1980's mountain bikes...

Anonymous

My first was a Peugeot something or other, I was very young so I can;t remember the model. Canti brakes, and shimano all round, I was the dog's danglies

After that, I got a Kuahara (spelling?) Parkway, or something like that, which had all the latest tech, including Biopace chainrings! I loved Biopace.
When that got stolen, I was riding my father's Carrera for a while (which he still has - in fully working order!) until I got bought a Saracen aluminium hardtail by my parents, for commuting to my job at a chipshop.

When I snapped that, we had it tig repaired and re-heat treated, and gave it to the guy next door, and I got a Marin Wolfridge to replace it.
I loved my Wolfridge, I wonder whatever happened to it

Surf-Matt

Kuwahara made THE nicest BMXs for a while - used to aspire to one until MTBing came along and I discovered "gears" and proper sized wheels!

http://www.kuwaharabmx.com/

Anonymous

Surf-Matt wrote:

Kuwahara made THE nicest BMXs for a while - used to aspire to one until MTBing came along and I discovered "gears" and proper sized wheels!

http://www.kuwaharabmx.com/

That's why my parents bought me a Kuwahara MTB. My older brother was into his BMX before, and he had a tasty Mongoose, but always yearned for a Kuwahara.
So, when they saw a Kuwahara MTB, for a decent price, they bought it.

Best crimbo present I ever had as a kid!

Markmjh

I went from a raliegh bomber (heavy as a tank, but just as strong) to my GT tequesta.
I loved that bike and rode it to destruction when the frame snapped in 93ish.

And those biopace rings were possibly the worst idea ever!!
I had a girvin flex-stem untill i upgraded to some marz pro's with 63 mm of plush elastomer travel(well plush in the summer, rock hard in the winter)

will3

I had a Raleigh Memphis. Great bike did loads of miles on it. It got retired last year when the drive side dropout fatigued through Frame still hangs on the garage wall in case I ever loose my mind and get the dropout replaced. Trouble is the cartridge BB is rather stuck.

Originally had Sakae Ovaltech chainrings - which I wore out (together with most of the rest of it!). Never really saw why people had a problem with the non-round things.Had biopace on an old racer too - worked fine for me.

Original suntour shifters and rear mech live on on another bike.

Salsa

I had loads of MTBs in the 80's & early 90's.
1st was a Peugot but I locked it in the city centre & someone jumped on the wheels.
Then I had a load I cant remember the model names of including,
A Kona with Magura brakes & project 1 forks, this had a huge back tyre for the time.

At least one Scott (think this had a two or three tone paint job, one of the colours was pink).

A Ridgeback, again at least a two tone paint job (orange/black I think)

A GT with white paint & a sort of smoke effect, remember this having a chainstay U brake, dunno who thought that wasa good idea as it just clogged with mud.

A couple of Diamond Backs, one of which is my Dads now (Accent limited edition I think, black paint with purple brush lines on).

One of those Marins with the two tone matt paint finishes, think this was the top model they made at the time with grey/matt black paint, still have the frame in the shed but repainted pearl white.

A white LOOK MTB with full Shimano DX groupset, this was really nice but it got stolen after I had it for less than a month, lent it to a so called friend so he could ride home to get some money telllng him not to leave it anywhere, he left it outside a shop after I told him not too. I was so gutted & I still think he just robbed it & lied.

Another I can't remember the name of but it had a Girvin Flex stem & ceramic rims.
I think I had a few more as well but the models escape me.

I serviced my mums bike the otherday that has been sitting in the shed for years, this has bio pace rings & a GS200 Shimano groupset. I was quite surprised as it rides really quite nice.

Surf-Matt

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Surf-Matt wrote:

Kuwahara made THE nicest BMXs for a while - used to aspire to one until MTBing came along and I discovered "gears" and proper sized wheels!

http://www.kuwaharabmx.com/

That's why my parents bought me a Kuwahara MTB. My older brother was into his BMX before, and he had a tasty Mongoose, but always yearned for a Kuwahara.
So, when they saw a Kuwahara MTB, for a decent price, they bought it.

Best crimbo present I ever had as a kid!

I think i would have died and gone to heaven if I'd got one of those!

Anyone remember "Tushingham" bikes? Early MTB pioneers and windsurf sail manufacturers who now going by the name of Orange - anyone heard of them?

Anonymous

Orange? Are they Californian or something?

wordnumb

Early 80s Stumpjumper. Ride it frequently, though mostly on road. It was pretty much all original until some bastards kicked the wheels in earlier this year.

T1berious

I had a Raleigh Maveric I think, the dodgy Purple one and once it was stolen (Yay!) replaced it with a nice shiny Kona Cinder Cone.

Started my love affair with Kona and then went and got an Kona AA when I decided my Klien Mantra Comp was "too heavy"

She died and got replaced by a Pace RC303

mintsauceridesaKonA

My 1st MTB was a Puch Ranger about 85,
Then out my paperround cash I saved up for my courier, explorer was when I started work when leavng school

1986 Muddy Fox Courier
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7247 ... 570as9.jpg

1988
Muddy Fox Explorer had tha paw print disc wheel to)
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7351 ... r88sd4.jpg

johnnyrotten

Raleigh Montage! Saved up for it with my part time job money. Then didn't like it! Chsk,Kids,eh?

pablo_enriques

Salsa wrote:

At least one Scott (think this had a two or three tone paint job, one of the colours was pink).

Sounds like my current bike, a Scott Boulder Sport circa 1990(?)!!!!!!

Still goes and quite like the oval LX crank.

I'm looking to replace it soon, hopefully on a C2W.

Rich Hcp

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Orange? Are they Californian or something?

Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

Rich Hcp

johnnyrotten wrote:

Raleigh Montage!

I had one of those, my first mountain bike, I wore it out in a couple of years!

clarkson

someone dropped a (i think) 1985ish rockhopper in the shop the other eweek. looked interesting to say the least!!

stu8975

One of the blokes who rides with me has got an 80s stumpy, full old skool xt inc thumby shifters, fully rigid and still keepin up with us...not bad indeed.
http://www.cycleworldshop.co.uk/images/ ... 5B1%5D.jpg

Iain C

Ridgeback R602, blue with black forks, Araya rims, JoyTech hubs, 18 speed on thumbies, hideous 4 finger brake levers on cantis and a horrible biopace triple.

GHill

I had a Raleigh Mustang (original model I think), must have been mid to late eighties. Friction gears (before SIS) and a pretty strange seat.

I can remember thinking it was the mutts when I slung my purple mt. Zefal pump under the top tube. Missed out on having one of the triangular packs that filled the top corner between the top tube and seat tube though. My mate had one in fluorescent green and I was so envious!

mellex

Now, call me frugal but the Muddy Fox Prestige shown in this poster is a little on the step side :shock:

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7351 ... r88sd4.jpg

GHill, your description sounds like a carbon copy of my trusty steed. My dad still runs it and if I'm not mistaken, the only thing ever replaced on it is the saddle.

Not 80's but early 90's, I had a KIRK Revolution. Remember those? Square frame made from magnesium alloy... not quite sure what I was thinking.

mintsauceridesaKonA

The Muddy Fox prestige was a 'limited' edition bike with Gold Plated components all over the show, I think they made 5 or something & remember 1 being a competition prize in that era(sure it was at a bike show in London)

kingderham

Had a peaugeot anaconda was my first real mountain bike, i upgraded as bits and peices broke and had full shimano deore and farmer johns tyres ( remember farmer john i think thats what they were called) it was a great colour a light lime green going into a dark flourescent purple pink colour. i had it for years and absolutely loved riding it then some theiving tosser stole it.

I keep looking out for a peagot anaconda in junk yards and second hand shops so i can buy one do it up and ride it.

Bianchi Boy

How about this one. Still used as my comute bike.

fcumok

I still have a Raleigh Lizard in my shed. Don't know why, it's not moved for years

squidgington

Re the Raleigh Memphis - It's a great bike!
I've had mine for over 20 years and it's still a dream.
Fitted Specci Nimbus slicks at the start of the summer and they have made the bike even better. My wife took a corner on the Isle of Ghia last week and slid on a slurry covered corner, the brakes locked out and she skited off...and was thrown into a big pile of...the preverbial, but hey! - it was a soft landing.

tom_howard

Holy thread resurrection batman!

Over 3 years, well done!

gmacz

First mtb - Raleigh Kalahari and still got it.
Choice between that and the Katana I think.
Done the ooter hebrides, skye and the west coast on it 3 years ago.
Has a Flexstem on it and I use it to copy settings on all new bikes.
Done 1000s of miles on it.

Northwind

Still ride my '89 Carrera most days, it's rubbish offroad tbh but makes for a decent hybrid.

jayson

Had a raleigh Montage about 88 or 89, was my first mtb and i'll never forget the look on my mums face after we picked it up from the shop and i returned home a couple hours lata with it caked in mud, i thought she was goin to have a meltdown LOL.

No idea what happened to it though, i sold it to my cousin for a few quid when i got an Alpinstars Cromega DX and he rode it for a while but i really dont remember what happened to it after he had it.

aaronmroach

1988 Peugeot Flame in flourescent yellow with purple decals!! Full shimano 200 gs and Biopace rings, A girvin Flex stem.

Loved that bike!! Lasted me until christmas 1994 when a spangly new M-Trax Ti 4000 sl landed in santa's sleigh.