The 'Introduce Yourself Here' thread

[molineux1980]

Hello!

Just a quick hello!

Back into Mountain Biking after 5 years off - On a budget, so its second hand all the way for me! My bike is a ' 99 Muddy Fox, (See readers bikes!) and i'm lucky enough to live 5 mile from the Chase - Great riding!

 

[Stolichnaya]

Another new member

Hello Retro Bikers,

I have been a regular at another forum called Weight Weenies and was directed here by one of its member. Last year I relocated from the USA to Vienna, Austria. I was recently unpacking a container of stuff that had not seen the light of day for many moons. Included was an old mountain bike. A Fisher AL-1 (circa 1989 or 1990, as I recall) It was the first one I ever bought with my own hard-earned money. It seemed to be in pretty bad shape, but had enough sentimental value to warrant pulling it apart for a wash and rebuilding it. I still need to procure new chainrings, and therebuild should be done in a week or two, but the bike is taking form again. I will post photos then, and probably make an individual posting on the bike with a few questions to the forum.

I have enjoyed reviewing forum members’ bikes since I began lurking the site a few weeks ago. Many of the rides I lusted over when I was younger and, oddly, still do. Thanks for keeping my childhood alive.

 

[Archangel]

Hi everyone,

I also started riding when current retro parts were flashy and new...

1st mtb: 1990 Nishiki Bushwhacker. Really more like atb, equipped with fenders, rack, etc.
2nd mtb: 1992 Cannondale M700. I started mountain biking in 1992 when I got a summerjob in a local bikeshop and used all the money I earned for a new bike. Gradually upgraded the 'Dale with Manitou 2 forks, Ringle parts, Flite, etc.
3rd mtb: 1995 Haro Impulse Comp. Traded my Cannondale + 1000FIM for this. It had Easton aluminum frame, full XT M737 parts spec and yellow Judy SL.
Pimped the bike to under 9kg racer with all kinds of (modern) bling-bling parts. Sold it in 2004. Raced this bike in few local races too.

Looonnng break from mountain biking mostly due to university studies...

4th mtb: 2002 Specialized Enduro FSR. Bought my first full suspension bike, stripped it and bought light parts for it. Superb nice electric blue color!
5th mtb: 2004 S-Works Enduro. Traded my Enduro FSR frame for this. The sum I paid was the same that I would had to pay for the shock service. And I got a new frame with better tubing & Brain shock. Parts were moved over from the Enduro FSR, although I updated the fork to Fox Float XTT in 2006. Really sweet bike, suspension works very well and the bike suits Finnish trails superbly (we have lots of rocks & roots here).
6th "mtb": 2001 S-Works CX cyclocross bike. Found it too large for my liking and sold it quite fast.

Retro fever starts taking over after a friend talks about vintage Kleins with me. Back in the early 90s didn't have money but now I have so off to eBay and start retro bike hunting...

7th mtb: 1992 Klein Attitude, Horizon Linear Fade. Had been several years on original owner's wall.
8th mtb: 1993 Klein Attitude, Sea & Sky. This was sort of a working incident. I bid for both my Attitudes which auctions closed at the same night (wasn't awake) and I won both.
9th mtb: 1992 S-Works Carbon frame. Always wanted to have this but it cost 25000FIM back then (my Cannondale was 6500FIM).
10th mtb: 1991 Specialized Epic Ultimate frame. Again a working incident. Was looking for parts for my S-Works Carbon when I stumbled upon this. I simply HAD TO bid for it...
11th "mtb": 1994/5 Klein Adept hybrid in Coral Reef and full XT M737. Very rare bike and nice commuter too.
12th mtb: 1993 Klein Adroit in Rain Forest. This was a very odd bird since it has a Marzocchi Shiver SC in it and was built like a dirt bike otherwise too. Currently trying to restore it.

 

[wanderer]

Hello

Just found this site, what a god send it would have been if I'd found it about 18 months ago when I was trying to get my Marin ready for action. I'm now selling the Marin so if I could sort it before parting company with it, I might finally get to see how good it could have been.

I've also got a retro rigid Scott frame that I'm sure to be fettling with in the near future.

Stumped up the money for a modern full sus. from Trek to play on though.

Once again hello,

Simon.

 

[mrkawasaki]

At last, a North Westerner!

Well you live in the right part of the world for a start! Climb like a goat then??!!

Welcome to our world...

Neil

 

[ben123]

hi everyone.
just getting back into mtb after uni and realising i wasted 3 years not riding everything south wales had to offer.
started with dawes oblivion in about 94, uprated with quadra 10s and every blue anodised part i could find, club roost bars, dcd, tetro brake yokes.
currently got a 98 kona stab in blue/flame but thats going to hopefully make way for a zaskar (or if i can find one, a xizang)

 

[jawj]

Hello fellow classic bike pervs!

I joined Retro a while ago but have only just got around to posting anything...

I feel slightly young sometimes in here as a lot of the bikes people consider retro were made when I was far too young, and still very much living in my parents' pocket, to buy (or even know about...)

BUT, that said, I got into MTBing in 1997 and a couple of friends who had been doing it a touch longer passed on their know-how. Their passion for nineties kit rubbed off on me and has sayed with me ever since. (It was all Ben Langdon's fault, my purple-anodisation addiction! Bless 'im...)

He sold me my first 'proper' mountain bike: a 1996 Merlin Cycles Cromo:
(It then got new decals, which I wish I'd never stupidly replaced; some red-anodised bits, bought in a mad-moment; lots of lovely XT and LX; and plenty of the original purple bits).
The Merlin is now my commuter/touring bike and is absolutely great at its job.

I soon after bought a 1997 Kona Cinder Cone frame which went through many incarnations. It is now very happily my #1 retro bike and I have a continuing mission to stuff as much purple anodising onto it as possible. It's getting there...

I also have a 1995/6 Orange P7 which is now, very sadly, a mere hack bike. I sold it to a friend a while back and it was driven into whilst locked up. The non-drive seatstay got mullered but (frankly incredibly!) the frame is still straight and rides fine. Solid Yorkshire engineering. He gave it back to me and it's still going strong.

Got other bikes too of course (a wicked orange Brompton and a brand new Orange P7 with a Rohloff plus a 2000 Kona Hahanna that's steel but not that retro but soon will be with its glow-in-the-dark decals...), but they're modern, though still cool.

Like to see pics? Yeah, me too. Will do as soon as I figure out how... Well, you could go here: http://jawj.fotopic.net/c854840.html

Well, that's me! I may be a newbie but I like to think I keep it real: steel's real, old's cool, nuff said.

 

[walls]

hi

 

[gump]

Hi walls

 

[JS1500]

I think i've been on here long enough now to welcome you newbies.

Welcome!