First UK production mtb a Ridgeback?

[jaypee]

It's getting to the point where I'm not sure it matters any more - my curiosity has been answered. However, if you do a Google search for Dawes Ranger 1983 you get nothing - images or web. If you change it to 1984 they all pop up.

One thing that did pop up is this from Graham John Wallace (there's more good info from him and Stanny on the other thread too):
http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/page.cfm?pageid=13665

It gives 1984 for Saracen/Evans and seems to put Dawes into the same bracket.

So I while I wasn't there and am happy to be put right (I am, after all, just trying to get to the bottom of it), everything seems to be pointing towards:
82 or earlier for Saracen and other one-offs.
83 for Ridgeback (not British made - least significant of the lot, which is probably why it's relatively un-noted, which, in turn, is why I became curious)
84 for Saracen/Evans (a new company making small
numbers)
84 for Dawes (the first of the big companies with a British-made mtb)

There are two schools of thought on the Cleland - the 'different lineage' one - so Cleland was separate; and the 'they're all 'bikes for taking off-road' so Cleland was first (here)'.

I prefer the 'lineage' one. The dates aren't in question and if anything it makes the Cleland more special, rather than just lumping it in with all the rest. But that's about semantics, not bikes.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

I got the October 1983 edition of Making Tracks magazine. The advert is there to read, and in it Dawes are claiming they are first. When my ribs heal up and I'm back at work I'll scan it for the archive. It could be that an ad in October 1983 is indeed plugging new bikes for the 1984 model year, but make no bones about it - it's Autumn 1983 and Dawes are telling the World they are first.

Now, without a time machine I don't know who was really the first, but with the mighty power of Google and a Kindle Fire HD I can't find any reference to anyone else making such a claim prior to this. I only have a few dozen mags from that era, and unsurprisingly they're mainly general tomes, but tomorrow (I'm off out to a funeral today) I'll have a flick through and look for any Ridgeback ads, see if it's possible to cast doubt on Dawes 30 year old claim.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

Will people please stop talking about 80's MTB's!!!!
I want one so bad but:

I can't afford one
They are generally massive sizes
My wife would kill me stone dead after kicking me in the nuts.

:sobs.

 

[velomaniac]

Old school 80's mtb's are all big but correspond to later smaller framed bikes. A old 21" might more closely resemble a 18-19". I fell foul of this when I bought a mid 80's frame of 21" size which is usually fine for me but it feels way too small for me. Thus I have a rather interesting frame and fork, Centurion Starlight (DB Apex with different badges and paint) which I should really shift but its soooooooooooooooo pretty

Yes Rob Atkin, I'm torturing you, woohahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :twisted:

 

[jaypee]

I can't afford one
My wife would kill me stone dead after kicking me in the nuts.

Rob I've seen some of your impressive collection of bikes and I reckon you could pick one of these up for the cost of a 92 XTR rear mech! And you'd have something substantial to hide behind when your wife finds out ;-)

 

[jaypee]

I got the October 1983 edition of Making Tracks magazine. The advert is there to read, and in it Dawes are claiming they are first. When my ribs heal up and I'm back at work I'll scan it for the archive. It could be that an ad in October 1983 is indeed plugging new bikes for the 1984 model year, but make no bones about it - it's Autumn 1983 and Dawes are telling the World they are first.

Now, without a time machine I don't know who was really the first, but with the mighty power of Google and a Kindle Fire HD I can't find any reference to anyone else making such a claim prior to this. I only have a few dozen mags from that era, and unsurprisingly they're mainly general tomes, but tomorrow (I'm off out to a funeral today) I'll have a flick through and look for any Ridgeback ads, see if it's possible to cast doubt on Dawes 30 year old claim.

Now we're talking! I love this kind of bike sleuthing. Sorry to hear of your troubles mate.

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Ah, I'm ok. Did the stupidest thing. Was in my far too petit and bijou workshop when Woman called me for a cuppa. In my haste to get to my refreshing beverage I tripped on the shed doorstep. I could feel myself going so instinctively put my hands out to brake my fall, but succeeded only in falling across my left arm, hand over the heart. No actual broken ribs but torn all the soft tissue where the ribs meet the sternum and got a big bruise from the base of my throat almost to my left armpit. I can think of nicer ways to blag a few weeks off work

 

[Unclejack]

Two cracking threads here running in parallel... apologies if I'm answering one on the wrong thread :?
Mr Stanforth, apologies for getting your name wrong.
GJW - thanks for sharing
Chopper - can you check that magazine date please. Are you sure its 83 ?

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

Yeah, I'm not home at the moment but its 1983.

 

[jaypee]

I tripped on the shed doorstep. I could feel myself going so instinctively put my hands out to brake my fall, but succeeded only in falling across my left arm, hand over the heart.

What's that you say - bombing down the hillside dodging trees when you took a split-second decision to take a left fork down an unknown trail which, sadly, concealed a 10 foot drop...? Heroic stuff! ;-)

Get well soon mate