Please help dating Emmelle Leopard.

[G'easy]

Hi guys I am struggling to date my latest bike and was wondering if anybody can help.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
thanks.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Just by general frame design and the bullmoose bars I would say 1985/6, but no expert on these so happy to be corrected.

 

[grey-beard]

I agree that it looks very mid 80s. I like it alot.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Pretty cool.....never seen those Lee chi brakes before

 

[G'easy]

Thanks everyone, that helps. Doesn't seem to exist on Google.
Yes the brakes were what caught my eye Initially.

 

[KermitGKona88]

You could try searching other brands as Emmelle or Moore Large (see what they did there) often bought in other brands bikes and rebadged them.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1987-moore-large-imported-ross-not-ross.441254/post-3217010

 

[legrandefromage]

Just be aware that its an 'inexpensive' model!

Looks to be for the 1986 sales year. The bars may also be 21.1mm

Rather than build their own, the parent company bought in all sorts from abroad and stuck their own Emelle decals on so they could keep up with the MTB boom

Such as:




This is from an American company called Ross




and heres another



All from 1986

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

That Ross

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

O/P's bike is rather cool too

 

[G'easy]

Wow! thank you for sharing your knowledge, yes I imagined it was an inexpensive model by the falcon group. Its great to know a bit of history of of its origins and il keep looking at other brands that it may resemble.