Top Retro Rigid Mountain bikes Makers

[jonty]

Apart from the custom-made mountain bikes like those made by Roberts and Yates are all retro steel and aluminium rigid bikes much of a muchness or do some makes stand out in terms of build-quality and componentry?
I appreciate that there will be different views on this.
What are the makes which could make one blow the dust off a fat wallet?
Thanks

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Going by frames i've used in anger....

Upper end marin, pine mountain, team, team issue..especially the team marin 1995. (i would say that)
Alpinestars 1991 cro mega.

So far those are the two main manufacturers and, in some case specific models that didn't tire me out and generally performed well. Although i've had many, many bikes those stand out as 'for me'. I've heard good things about kona too.

Summary...that wont force divorce proceedings or frighten your piggy bank.

Marin.
Alpinestars.
kona.

 

[makster]

Re:

One of my favourites that I've owned was a 1988 Stumpjumper.
I really liked how that rode, and it cost peanuts

 

[The History Man]

Top end steel konas are nice riding.

Overburys are reasonably priced and are lovely.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

This is a question of a million answers :facepalm:

It's very subjective, one person may ride a bottom of the range frame and absolutely love it, whilst another might ride a high-end frame and consider it to be nothing particularly special.

All I can tell you is that personally I like steel frames over aluminium, and of the steel frames I've ridden I'd rate the Orange Prestige that I have, and funnily enough like Makster an '88 Stumpjumper (Team) that I had.

Best way to find out is to buy and own a few and find out for yourself

 

[66 triumph daytona]

Re:

Ritchey P22 is arguably the finest rigid out there.

 

[jimo746]

Re: Re:

Ritchey P22 is arguably the finest rigid out there.

Now you're talking

I'd go for a P-21 though, I'll have one someday...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDEEKGUq-9Y[/youtube]

 

[jonty]

Thanks for the responses so far.
I've got 1998 rigid Stumpjumper and I love it. All my bikes are in steel, vintage and new, and that's my preference.
I've offered to buy my son a bike and that's why I'm doing my homework.
He's had a rigid mountain bike in the past and he prefers straight bars.
He actually requested a new steel rigid mountain bike without realizing that they are no longer made.
There's no rush.
I'm thinking of something good, 21 inch, steel, responsive, 8 or 9 speed and can take a rear rack. A bike which if he takes care of it will last him a lifetime.
Like me he wouldn't use if for mountain biking but for riding on lanes, roads and tracks.
I'm not taken with modern hybrid bikes. They look flimsy to me and having front suspension forks on some of them is ridiculous IMO.
I've heard and read stories of catastrophic frame failure.
Another possibility is a straight bar steel tourer such as that offered by Spa Cycles, Hewitt or the Oxford Bike Works.
The latter's bikes have a "restrained" mountain bike look to them which is interesting.
However a new tourer with mountain bike gearing would be about £1500 and upwards whereas a good vintage steel mountain bike would probably be less than a third of that.
I have vintage and space frame Moultons and a Hewitt tourer. I ride them all but the bike I ride most is my rigid Stumpjumper.

 

[The History Man]

Check this out

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=310185

And this

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=310278

Both would suit. Could deliver either as my son at uni in leicester so two birds etc.

Have a look.

 

[Thias]

Kuwahara pacer would do the job perfectly. Steel, strong frame, racks are mountable front and back. But its 28"