only MTB (spec has changed though!)...

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£1.00 for anyone who guesses what this is! I think there's only one chap who will know though!... 🙂

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First ‘new’ bike (instead of hand-me-down from my sister)

First ‘grown up’ bike.

2000 (or ‘01?) Red Bull 24hr on ‘92 Klein Fervour

Bontrager Privateer (re-powder coated.)

5-Spot

As you can see, those Bomber Z3s moved to quite a few bikes over the years!

Riding bmx in the early-mid eighties.
(Me in yellow)
Leamington Spa bmx track

Helmet schmelmet...

Way back when!

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/pV7R58SP/7690605138.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/pV7R58SP/7690605138.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Owned this Merlin Malt frame (ignore the Parkpre decals) from new in 1997. Here in 2003 after a hard life. Then decided to restore it - this is after it's latest rebuild after buying it back from someone.

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/TPYnLZyL/20220213-164951.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/TPYnLZyL/20220213-164951.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

A photo from the local paper of me & my Avante Hammer V in 1997.

It was a local DH when you raced whatever you had.

Early summer 1987, a 14 years old me 2nd from left on my Raleigh with my Derby Mercury friends. We'd just finished a local charity ride/race event and were back at Elvaston Castle.

Over the Gap back in 2006 on my old Scott. Bought second hand back in 1994 and still going strong.

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Y2k Marin Attack Trail my first FS.

Found one of my first full suss

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kiwijohn
Full Member
A photo from the local paper of me & my Avante Hammer V in 1997.

Surely flip it 90degrees and you're stunt riding whilst grabbing your nuts (shamow!) 😀

I have more going back a few years before, but these are to hand and not needing scanning in....
Mabie, BITD.

My old Clockwork under a friend:
https://flic.kr/p/yCu9f
Another Clockwork:
https://flic.kr/p/yCtDj
and why I wasn't riding my Clockwork on the day - I was leant a Sub3 demo...
https://flic.kr/p/yCtwX

https://flic.kr/p/yCugu

A very skinny me on my 1986 Diamond Back Apex. Probably 1987 Surftracks race at Blandford.

This is me in a schoolboy crit at Stoneleigh in 1969 when I was 16

I'm in the blue Velo Club Ventoux jersey which was a tribute to Tommy Simpson's Peugeot checkered jersey.

Foes exotica. In reality it was shite, cracked it 3 times, I gave up on the warranty after that and took it to the recycling centre.

Old bike ,new photo.

My first proper MTB, before that was a Peugeot Ranger.

My very pimped out P1, loved that bike.

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First mountain bike. Marin Bear Valley 1987

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Windsurfing tour of Jersey 1990

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First full Susser. Enduro Expert 2003 Wharncliffe practicing for my first Alps trip to Verbier

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Been hooked ever since

Cant believe how small 26" wheeled bikes look whilst being ridden now we're use to seeing 29ers....momo & mattbee pics make them look like they are riding kids bikes 😂

£1.00 for anyone who guesses what this is!

I can hear the QI klaxon going off if I say original Scandal but the top tube-headtube doesnt look the same as the Scandal 26" frame I still have in a box somewhere....some weird prototype version (Use to have a 456 prototype done in standard Inbred white but sold that on)

@scuttler - is the second picture a Raleigh Peak? (I think it was the Peak that came in that pink colour), I think they did one called Summit that might have been a green maybe?

The first picture, - maybe a Specialized Rockhopper in the red? The grey/yellow one is familiar but can't remember - Scott or Offroad are popping in my head but I'm pretty sure it isn't either of those.

OLd y2K Rockhopper, titivated and pressed back into service for a couple of months last year when the 29er was away with a warranty claim.
Reliable GPS said i managed 86kmh desccending the downs on a metalled farm track, and the brakes still worked

When titivating the original gear shifters were gunked up and unresponsive, so put on some of those odd dual control levers from 2004 that I had in the shed.

Not my favourite hardtail, but was most likely the fastest:

The suspension post was ditched shortly after this pic. Adding more speeds!

My Raleigh Marauder Index. A step above the mere common Marauder.

Don't have any pics of the next one til after I'd turned it into a commuter, but, then I had a Carrera Krakatoa with flexstem. Actually really very good, except from the flexstem which was great til the elastomer perished, which happened after about 9 minutes.

My 2009 Cove Gspot in on the Mega course

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My 1998 Marin DHFRS above Zermatt

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Ok,
moving on from the how many bikes have you owned...

1992 RM blizzard

1996 Gary Fisher Procaliber OCLV, pace RC30's commuter hack thing.

1998 Kona Kilauea. owned in the early 2000's.

2000 Cannondale F800, not the first CAAD4, had CAAD 3's CAAD5's too, but this was the last.

2002 Cannondale Scalpel. perfect for what I was doing. went through a set of bushes a month!

Trek EX7, wibbly

Orange Sub 5, very tall.

DeKerf Elysium. bought from a STWer. such a nice looking bike.

Mk1 Soul, possibly the nicest riding hardtail I've owned.

Cannondale Prophet. possibly the nicest riding FS I've owned! light and quick.

2004 Gary Fisher X-caliber, fisher price My First 29er.

edit, some of the links aren't working for me....

£1.00 for anyone who guesses what this is!

I can remember that bike Muffinman, struggling to remember what it was though, definitely a prototype but was it a aluminium 456? Or even 567!?

Oldest picture I've got, taken 1995 on the China/****stan border: 93 Clockwork, Manitou 4s, Tioga tyres and Club Roost bars...
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https://flic.kr/p/SdA4mh

That's my oldest. Commencal Super 4

Raleigh Technium up Snowdon late 80's.
Pre helmet days. Complete with Cosmic Trail frame bag.
https://flic.kr/p/2kiDMi1

Alpine stars Almega 1990.NEMBA race at Bosley
https://flic.kr/p/2kiDvXX

Loving the chopstick-wide handlebar!

Must dig my old pix out.

Great thread 🙂

I went to that Bosley NEMBA race to watch. Them bars are ace!

My bikes up there

Pic 1 is an 1988 Marin Palisades (red) and its 1990 cousin where Marin did the whole range in grey with the different bikes with different coloured forks and stem

Pic 2 is a 1991 Specialized Rockhopper Sport

Alpine stars Almega 1990.

pre e stay noodleness. and those bars! I think I was running the widest bars I could find back then, which was about 23", Syncros shotgun flat bar, then the advanced composites, carbon/e-glass 'battle bar'

amazing, the rubbish info I remember.

Can’t see any images but omg I remember

1990 cousin where Marin did the whole range in grey with the different bikes with different coloured forks and stem

I desperately wanted a Marin then… rather than the Raleigh Massif I had.

Some time last century on top of Codden Hill with my lava dome . Dave James with his cannondale. Anyone know where he is now?

I guess most photos of my truly old / original bikes are on film somewhere.

Mid-90's Saracen Sahara (my first MTB), I know there's definitely pics of me at the local BMX track on that (aged about 17!).
There's a few pics from various races of my other MTBs.

I know the late simonfbarnes of Bogtrotters had quite a few of me on my 2002 Cove Stiffee from when I was living in Lancaster and occasionally riding with them but those photos will be lost - he hosted them directly. Tragic really how a lifetime of digital memories (and Simon had millions of images) can be wiped out like that. 🙁

Anyway, the bike is here:

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That's more or less original guise, it's had a few changes over the years but remarkably little. Still got it although I very rarely ride it.

My bikes that date digital photography are in photo albums somewhere… here a few since about 2003

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51846819852_9be335770f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51846819852_9be335770f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2mZwve7 ]Litespeed Lookout MTN[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/98264561@N03/ ]A A[/url], on Flickr" alt="Litespeed" />

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52119372101_4338ea10a1_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52119372101_4338ea10a1_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npBpvP ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/98264561@N03/ ]A A[/url], on Flickr" alt="Xtc" />

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52119398098_afa8ebf4f6_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52119398098_afa8ebf4f6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npBxf3 ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/98264561@N03/ ]A A[/url], on Flickr" alt="Mojo" />

Loving the chopstick-wide handlebar!

I could only just fit my brakes, shifters and grips on they were that narrow 🤣

Cannondale SDelta V, way too big for me but was on sale so I persuaded myself it fitted. Headshok was shockingly bad.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121327799_80425bca42_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121327799_80425bca42_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npMqSK ]Cannondale_rhs_Crop[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr

Sunn Radical +, bought from a scouse mate of a team rider. Rode amazing but I trashed the damping and couldn't get it servivced, the hubs were an odd standard as well if I recall.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121080676_3ab56a1466_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121080676_3ab56a1466_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npLaq1 ]Sunn4[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr

Foes Weasel bought of a team mechanic, fitted out with cooks cranks, goldtec stub stem, pro taper bars and awful Stratos forks. Note the cannibal corpse T and Rox pads combo. Snapped it in half later on doing a drop.
<img src="
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52120050912_9228ef6bd8_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52120050912_9228ef6bd8_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npETis ]foes_trails[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr"/>

<img src="
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121080671_66cf058833_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121080671_66cf058833_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npLapV ]trails3[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr"/>

Another On one one-off - On one Ti compo with SC Shivers
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121580935_6ee09d80b7_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121580935_6ee09d80b7_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npNJ8a ]OnOneTiCompo2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr

Custom Setavento Ti, basically built to correct everything that I didn't like about the above Ti compo. Fitted with the best looking forks ever - Manitou Supernova. Predictably the frame cracked.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121327764_28fe154ce9_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52121327764_28fe154ce9_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2npMqS9 ]setavento_front[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/61010628@N08/ ]Steve Taylor 80[/url], on Flickr

I was on a Retrobike ride a few years ago and one of the riders was running a pair of Scott AT2 bars. Whilst not as narrow as ^^ you had to rotate a brake lever to adjust either as there simply wasn't room to adjust either barrel in situ. Amazeballs design 😂

Will dig out some photos.

18months ago I started rebuilding an homage to my first “proper” mountain bike that was sadly stolen in the late 90s. It was a 1988 Rockhopper Comp. The frame has been modified to recreate how I received the bike - both canti and u brake mounts(!) and freshly painted by Argos. I’ve even sourced a NOS in box Quadra fork for it to replace the one I had fitted in 1994 by Leisure Lakes in Cheltenham ……. 48mm of seasonal affected elastomer travel …… no MCUs here.

My Cannondale Raven on Windy Gyle, I’m guessing 1999. I’d always wanted a Cannondale Super V and working in a bike shop the chance came along and I took it! Full XTR M952 and Avid Arch Supreme brakes and levers. This is the second frameset, the first parted company with itself at the seat mast…. It was light and fun, though the headshok wasn’t the best.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/3228/2870304635_16c208eee3_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/3228/2870304635_16c208eee3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5nD4yX ]Windy Raven[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

My P20. In its original build. XTR,  Avid brakes from the Raven, Bontrager by Chris King ceramic  wheels and Dart 2.2 & Z-Max 2.35 tyres 😎 Fabulous thing to ride. Kept it 20 yrs before selling it. It flexed, but that just added to the way it rode.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/1333/653645842_1940380faf_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/1333/653645842_1940380faf_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/ZL78U ]P20[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

Couple of pics from the FOD circa 1992-3 I guess.

Just noticed the Scott Unishocks on my Raleigh White Lightning. The worst sus forks ever!

Photo link not working.

Those whyte designed marins still look modern. Such a great bike

Hmmm... I rode this again just before I sold it a few years ago. I could not believe how bendy it was - everywhere, not just the bits that were supposed to flex. But it was light (I held off buying a FS until it was the same weight as my old Eldridge Grade), which might have been part of the problem.

I desperately wanted a Marin then… rather than the Raleigh Massif I had.

@reeksy, This is a '92 but the principle was the same - all black, with different colour highlights for the different models.

@onewheeledgod that’s pretty much the year I remember lusting after them. Funny how they look now compared to modern geo.

1989 - Tufftrax - Cadair Idris

2003 MsIsle

@scuttler x2 Marins and a Spesh Rockhopper?

(Will guess at Pine Mountain in red and Eldridge Grade in yellow)

https://flic.kr/p/2nqKNep

My 2003 MsIsle. Photo of an actual 2003 photo

Terrific pics folks!

I can't believe just how small, short and narrow these bikes look now! How did it take us all 25 years to work out that a big mountain bike is a better mountain bike eh. Probably also explains why looking back i spent soooo much time falling off mine............

https://flic.kr/p/2nqNpNt

Forgive the photo of a photo, but this my Spesh Enduro from roughly 2001 I think. There are bikes from well before that, need to dig out some photos though! This thread has got me inspired to do it!

@scuttler – is the second picture a Raleigh Peak?

@DickBarton, I had a Peak, it was a bluey green colour, and had a titanium bar, not a black one. The next year it was orange, I think. So it's not a Peak. Wish I had pics, it was a lovely bike, but it well pre-dated digital cameras and mine didn't last long as it was murdered by a post office van - which also led to me spending my first ever night in hospital.

Class, looks like a boy band due a reunion tour 😉

My Trek Diesel-Rheola

My old Heckler - fod

My Chain Reaction Brand-X cheapie hardtail

My Tomac Omen - Cotswolds

My Transition Blindside - Caersws
The bikes used to get so wrecked on the uplift trailer here, and it was a fairly new bike so I covered it in inner tube to protect it 😂
Didn't work

My classic Intense M1 - Hanging off a lift in France

Never mind old bikes….some of the guys i ride with are so tight half of the above is still their “new bike” used week in week out!

Not my first bike...but the 1st I actually paid for.(2006)
Marin (can't remember which) I upgraded the swinging arm, shock and put zzrr forks with a upgraded 7inch travel...I was (still) so light they barely moved..but I thought at the time I looked cool...ha ha ha
Pictured next to my chums Specialized (he got the same forks coz he liked mine so much) we were at the London Eye for a charity ride

RetroBike forum ride, Surrey Hills 2007, riding a 1990 Kona Explosif.

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