Ride quality of 1989 Diamondback Axis/Apex straight fork?

[Rampage]

That's nice!
I've never seen one that old before.

 

[frantik]

Yeah i think this was the first year they were offered. Easy_Rider has one that is almost all original.. they were spec'd with very nice components: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=183651

T'booTed thanks for the insight.. I wouldn't let the fork stop me any more, but the fact it's just plain black instead of smoked or some other cool paint job makes me think i will pass on the particular apex I was interested in.

 

[T'boo Ted]

of course I attributed the ride to the fork... it may well have been my uber-skills...

 

[muddyfox_courier]

The old green Apex is cool. Dont reckon M+L brought many of those in. 87 /88 ?
I have two Axis'.
( axii , ha ? )
Got one of the first to come in in '89. Basically , two came over in the first container load. I got one through Alans at wigan , and the other went to Harry Halls. The one at HH's was still on the shop floor when I was riding mine.
Ergo...
I was the first person in the UK to ride a straight forked Axis.
" Handles like a fish " , Alan said. Those were the days.

So I rode it for knocking on 2 decades. On and off. Mostly on. It carried its age well,, but was starting to look a bit ropey.
One night , bouncing bike related Emails with the above Alan , I happened upon a all but identical , near mint Axis. On Ebay in the US. Poorly titled. " old mtb " , or something. Hmm.
Have a look in my gallery. Just put a few pix up.
Bit small for me as a 17". Perfect for Harry Leary though.
Yea . Kinda harsh ride. Whatever. Its all part of it. Racey.
It was Harry's DH bike.
Its all relative. I think we're all a little too accustomed to 5" forks.

 

[frantik]

The old green Apex is cool. Dont reckon M+L brought many of those in. 87 /88 ?

Serial # indicates 1985 production year but I'm pretty sure it's a 1986 model. Is M+L the UK importer of Diamondbacks?

I was the first person in the UK to ride a straight forked Axis.
" Handles like a fish " , Alan said. Those were the days.

haha awesome

 

[muddyfox_courier]

M+L.
Moore + Large.
Emmelle.

Yea. UK distributors back then . Arent they a Raleigh brand now? I always liked DBs as a kid. The coolest kitted out BMX team. OK , they were mass produced , not as cool as , say , the Torkers and Robinsons ( that Alan bought in ), but hey. Good decent bikes.
I was just SO STOKED to get my Axis in '89. I'd had to sell on my Muddyfox to raise the funds. No easy payments back then.
Compared to the lazy angles of the courier it was SO fast. Super tight.And a good 5 or 6 lbs lighter. Narrow rims, RM20s , and Hyperglide. It was a whole new chapter. Such an exciting time.
Grab hold of a fish.
That's how it handled.
Like a fish.
The only bike available at the time that was in any way better was the Marin Team ti. It was well on the northside of 2K , and , like a half pound lighter.
Go figure.
And that smoke paint . Shit , I felt like a rock star.

Anyway . Ha.

 

[frantik]

And that smoke paint . Shit , I felt like a rock star.

yeah if this one I'm looking at had the smoked paint i'm sure I would already own it. the guy lowered his asking price but still a bit high and I don't like plain black bikes that much

what do you mean handled like a fish? like it's all over the place?

 

[superman seat grab]

i love my 1992 axis

 

[muddyfox_courier]

Handles like a fish. I guess it's up for interpretation . I'm sure Alan coyld clarify , but , I always thought it this way.
Grab a fish.
How does it handle ?

It's a handful.

FWIW , I like that handful. It was of its time. The experimental period .MTB geometry hadnt settled down to a standard yet , y'know? It's a bit too direct . Its tough to ride fast . Get it wrong and theres no margin for error.
Get it right though and its ace.
" Like a big BMX " , another ex bmx mate said.
Dont forget , at the time we were comparing it to the really relaxed early MTBs.
At the time I saw the Axis as progress. In many ways it obviously was ; but now I have a courier again I can compare directly. The Courier is much more forgiving and comfortable.

Thats what bikes settled into. User friendliness.

Vorsprung Durch Technic as they say in Wigan.

 

[frantik]

yeah i have an early 90s specialized hardrock i've been test riding and i don't like the steep geometry..

if you can't go fast w/o worry it doesn't sound like the bike for me lol