Bikes that just feel right.

[brocklanders023]

My Vit.

Ridiculously lightweight but with a very compliant rear end; seems sometimes like theres a huge rear tyre cushioning you for the next bump. So comfortable. Which is probably why I'm seen riding it more often than not.

Agree with that. My Vit would have been perfect if it hadn't been just a little bit too big. Amazing to ride.

 

[velomaniac]

2 bike frames arrived, one looked wrong, one looked right. Built the wrong looking one first, 22" 1990 Giant Escaper, it felt right :?
Hoping like hell the right looking one, Bridgstone MB3 1988 22", feels right or I will really start believing in sods law

 

[incorrigible]

All-steel Nishiki e-stays made between 1989 and 1993.

I purchased my first MTB in 1989: a fresh, out-of-the-box 1989 Nishiki Alien. I lived on that bike for 7 or 8 years – rode almost every day for hours on end - until I somehow bent the frame (too many wheelies?). I took it to the local bike frame guru who straightened it out, and he had to grind out a bit of one of the rear dropouts so the rear wheel would fit straight.

Although I don’t ride nearly as much anymore, I nonetheless became worried over time that the only MTB I ever owned, which had become such a part of me, might someday become damaged beyond repair, so I started searching the internet for an identical one about 4 years ago and found one.

During my search, I kept happening upon this website, and, well…..y’know..… ...let’s just say I now have several all-steel Nishiki e-stays to fall back on in the event my trusty ’89 finally gives up the ghost.

Thanks Retrobike!

 

[paramount13]

My 98 Schwinn Moab 1. Like them so much that I bought a used frame just a few weeks from being scrapped and resurected it to one sweet ride.

I have one of these frames. It felt great when I first got it, set up as a single speed. So I sold my (2002?) Gary Fisher Paragon and tried to build up the Moab as a real mountain bike, with gears. This didn't go well, so I decided to move on to an old full suspension bike (Rocket 8. But this wasn't the fault of the Moab frame--still a winner in my book.

 

[ozone1]

have to agree with Huntso, my 92 sworks M2 was just stunning, and I loved how stiff it was

stiff is good........I love a good stiffy

 

[Tc]

My Dale m400 cheap groupo but never broke & was so comfortable!

Tc

 

[tintin40]

My raleigh montage approx 1990 was a very 'sorted' ride. Didn't change any thing on it.

Fitting Rock Shock made a pigs ear of my MF Allu Pro & my first Trimble. Went back to rigid ASAP

Both Kleins were 'sorted' from the start as well.

 

[Barneyballbags]

I've had lots of bikes which I loved, but none felt quite as 'dialled in' as my 2003 Specialized Supercross.

For me and my riding style, it was perfect. There wasn't a single thing which I felt it couldn't do. It was as comfortable doing 30 mile all-dayers as it was being chucked in a trailer on an uplift day, then being thrashed back down again.

If a complete one came up for sale right now, I'd probably swap my X Lite for it. It was that good.


I'd like to say that I absolutely loved my '94 Klein Attitude too, but it was one of the worst riding bikes I've owned. However that was probably as much down to my riding style and the fact that I like to chuck bikes about as it was down to the ridiculously harsh frame/forks..

 

[mikee]

out of mine quite a few have that instant hit

alpinestars cro-megas ,both e-stay and non

saracen killi racer e-stay

early cannondales

gt lts 3

 

[Raging_Bulls]

For me it was "love at first ride" with the Sbike 503. Lots of flex at the front, but that allows it to grip in circumstances where any normal frame would push the front into a slide.

However the perfect bike for me was my previous Bulls, the 2004 Sport 3.50 .
It was a soothing companion on long journeys, and when you wanted to race it, it would suddenly become a complete hooligan.
Never needed much maintenance either.