My dream bike was a Dean Ti with all the trimmings as seen in MBA magazine. My realistic dream was a XC Pro equipped Orange Clockwork as seen in Sunset Cycles and the Stif ads.
My first was a 1990 Marin Palisades.
I still have it, altohugh it's now a drop bar tourer, something it does better as the frame was a little too large. I've ridden it on 4 continents in the intervening 28 years and done two tours on it this year.
So many to choose from but the year was definitely 1988 when i had to ditch my DP Firebird Freestyler bmx and move to mountain bikes. I was lucky to have some great bikes shops near me like Dentons, M.Steels and Hardistys and the best frame builder's Dave Yates in Willington Quay.
Dentons had the Marin Pine Mountain and the Muddy Fox Explorer and i used to do my mams head in most weekends by taking her there and trying to get her to buy one of them, never worked
But later on the bike i first seen where i just stood and stared and just wanted it so much and still do to this day and always will until i own one is thee Dave Yates Vulcan elevated chainstay bike, M. Steels on park view in Whitley bay was the shop where it was proudly on display, want one want one want one
I wanted a 1990/1 Marin Pine Mountain, dreamed about the Marin Team Titanium, but, could only afford the Muirwoods. And then I saw a review on a Bradbury era Manitou in Mountain Biker magazine, May 1991 edition