Gerber MTB (Swiss)

[Mickymech]

Hi, there is a bit of discussion about Gerber MTBs in a German forum
and two interesting bikes have been shown
https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/der-was-ist-das-fuer-ein-classic-teil-thread.566131/post-16574220https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/der-was-ist-das-fuer-ein-classic-teil-thread.566131/post-16574901
Let me translate what a Swiss users has shared:
Gerber was a small bike manufacturer in Oftringen, Switzerland. They went out of business in 2014.
There focus was certainly on road racing bikes, here is a old catalog
but within the bike boom in early ninties, Gerber also sold a number of different MTBs too, sourced from other companies like Funk (see example above) or even a GT look-a-like.


Looking at your bike, I somehow think that it will have an ITA bottom bracket.

Have you seen that one already?
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/early-1990s-gerber-swiss-mtb-with-tange-prestige.329087/
one more link
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/mountainbike-gerber-grosser-tange-rahmen-1158536712/this one from classifieds in Switzerland looks in terms of paint job a bit like yours and has Tange Infinity tubes.

Thanks for this, and translating it for me too! I learn something new with every comment! I need to get the bike out this weekend and have a closer look at the BB!

 

[capreese]

View attachment 626776Picked up an odd but seemingly higher end classic recently. Google doesn't turn up much other than Gerber being an ‘in house brand’ For a shop in Switzerland. Would like to know who manufactured the frames as I believe they were either Japanese or Italian. They seem to have sold more road bikes than MTB? This model has a mix of replacement and xc pro components , mavic rims and a tap on the frame sounds like decent tubing (so scientific and precise). Seems to be a custom built bike too with decent but boring paint scheme for someone called ‘Michel’. May well have been raced in Switzerland. Can anyone help? Sorry for the crap pic. Can take more if there is something I’m missing.

Hey, I‘m sorry to put you down but this bike is not a custom. Michel is actually a swiss orange juice brand. Google it, it‘s the same font. I live in Zürich, Switzerland an my neighbor has a gerber bike with the same paint job but different tubing. I’ll take a picture soon. She leaves it outside without a lock at all times. I asked her if i can have it. She said she still uses it but gave me a gerber road bike with campy super record parts instead.

 

[capreese]

this is the michel gerber from my neighbor. loads of different parts. the tubing seems italian. anyone know what it is? this dented toptube is probably a big indicator. BB is italian

 

[Imlach]

Hey, I‘m sorry to put you down but this bike is not a custom. Michel is actually a swiss orange juice brand. Google it, it‘s the same font. I live in Zürich, Switzerland an my neighbor has a gerber bike with the same paint job but different tubing. I’ll take a picture soon. She leaves it outside without a lock at all times. I asked her if i can have it. She said she still uses it but gave me a gerber road bike with campy super record parts instead.

A particularly fruity bit of Swiss MTB history.

I would like to believe its flavoured. Lick it and you're brought back to childhood, sipping orange juice while munching on buttery toast. Disappearing for a minute or two as you forget the sound of the leather belt.

Ah.

 

[Mickymech]

Hey, I‘m sorry to put you down but this bike is not a custom. Michel is actually a swiss orange juice brand. Google it, it‘s the same font. I live in Zürich, Switzerland an my neighbor has a gerber bike with the same paint job but different tubing. I’ll take a picture soon. She leaves it outside without a lock at all times. I asked her if i can have it. She said she still uses it but gave me a gerber road bike with campy super record parts instead.

Haha! ok cool, thanks for the info! Im still keen to do something with the be

A particularly fruity bit of Swiss MTB history.

I would like to believe its flavoured. Lick it and you're brought back to childhood, sipping orange juice while munching on buttery toast. Disappearing for a minute or two as you forget the sound of the leather belt.

Ah.

indeed! hahaha.