Retro MTBs

[MC Bodge]

Scoobyshue said:

I got back on my 2014/5 Ragley Piglet the other day. 26 inch wheel hardtail with 120mm fork and 720mm bars. I don't know how I ever rode that thing off road without doing myself some serious damage. The geometry, wheelbase and bar width were all ridiculous compared to my current bike.

Seriously? It's not exactly a rigid 1980s bike. 720mm bars aren't problematically narrow, are they?

[Scoobyshue]

MC Bodge said:

Seriously? It's not exactly a rigid 1980s bike. 720mm bars aren't problematically narrow, are they?

No it's not 1980's but compared to what I am now riding it is night and day. Going from 720 bars to 780 makes the 720s feel comically narrow. It's also the head angle and wheel base which make it feel all twitchy.

I still love it though. It's a great winter bike but just doesn't cut it with the modern stuff.

PS. Just checked....it is a 2012 Piglet. Didn't realise I'd had it that long.

Anyway....back on topic...retro bikes.

[Simes205]

thumbnail_IMG_0417 by Simes205

2003 Marin Rift Zone

Owned since new.
I ride this from time to time albeit not for at least a year.
Since my slack framed bikes I've not really had much inclination to literally perch back on it.
I mean look at that stem..... and the bars - they must be about 500mm!
For reference I cut my modern bars to 740mm.

[Mr E]

Scoobyshue said:

I got back on my 2014/5 Ragley Piglet the other day. 26 inch wheel hardtail with 120mm fork and 720mm bars. I don't know how I ever rode that thing off road without doing myself some serious damage. The geometry, wheelbase and bar width were all ridiculous compared to my current bike.

My only bike is a steel hardtail with 26” wheels, 680mm bars and 150mm of fork. I stay on it most of the time.
I am aware I’m a dinosaur.

[Gary C]

I've been wondering about this.

I have got a Offroad proflex 752 in the shed with Manitou forks

Its complete but the rubbers have gone hard. Was thinking about respraying and getting new transfers made up.

Wonder what they go for ?

[kinhill]

A good modern tyre with an amber wall for your vintage mountain bike.

https://www.bike-ninja.co.uk/product/rider-t1/

[Sisu9]

More classic 90's hardtail goodness.

[MC Bodge]

Gary C said:

I've been wondering about this.

I have got a Offroad proflex 752 in the shed with Manitou forks

Its complete but the rubbers have gone hard. Was thinking about respraying and getting new transfers made up.

Wonder what they go for ?

I don't know , but I saw more Proflex bikes last year than I ever had (other than in a shop in Wales in about 1991).

I saw various immaculate, quite expensive, early 90s mtbs locally, ridden by men in their late 40s/early 50s. Bikes that were presumably bought when they got their first job, hardly ridden and then left in the shed until pandemic 2020.

[Sisu9]

It's also incredibly hard to get new bikes at the moment - the manufacturers can't keep up with demand due to CV19.

I also think people as starting to appreciate the aesthetics of stuff designed in the previous couple of decades. Modern day m3 vs. e46 - I know which one I'd have!

[Sway]

MC Bodge said:

Gary C said:

I've been wondering about this.

I have got a Offroad proflex 752 in the shed with Manitou forks

Its complete but the rubbers have gone hard. Was thinking about respraying and getting new transfers made up.

Wonder what they go for ?

I don't know , but I saw more Proflex bikes last year than I ever had (other than in a shop in Wales in about 1991).

I saw various immaculate, quite expensive, early 90s mtbs locally, ridden by men in their late 40s/early 50s. Bikes that were presumably bought when they got their first job, hardly ridden and then left in the shed until pandemic 2020.

There's also the "I lusted after one as a kid, but couldn't afford it, now I can"...

There's a PHer mate of mine with a Kuruhawa ET reissue BMX for that reason - and I've come very close to indulging my dream of a 90s Klein or Dekerf hardtail...

[MC Bodge]

Sway said:

MC Bodge said:

Gary C said:

I've been wondering about this.

I have got a Offroad proflex 752 in the shed with Manitou forks

Its complete but the rubbers have gone hard. Was thinking about respraying and getting new transfers made up.

Wonder what they go for ?

I don't know , but I saw more Proflex bikes last year than I ever had (other than in a shop in Wales in about 1991).

I saw various immaculate, quite expensive, early 90s mtbs locally, ridden by men in their late 40s/early 50s. Bikes that were presumably bought when they got their first job, hardly ridden and then left in the shed until pandemic 2020.

There's also the "I lusted after one as a kid, but couldn't afford it, now I can"...

There's a PHer mate of mine with a Kuruhawa ET reissue BMX for that reason - and I've come very close to indulging my dream of a 90s Klein or Dekerf hardtail...

The people I saw riding them often looked like people who hadn't ridden a bike in 30 years, but had kept hold of them.

I personally have no urge to buy or ride an early 90s mtb.

[Sway]

Fair enough...

I haven't ridden in years, another born again cyclist, although I perhaps don't look like it...

I'm very different - I'd absolutely adore and cherish a 90s Dekerf Team 853 with contemporary XTR, Pace RC35s and Magura yellows.

Although I wouldn't do much off road on it, and would have to get the fork internals completely switched out to something that works!

[V1nce Fox]

Sway said:

There's also the "I lusted after one as a kid, but couldn't afford it, now I can"...

There's a PHer mate of mine with a Kuruhawa ET reissue BMX for that reason - and I've come very close to indulging my dream of a 90s Klein or Dekerf hardtail...

Klein were the absolute business, on another level entirely imho.

[Sway]

V1nce Fox said:

Sway said:

There's also the "I lusted after one as a kid, but couldn't afford it, now I can"...

There's a PHer mate of mine with a Kuruhawa ET reissue BMX for that reason - and I've come very close to indulging my dream of a 90s Klein or Dekerf hardtail...

Klein were the absolute business, on another level entirely imho.

Yep, pre (and early) Trek owned Klein were the top of the tree for an aluminium frame. Few of the adult staff at the bike shop I did my Saturday boy job at had them.

Routine workshop stock was balloon modelling balloons - the tube walls were so damned thin you could flex them like a coke can with your fingers... Regular dents were the result of cross country. Feed the balloon in (they're tougher so don't care about snags), inflate, and wait for the ping...

The (gorgeous) paint seemed bloody tough!

However, Dekerf were the top of the tree for steel. Those pierced wishbone stays... Wibble...

Ah, memories...

A Kona Ti hardtail was lustworthy too.

Meanwhile, instead of being a dude, I didn't take payment for a whole full time summer to pay for an ordered Trek 5500 Road frame in USPS colours. Ordered six months before Armstrong won his first Tour. Full Dura-Ace, and FiR Antara carbon deep rims on Hope Ti hubs...

Really should have been a dude, and got a Klein using the staff discount scheme...

[Pilotguy]

Great coffee break watch, new Old Shovel MTB build, a bit different from his standard old bike rebuilds.
https://youtu.be/T4vfc8vKkOs

[Gary C]

MC Bodge said:

Sway said:

MC Bodge said:

Gary C said:

I've been wondering about this.

I have got a Offroad proflex 752 in the shed with Manitou forks

Its complete but the rubbers have gone hard. Was thinking about respraying and getting new transfers made up.

Wonder what they go for ?

I don't know , but I saw more Proflex bikes last year than I ever had (other than in a shop in Wales in about 1991).

I saw various immaculate, quite expensive, early 90s mtbs locally, ridden by men in their late 40s/early 50s. Bikes that were presumably bought when they got their first job, hardly ridden and then left in the shed until pandemic 2020.

There's also the "I lusted after one as a kid, but couldn't afford it, now I can"...

There's a PHer mate of mine with a Kuruhawa ET reissue BMX for that reason - and I've come very close to indulging my dream of a 90s Klein or Dekerf hardtail...

The people I saw riding them often looked like people who hadn't ridden a bike in 30 years, but had kept hold of them.

I personally have no urge to buy or ride an early 90s mtb.

The proflex's rear end is a flexible as the name It was great at the time but it did wag and weave a lot.

My Orange aluminium with Pace RC35 carbon forks got stolen, now that was a nice, really really light bike.

My other bike is a 99 Trek Fuel with Judy's on the front and while travel is low compared to some, its a nice light cross country bike. Took me to 10,000ft in Austria, now that was one hell of a ride. 9 hour climb, 2 hour downhill

[mooseracer]

Can anyone help me with this one? I need to move it on as the shed is getting full again and I have a new 29er arriving.

It is a steel Airborne Black Widow and that's all I know about it. Bought from a friend 10+ years ago - has vaguely period groupset on it (but not original) and some elderly Reba forks. Wheels, again, are not original.

I don't even know what year it is - no disc brake on the back so quite elderly I guess. A bit of googling suggests the Ti version is well regarded and would sell well but any ideas about this one, or shall I just stick it on ebay for £50 and see how it goes?

[Bonefish Blues]

Your frame's 1999:

https://bikemagic.com/gear/new-frames-from-airborn...

Nicely brazed, too.

[cml24]

My mid 90s Diamondback has now been retired from MTB duties this week! Finished up with a panaracer trailraker front tyre which was fantastic over winter in the mud.

It's now been relegated to towing my daughter's bike around and has some hybrid tyres and commuter mudgaurds on. Slightly sad.

Having done my first ride on my new budget hard tail, (voodoo bizango) i can see how far bikes have advanced. it's truly night and day.

[Sway]

mooseracer said:

Can anyone help me with this one? I need to move it on as the shed is getting full again and I have a new 29er arriving.

It is a steel Airborne Black Widow and that's all I know about it. Bought from a friend 10+ years ago - has vaguely period groupset on it (but not original) and some elderly Reba forks. Wheels, again, are not original.

I don't even know what year it is - no disc brake on the back so quite elderly I guess. A bit of googling suggests the Ti version is well regarded and would sell well but any ideas about this one, or shall I just stick it on ebay for £50 and see how it goes?

Yep, turn of the century - and Reynolds 853 is still essentially the best steel tubing ever made for bikes. The only one that actually gets stronger as the tubes are joined.

Gawd only knows the value - but it's certainly not £50!