Retro mtb thread

mrlee

Doesn't seem to be much love for retro bikes on this forum. Seems that if it don't cost 1000's and lots of bouncy bits, there no interest. So thought I'd start a thread for those who like to remember the 80's and 90's.

My 96' Marin Bear Valley

rockmonkeysc

Does everything with 26" wheels count as retro now?

mrlee

If its from the 80's or 90's it can have square wheels if you want

paul.skibum

Retro bikes dont particularly grab me - steep angles, ineffective components, narrow bars. Not that a well restored one like yours isn't pretty I just dont want to ride one. Had a 2001 Heckler as my only experience of anything retro-ish but with all new components including an air can so probably didnt count!

kajjal

I have from new an Orange C16R from 1996 which has retired abroad now so I can ride it when we see the wifes family.

Its funny as it used to have very narrow bars with bar ends on so I fitted what was for the time a wide riser bar. Each time I get on it I cannot believe how narrow the bars seem and V-Brakes are no match for disc brakes. Still handles well but takes a little while to get used to a 26" XC bike from the mid 1990's compared to my current 29er XC bike. Being a steel framed bike it is smoother than modern aluminium framed bikes.

The Rookie

Copied from when I first built this up, now has a better front wheel with Mavic rim.

Just finished building my 1997 Nevada, all parts (nearly) are period and I've tried to keep it 'real'....




It's the original cro-mo frame and forks
Crankset Is Shimano Exage with Biopace rings (may try rotating them one bolt so the largest diameter is in line with the latest thinking on oval rings)
Front mech is Exage, rear is XT.
Shifters are LX.
Brakes are LX. Levers and Alhonga arms, although pretty much identical to Deore.
Rear wheel is STX and Mavic rim, front is a formula hub, probably a formula rim but a previous owner sprayed it white!
Tyres are just what I had, a Panaracer XC Pro on the front and a Schwalbe Albert on the rear, the rear is wider but the Panaracer seems to offer more grip so has stayed on the front for now, will be looking for something more suitable!
The only bit I'm not happy with is the stem, I had the original Fuji which was steel and was a single bolt and in poor condition or one off a Gary Fisher that was cast iron and weighed 600g, this is a modern faceplate one meant for a Hybrid and has a bit too much rise on it, but will do for now!

ultrazenith

I really enjoyed seeing the other retro MTBs above. Although retro bikes may not be technologically or functionally on par with the best modern bikes, I reckon they look much better and are still awesomely fun to ride. They are also cheaper

Here's my 1994 Raleigh Dynatech Diablo from yesterday morning's ride in Plymbridge woods:

mxp27824

ultrazenith wrote:

I really enjoyed seeing the other retro MTBs above. Although retro bikes may not be technologically or functionally on par with the best modern bikes, I reckon they look much better and are still awesomely fun to ride. They are also cheaper

Here's my 1994 Raleigh Dynatech Diablo from yesterday morning's ride in Plymbridge woods:

Wow. Your inside leg must measure about two metres.

Dick Scruttock

Here are my current bikes, the Zaskar been my first MTB. All the Fat Chance were bought as I always wanted one when I was a kid, after seeing Dave Hemming on one in MBUK. Wish I had bought the Harlequin Yo Eddy for sale this year on RB to hang on my lounge wall.

Ber Nard

Love the Fats.

I'd like an Alpinestars Al-Mega e-stay as I always thought they looked the nuts when I was young.

Dick Scruttock

Ber Nard wrote:

Love the Fats.

I'd like an Alpinestars Al-Mega e-stay as I always thought they looked the nuts when I was young.

I'd love a Ti Mega, such sweet bikes but always breaking!

So so want a new Fat Chance when they come out!

Angus Young

paul.skibum wrote:

Retro bikes dont particularly grab me - steep angles, ineffective components, narrow bars. Not that a well restored one like yours isn't pretty I just dont want to ride one.

But isn't it like old cars? Despite what the drivers would have you believe, they're all absolutely sh!t to drive. But they still have a certain something you just can't get in a modern car, and that can be quite irresistible, despite the reality.

veronese68

Angus Young wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

Retro bikes dont particularly grab me - steep angles, ineffective components, narrow bars. Not that a well restored one like yours isn't pretty I just dont want to ride one.

But isn't it like old cars? Despite what the drivers would have you believe, they're all absolutely sh!t to drive. But they still have a certain something you just can't get in a modern car, and that can be quite irresistible, despite the reality.

Yes, it is a bit like that. Got an old Mini and it's hopeless in most of the ways you would rate a car, but it makes me smile every time I drive it. Wouldn't want to go far on a motorway in it though.
In line with the thread I've still got my old '97 Marin Nail Trail. It's a great bike in many ways, but not as good as a decent newer bike with hydraulic discs and bouncy forks. But it's a hell of a lot better than some POS with poor cable discs and undamped forks. It's relegated to being the pub hack now and is suffering the indignity of a rack and guards for utilitarian purposes.

Ber Nard

It's a good hobby for nostalgia freaks. If you're willing to put in the time and effort, you'll be able to own the bike you used to dream about for the price of nondescript modern bike.

ultrazenith

mxp27824 wrote:

ultrazenith wrote:

I really enjoyed seeing the other retro MTBs above. Although retro bikes may not be technologically or functionally on par with the best modern bikes, I reckon they look much better and are still awesomely fun to ride. They are also cheaper

Here's my 1994 Raleigh Dynatech Diablo from yesterday morning's ride in Plymbridge woods:

Wow. Your inside leg must measure about two metres.

I'm 193 cm in height, and the relative bar and saddle height is about the limit of what my 36 year old back can handle. Luckily for my back, Raleigh used uncool, long head tubes on their larger models, which puts the bars quite a bit higher than on other retro frames.

Risking attracting the ire of some younger MTBers (this is based on past experience in discussing retro stuff), I believe that retro bikes can be better / faster than modern MTBs under some circumstances. In their favour, retro MTBs are generally lighter, cheaper, easier and cheaper to maintain, give a more aerodynamic rider position, and have sharper steering. And, depending on what terrain you ride, they can be faster too.

But more importantly, it can also be a heck of a lot of fun to go back to basics with one of these.

The Rookie

I'm sure that stem could come up a bit if you wanted.

I agree about weight, without really trying my Fuji is 12.5Kg, a modern hardtail would be costing you over £500 to get near that.

Dick Scruttock

The Rookie wrote:

I'm sure that stem could come up a bit if you wanted.

It would need the steer tube extending as its not a quil stem.

kajjal

What sized frame is that

I am 200cm and am the limit of my 1996 c16r on a 21" frame. You must have more drop to the bars than most road riders

gt-arrowhead

Rick Draper wrote:

Here are my current bikes, the Zaskar ... always wanted one when I was a kid,

This was me Still no Zaskar Id still kill for one.

So instead ive got a lousy GT Arrowhead



Its been a great bike, been enjoying riding and faffing about with it for many years now. Soon to undergo a disc brake conversion, as my v brake rims became FUBAR after a nice 4 hours in really muddy conditions. The rate of wear means id be looking at a new rim after every 2 rides, because there would be no wall left on the rim after 2 rides, and a new set of pads after every ride

And this doesnt see MTB use, eventhough its a MTB, my Raleigh Mirage

mattham

Not a pic of the actual bike as it was stolen, but I found my receipt for my beloved Orange Aluminium O from 1991 in an old box. Makes me smile remembering the 135mm stem and ludicrously narrow bars. Still, it had XT gears and Diacompe titanium cantilever breaks that were the dogs at the time if I remember! It ended up with Pace RC35 elastomer forks on it as well which seemed great at the time, but were actually rubbish (not as bad a my Girvin Flexstem though)!

Although I had a late 80's Marin Pallisades Trail and also a late 80's Specialized Stumpjumper, the Orange was a far superior bike to either of those.



My bro has still got our old Mid 90's Marin Bear Valley and an Indian Fire Trail in his lock up so I'll try and get some pics of that for this thread as well at some point!

Matt

Angus Young

GT-Arrowhead wrote:

And this doesnt see MTB use, eventhough its a MTB, my Raleigh Mirage

Loving the orange tyres and detailing. That looks great.

.blitz

The trusty Proflex bought new in 1996


Look! Elastomers, v-brakes & narrow bars

arthur_scrimshaw

I looked at the Orange bikes in 2XS but decided I couldn't afford that, I bought a Marin Pine Mountain from another Windsurfing shop in Worthing in 1991, can't remember the name of the shop but it's gone now. Funny how it was these kind of shops that seemed to do the more obscure (then) MTB's which weren't in conventional bike shops?

gt-arrowhead

Angus Young wrote:

Loving the orange tyres and detailing. That looks great.

Thanks

Everything that appears to be orange is actually red. Its just the camera on my phone is useless.

mrlee

My recently refurbished 93 Marin Palisades Trail

Wheelspinner

mrlee wrote:

My recently refurbished 93 Marin Palisades Trail

I like that. Elegant.

BoredHousewife

1990 Timberline frame currently winging its way to me:



1994 Outpost Trail donor bike sourced from Gumtree for £25:



Should be perfect for towing the little one about when finished

Ferrals

.blitz wrote:

The trusty Proflex bought new in 1996


Look! Elastomers, v-brakes & narrow bars

Classic bike!

gt-arrowhead

BoredHousewife wrote:

1990 Timberline frame currently winging its way to me:



1994 Outpost Trail donor bike sourced from Gumtree for £25:



Should be perfect for towing the little one about when finished

i had a really nice Outpost Trail that my dad passed down to me, but the frame got very badly mangled in a very strange incident with a teachers car while it was locked up at school.



Like that timberline frame. Thats a great deal for £25. Beat me by £1. I picked up this GT Tempest for £26. Nothing wrong with it, all it needed was air in the tyres. It had really good parts all round on it aswell. Well worth the money.

BoredHousewife