New to retro bikes, advice on sizing, upgrading etc please

[jimo746]

I think the 1990's were quite a special time for MTB, the sport was still growing, manufacturers were trying different things to stay ahead of the pack (there were many interesting, but ultimately evolutionary dead ends in design), and it was a time before various European and safety considerations that meant frame materials & design had to adapt.
It's my favourite era of MTB, probably because it's when I started riding MTB. There's no denying modern MTB's are far more capable, but there's definitely a certain "something" about a retro MTB.

 

[enigma]

Well thanks Enigma, that's very informative. I've learned a bit about stems now, just one of many things it's clear I need to understand. I can definitely see the advantage of Ahead stems - I guess I'll know by looking at a bike, but what sort of period are we talking with regard to the change from Quill & Ahead?
Thanks for the frame size suggestion - I've kinda come to the same conclusion by research, but obviously there are differences from manufacturer to manufacturer. I'll definitely need to gen up on frame length, get a better understanding of all the ratios.
This whole retro thing is quite fascinating. I started off just looking at getting a bog std 2014 ish mtb (Boardman/Trek etc) with a view to saving up for maybe something like a Sonder Broken Road, but I've got a feeling owning & building a retro to my liking will be far more rewarding.
This forum certainly helps - you guys have been incredibly helpful & informative, thank you.
I won't be a collector, like most here - it's a one bike only I'm afraid (it's going to live in my small log cabin workshop, which has to serve many diy/general maker needs). It's also going to be a motorcycle replacement (for a while, if not forever). Does me in to think I'll probably never be able to afford another motorcycle. They've always been an essential part of who I am, but I can see a great deal of enjoyment getting into the retro build & use.
I'm getting the impression that 90's bikes were somewhat of a special build quality time - is that so? Interesting, as I reckon motorcycles form that era were some of the best - at least my VFR750 RC36 was - truly fabulous japanese build quality. Thanks again for your advice, much appreciated.

I would hazard a guess around 94 for aheadset, the standard size 1 1/8 thats the majority of parts are for perhaps slightly later?
Plenty of bike shop folks etc here will pick me up if im way out.

The suspension question is a debatable one, and you will probably need to try them .. personally, I never believed in them when younger, but my funds did not extend to suspension forks that were not heavy so for me it was weighing up a load of extra weight against any benefit.
I was pretty fit and rode relatively hard then, now ive got a couple bikes with suspension as its just for longer rides its gentler.

Another feature that the modern gravel bikes etc have and rave about is the ability for adding luggage, which is funny as pretty much any steel frame from the nineties thats decent but not designed as a race bike has the eyelets on the frame! Like many things cycling reinvents itself.
For regualar use, pop to the shops etc, you may want pannier racking and bags.. I have these on my old Marin and its much better than riding with a rucksack as I did for years.
The eyelets are threaded holes brazed on the frame by the rear derailleur, by the seat tube, and on front forks by the release for the front wheel..
Just something else I thought of from your description that may be useful to look out for.

I am biased , but I think modern bikes command silly amounts of money when a carefully considered retro purchase can do it all, and at a pricepoint that makes a mockery of many new bikes.
If you wanted a big fancy bike to throw yourself down real huge mountains etc.. or these bike parks, with massive jumps etc then maybe, and many on this forum have both.. for this reason.
But if you want a trail capable bike that will keep both wheels on the ground its whole service life with you, and maybe carry some groceries home.. nineties bikes of quality will do that for a fraction of the money.

 

[Renevator]

I would hazard a guess around 94 for aheadset, the standard size 1 1/8 thats the majority of parts are for perhaps slightly later?
Plenty of bike shop folks etc here will pick me up if im way out.

The suspension question is a debatable one, and you will probably need to try them .. personally, I never believed in them when younger, but my funds did not extend to suspension forks that were not heavy so for me it was weighing up a load of extra weight against any benefit.
I was pretty fit and rode relatively hard then, now ive got a couple bikes with suspension as its just for longer rides its gentler.

Another feature that the modern gravel bikes etc have and rave about is the ability for adding luggage, which is funny as pretty much any steel frame from the nineties thats decent but not designed as a race bike has the eyelets on the frame! Like many things cycling reinvents itself.
For regualar use, pop to the shops etc, you may want pannier racking and bags.. I have these on my old Marin and its much better than riding with a rucksack as I did for years.
The eyelets are threaded holes brazed on the frame by the rear derailleur, by the seat tube, and on front forks by the release for the front wheel..
Just something else I thought of from your description that may be useful to look out for.

I am biased , but I think modern bikes command silly amounts of money when a carefully considered retro purchase can do it all, and at a pricepoint that makes a mockery of many new bikes.
If you wanted a big fancy bike to throw yourself down real huge mountains etc.. or these bike parks, with massive jumps etc then maybe, and many on this forum have both.. for this reason.
But if you want a trail capable bike that will keep both wheels on the ground its whole service life with you, and maybe carry some groceries home.. nineties bikes of quality will do that for a fraction of the money.

I would hazard a guess around 94 for aheadset, the standard size 1 1/8 thats the majority of parts are for perhaps slightly later?
Plenty of bike shop folks etc here will pick me up if im way out.

The suspension question is a debatable one, and you will probably need to try them .. personally, I never believed in them when younger, but my funds did not extend to suspension forks that were not heavy so for me it was weighing up a load of extra weight against any benefit.
I was pretty fit and rode relatively hard then, now ive got a couple bikes with suspension as its just for longer rides its gentler.

Another feature that the modern gravel bikes etc have and rave about is the ability for adding luggage, which is funny as pretty much any steel frame from the nineties thats decent but not designed as a race bike has the eyelets on the frame! Like many things cycling reinvents itself.
For regualar use, pop to the shops etc, you may want pannier racking and bags.. I have these on my old Marin and its much better than riding with a rucksack as I did for years.
The eyelets are threaded holes brazed on the frame by the rear derailleur, by the seat tube, and on front forks by the release for the front wheel..
Just something else I thought of from your description that may be useful to look out for.

I am biased , but I think modern bikes command silly amounts of money when a carefully considered retro purchase can do it all, and at a pricepoint that makes a mockery of many new bikes.
If you wanted a big fancy bike to throw yourself down real huge mountains etc.. or these bike parks, with massive jumps etc then maybe, and many on this forum have both.. for this reason.
But if you want a trail capable bike that will keep both wheels on the ground its whole service life with you, and maybe carry some groceries home.. nineties bikes of quality will do that for a fraction of the money.

I'll never come close to using a modern decent mtb so couldn't justify the price, and besides, I've always tbought those 90's bikes were better looking anyway. Even more so road frames, but a coupke of years back i had a brief spelll on a cheap trek road, and I just couldn't get on with drop bars. My hands just always felt in the wron position. Maybe ignorance, maybe all those years of riding motorcyles with comfortable geometry.
Good point on the eyelets, that's also a definite plus with those retro frames.
learning so much here, thanks for your input, it really helps.

 

[enigma]

I'll never come close to using a modern decent mtb so couldn't justify the price, and besides, I've always tbought those 90's bikes were better looking anyway. Even more so road frames, but a coupke of years back i had a brief spelll on a cheap trek road, and I just couldn't get on with drop bars. My hands just always felt in the wron position. Maybe ignorance, maybe all those years of riding motorcyles with comfortable geometry.
Good point on the eyelets, that's also a definite plus with those retro frames.
learning so much here, thanks for your input, it really helps.

Thats a good thing about a forum, collective knowledge easily shared. Glad my random thoughts are useful!