When do you think we reached "peak" mtb?

[velofrog]

Things have come a long way, and I think for the better, but it’s all generation specific.

We rode what was available to us back in the day, and now we’re (mostly) (old/ish) (wo/men) reminiscing! Modern bike are vastly different to where we came from, but to the youth who buy and ride them today, it’s all they know, and they’ll be on RB in the years to come finding themselves in exactly this situation!

I mean, who would have ever thought I’d be sitting here doing a firmware update on my rear derailleur….

 

[R-V]

Im saying 93....lots of companies with the original driven owners and staff, producing some great spec kit......weight had come down, engineering quality was good........then the accounts took over most of these by mid 90s and jiggered them. Quality down, number of f***ks given down, replacement of branded bits with " special" own brand kit. Its also about when shimano started to cut quality and the sad death of the real suntour.

I agree with that.
If i hear the term "retro bike" i imagine a cromo hardtail with rigid fork, beautyful paintjob, and something that rides like a dream. And also fun to ride. And not boring in any ways, and have tons of style.

 

[GTLoz]

Things have come a long way, and I think for the better, but it’s all generation specific.

We rode what was available to us back in the day, and now we’re (mostly) (old/ish) (wo/men) reminiscing! Modern bike are vastly different to where we came from, but to the youth who buy and ride them today, it’s all they know, and they’ll be on RB in the years to come finding themselves in exactly this situation!

I mean, who would have ever thought I’d be sitting here doing a firmware update on my rear derailleur….

It must be a generation thing, in terms of what interests. But if a cable pull derailleur struggles to cope with mud and water, I would not want to take an electronically controlled one out of the house during a typical British winter.

 

[Lostcause]

In 1992 I was riding with quill stems and cantilever brakes which admittedly look pretty but when Ahead and V brakes came along I was won over. For a while my left hand would reach down to tighten the headset up as a muscle memory thing and I had no patience for cantilever brake set ups. I don’t miss either of those at all but I do love looking at them. I think 1997 on for me but I’m not a fan of hydroformed alloy or carbon frames so I guess up to mid 00’s

 

[davidj]

I'm going 2017, my reasoning is that is when mainstream 29ers got the geometry right. As much as I love my 26ers I can't deny the bigger wheel bikes are better for me.

 

[ferrus]

I mean, who would have ever thought I’d be sitting here doing a firmware update on my rear derailleur….

As a passionate collector of vintage derailleurs, that’s one of the most discomforting things I’ve ever heard!