retro stared to tail of with the widespread use of thinwall, fat tube aluminum.... 96 proflex (ive got one) isnt retro, even covered in nice components, but a 98 de-kerf is retro..
skinny steel to me is the epitomy of retro conjouring up up images of (for me) a time when i could ride forever, young dumb and fit!
so should we have a cut off point for ye old retro (bygone name) maybe phase 1 and phase 2 would be your modern rigs up two 2000.but then again what about ibis mountain goats making a come back.
thwang
thats exactly what I think, not that down hilling is a bad thing I must add.
Strange as how I wish I kept my 1st MTB, Puch Ranger....about 1983, used to do my paperround on it . 10 gears, cantilver brakes (which were cutting edge at that time!!) , then the local 'spoilt kid' got bought a Raleigh Maverick!! So my hard earned paper round money/pocket money for chores around home were saved to buy me my £300 Muddy fox courier in 84/85!! A mate bought a Specialized Hard Rock, which were a good bike then (not the bottom of range then).
I think the Golden age ended when some marketing guy , who realized that the market was saturated decided to invent new disciplines , such as Marathon , Freeride and Enduro .