What retro FS?

[messiah]

Intense Uzzi SL/Tracer or Turner Burner. For many years these were the only full suss bikes worth riding, and since they were built with decent bearings and bushing chances are they can still be ridden whereas almost everything else will be needing bushings made.

It may work out cheaper to get a modern bike that will work just as well or better.

 

[Dr S]

Has to be a FAT SAB with an AMP front end. Best full susser I ever owned. great traction with no bob and sub 24lbs ready to roll!

 

[orange71]

Proflex? Certainly fits in the cheap and usable bracket.

 

[crud]

cheap, light, super stiff, short travel.........

kona mokoko

 

[tony edwards]

Try a Marin fs, i have 1999 riftzone which i have had from new.A great bike still in good nick and still ridden regularly.I know its not turly retro yet but it will be.
Regards Tony

 

[shogun]

I'm not sure I would be bothered with a full suspension bike, to actually use, past about 4-5 years old. Realistically even at that age you'll find a lot of critical parts for the suspension are non existant, not to mention that the tech has improved leaps and bounds. Its not like a hardtail where only fork tech and a few hangon parts have significantly improved.

That said the FSR bikes, LTSs which haven't snapped their stays or grenaded their coupe deluxes, and some of the licensed rear end brands aren't such a bad bet. Most old singlepivot bikes pedal really badly and wag the dog in a nasty way, and URT bikes are just an evolutionary dead end.

 

[DoctorRad]

I'd second the suggestion for the Intense Tracer if only because the guy I bought my FSR from bought a 2001 model, and:

A) it's a well cool bike,
B) he still rides it,
C) it has a serviceable rear end, and
D) I trust his judgement.

Few solutions work as well as a well-sorted Horst Link, I believe, but it's a good idea to find one which is serviceable.

Dr. Matt...

 

[captain8track]

re:

well, money isn't an option an old FS in sweden would probarly be kind of almost free.

Getting an "german" fs bike would probarly be kind of cheap, but well for an example an AMP is a lot nicer then a taiwanese build modern ride, got one of thoose in the garage right now.

The memorys of the Super-v's I've tried is kind of good, would be fun to try one someday don't remember them to be flexy or especially bobbing.

kind of regret that I sold my Superlight, it was flexy but fast.

 

[MJN]

I had a Tracer for a bit(hey I worked in a bike shop so everything was too tempting!) I found the BB to be uncomfortably high and it wasn't that light,more of a trail bike than a xc racer.Very high quality though.
The Santa Cruz Superlight was a little flexy but I didn't think it spoiled the ride,infact it is one of the only bikes I regret selling,it was SID blue with SID forks and full M950 XTR .

 

[captain8track]

re:

I agree that the flexyness didn't spoil the ride, but mine had a 100mm's fork and that kind of spoiled the ride. and it was a tad to big, but If I could afford it I would be okay of getting another in a smaller size and bit lower fork.

or a scalpel...