Awesome names...the era of great MTB manufacturers

[jez-4-bikes-max]

As Im bored, sweating over another bunch of logos im doing for a client... I've thought of another pointless and tedious thread to keep you all entertained:

It has suddenly occurred to me that in the 90's we had all sorts of awesome names for brands,manufacturers and products...and they've all pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur...

How cool (for example) is the following:

"Nuke proof" - (even if they werent)
"Trimble" - (even if they were made from boat material)
"Critical Racing" - (erm. Cant think of anthing to say about these)
"Onza Porcupine" (yeah!)
"RC200 Race chassis" (Have it!)
"Ringle H2o" (wow!)

Nowadays you got names such as "Surly" (which I guess is cool) and "Cotic" but the rest of the names of brands/stuff in the MTB world have gone a bit unimaginative and sh*te no?

I hate this New York-bronx-type/decal-thing that Marzochi/Dialed Bikes etc have adopted. I say thats more skateboard/steetbike orientated. Not appropriate for pedalling around nice woods and hillsides - surely?

Was looking at that Aluminium O I have in the garage- the decals on that whilst simple, were really cool. Love it. Thats the way it should be. No stripes or flared streaks that Giant, Speccy and Trek etc have gone with in recent times. Just frame name and model. Cool. Simple. Nice.

Like it simple. Classy. yeah...

(saying that, a blue/green/yellow fade, black zebra striped trimble frame sits behind me completely nullifying my argument)

:shock:

Discuss...

 

[andrewl]

Was looking at that Aluminium O I have in the garage- the decals on that whilst simple, were really cool. Love it. Thats the way it should be. No stripes or flared streaks that Giant, Speccy and Trek etc have gone with in recent times. Just frame name and model. Cool. Simple. Nice.

Like it simple. Classy. yeah...

Maybe you need to consider getting a Turner, nothing overstated about these frames, or sealed bearings to fail, they're just designed to work.

 

[Stick Legs]

Owning a plain sub grey anodised Pace RC200 F6 (racing chassis!) and a 'Orange Clockwork' (SO Kubrick) in satin black I must admit I agree with the Jezster on this one!

 

[messiah]

I hate this New York-bronx-type/decal-thing that Marzochi/Dialed Bikes etc have adopted. I say thats more skateboard/steetbike orientated. Discuss...

Yep, that "Gothic" script thing that everyone is doing is really "lame".

 

[Augustus]

Absolutely agree with you Jez. At least Spesh have not changed that 'S' that seems to be coming around again after last looking like it fitted in back in 1987. But I really don't care for all the graphics the manufacturers slap all over the place - all the stripes and swoops.

Perfect example is Merlin. Didn't change for years and looked classic and simple and just like the Land Rover Defender, once something goes past being 'in fashion' it sort of trancends trends and just looks timeless. And then they go and make their logo look like a £100 Halfords trials bike overnight. Fitting for one of the nicest hardtails out there? Hmm.

Lovely logo's...?

Ringle (pre italic lean) and definately pre Sun involvement
Cooks
Parpre
Orange and then even Orange facelift (was that about 93?)
Original XTR
In fact original Derore and XT I suppose, nice lettering.

Oh and on it goes. (yup, bored too and the working day is only 29mins old).

Gus

 

[Bear-Chan]

i think the most distressing case for me is kona - 93, 94 maybe even 95 they looked amazing - simple, elegant lines colours and graphics. the swirly headtube badge/logo was tops.
97 started to get a bit ott maybe with all the flowers n stuff on the headbadge (imo). im not sure what happened between then and now as i stopped looking, but what i see now makes me very upset indeed! the stencil font looks very bad. very bad indeed. i agree with the comments about all the gothic font street bike dribble as well... too much bmx not enough trees.
actually, ive just looked at konas site and it seems maybe for 2007 theyve dropped the horrid stencil font?
sorry... ranty rambly post!

 

[Lid]

Nothing beats the woderously stupid;

Tioga Farmer Johns (Even the Tomac innuendo does not save the tractor link)
Kona Huahanannawhanaanabookimdano (Love the bike)
Ritchey P21

Great names;
Bonty Crowbar
Bullmoose bars
Headlock
Moots Y-Bb

 

[orange71]

Hoo-Koo-e-koo anyone? (Have I spelt that right?!)

 

[Stick Legs]

I must admit Merlin have lost the plot graphics wise off road but on road they are still gorgeous, check out the etched Cerene, looks like the embossing on a western saddle applied to the whole frame, new Merlin road frames have the graphics etched rather than stickered

 

[ededwards]

Weren't there some bar ends called 'Love Handles'?

And agree with all that simple decals are by far the classiest, some bikes I could not possibly ride due to my lack of inappropriate piercings (the Specailized skulls are particularly pathetic).

I also prefer simple, understated, one colour paint for me although some more 'interesting' paint schemes can look fantastic.