MTB, the way it was!

[IH8MUD]

OK - this is the real deal - my face is in here somewhere, as are several of the old MTB guard - Sedgefield, 1992....

 

 

Legendary stuff !!

[HeyYou]

When these were cool!!!!

 

[HeyYou]

and then sometime in the early 90s we gave up the FACTORY PILOTS for the straight arm RAZOR BLADES!!!!!

 

 

[broncoza]

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Not a good photo, but I got this pre-2000s Cannondale M500 that is now my commuter. Really like this bike.

 

It is in the process of being cleaned up. I want to get rid of the stickers, but not sure how to without damaging the paintwork.

Use the wife's hairdryer on warm and gently warm vinyl the glue will release. Clean the residue with Q20 and a cloth

[lechatnoir]

Not my first mtb though, my first was a YOKOTA YOSIMITE, something like this.

 

I bought in the US in 1986/7, brought it back, rode it a goodd few years, but it got stolen sometime mid 90s.

 

did someone say 'does your BB flex at all?' 

[Fruity]

Don't have a pic of it, but had a Rocky V in 1993. Wish I had carried on biking after that.

[Tumbleweed]

Shandro talking about the way it was...

 

[Beattbox]

My trusty Gary Fisher Tassajara. Bought brand new in 1994 and still going strong as my commuter, although only the frame, FD, seatpost, cranks and fwd chainrings are original. All other parts are hand me downs from other bikes. I've even still got the original rigid fork, although the high tech elastimer fork on there now may as well be rigid.

[DJR]

My trusty Gary Fisher Tassajara. Bought brand new in 1994 and still going strong as my commuter, although only the frame, FD, seatpost, cranks and fwd chainrings are original. All other parts are hand me downs from other bikes. I've even still got the original rigid fork, although the high tech elastimer fork on there now may as well be rigid.

I only now realized that your Fisher is a "born free" bike in more than just one way!

[Tumbleweed]

Spotted this "oldie" in TdF the other day....

 

 

[The Bike Brew]

Oh yes and the Gripshift (long before Sram bought them out) Xray 400 shifters that you had to disassemble to change the cables on...

 

Gripshift = Sram. Stan Day ( Founder and President ) started Gripshift and was selling product out of a boot of his car - legendary entrepeneur! 

[TIB]

I still ride my Bridgestone MB 2 all the time, it's my only MTB

Girvin Flex stem, Rock Ring, Crud catcher and Panaracer Dart front tyre all "state of the art" in 1991 

 

BW9_63416.JPG

 

Love the gearing! Would do well in a TDF time trail! But that was how we rolled.

 

The older we get the tougher we were.....

but some hairy hills were conquered with a 3x7, tyres at 3bar and brakes that sort of slow you down when a sharp turn appears  

[pietas]

Man, this bring back memories.

My first MTB was a Bridgestone MB 5. And did I want a MB 4. Steel frame. Gearing: 48x36x24. 6 speed. The Girvin Flex stem only remained a dream. No helmet or clipless pedals were available then. I rode with toe-clips and boots. In 1990 I bought Shimano mtb shoes from somebody that had brought it back from US. The pedals I could only afford a while later (lots of newspaper deliveries).

Also owned a Rock Ring in the past.

[HappyMartin]

I bought a Cannondale M400 in 1992. Ended up using it as a tourer. When fully loaded it was almost unstoppable the brakes were that bad.

 

Great days. We were a tiny subset of cycling, the lunatic fringe. Beer drinking, scruffy, friendly. The first 24 hour I did here in Joburg we had an 8 person team. Beers were going around before the start. Basically who ever wasn't pissed did a lap. We kept losing the baton.

[gtr1]

My first mtb was a Kona Hahana. Rigid fork. Grip shift. Still have it. Must take some pics. I then upgraded to a Kona CinderCone with a RochShock. Also still have.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

I had one of these bad boys   Cycled the Cederberg flat with it (it's grown again since then) and did multiple Knysna MTB races on it. Weighed a ton but got the job done... good times