Full suspension retro-bikes - are they worth it.

[gtRTSdh]

An RTS is great for all day stuff, there's only 60mm travel so it's not wallowy like the 100mm of the lts', and even my marin, which just about be viable all day, but it has lock out front and rear.

 

[MikeD]

My 1998 Santa Cruz Heckler is my only FS bike. I've ridden lots of modern stuff, and yes, they're mostly "better" in various ways, but not better enough to justify the cost. Also it's had exactly one set of replacement swingarm bearings in 15 years -- FS bikes don't get much lower maintainence than that

 

[dirttorpedo]

My 1998 Santa Cruz Heckler is my only FS bike. I've ridden lots of modern stuff, and yes, they're mostly "better" in various ways, but not better enough to justify the cost. Also it's had exactly one set of replacement swingarm bearings in 15 years -- FS bikes don't get much lower maintainence than that

Man, I'd love to have a Heckler in my stable. I raced the 24 hours of Adrenaline one year and one of the fellows on my team had a Heckler about the same vintage of yours. I was riding a Sasquatch back then and that Heckler was a real revelation. The frame just seems to be able to do just about anything.

Whoops! I didn't see this thread here when I posted mine last night.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=272474

From what I've read here at RB, the early full sussers designed by Richard Cunningham (specifically the Mantis Pro Floaters and Nishiki FS bikes) were very good designs, but I haven't seen anything regarding restoration or maintenance costs. From some of the reviews I've read, those old RC bikes will put a smile on your face, and will handle moderate trail riding with ease, but I doubt you'd want to hammer them as the suspension travel on those old rides is not nearly as long as that of the new ones.

One thing's for sure, like most retrobikes that are maintained or restored, those old suspension designs look damn cool, and folks that see you ride them will recognize you to be the bike connoiseur that you are, instead of just someone that bought whatever your LBS wanted to unload on you to make room for next year's models. Of course, if your modern ride happens to be the latest top-of-the-line full-on race version, then you don't care what anyone else thinks because you know that you have the best that technology has to offer, at least for now. That's how I felt about my 1989 Alien until about...er...1990. Of course, now that my Alien is 'retro', it's cool once again.

Ha, I saw an old AMP suspension frame in my size advertised recently. I thought that would be a pretty cool bike to have and if I remember correctly AMP used the Horst Link which was probably one fo the first decent suspesnsion designs out there. I was scared off by that rear shock.

 

[MikeD]

Horst Link Turner Burners date from the late 90s too, still a capable bike

 

[MIKEYBOY]

I have an RTS and a zaskar. The difference in my view is that you can't chuck the RTS at rough stuff like a modern fs bike whereas the zaskar feels bomb-proof. I tend to use the RTS as a xc bike and look after it like a baby. I've just bought a i-drive to put some post 2000 stuff on to throw around.

 

[clockd]

http://www.vorb.org.nz/rez_display.php? ... ode=photos

Check out my keewee 4.5 from 1997/8 it's a pretty functional FS. Made in new Zealand mate

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/6797833/

My meta am is spanky and newish, the keewee is pretty fun as is but the new one feels great makes me seem like a better rider (although I am a responsible wuss now)

I spent over $1k getting it all serviced, rebuilt etc but to be honest I should have sold it to get another one, but I love projects

 

[shogun700]

Yes!

1996 Intense Uzzi SL



Yes!

1997 Ted Wojcik Soft Trac FS



The Intense is ahead of it's time, the Wojcik is a little behind the times but works really well taking the edge off XC runs. If you understand what the bikes were made for they can perform admirably in those conditions.

 

[secret_squirrel]

I want some retro full sussers simply out of curiosity - never having owned any full susser I figure I won't know what Im missing with a modern one.

I have an Amp b3 project with a newer air shock about to start which should be reasonable due to the Horst link and the shock, plus I love the idea of the Amp parallelogram front fork.

I also have drooled over the Manitou System FS's since I saw them in MBUK bitd. For me their beautifully simple symmetry alone make them worth getting -regardless of how badly or not they perform.

Not likely to ever own any URT's or swing arms styles though - think they look fugly in general. Even the new ones like the Orange 5 look like big heavy motorbike frames.