Early Muddyfox Lovers Anonynmous

[masha]

Re:

Here was my Aluminum Pro I sold a couple of years ago - it rode really well and just needed a decent build - it didn't got for much either - someone got a bargain it was in good shape (had period Deore chainset, hubs, mechs, Tange Bigfork - rode really nice for an early alloy frame - much nicer feel than Cannondales of the same era)

 

[masha]

Re:

While on the topic - below are my former 21" 1987 Courier and Explorer's a part-renovated and sold on a couple of years ago. They were nice old-timers, but I stopped short of repaint, choosing to leave them in original tatty paint, all components were replaced with period items over time, and they both rode really nicely (on road and easy trails anyway), for someone used to 19" frames anyway. Head angles, top tube length and geometry meant a 5'11"er like me fitted them quite well (its the same with early Kona's - I fit their early 20", but 19" is my size on later suspension adjusted geometry, and 18" has always been a tad too small in the Jo Murray line up for me).

 

[masha]

Re:

There was a lot to be said for these early 'Fox's - take the bar/stem setup for example - you don't need riser-bars if the stem puts a straight bar in the same position (like on the '87 bikes pictured above). Until suspension was added to the mix, the geometry worked at the time - although they were never going to be fast XC racer machines, despite a few efforts to make a 19" Explorer more racery with a long T-bone stem, bar ends and straight-blade forks, XT components etc, in the early 90s before finally accepting the Kona was a better all-purpose XC bike.

 

[mrgumby]

I love that pink alluminium bike at the top, classic 1990 MF right there..

Heres one i picjed up last week:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191375797219? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Needs new levers if anyone has any spare? Otherwise in great condition, wheels are spot on, araya VP-20 rims..

Ill get a picture later on, ive removed all the crap (mudguards, bar ends.. etc) and have some spare 1990 grips to go on.. I just need to decide whether to go for thunbies (my preference) or under bar what-nots (what this wouldve had originally).

 

[mrgumby]

1990 MF Courier MEGA 23" (my size!)

 

[masha]

Re:

Thanks yes - Pinky was the basis of a nice bike / ride.

Well done with your courier mega - that will make a nice project/ride - they were still pretty good in that era - see 1990 catalogue on ebay for £6 - its in that one.

 

[mrgumby]

Yes, Ive already got one of those catalogues...

Its the second one of these I've had.. The FIRST one had 500LX and this one has 400LX.. go figure,

Im gonna use some 1989 mountain LX thumbies to go on it then it'll be my ride to go the shops..

 

[The History Man]

Up or down the hill?

 

[jimwise68]

This thread is getting bigger and better

 

[masha]

Re:

... I loved your Trailblazer BTW - if I see another large frame from '88 I will consider renovating it as a Trailblazer myself - brilliant (I wonder if Mr Tomac got his idea to ride drop bars on his Yeti / DiscDrive / Manitou1 from the Muddy Fox concept of the Trailblazer - you never know). I could have done the same with my dad's old 21.5" Ridgeback 605XT - that would have made a brilliant drop bar practical 26" wheel bike complete with his Avocet Cross semi-slicks fitted - I could still be commuting to work on that today with additional of rack and panniers.