#Justsaying

[pete_mcc]

afforded by that 'shit' bike though surely? ...are they that exclusive?

Totally exclusive, any bike would have done the same thing as the first ride magic is not from the bike.

My point is that you can't recreate that feeling again just by riding the same bike, the first ride magic is a one time deal that has nothing to do with a bike.
In fact trying to replicate it would diminish my memory of that first ride feeling - the quality of the ride will never match my mythical memory as it will be hampered by me focusing on the ride of the bike not the freedom.

My memories will remain that way. This doesn't mean that I don't get joy out of retro bikes as I obviously do. Bikes are not the cause of the joy, they are just the conduit

 

[Neil]

Whilst I understand your perspective, I feel it's coloured by your current views on bikes, rather from those back in the day.

Exactly. I would never want to ride my first mountain bike again in a vague attempt to recreate that 'first ride' feeling as that will destroy and dispel any myth I have created around it due to the simple fact that the bike was shit.

The feeling was not due to the bike at all, it was due to the sense of liberation and freedom

Here's the thing, though - and surely you're savvy enough to recognise the dichotomy, here... this place is primarily about the "bike". If it was just about the experience, most would just be Rowley-Birkin-esque ramblings about fleeting memories people could recall, beyond the ravages of dementia, of rides from BITD.

Practically everybody, here, raps on about "the bike" - whatever that may be from them, yourself included - and surely that and the memories are intrinsic / interwoven - at least for some. That your choice of bike enthusiasm is not from perhaps your early days of mountain biking doesn't at least appear to be typical, here.

Sure, some - perhaps like you - may be all revisionist about it, after the fact and that's your choice - but to deny all recollection and celebration of those early bikes, is probably quite a narrow view. In fairness, it may well be coloured by the first bikes you used - were they truly awful, perhaps your burgeoning mountain bike enthusiasm was despite what you first rode. For me, not so - I chose well and wisely, and don't regret it now, nor then, for that matter.

I'm not sure I get the whole embarrassment some appear to show about their bike history - I get that there's no point celebrating crap - but I also don't see the point in trying to rewrite history / memories / nostalgia to selectively splice in better bits from history, to make it all look / sound / seem a bit cooler.

 

[Neil]

afforded by that 'shit' bike though surely? ...are they that exclusive?

Totally exclusive, any bike would have done the same thing as the first ride magic is not from the bike.

My point is that you can't recreate that feeling again just by riding the same bike, the first ride magic is a one time deal that has nothing to do with a bike.
In fact trying to replicate it would diminish my memory of that first ride feeling - the quality of the ride will never match my mythical memory as it will be hampered by me focusing on the ride of the bike not the freedom.

My memories will remain that way. This doesn't mean that I don't get joy out of retro bikes as I obviously do. Bikes are not the cause of the joy, they are just the conduit

Well for many, bikes are also the cause of the joy, too.

For you, that early magic maybe nothing to do with the bike - or at least you've persuaded yourself, and perhaps trying with others, that it was nothing to do with the bike - and perhaps it wasn't for you. I'm not sure I buy it - I think it's more about what you'd like it to be - but all the same, I'll take your word for it.

Facts remain, though, that for many, that early magic was as much about the bike, as it was about the rides.

 

[pete_mcc]

For you, that early magic maybe nothing to do with the bike - or at least you've persuaded yourself, and perhaps trying with others, that it was nothing to do with the bike - and perhaps it wasn't for you. I'm not sure I buy it - I think it's more about what you'd like it to be - but all the same, I'll take your word for it.

Wow, you really don't like others not sharing your view do you.

This is about my take on the original post:

I couldn't imagine flogging the grass roots of an obsession!??

To me the grass roots of my obsession was the freedom that I experienced on my first ride.

That obsession then found many forms: in the bikes I rode and owned (my first mountain bike I owned was after my first ride on one), the bikes I lusted after, the bikes I saw in the shop, the races I entered, the mags I read. My obsession grew and matured and I was able to appreciate other things like build and ride quality, engineering and aesthetics and all of those that have meant that many BSOs hold little fascination for me now (including the BSO I first rode years ago).

But the fundamental root of that obsession was the feeling of my first ride and to me that feeling can never be replicated simply by riding that particular bike again. I have my memories and I'll keep them, in the mean time I will buy and ride bikes that fascinate me now.

 

[dinger]

Totally exclusive, any bike would have done the same thing as the first ride magic is not from the bike.

Bikes are not the cause of the joy, they are just the conduit

Totaly agree. I actually had a chance to ride my first mountain bike (87 Rock Hopper) a while back as it is now owned by my brother, and has been sitting in his garage almost untouched for the better part of 20 years. Although it was cool to see it again and have the memories revived, I really had no desire to get it back. Moved on to bigger and better things as it were.

Still get that "first ride magic" though every time I finish a build and take it out for the first time.

 

[Neil]

For you, that early magic maybe nothing to do with the bike - or at least you've persuaded yourself, and perhaps trying with others, that it was nothing to do with the bike - and perhaps it wasn't for you. I'm not sure I buy it - I think it's more about what you'd like it to be - but all the same, I'll take your word for it.

Wow, you really don't like others not sharing your view do you.

Eh?

What I wrote there wasn't about not liking your view, as being cynical about it - there's a difference.

Like / dislike - I'm a bit ambivalent, belief / disbelief / said-for-effect / straight-from-the-heart is probably more on the money...

This is about my take on the original post:

I couldn't imagine flogging the grass roots of an obsession!??

To me the grass roots of my obsession was the freedom that I experienced on my first ride.

Yes - got that - comprehended what you wrote.

What I was saying is on the one hand, you appear to want to say - "but it's not about the bike..." (presumably, because the bike in question, isn't what now appeals) - yet at other times, seem quite happy to effectively say "it's all about the bike".

That obsession then found many forms: in the bikes I rode and owned (my first mountain bike I owned was after my first ride on one), the bikes I lusted after, the bikes I saw in the shop, the races I entered, the mags I read. My obsession grew and matured and I was able to appreciate other things like build and ride quality, engineering and aesthetics and all of those that have meant that many BSOs hold little fascination for me now (including the BSO I first rode years ago).

But the fundamental root of that obsession was the feeling of my first ride and to me that feeling can never be replicated simply by riding that particular bike again. I have my memories and I'll keep them, in the mean time I will buy and ride bikes that fascinate me now.

And I'm not trying to suggest you do otherwise.

I was merely pointing out, that whilst your first bike / bikes may have been BSOs, many didn't start out that way - and (given this site is largely about the bike) many will have early memories of the first / early years of mountain biking that are as involved with the bikes as the rides.

You see, what I'm wondering is, if we could step into that blue police box for a second, and fast-rewind back to your early days on your first mountain bike, what would you (have) opine(d) then.

 

[mass199]

I was a bit sad when I sold my Aluminium O in 93.

I like progression and have loved and sold all my bikes.

I just like the feeling of having a new bike.

 

[pete_mcc]

Go on then, I'll play your game...

For you, that early magic maybe nothing to do with the bike - or at least you've persuaded yourself, and perhaps trying with others, that it was nothing to do with the bike - and perhaps it wasn't for you. I'm not sure I buy it - I think it's more about what you'd like it to be - but all the same, I'll take your word for it.

Wow, you really don't like others not sharing your view do you.

Eh?

What I wrote there wasn't about not liking your view, as being cynical about it - there's a difference.

Like / dislike - I'm a bit ambivalent, belief / disbelief / said-for-effect / straight-from-the-heart is probably more on the money...

Stop.and.read.my.post. I didn't say that you don't like my view, I said you don't like others not sharing your view - so much so that you want to rain down your 'cynicism' and claim that I am lying to myself and everyone on this board about my belief purely because its not the same as yours. I have a very clear mind when it comes to my views and don't need the approval of others to feel validated, hence no need to lie.

This is about my take on the original post:

I couldn't imagine flogging the grass roots of an obsession!??

To me the grass roots of my obsession was the freedom that I experienced on my first ride.

Yes - got that - comprehended what you wrote.

What I was saying is on the one hand, you appear to want to say - "but it's not about the bike..." (presumably, because the bike in question, isn't what now appeals) - yet at other times, seem quite happy to effectively say "it's all about the bike".

That obsession then found many forms: in the bikes I rode and owned (my first mountain bike I owned was after my first ride on one), the bikes I lusted after, the bikes I saw in the shop, the races I entered, the mags I read. My obsession grew and matured and I was able to appreciate other things like build and ride quality, engineering and aesthetics and all of those that have meant that many BSOs hold little fascination for me now (including the BSO I first rode years ago).

But the fundamental root of that obsession was the feeling of my first ride and to me that feeling can never be replicated simply by riding that particular bike again. I have my memories and I'll keep them, in the mean time I will buy and ride bikes that fascinate me now.

Again, stop and read what I wrote. I say that the root of my obsession is the feeling, not the bike. In fact I say it twice in those two short passages. I do mention that bikes were a result of the obsession but not the root cause. So surely only an idiot would get confused that I said that bikes were the root cause of the obsession, wouldn't they?

And I'm not trying to suggest you do otherwise.

I was merely pointing out, that whilst your first bike / bikes may have been BSOs, many didn't start out that way - and (given this site is largely about the bike) many will have early memories of the first / early years of mountain biking that are as involved with the bikes as the rides.

I know only too well that this site is about the bike, I share every one of my bikes on here and have done since day one and even before that when this website was a mailing list of like minded people sharing view and opinions via email or through [RETRO] flagged posts on STW. I love bikes and always will, I spend every available penny I earn on them and am on the constant hunt for new and exciting ones, particularly ones that I lusted after as a kid riding on a BSO in the 80s and 90s. I help others where I can with insight and information and have 'karma'ed' thosands of pounds of stuff to those building their dream bikes because I share in others bike related joy as much as I relish my own. I love it when people get to build a bike that means something to them up, if that happens to be their first bike then dandy but I choose my bikes for other reasons.

You see, what I'm wondering is, if we could step into that blue police box for a second, and fast-rewind back to your early days on your first mountain bike, what would you (have) opine(d) then.

What relevance has that with anything? We are not talking about a 12 year old me, we are talking about a 40 year old me not wanting to own the bike that a 12 year old me owned.
The twelve year old me thought that the bike was cool, but then the 12 year old me also thought that Carrie Fisher was the hottest thing ever and that I would never stop loving drainpipe jeans, my sleeveless Tenko t-shirt and Huey Lewis & the News. I don't take the opinion of the 12 year old me too seriously.

One final comment and you can have the run of this thread again without me - my actual first off-road bike, not just the same model but the actual bike, came up for sale on ebay a year or two ago. I didn't bid.

 

[legrandefromage]

<sticks hand up> Still got mine! So whatever feeling I got from riding my first proper MTB I can still get because it is in my Garage.

Pickle's beloved road bike is also in my garage - even though I 'bought' it from him, I feel that it is in my stewardship rather than ownership.

 

[Andy R]

<sticks hand up> Still got mine! So whatever feeling I got from riding my first proper MTB I can still get because it is in my Garage.

Same here, I've still got my first mountain bike (1988 Explosif). It still gets used too.