long gone but not forgotten part 1 - muddyfox content

redfern1950s

Retro Guru
Digging more photo's out from back in the day.

My first mtb, " not bought to be used as a mtb, but as a touring bike ".

Was this 1988 muddyfox courier , when i bought it in 88, it was originally pearl white ( classic MF colour ).
But after many miles touring the UK, and one year later ! i was hit by a car ! the driver never stopped !
I was OK but was a little bruised and grazed...., but the bike didnt look too good, infact it looked a right off......., as you could imagine, i was guttered and very up set :(

I knew of a brilliant frame builder 'billy' at 'Walvale cycles- walton vale in merseyside"..
Where i thought it was going to be a gonna , billy reassured me he could fix it....

Well, my god, billy done well, very well.
He replaced the bent top tube and all other area's that needed his magic touch..
But on top of this, he put all the cables through the frame! no short cuts either,
He made up 5mm steel tubing and ran them through the frame. one on the top tube and then done the gear cables, these where amazing.
The rear mech cable exited through a tube just under the BB,
The front mech was pure genius, this exited from a tiny hole in the seat tube just above the BB.

Where the tubes entered the frame, he drilled 3 inline holes, then made into one long one, then brazed the tubes in, once done he the ground the tubes flush with the frame tubes..

It was then powder coated green with black forks.. inspiration came from a aluminium ridgeback mtb at the time..

Then on top of this, he let me have 'for free' a very special group set !

The Shimano XT group set came from a bike show in paris 1988. and came with a very unique crank set, this being anodized a very deep 'blue' ( ive never seen another since ) that where fitted with 'self extractors' , very like the ones that syncros produced some time later.
The blue ano and extracters can be seen in the photo below.

The wheels survived the hit & run, just needing a true up. amazingly the seat survived as well !

I carried on touring for another year on this beauty, visiting ancient sites of the UK.

Note : the bit of tape on the chain stay...., this is where a group of knob heads through a rock at me when i was riding through 'northumberland' ( Full of adrenalin, I did stop and sort them out :evil: )

I then sold it early 1990 to an old friend, minus its XT group set and saddle !!! The saddle was so good for touring it ended up on my next touring bike....

This started my love for all things mountain bike.

Hope you like :D


1988 muddyfox courier by redfern1950s, on Flickr
 
Old Muddyfoxes do make good touring bikes.
My Prestige Comp served for touring duty this year. Not sure if it will get used again or if I will swap to my Raleigh.
Your bike was an '87 model, the 88 swapped from a lugged to a TIG welded frame.
87-89 were great years for Couriers, they went a bit downhill in 1990.

Carl.
 
drcarlos":ua3pigoq said:
Old Muddyfoxes do make good touring bikes.
My Prestige Comp served for touring duty this year. Not sure if it will get used again or if I will swap to my Raleigh.
Your bike was an '87 model, the 88 swapped from a lugged to a TIG welded frame.
87-89 were great years for Couriers, they went a bit downhill in 1990.

Carl.

Hi Carl,

I dont know why i never thought of it as an 87 model, But now you mention it, i did buy it early 88 :facepalm:
I loved their top of the range at the time with its lovely fillet brazed frame, but didnt even have enough to buy the explorer, No regrets at all though buying the courier..., one day i will work out how many miles ( approx ) it covered.

I should add this photo taken when newish, fully loaded.. photo taken some where near to clun in shrophire


1988 muddy fox courier by redfern1950s, on Flickr
 
I would really like an 87 or 88 bike myself, top want is an 88 Limited Ed, but will happily settle for Explorer or Courier.
If I get one it will be next years touring bike for sure, I reckon the long wheelbase, slack angles and high rise position will make for excellent long distance riding.

Carl.
 
drcarlos":363ok7tk said:
I would really like an 87 or 88 bike myself, top want is an 88 Limited Ed, but will happily settle for Explorer or Courier.
If I get one it will be next years touring bike for sure, I reckon the long wheelbase, slack angles and high rise position will make for excellent long distance riding.

Carl.

Definately ...., every thing about them was so perfect for the long haul..., and so much better than the dawes galaxy road bike i had being using prior..

Would i be right in saying the limited edition would be the fillet brazed beauty that was grey with white forks ? if so....,very nice bike.
 
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