Retro MTBs

[Zippee]

kinhill said:

A 'Formula 1 Cycles' full-suspension MTB, built in Surrey by a company with motorsport racing links and one of the first companies in the UK offering carbon fibre parts as far as I'm aware.

It was a joy to do school work experience there as a teenager and finally own a couple of them much later in life. Here's mine in its 'new' condition before I found it many years later in a weathered condition.



I reminisce about their history on my website https://www.vintagemountainbikes.com/formula-1-cyc...

Lovely. Always liked those. I remember deb murrell racing them

[CharlieAlphaMike]

d8mok said:

They come up fairly often and ive had a few pairs of Rc130 this year. However they are very thin , so do crack regulary. The size is 25.4 just so you know. Ill give you a shout when i get my next pair as ive decided to run controltech on my rc200 due to the cracky issue

Thanks. Please let me know if and when you have another. And thanks for pointing out they're 25.4mm. I knew they were. It was just a typo on my part.

They are extremely thin which is why they're so light but I've never had them crack or split since the bike was built in 1997. Having said that, I guess there could have been a small split/crack that became worse when I had the argument with the tree.

[CharlieAlphaMike]

Sway said:

Thoughts as replies to a couple of posts...

Both Pace and Klein frames were massively stiff race machines. Both uber cool, I genuinely don't know which I'd pick (but I do know I'd pick a Dekerf Team 853 over both). Horses for courses.

I've had a few KCNC bits in the past, certainly nothing has lead me to think they're poor quality or overpriced in any way - they're never built for toughness though, always on the weight weenie side...

The marketing is a little misleading - they're aluminium, but an aluminium alloy that has a little scandium in. Scandium is staggeringly expensive.

I did some research into Scandium and you're right, it is very expensive. Apparently they only mine 20 to 30 tons a year.

Given that the Rc+130's have such a thin construction, they're not exactly tough either but I've never had an issue with that up until this point so I wouldn't be concerned about having KCNC's. It seems my choice is so limited anyway.

They're good value I think so I'll try them and maybe upgrade later with a different stem which will open up a bigger choice of larger diameter bars.

[sparkyb999]

I always had such a thing for Klein,

This was my collection 3 years back, i did sell 3 of these since.

[AWG]

keith2.2 said:

Well, it only took me the best part of 25 years to get one...



Quite a lot to do but definitely a fun project to go alongside my San Andreas!

Ah DH1 absolutely amazing. Takes me back to watching Rob Warner and CC Anderson on TV in the late 90's.

Sterling work Sir.

They did one with the shock facing upwards too which is an real unicorn.

[Zippee]

AWG said:

Ah DH1 absolutely amazing. Takes me back to watching Rob Warner and CC Anderson on TV in the late 90's.

Sterling work Sir.

They did one with the shock facing upwards too which is an real unicorn.

Useless fact, Rob Warner used to instruct at a company called the UK MTB school in the Chilterns heading out from Princes Risborough train strain l Station back around 1990/91. I was in one of the first groups he ever taught

[keith2.2]

AWG said:

Ah DH1 absolutely amazing. Takes me back to watching Rob Warner and CC Anderson on TV in the late 90's.

Sterling work Sir.

They did one with the shock facing upwards too which is an real unicorn.

It was a swingarm vps version prototype, a couple got into circulation before Santa Cruz sued them. I was offered one but the guy wanted crazy money them sold it from under my nose when we agreed a price.

I wanted it for unicorn purposes but I actually prefer the final version aesthetic

[CharlieAlphaMike]

sparkyb999 said:

I always had such a thing for Klein,

This was my collection 3 years back, i did sell 3 of these since.

Nice collection. I don't mean this to sound like a daft question but did you ride them? I mean, ride them hard? What did they ride like and did you ever have any issues with them?

[sparkyb999]

CharlieAlphaMike said:

Nice collection. I don't mean this to sound like a daft question but did you ride them? I mean, ride them hard? What did they ride like and did you ever have any issues with them?

No, i wouldn't ride them "properly"...

I ride them with the kids along footpaths, and have taken a couple of them to Swinley Forest but stuck to the fire trails.

I own a pair of 1990 Trezeta Champion skates which have basically split and deteriorated, I know plastic is different to Aluminum but i worry in case the stress of riding would be too much for the materials. (like the skates)

[Pastie Bloater]

My old bikes, the Stinky gets full send

2007 Kona Stinky Deluxe
Marzocchi 888 RCV fork, ROCO TSTR shock
Renthal SR4 chainring
Nukeproof Horizon Pro pedals
Shimano XTR 9 speed
Easton MonkeyLite DH Carbon bars
DMR Defy 35 stem
Hope Mono M4 brakes 200/180mm
Specialized Phenom Comp saddle
Marzocchi (Fox) Transfer dropper
MRP G3 guide
All titanium bolts





2004 Kona Chute, first bike I built frame up
RockShox Pike 426 U-Turn forks (Push Industries Factory Fork System)
Sram NX Eagle 12 speed, dub BB, XX1 Eagle gold chain
Kona Wah Wah pedals
FSA Gravity Maximus OS stem & bars
Sram Guide RS brakes 180mm
Superstar Components wheels & hubs
Specialized Power Pro saddle
RaceFace Evolve seatpost
Hope headset

[keith2.2]

That stinky is tremendous

[Hard-Drive]

sparkyb999 said:

I always had such a thing for Klein,

This was my collection 3 years back, i did sell 3 of these since.

I saw some dude with a Klein Mantra on the pontoon at Itchenor last weekend. Very cool.

[feef]

Always loved the Stinky. nice one

[d8mok]

Picked this up last week. Bought for parts mainly.

[Sway]

Oof.

[Zippee]

d8mok said:

Picked this up last week. Bought for parts mainly.

Paul's mechs as well.... frame is also a very rare colour.
Do you mind if I ask how much you snagged it for?

[d8mok]

Zippee said:

Paul's mechs as well.... frame is also a very rare colour.
Do you mind if I ask how much you snagged it for?

It wasnt cheap at all.

Proshift R mech, Pauls front mech & brakes & levers.

Frame is available if you fancied it, as is the Shiny bits

[anonymous-user]

I just remember how terrible mountain biking was before disc brakes. You can keep any of these retro bikes.

[DailyHack]

Cliffe60 said:

I just remember how terrible mountain biking was before disc brakes. You can keep any of these retro bikes.

Yeah I would never go back to rim brakes on a MTB, kind of different on a road bike though, rims are still perfectly fine on the road still.

[V1nce Fox]

DailyHack said:

Yeah I would never go back to rim brakes on a MTB, kind of different on a road bike though, rims are still perfectly fine on the road still.

Weirdly, i’ve only ever ridden cantis or Vs.