Where are all the Ridgebacks?

[Dossa]

They used to be everywhere when I was younger, a blue/yellow 1990 601LX being my first "proper" MTB

Now you rarely see the retro ones coming up on eBay, nor are they shown very often in the Readers MTB section - in fact, I can't remember a good recent example and I log on here fairly regularly too

Have they all gone to that great bomb-hole in the sky? Is there a 'Show us your Ridgeback' styleee thread that I can't find...? I feel the need for some Ridgeback in my life again...

Hmmmmm...............

 

[brocklanders023]

Seen quite a few of the lower end 1990 ones on ebay (yellow/blue, orange/grey) and remember them from the Freewheel mag. Never seem to go for a lot and can't remember the last one I saw on here.

I know boy"O"boy's after one of the top end models.

 

[velomaniac]

Its strange, Ridgeback is one of those brands that leave me cold, don't know why :?

I did have an 80's Ridgeback before I joined Retrobike, don't know what model it was but it was lugged, battleship grey in colour with 126mm OLN dropouts and very slack angles. Rode great downhill but an absolute pig going up due to its slack geometry.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

I remember seeing them a lot in the catalogues, but I can't remember seeing them in the magazines, maybe lack of testing didn't help sales?

Even though there was a big Freewheel in Nottingham I never saw many round where I lived in the metal BITD.

I do have a fondness for them though, great colour schemes which looked very smart.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

704XT, nom nom nom....

http://www.rideandrepair.co.uk/Retrobik ... k_1990.pdf

 

[barry2017]

It was always kind of obvious they were just another badge on anonymous frames. They just didn't seem to get the attention like other brands like Muddy Fox did. And although they made some great bikes, there were also howlers. Does anyone remember the Cooler King?

Saying that, I had a lot of Ridgebacks, and I have always liked them. Although they aren't sought after, there's a lot taking people to work because they are good.

 

[JeRkY]

I had two Ridgebacks when growing up, they were both great dogs. I'd gladly have another.

 

[drcarlos]

It was always kind of obvious they were just another badge on anonymous frames. They just didn't seem to get the attention like other brands like Muddy Fox did. And although they made some great bikes, there were also howlers. Does anyone remember the Cooler King?

Saying that, I had a lot of Ridgebacks, and I have always liked them. Although they aren't sought after, there's a lot taking people to work because they are good.

Bit like Japanese cars most are not very interesting but they are long lived and reliable. They do occasionally offer a decent halo model though (NSX, LFA, GT-R).

Carl.

 

[drystonepaul]

I've wondered the same thing myself.

I think it's the memories of the Freewheel catalogues that make me quite like to have one or at least see a few more.

 

[MiniNinjaRob]

I've wondered the same thing myself.

I think it's the memories of the Freewheel catalogues that make me quite like to have one or at least see a few more.

So who has now set an eBay search for "Ridgeback" now then? ;-)