Most under-rated retro bike

[yo-eddy]

You've probably read this: http://www.purplelizard.com/GIintro.htm

their production numbers were a little higher than just a one man band.

OK...8 people. "One man band" was a figure of speach. Rhygin was 4 I think, Sycip brothers worked with Rock Lobster for a while, Wojcik even had family members working with him.

Grove obviously didn't do it all himself. Remember that G.I. built for other brands also.... like my white EWR. Couldn't do all that if you were all alone in a room with a torch and some steel tubes.

Point was, Grove then; a hand built high quality frame, Grove today; a hand built high quality frame. Appreciation isn't any different, just being rediscovered by the masses.

The other end of the spectrum from Guvnor's Merlin example above.

I was more refering to the silly low prices these bikes sold for till about 3 years ago. Espescilay compared to Titron stuff
Agree they were allways appreciated, but not very well known by retro lovers till recently.

Exactly...always appreciated but not well known. I think that keeps them off the list that John is looking to start.

Under appriciated or under rated? in $'s and attention they were/are under rated imho, but now we have Philippe (Oneschnark) to compensate for all that

 

[john]

The Litespeeds and Turners are good examples.

Stuff like the Groves, Steelmans etc have always been a bit under the radar, both back in the day and now. In fact I'd imagine there is perhaps more recognition of Grove et al in the UK now through sites like this than there was in the 90s.

As for generic made in Taiwan 'shop' frames, yes, there is no reason they'd be any better or worse than a generic made in Taiwan frame with a bigger manufacturers name on it. But most under rated? I'd disagree. There are other manufacturers who were perceived as high end back in the day whose reputation has fallen far further.

 

[coomber]

A lot of Scotts were nice bikes but not really that cool and dont seem to have much following, but they made some great bikes which have a place. There's certainly a few i'd like to get my hands on now, and never bothered much with them BITD.

 

[Dr S]

How about the granddaddy of them all- the venerable Schwinn Excelsior?

Considering how much fun they are to build and then ride, and taking into consideration how incredibly important they are in the history of mtbs, I'm surprised that there aren't more around; probably only 2 or 3 in the UK??

Very underrated and unappreciated in my opinion. If I was to try and sell mine I would be lucky to get £500 over here but they sell for strong money in the US.

 

[Splatter Paint]

+1 for Raleigh, I really liked my 93' Summit

also

+1 for Dawes (pasiflora)

 

[ninety]

Yes, I'm biased, but what about Sunn (before they went and came back)?. I love mine to bits (though cleaning the chrome after it's been away for a while is a PITA), it rides beautifully and the finish on the frame is superb. The few that I've seen sold recently have fetched about half what the equivalent Kona would have got - of course, as far as I'm concerned, there is no 'equivalent' Kona...

Also, +1 for KHS and Univega

 

[sinnerman]

khs/cannondale

both cannondale and khs, i always felt, are under rated, but i must confess bitd,i did sell them by the bucket load.

here are pics of two of our custom painted team bikes i dug up.
and i always felt that the khs, was a far better performer than the cannondale, but thats probably due to the suspension format they used.

sadly not close up pics, but the custom painted khs fxt team, was an awesum ride, and was used in one or two of the "sprung" videos, as was the orange.

K.H.S, for me i think...

 

[mark45acp]

Fisher Super caliber was a great bike ! - bit biased but Klein still the best !

 

[brocklanders023]

I'd add another vote for Scott. Seem to remember they were as lusted after as fluro Marins, Specialized, Kona, Cannondale etc, bitd by my friends but they do not show up here in any kind of numbers and are hardly ever mentioned.

 

[bulldog]

univega for me but i do have three of them