The 'Introduce Yourself Here' thread

[bushpig]

Finally signed up. Great site. Look forward to wasting mucho time here.

My bikes
Yeti: Ultimate (2x), Arc, FRO, Pro FRO
Fat Chance: Fat Chance, Wicked, 10th
Potts: CCR (c. 1994)
Brodie: Romax (SS dropout conversion)
Raleigh: Edge (1989)
Fisher: Mt Tam, Competition (both fillet brazed)
Rocky Mtn: Blizzard (c. 1987)
Bontrager: OR (1991)

and for full on road riding a Cinelli Super Corsa.

 

[Qatar-wol]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I promised Jez I'd post, after he kindly replied to my queries about the Kirk he posted in the eBay watch section!

I got into mountain bikes in about 1987, and until 1993, my only MTB was an all black Marin Bear Valley. God, I loved that bike, all the way until it was stolen.

After that, I had a Klein Attitude that I bought for a song from a Police Unclaimed Stolen Goods auction, but it was always too small, and I sold it on in the mid 90s. Since then, I'd been bikeless, and living in Qatar in the Gulf where I work. (Although I am based in Warwick, like a couple of others from the Forum!)

But about a year ago, I was given this pretty used Specialized by a guy who was leaving Qatar. (Quick question - I know it's not retro, but how old is it? I think it's about a 2002 model, but I'm not sure...) I started googling for some of the brands that I used to lust after as a spotty youth, and found this great site.

And I think this summer, I'll try to buy something nice and retro - something that would have been expensive in 1989, I think.

Keep up the good work, everyone!

 

[cdngrimpeur]

I'm stoked to find there are a lot who are as chuffed about old hardtails as me. I was thinking a site like this was needed and was very pleased to find it. I think a pendulum is swinging somewhere...

I lived on the bald cold prairie of Canada until I was 38, then had the amazing fortune to be able to move to Vancouver last December.

I got started in this stuff in Spring 1988 when my roommate at the time bought a Rocky Mountain Fusion. I got swept up and bought a Tech Nova - anyone remember those?

By autumn, I was drawn in deeply enough to get an RMB Avalanche. I used my student loan money to do it, too :twisted: In a sense, it took me about 15 years to pay that bike off.

It wasn't long before me and all my mates were riding Rockys. In our group, we still have a 1990 Blizzard, two Strati 90 and 92 - all original owners. Helps if you live in Canada. Our favourite place to ride was Jasper, Alberta. It's XC heaven.

I got a new Blizzard in 98 for myself - last of the ones with ritchey tubesets. Freaky fast and very upwardly mobile.

Rocky took a decidedly strange turn when they got absorbed by larger corporate interests - way of the world, I guess. I'm really disheartened by the whole direction change they took in emphasizing the hucker side of the equation. Blizzards were only available as a frameset for a couple of years there.

Rocky is making custom road bikes again. I hope there is a movement approaching critical mass for simpler machines.

I am looking in to getting a deKerf custom built for myself - he was with Rocky in some of their best years. If I get a good fit and ride, there'll likely be some old rockys for sale then...

Current fleet:
All RMBs except one

88 Avalanche
91 or 92 Altitude
92 Cirrus - new today!
94 Altitude
98 Blizzard
99 Turbo LTD road bike
and a 1940's Schwinn

Happy trails!

 

[P20]

I'd say the M2 was a 98 spec, but could be wrong. Definetly not an 02

 

[john]

Welcome to the site all. Let's see those bikes posted up in Reader's Bikes

Agree with P20 that the Specialized is deffo older than mentioned.

 

[Tranquility Base]

Hi, just joined and thought I'd start off here.
First Bike:
1989, Abysmal pretend MTB from Orbit. Arrived 2 months later than quoted and just about wheezed through a fortnight in France before rusting underneath me.

1991, My first bank loan (only had a Saturday job, they'd give them to anyone even then) procured me a Cannondale (MH500 or something like that). Looking back it was lucky I was young and supple as aluminium frames didn't take any prisoners then, I'd call it direct and efficient if I was being polite. Some toe rag made off with it after about two years which happily set me on the Kona road.

1993, House insurance (thanks mum) got me a spangly Kileuea. Can still remember thinking it looked like something from Tomorrow's World and weighed nothing. Took it to Chamonix on climbing holidays, did my first jumps on it and upgraded it as far as the part time work allowed (130mm Control Tech stem, cool and back breaking). Still have it now and this site has inspired a full restoration to follow.

1996, A proper job with regular money allowed a Sex One into my life but that went a few months later and to this day I still can't fathom riding around on an expensive marshmallow.

1998, The Hei Hei frame had sat in the LBS for a year, eliciting 'Wayne's World guitar' type musings from myself everytime I passed. One promotion at work and a month's wages later it was under my arse and has stayed that way (apart from the times it has landed on my head) until this day.

Present day, finding the time to ride as much as possible and hoping my new baby daughter catches the bug.

All the best
Russ

[/b]

 

[Grobbebol]

Hi all of you!

Here's a new "member" from Holland.
Completely addicted by vintage MTB's I found this website and love it!
My bikelist is short but that does not matter I guess.
I got one very nice 1994 GT RTS2 in mint condition with a full XT groupo and at the moment I am rebuilding a 1992 Nishiki Ariel. This is a sort of replica of my first MTB back in the day's. This puppy will be rebuilded with a complete Deore DX group and Tioga parts. Currently I am looking for a set of Bontrager/Weinmann rims and I tracked a set. Slowly all the peaces come together. The frame is a elevated chainstay model designed by Richard Cunningham. No suspension at all but very nice to ride.
Pictures will follow.

Further I own a Airborne Liberator and a Sintesi Python but these ar so recent I won't tell anything about them.

Nice to meet tou all.

Greetz!

Nanne.

 

[Qatar-wol]

I'd say the M2 was a 98 spec, but could be wrong. Definetly not an 02

Kewl. Does that make it 'retro'? Can I join?

 

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Got some pics of the two green Nishiki Aliens that were on sale at Cylex in 1991. One had whiet porcs and were both ex race bikes. I'll dig out the pic.

 

[mikee]

greetings
this is one cool sit
been into this nonsense since about 89 when out of boredom
bought mbuk, christ, hook line and sinker spent 120 on a raleigh
mustang broke the crank 2 weeks later then traded it for a db topanga
(black splatter paint) loved it progressed thru various gt's to a cannondale
sv700
currently in the garage- A stars al mega dx(found in skip with a marin eldridge grade) 2 sv 700 (i rescued on way to skip) pace rc200 (94)
200 quid trade in at lbs ,cannondale m900,s/s rock lobster , gt zaskar
(silly light 2000 model) gt idrive (2000),and a few frames
anybody know anything about pro stop discs? can't get mine to work
right, whats the best lever to try? any set-up tips?
btw my mate pete found a SRP retail case half full of various bolts in his
local skip recently (just about creamed me pants when i heard)