1988 Koga-Miyata RidgeRunner

[Elev12k]

Thanks to a heads up from Gideon aka fellow-Retrobike member Tommy I were able to get hands on a Koga-Miyata RidgeRunner from the 1988 modelyear

The bike is 99% original. Including the Miyata by Panaracer tyres and these Suntour grips >>

This is an all XT bicycle.

Very sweet

On to the next picture >>

The top end Hardtlite FM-1 triple butted Spiral Spline tubeset from Miyata's own tubing mill.

"RidgeRunner" The stem and bars are from Nitto. The XT headset is the issue with rubber housing >>

I realize I am very privilaged position with this bike. An '88 RidgeRunner is very rare. @Tommy: big thx man

 

[makster]

That's bloody gorgeous :shock:
Cracking find

 

[doctor-bond]

Love the lugs, the tubeset, the details ... lovely.

 

[Elev12k]

Thank you

This is a picture from the RidgeRunner in the 1988 catalog >>

The catalog bike has black XT cranks.

The RidgeRunner was the top end offering in Koga's 3 model MTB line up in 1988.

The RidgeRunner has the same paintscheme as the RecordPro time trial bike. RecordPro in the 1988 catalog.

 

[miliu]

Wow. Incredible.

 

[Grockel]

That's lovely.

 

[RustyGold]

Wow. Incredible.

I concur, what a sublime, sophisticated steed. It's apt to say that I'm more than a little jealous .

Enjoy with good health, Elev12k.

 

[Nader]

That's bloody nice mate ...one of most beautiful RidgeRunners which I've seen, and in such excellent shape ...wow!

Have you found any XT black crank?

 

[Elev12k]

Thank you for the kind words, RG and Nader

On the cranks: personally I think that the silver cranks are the cranks this RidgeRunner came with originally. The catalog bike could be a pre production bike. In the first 1995 catalog the SkyCarbolite and Explosion were even pictured with a damper in the rear triangle. I had ordered the SkyCarbolite back in the day, but received a phonecall later to let me know that I would get a hardtail and whether I ware okay with that.

brief RidgeRunner history
The RidgeRunner and TerraRunner were Koga's first mountainbikes. 1986 was the first year. In the US the Miyata RidgeRunner was already introduced in 1983.

1986 Koga-Miyata RidgeRunner

In 1990 Greg Herbold piloted a Miyata US RidgeRunner with RS-1 to the downhill world title. That later RidgeRunner had a shorter tail and cantilever brakes. The equivilent Koga-Miyata bike was the 1989 RidgeRunner model with the distinctive yellow leopard paintscheme. This was the last steel Koga RidgeRunner.

The leopard Koga RidgeRunner from 1989

For 1990 Koga introduced the rugged aluminum e-stay RidgeRunner. In the US the RidgeRunner continued as a high end steel bike. The US didn't get the e-stay. 1992 was the final year for the e-stay and for 1993 Koga-Miyata introduced the RidgeRunner-Suspension. A downhill weapon with Carbolite frame, Showa front and Yamaha rear suspension, XTR and a lot Syncros. 8000 guilders. In the US the equivilent frame was known as Elevation 12,000. It was the bike Greg wun the NORBA cup with.

From 1994 the RidgeRunner name disappeared for a couple years, to make its return in 1997, but that falls beyond my scope.

KM RidgeRunner page in Retrobike Wiki >>> http://www.retrobike.co.uk/wiki/RidgeRunner

 

[Stylus]

wow, this one looks like it just came out of the factory!
nice addition to the fleet i think