Retro MTBs

[Louis Balfour]

Gompo said:

Louis Balfour said:

The sloping top tube. Yes, that is the point when MTBs became good looking and it has moved on to road bikes now as well.

I am assuming that it's at most a 17" frame, which will accentuate the sloping top tube - and maybe a longer fork than standard? I always associated Kona with that look. Not sure what it is with Kona these days, In the 90s they seemed quite well respected and had a bit of a USP with that frame geometry/design, and the P2 forks.

IIRC Kona was one of the earlier makers to do it. Many makes in smaller sizes sloped, but it then became a "must have".

[Louis Balfour]

DailyHack said:

Retro MTB are making a massive return to popularity, especially for the "gravel bike" conversions, people have realised rather than spending £1000's on a 'gravel bike' which is essentially a 80/90's rigid MTB, you can get a cool older geo bike

....but this has meant the bikes you use to see sticking out the skips in the street that no-one wanted, are now worth silly money!

Funny fashion isn't it

How do you do a gravel bike conversion?

[Louis Balfour]

Sway said:

Louis Balfour said:

How do you do a gravel bike conversion?

Pretty much a case of swapping stem for a short one, fit drop bars and brifters, done.

Lots of gravel bikes run 650b which is another way of saying 26".

I've got a Chas Roberts that was built for me in 1998/9. It has Pace suspension forks on it. If I am going to be on trend and have a gravel bike is that acceptable?

[Louis Balfour]

V1nce Fox said:

Louis Balfour said:

I've got a Chas Roberts that was built for me in 1998/9. It has Pace suspension forks on it. If I am going to be on trend and have a gravel bike is that acceptable?

It’d be like bolting halfords tat on to a mk2 rs2000.

If I can find my SPD shoes I am going to ride it next week.

[Louis Balfour]

Barchettaman said:

Louis Balfour said:

How do you do a gravel bike conversion?

Have a look here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/828426-...

I watched some Youtube vids after I posted that. I have decided that it would be a foolish thing to do.

But today I have prepared the Roberts White Spider for use again this summer. Compared to my teenage son's modern hardtail it looks like a delicate little thing.

[Louis Balfour]

Zigster said:

Sway said:

Louis Balfour said:

How do you do a gravel bike conversion?

Pretty much a case of swapping stem for a short one, fit drop bars and brifters, done.

Lots of gravel bikes run 650b which is another way of saying 26".

650b is 27.5” not 26”.
By the time you’ve put a new groupset, bars, stem on a stty old 90s MTB you would have spent close to the price of a budget gravel bike. And you’d still have crap brakes.

If it’s a decent 90’s MTB, leave it as it is. If it’s a st 90’s MTB, chuck it in the skip where it belongs.

This is my conclusion.

[Louis Balfour]

V1nce Fox said:

V1nce Fox said:

gtidriver said:

Ive got a black 1991 Kona cinder cone 14" frame with a girvinflex stem hanging in my garage, its been there for 8yrs, id say 7/10 on condition. ill drag to down and take some photos, it needs to be gone but I can't be bothered to sell it, it'll probably end up In landfill..

Someone on here needs to save that!

If no one else wants it, i’d be happy to cover postage plus a tenner to your charity of choice.

Same here, but I'll send £15.

Do I hear twenty? Twenty anyone? You madam with the handlebar moustache?

[Louis Balfour]

V1nce Fox said:

Louis Balfour said:

Same here, but I'll send £15.

Do I hear twenty? Twenty anyone? You madam with the handlebar moustache?

As long as it doesn't get skipped I'm not fussed who gets it. They were an excellent frame.

Kidding obv.

[Louis Balfour]

I built this nearly 23 years ago. It has never been serviced properly and did not miss a beat this evening over a swift 20 miles. The best bike I have ever ridden.

[Louis Balfour]

Japveesix said:

So said:

g7jhp said:

I've been using my 1991 Marin Muirwoods on family bike rides since lockdown. Usually only used as an occasional commuter to the station.

They were a very cool bike in the day. Still are actually.

My first proper mountain bike was a Muirwood, buy it wasn't that cool as my friends all had rockhoppers, GT LTS-1s and ludicrously overpriced saracens.

The Muirwoods was cool. It just echoed everything that was going on at the time. You were cooler than your mates, honestly.

[Louis Balfour]

S11Steve said:

My MTB days are nearly 30 years behind me - real life, career, house moves but also a fragile back has meant I've got two sentimental wall ornaments in the garage.

1995 Custom sized.Amp Research B3 and F2 forks and XT 95 group. Originally had the Amp Research discs but I was made an offer I couldn't refuse to sell them.






Prior to this, I had a 93 Klein Pulse Comp with Mag 21 forks, and sunrise fade paint scheme. I still regret selling it to this day, but I replaced it with what was going to be a ratty hack bike but really wasn't.

1988 Orange Clockwork from the first production run. DX thumbies and Joe Murray forks - Orange hadn't made their own yet.

I had a Clockwork. The first great steel frame I had.

[Louis Balfour]

john7 said:

Just completed a sympathetic nut & bolt restoration on my Peugeot Tim Gould MTB.

Interesting fact for you. Tim Gould used to be sponsored by Peugeot and was, obviously, seen one one at all times. Except, when he was racing he was actually on a Roberts White Spider painted up to look like a Peugeot.

[Louis Balfour]

Garemberg said:

Filth! I still want one but will have to make do with my 94 Clockwork Orange complete with period purple anodised parts

Great bikes the Clockworks.

[Louis Balfour]

Interesting, why not?

[Louis Balfour]

Fat hippo said:

Knock yourself out

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/throwback-thursday-mor...

The little red Specialized appears to be Jason McRoy's old bike. Or a copy of it. One of the iconic bikes of the 90s.

[Louis Balfour]

Fat hippo said:

Markgenesis said:

93 Manitou FS

You’ve won

Look at those bars. You could link thumbs over the stem.