We've been rumbled guys

[Raging_Bulls]

I too do see around '97 (maybe personally I'd say up to '99 now) as a time where experimenting stopped and things actually started working! So we've got less character now, now we're seeing the mainstream benefits from the '90s trials and errors

"actually started working" ? :shock: Tell that to the guy on the £2500 carbon 29er I completely humiliated today ... on a £40 bike that "doesn't work".

But yes, without all the trial and error of the 90s, we wouldn't be where we are today. Then again some of the experiments actually produced good results but never went mainstream.

 

[dyna-ti]

I too do see around '97 (maybe personally I'd say up to '99 now) as a time where experimenting stopped and things actually started working! So we've got less character now, now we're seeing the mainstream benefits from the '90s trials and errors

"actually started working" ? :shock: Tell that to the guy on the £2500 carbon 29er I completely humiliated today ... on a £40 bike that "doesn't work".

But yes, without all the trial and error of the 90s, we wouldn't be where we are today. Then again some of the experiments actually produced good results but never went mainstream.

Once past a couple of them while i was wearing wellingtons and a sailing jacket [was fitter then] ,but i forced a grin on the way past

 

[Carlos]

I too do see around '97 (maybe personally I'd say up to '99 now) as a time where experimenting stopped and things actually started working! So we've got less character now, now we're seeing the mainstream benefits from the '90s trials and errors

"actually started working" ? :shock: Tell that to the guy on the £2500 carbon 29er I completely humiliated today ... on a £40 bike that "doesn't work".

We're talking bikes here, not legs

 

[CAPIN]

I too do see around '97 (maybe personally I'd say up to '99 now) as a time where experimenting stopped and things actually started working! So we've got less character now, now we're seeing the mainstream benefits from the '90s trials and errors

"actually started working" ? :shock: Tell that to the guy on the £2500 carbon 29er I completely humiliated today ... on a £40 bike that "doesn't work".

We're talking bikes here, not legs

 

[bluedazzler]

Retro for me, is anything before disc brakes became standard. I know a few early downhill bikes had them and there were also some old prototypes BITD, but before every new bike had them. that for me marks the period between modern and retro, some frames have disc tabs and canti bosses, these I consider almost retro but not quite... if anyone can pin the year down, I'm guessing.....95, 96... were the cross over years

 

[Raging_Bulls]

Actually discs only became common in the mid-00's. When I bought my first Bulls in 2004, there were barely any bikes with discs at the LBS. Half of the bikes had disc tabs, but only the really expensive ones actually had discs.

When I bought my C'Dale F6 in 2007 just about every bike there had disc tabs. Only about half of them actually had discs.

When I bought my Copperhead in august 2011, I was actually looking for a quality bike with Vees. However I simply couldn't find one because ALL the MTBs had discs.

So disc brakes as standard ... I'd put that point at 2007-2008.

 

[CAPIN]

Thats true. In 2000, only top models had discs.

 

[JeRkY]

I think I must have the newest bike to of won a BOTM so far to date. And it falls the wrong side of the split.