# What bike could you not take your eyes off of when you first started riding?



## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

After I bought my first real mountain bike in 1997, a Jamis Dakota Al, I remember being at the bike shop and drooling over a Jamis Diablo. That was pretty early in the days of carbon and disk brakes. I was a young kid then, but almost ended up buying it but at $3200, that was a ton of money then. Still have a place in my heart for it now, wish I could get one still.

So what bike was your eye candy back when you started riding?


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## applehead110 (Jul 25, 2008)

The one that I could afford and ride the crap out of.


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## misterbill (Aug 13, 2014)

Hum. First started riding. That would have probably been about 1962. Believe it or not, I really don't remember. I don't think people looked at bikes back then.

However, I love the nice brownish Camber Comp FSR with the orange trim. My wife doesn't like the looks of it and says that the Stump Jumper looks like a much more rugged bike. As a matter of fact, everyone else I talk to says the same thing.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

The 1990 Yeti ARC. Still one of the most beautiful bikes made. The clean lines, oversized aluminmum tubes, and signature looped chain/seatstays combined with the consistent Yeti color scheme (desert turquoise still says "Yeti" 25 years later) made the bike my dream bike.

And it was ridiculously expensive in my eyes. My wife and I both rode Specialized Rockhoppers on the trails above Colorado Springs in the late 80s and early 90s. A single Yeti ARC _frame _cost more that our complete Rockhoppers...combined.

Julie Furtado, John Tomac, Jimmy Deaton, Missy Giove and a bunch of other original pros graced the pages of Mountain Bike Action on their beautiful Yeti's every month. I didn't build my first Yeti until 2012 but I was a Tribe member, at least in spirit, for decades before that.


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## Makten (Feb 25, 2014)

I wanted a Miyata. Don't remember the model name, but it was polished aluminium with muffs and black tires (back then all other bikes had cream sidewalls). Perhaps it was an Elevation.

Edit: Like this one!









Edit 2: Ooops, I didn't realize that the image was embedded and stolen. Here's the link to the proper owner of it: https://i768.photobucket.com/albums/xx328/gdedavin/IMG_0884.jpg


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## TheDwayyo (Dec 2, 2014)

When I first started riding full suspension was just becoming popular. I remember my neighbor had a Trek Y frame I thought was pretty damn cool. Actually knew two people that had them and didn't ride trails at all... Meanwhile I was slamming some techy stuff on my GF Tassajara.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Whatever Stu Thomsen was riding... 

When it came to MTBs, the S-works M2:








-F


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## MrMentallo (Apr 10, 2013)

1992 Cannondale Delta V 2000










I delivered pizza on a bike at the time and had an old Raleigh with a rack over the back tire. When I would go to the bike shop for tubes, I would always drool over it. Never mind that it was a turd and I couldn't use it to do my job, it looked awesome to me at the time.


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## ltspd1 (Nov 25, 2007)

Couldn't keep my eyes off the one I bought around 1988, just like this one. Lost it in a divorce, proof that life is unfair.


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## Rogueldr (Jul 30, 2007)

Back between '97 and 2000 all I ever wanted was an Intense Tracer.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Santa Cruz Superlight. I got into this in 2000 on a Schwinn Mesa GSX. Used to see 'em around.


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## Chippertheripper (Sep 10, 2014)

I remember being blown away by those carbon trek Y bikes. I never really wanted one because I thought it was something you'd have to ride to the moon on, but I remember thinking they were on some next level ish.


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

When I was kid/bmxer a Diamondback Turbo...and anything GT...never had either

MTB when I started in 92, first mag I bought had Tomac winning the 91 worlds on the inside cover/contents on his Raleigh Signature, that became my dream unobtainium bike... the centerfold had a GT add, proud of place was the Zaskar...it was instant love. I wanted one so bad.

Problem was the mags kept coming, the Yeti ARC had jsut come out and it looked so factory racing cool! And then I discover the Klein QAttitude...Linear Horizon Fade woas so bonkers cool...

And then I discovered that there was something better than a Zaskar...it also came in Titanium and was called a Xizang, and if there is one thing better than aluminium, its titanium ...


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)




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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

The Mountain Cycle Moho hardtails and full-suspension bikes. Beautiful bikes. In fact, I'm still looking for the hardtail version, if anybody has one to sell...

Also any Schwinn Homegrown in bassboat blue, especially the Sweet Spot bikes.


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## salsamoto (Dec 20, 2007)

Fleas said:


> View attachment 952661
> 
> Whatever Stu Thomsen was riding...
> 
> ...


One of the guys I work with has the same s works for sale


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

This goes back to the 1950's but it was a Schwinn Jaguar. I was a little kid and saved and saved to get the money. On Christmas morning, my parents asked me to take the wrapping paper to the garbage and there, leaning against the can, was a brand new Jaguar. Best gift ever! It turned out to be my first mountain bike though we didn't call it that. Fat tires, rim brakes, three speed Stromey Archer gears, rudimentary suspension and miles of dirt trails to ride it on!

First modern era mountain bike? Easy. GT Zaskar.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

If you're talking all bikes, it was a Schwinn Sting Ray, circa 1963. For mtb, anything Gary Klein built when he entered the market. Those fat tub alus were the bomb. Still have the poster of a Klein atop a Porsche somewhere...


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## Jake January (Sep 12, 2014)

The Jeff Jones Spaceframe is fun to look at. I'm saving my pennies.


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## KiwiJohn (Feb 6, 2007)

In the early nineties? Anything Ti, specifically Merlin. 
A 95 DBR Axis TT is pretty close.


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## iWiLRiDe (Apr 17, 2006)

1993 Specialized S-works Epic Ultimate.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

KiwiJohn said:


> A 95 DBR Axis TT is pretty close.


I have frame #248 of 500 hanging in my shed. 
:thumbsup:


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## John Svahn (Dec 13, 2011)

mik_git said:


> When I was kid/bmxer a Diamondback Turbo...and anything GT...never had either
> 
> MTB when I started in 92, first mag I bought had Tomac winning the 91 worlds on the inside cover/contents on his Raleigh Signature, that became my dream unobtainium bike... the centerfold had a GT add, proud of place was the Zaskar...it was instant love. I wanted one so bad.
> 
> ...


A buddy from New Zealand had that Tomac Raliegh Ti/Carbon. He had to move back and left that frame in my garage. We put on this outlaw cyclocross series and the prize for winning was you got to have that frame as a trophy for the year.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

BikeIntelligencer said:


> If you're talking all bikes, it was a Schwinn Sting Ray, circa 1963. For mtb, anything Gary Klein built when he entered the market. Those fat tub alus were the bomb. Still have the poster of a Klein atop a Porsche somewhere...


I wish Klein was still making bikes. I think the 1990 Klein Attitude with the red/white/green fade is a bike I wouldn't be able to resist buying for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, they are selling way above "reasonable"!


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

John Svahn said:


> A buddy from New Zealand had that Tomac Raliegh Ti/Carbon. He had to move back and left that frame in my garage. We put on this outlaw cyclocross series and the prize for winning was you got to have that frame as a trophy for the year.


The guy I bought my xizang from has 2 of them... damn him  I did nearly buy one back in 2012... but I'm a lardo and was too scared to ride it, it would be just hanging on the wall...which would be super cool... but not the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ it was going to cost me... so xizang instead...

Just to keep the thread on track...


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## doismellbacon (Sep 20, 2007)

In 1990 I was working in a shop in Palo Alto, CA, and we had a fillet brazed Steve Potts, painted a glossy but not sparkly burgundy color....or maybe the color of dried blood describes it better, equipped with a Koski style fork and the full complement of WTB components....grease guard hubs and headset, super polished roller cam brakes (under the chainstay-mounted for the rear), flared drop bar with XT thumbies mounted inside the brake levers with their little adaptor mounts (can't remember the name)....from a mass market mercantile inventory turns standpoint it was not a good idea to stock a bike like this....lots of people looked...nobody was prepared to shell out the $4600, if I recall correctly, for such a custom bike that they didn't dream up themselves. But one slow Sunday, out of the blue, a tour bus full of tourists from Japan, some of whom were obsessive bike fiends like ourselves, rolled up in front of our door and proceeded to clean us out of T-shirts, wool jerseys, and water bottles. Among them was one connoisseur of particularly discriminating tastes who was as smitten with that Potts as I was. He paid for it in full and they left on the bus. We packaged the bike up carefully to Fedex it to his home in Japan. I've never seen another bike quite like it, and to this day it shines brightly in my memory as one of the most beautiful bikes, or things, I've ever seen. He would be a really old man by now.....I wonder if he ever takes it out for a spin.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)




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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

When I bought my first mountain bike in 1986 or so, it was a Trek 850 Antelope, but what I really wanted was a Fat Chance.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

Jake January said:


> The Jeff Jones Spaceframe is fun to look at. I'm saving my pennies.


My kid has one of those. Spray painted it black. :madman:










(not really)


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## KiwiJohn (Feb 6, 2007)

slapheadmofo said:


> I have frame #248 of 500 hanging in my shed.
> :thumbsup:


I'm still riding mine. Rebuilt it 7 years ago when you could still get an 80mm Fox with V brake mounts. Still the fastest bike I've ever owned.


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## Locoman (Jan 12, 2004)

After graduating HS, my mom helped me buy a Nishiki Colorado, my first MTB. It was a big deal because she didn't have that much money. At that time I used to drool over the Nishiki Alien the shop had in stock. This was back in 1990. This pic is just something I found on the web.


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## 53119 (Nov 7, 2008)

89 yeti fro


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

slapheadmofo said:


> Holy Picture Reincarnation Batman!
> That was my old bike. It's in Germany somewhere now.
> Here's the replacement, I can't take my eyes off it though:thumbsup:


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

doismellbacon said:


> we had a fillet brazed Steve Potts,


Probably looked a little like this one. I recently took it out for a spin 
Steve builds gorgeous bikes.


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## Steineken (Dec 11, 2012)

I started riding around 95, two biggest idols on the two hottest bikes. Tinker juarez and hans no way way ray.i had the the no way ray vhs and wore it out! Can still back wheel hop and one hand wheelie thats to him


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## keithrad (May 4, 2007)

I stared at pictures of this bike for years. Many hours spent on the crapper looking at it in the Yeti catalog! What a work of art...









That thing still rocks!!


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## Shinc (Oct 27, 2014)

I'm only new to mtb but have my eyes set on the 2015 norco range a7.1. Every time I think of looking at something else I compare it back to that to see price to spec ratio. Love the black look. Currently riding a norco storm...


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## lorsban (Sep 2, 2009)

Klein Adroit or Attitude.

Man, those bikes had such beautiful welds and cabling.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

crconsulting said:


> slapheadmofo said:
> 
> 
> > Holy Picture Reincarnation Batman!
> ...


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## giantbikeboy (Dec 3, 2004)

98-99 superlight in anodized blue


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## kubikeman (Jun 4, 2010)

2001 Kona Stinky. Back when I was 15 and the Kranked series made it's way onto my TV. Better late than never I guess. Now I ride a Kona Process 134.


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## pikeman (Jun 24, 2009)

*Alien*

I just thought this was the coolest bike ever. I bought it as soon as it was available.This one is not mine but one from the web. Mine was white too though. This was about 90'


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

- Klein Adroit









- Trek Y-33 (img source: RetroBike)


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## JUNGLEKID5 (May 1, 2006)

Those wheels were killer. Salad makers


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## tommy (Jan 2, 2005)

In '86 shopping for my first bike I lusted after the Richey Commando. Price was out of my range and I ended up with a Rockhopper and rode that for the next 10 years. The second time for a new bike I was all over the Proflex 857...Loved the Girvin but it was just a bit too pricey and I ended up getting a pogo stick ...the Cannondale SuperV 1000 Fun times


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## ajavt (Nov 22, 2012)

In 1991 I dreamed about a pink/white/green Klein attitude and when I got out of school and made some cash went to my buddy's bike shop and said money is no object and I never want to look at another bike again. Having owned both he then talked me into a Merlin with current high end components which was in fact an awesome bike for the 21 years that I owned it. However, toward the end I found I couldn't keep up with buddies on that bike even though I thought I was in better shape so ended up replacing the Merlin with a Santa cruz tallboy c and was suddenly able to lead the pack again. Technology really had progressed in that time...


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## phoenixnr (Jul 26, 2009)

Fleas said:


> View attachment 952661
> 
> Whatever Stu Thomsen was riding...
> 
> -F


This! I wanted a redline so bad, or a Kuwahara.










Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Anything Litespeed.


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## Saladin (Sep 25, 2014)

Yeah yeah, I know. This was from back when I didn't understand why people paid $6,000 for a bike and thought Walmart bikes were OK. Now I'm budgeting $6,000 for a bike this Spring.

I still ragged that Mongoose out and outclimbed and out-technicaled most of the riders I encounter today on their $6,000 bikes though.

Now it's this bike that's caught my eye:


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## HPIguy (Sep 16, 2014)

I got into riding by getting a job at a shop in the early 2000's. We sold a few different brands, but I really drooled over the Klein Adept. Still looks great today IMO.


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## Brisk Eddie (Jun 23, 2014)

Sometime around 1988-1990 I fell in love with a Diamondback Apex, with the smoke finished frame. Bought it, rode the crap out of it, eventually sold it to a buddy. I think it's still in his shed.


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

like this?









my old do it all bike, was good (but the flexstem was a big mistake... but then so was lending it to my brother in law...as you can see)


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## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

Saladin said:


> View attachment 953722
> 
> 
> Yeah yeah, I know. This was from back when I didn't understand why people paid $6,000 for a bike and thought Walmart bikes were OK. Now I'm budgeting $6,000 for a bike this Spring.
> ...


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## 69tr6r (Mar 27, 2007)

doismellbacon said:


> In 1990 I was working in a shop in Palo Alto, CA, and we had a fillet brazed Steve Potts, painted a glossy but not sparkly burgundy color....or maybe the color of dried blood describes it better, equipped with a Koski style fork and the full complement of WTB components....grease guard hubs and headset, super polished roller cam brakes (under the chainstay-mounted for the rear), flared drop bar with XT thumbies mounted inside the brake levers with their little adaptor mounts (can't remember the name)....from a mass market mercantile inventory turns standpoint it was not a good idea to stock a bike like this....lots of people looked...nobody was prepared to shell out the $4600, if I recall correctly, for such a custom bike that they didn't dream up themselves. But one slow Sunday, out of the blue, a tour bus full of tourists from Japan, some of whom were obsessive bike fiends like ourselves, rolled up in front of our door and proceeded to clean us out of T-shirts, wool jerseys, and water bottles. Among them was one connoisseur of particularly discriminating tastes who was as smitten with that Potts as I was. He paid for it in full and they left on the bus. We packaged the bike up carefully to Fedex it to his home in Japan. I've never seen another bike quite like it, and to this day it shines brightly in my memory as one of the most beautiful bikes, or things, I've ever seen. He would be a really old man by now.....I wonder if he ever takes it out for a spin.


Cool story!

On topic. I stared at my Diamondback Harry Leary Turbo when I was 12 (around 1983). I loved that bike. Used to keep it in the house. Can't forgive myself for selling it for a couple hundo in the early 90's, it was mint, the smoked chrome didn't flake like most others! But that was when I was out of bikes and there was no such thing as ebay.

Now I stare (more than ride) at my 82 Diamonback Ridge Runner (black). I guess I have a thing for early 80's Diamondbacks. Or maybe it just reminds me of my old BMX bike, except it's way more comfortable and trail capable.


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## TAOS1 (Feb 5, 2013)

Had a Trek 8000 rigid. I drooled over full suspension...once I broke the Trek I bought a GT RTS, but really wanted the LTS. Saved and saved and got my 1995 GT LTS blinged with red Ringle'! Ringle Stem, hubs, skewers, Chris King headset...

Those days were so rad!

.still have the wheel sets, skewers and King headset! Sadly broke that LTS and they replaced with the XCR idrive


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## TAOS1 (Feb 5, 2013)

giantbikeboy said:


> 98-99 superlight in anodized blue


Like this? Was mine, but I gave it to my son this past year when I upgraded


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## Brisk Eddie (Jun 23, 2014)

Yep, just the same!



mik_git said:


> like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## billyrayeast (Dec 24, 2013)

1984 Redline SL??? That was my bike,the thing had to weigh 30 lbs. and I loved it...that was my first "mountain bike"....dual hand brakes,24'' big boy riims...I was the king back in the day and I rode that Chrome beauty all over the Arnold Arboretum doing some really sweet tricks---endo's,bunny hops...then I added some PEGS ----I was the MAN ----It's a shame I reached my peak at 12


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## dirtdawg21892 (Jul 20, 2009)

The Santa Cruz bullit in lime green was the first bike I ever got a serious boner for. It took a few years of saving my allowance, but I did end up getting it and it's still my Park bike to this day.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)




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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

In 1994 I bought a 20" ELF with every last penny of my allowance money I had saved up to that day. It was beautiful in full chrome. Nothing else like it in the bike shop. 

I sold it at a garage sale when I was in high school after not riding it for a couple years. I still regret that. Someday I might plunk down the cash for a 24" ELF just for fun.


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## blizzardpapa (Jan 19, 2004)

YETI! Specially the bikes from the 90's


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## junkyardkid (Oct 2, 2014)

I bought a heavily discounted trek 9200, well my dad did. but what I lusted for was a trek y22. looked just awesome to my 14 or 15 year old eyes. then a few years later the gt lts and rts. that 9200 sucked so bad but I loved it.


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## Chippertheripper (Sep 10, 2014)

Seems I'm not the only one that thought the y's were ridiculous. 
This bike I actually did want, real badly:


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## 7daysaweek (May 7, 2008)

I wanted a Jabberwocky pretty bad... then an Air 9 Carbon when those first game out.

Ended up getting both at some point.


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## RIVER29 (Mar 12, 2012)

Steineken said:


> I started riding around 95, two biggest idols on the two hottest bikes. Tinker juarez and hans no way way ray.i had the the no way ray vhs and wore it out! Can still back wheel hop and one hand wheelie thats to him


I saw this post and thought it might have be mine and I just forgot posting it. I had that bike, the shock, the bar ends, rode with Tinker a few times. Good times!


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## PabloGT (Jun 22, 2014)

The GT RTS was up there as was Kleins, but the square tubed Pace's always intrigued me


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

This one. I bought it back in '96. It was the perfect choice coming form a MX racing background. First two pictures were taken in about '00, last picture a couple years ago. It gets a facelift every few years and today it's a good second bike. I still love to look at it.


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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

Had to have a Team Violet Yo Eddy, took me 20 years but I finally built it up 








Love the Pace, on my bucket list of bikes


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

^ Hey, nice cranks!


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## phoenixnr (Jul 26, 2009)

Nice! That was one on my list too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## bald dirt bag (Feb 9, 2014)

The 1979 S&E Racing Quad Angle, never could afford one even today.


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## bald dirt bag (Feb 9, 2014)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> This one. I bought it back in '96. It was the perfect choice coming form a MX racing background. First two pictures were taken in about '00, last picture a couple years ago. It gets a facelift every few years and today it's a good second bike. I still love to look at it.


Almost bought a San Andreas myself, also thought about the Shock Wave but how often do you need a DH bike in IL. Nice bike, hang on to it I would never let go of my Rumble frame.


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## jmal (Jul 16, 2009)

Loved PK Rippers. I had a Thruster Tri Power in 1982 which was awesome, but those tubes on the PKs always sucked me in. When my Thruster was stolen I had a photo of a PK on my bedroom wall that I practically prayed to in hopes of getting one. By 1988/89 I had a Rockhopper and BMX was out of my system until around 2001.


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## bald dirt bag (Feb 9, 2014)

jmal said:


> Loved PK Rippers. I had a Thruster Tri Power in 1982 which was awesome, but those tubes on the PKs always sucked me in. When my Thruster was stolen I had a photo of a PK on my bedroom wall that I practically prayed to in hopes of getting one. By 1988/89 I had a Rockhopper and BMX was out of my system until around 2001.


Still have my Thruster Tri Power that I bought new in 1979.


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## jmal (Jul 16, 2009)

bald dirt bag said:


> Still have my Thruster Tri Power that I bought new in 1979.


That's pretty incredible. I don't think I have anything other than photos from that era. I do have photos of me in a Thruster factory jersey in 82. I'll have to dig them up next time I visit my parents.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

Here's one of the best looking frames I think has ever been made. Simple, clean, and unmistakably Yeti. The new ARC-C does a good job of capturing the spirit of the old aluminum version but this was the frame I've always wanted.

The year I got back into mountain biking is the year they stopped making this frame. I scoured the internet for a Small and never found one. I even called Yeti directly and they checked their scratch-and-dent bins and didn't have any. Finally, a dealer in England agreed to ship me one for around $2k. I passed and built up an ASR-5 instead. It worked out well because that ASR-5 is still the best bike I've ever ridden and is still going strong. But this one is the best frame ever built:


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

bald dirt bag said:


> Almost bought a San Andreas myself, also thought about the Shock Wave but how often do you need a DH bike in IL. Nice bike, hang on to it I would never let go of my Rumble frame.


Yeah, I'll never get rid of it. I'm making some changes to it so my Fiancé can ride it.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Manitou Hardtail with the square chainstays. Couldn't take my eyes off of it. Local shop had one.

Also, the Chuck FS frames.


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## doismellbacon (Sep 20, 2007)

screamingbunny said:


> Had to have a Team Violet Yo Eddy, took me 20 years but I finally built it up
> View attachment 954248
> 
> 
> Love the Pace, on my bucket list of bikes


Wicked cool, Bro!
 
That's another one I lusted after, and sold some of, but never owned one. Same with all the old Yetis....they've ALWAYS made badass looking bikes.


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## shoal (Apr 26, 2012)

doismellbacon said:


> Wicked cool, Bro!
> 
> That's another one I lusted after, and sold some of, but never owned one. Same with all the old Yetis....they've ALWAYS made badass looking bikes.





screamingbunny said:


> Had to have a Team Violet Yo Eddy, took me 20 years but I finally built it up
> View attachment 954248
> 
> 
> Love the Pace, on my bucket list of bikes


Sick bike.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk


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## Rated R (Jul 5, 2012)

My first real bike was a '78 Mongoose Motomag. My dad agreed to pay for half of it ($180-) if I earned the other half. I had a paper route and every Wednesday after grade school I delivered the paper to 300 homes. My take home pay was 18 bucks every month lol. It took half the year for me to get that bike but when that day came it was so sweet to hand the cash to Cyclepath in Hayward, CA. and to ride home with my new bike in the back of my dad's El Camino. I rode that bike everyday after school, and from dawn to dusk every weekend for months.

The lesson my dad taught me is that you have to earn your money in life and that you never truly appreciate anything unless you've worked for it.

And then my Mongoose got ripped off out of my garage in 1983...:madmax::


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Embarrassing to say but for me it was the old trek 9000 series with the cantilever beam rear suspensions. Now I know better and suspension has come a long way, but even compared to others at the time it was a bouncy piece of doodoo. Alas, I was in elementary school and the LBS sold mainly trek, so the trek catalogs were pretty much all I knew to look at until I got my first mountain bike action in 94 and saw all the beautiful yetis, manitou and mountain cycles


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

Like a diving board, with wheels. :thumbsup:


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## doismellbacon (Sep 20, 2007)

slapheadmofo said:


> Like a diving board, with wheels. :thumbsup:


Haha.... So true! We've come a long way from designs like this that look like they were doodled in a Jr. High notebook, to VPP, DW Link, etc.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

doismellbacon said:


> Haha.... So true! We've come a long way from designs like this that look like they were doodled in a Jr. High notebook, to VPP, DW Link, etc.


VPP's been around a pretty long time - remember Mantis? They did one in what, 96? 98?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I never really had access to bike mags/catalogs as a kid. My first real exposure was in the late 90's when I bought my first bike.

It wasn't until after that when I began to read the bike mags, and I found mtbr in college.

This ad sticks out in my mind.









I'm not sure it was the bike, though.


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## dbhammercycle (Nov 15, 2011)

I'll have to look for pics, but I used to spend a fair amount of time at the local Ski Hut which sold bikes in the summer as a budding adolescent. Some of the brands they carried were Specialized, pre Trek Gary Fishers especially the Hoo Koo-E-Koo and the Paragon, I remember a white Alpine Stars too. The first mountain-ish bike I had was a Hardrock Cruz, tossed the tires for a different set with more knobs, got a beefier straight blade fork after the original collapsed under my 12 year old weight, or maybe it was those jumps made out plywood planks and split firewood. My friend's dad rode it around the neighborhood before I had time to show it to my friend. In fact, he like it so much he went and bought 2 of the standard red'n'yellow Hardrocks the next day, a 16" and an 18". I loved that bike, just sold it 2 summers ago at a garage sale. The only things left original on that thing was the frame, Suntour FD, seat and post. Prior to that I destroyed many a garage sale bmx; Huffys, Murrays, and others. I'm much nicer to my current rides.


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## pdxmark (Aug 7, 2013)

1993: Don't have pics of it, but after putting a Pro-Flex Nolene fork on my '93 KHS Yamaha XC steely, I couldn't stop looking at my bike. People would come up to me and say, "damn, that's an advanced bike". The best part was, I was getting kicked theses awesome prototype and design reference parts for nothing, as my friend Ross was a Pro-XC racer that was getting parts for free, left and right!

Portland was great for MTB back then, due to Portland being under-developed.

Craziness! I started riding MTB in '93, the year before graduating from HS. Wow, 21 years now... I thought it was just 18 years of riding the other day, I was wrong it seems!


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## Snopro440 (Mar 30, 2008)

I was at a race in 1989 and saw a polished American aluminum mountain bike flew by. I found the guy with it. Come to find out, they were made in St Cloud, MN which is where I went to college. The most gorgeous welds I've ever seen. A buddy has a 1989 American Breezer (cool joe breeze decal on the top tube) and a 1991 comp lite. Both are in showroom condition . Understandably he won't sell me either!!!


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## misterbill (Aug 13, 2014)

I am actually just starting to look at mountain bikes. For some reason, I am absolutely FASCINATED by walmart bikes. $79 for a hardtail, $99 for FS Mongoose, and I really love the Genesis V2100, pretty pricey at $150!!!

I am currently hiking on trails trying to find something suitable to ride on. Most of these trails where I am I cannot walk on, let alone ride on. Bet a $79 dollar bike would last real long here. My LBS says you need full suspension around here. I was asking the owner of the store about the use of dropper posts, and it sounds like I won't be able to do much without one. I'm looking for a good 5+ mile route around the State Park, and I haven't found a way around all the extreme steep hills(unwalkable) and rocks and ravines. I'm getting closer to finding what I want, at this point it would take going out on the road to get around the bad spots, but I am not done exploring. Pretty sure I need a serious bike or it will not last very long.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Cool thread. Tuned in.


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## 1trakryder (Apr 21, 2010)

Loved the Klein Attitude myself but I actually was able to get the one I loved the most: Barracuda Dos Equis Team model. Tons of anodized bling. Still around-left it at my brother's house a couple years ago. Wonder if he has it.....


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## The Yetti (Dec 22, 2005)

When I got my Spec Hardrock in 94, I lusted after the Sworks M2 at the shop I got mine. Later on, after I got MBA and Bike subscriptions it was this bike


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## SlowSSer (Dec 19, 2003)

hands down, the merlin newsboy.


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## Jorgemonkey (Mar 10, 2004)

First real dream bike was the '03 or so Specialized Enduro. At the time I was riding a' 99 Stumpy FSR and wanted something a little beefier. Now I'm still riding the '04 Enduro that I got years ago.


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## Procter (Feb 3, 2012)

Aww man this thread brings back memories. I'll try to name a few that haven't been named:

Alpinestars Al Mega:

Almega.jpg Photo by Arranandnat | Photobucket








Trimble Inverted 4: 
https://mombat.org/888Trimble1.jpg








Someone mentioned the Amp Research B4, the B2 was an awesome bike too:
https://mombat.org/AmpSide.JPG


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## bradkay (Apr 9, 2013)

It wasn't when I first started riding, but the bike I couldn't take my eyes off when I first saw it was the Kestrel Nitro. That thing was mesmerizing!


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## gsy971 (Jan 14, 2005)

i started riding in mid-90's but when this bike came out in '00/'01, i couldn't stop.....i finally bought a used one off ebay in 2003 and still have and ride it to this day


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

B


Procter said:


> Someone mentioned the Amp Research B4, the B2 was an awesome bike too:
> https://mombat.org/AmpSide.JPG
> View attachment 959008


They were like riding wet noodles.


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## Mr. 68 Hundred (Feb 6, 2011)

And as previously mentioned, Tomac's Raleigh with the Disc Drive.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

^ Oh gosh, if my dog were that ugly I'd shave its ass and make it walk backwards.


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## debaucherous (Jul 2, 2004)

*the bike...*

the bike is a 2001 Schwinn Rocket 88 disc. A great bike IMHO.
But, to play in the thead.... I've always liked the Lawhill designed bikes.



Harold said:


> I never really had access to bike mags/catalogs as a kid. My first real exposure was in the late 90's when I bought my first bike.
> 
> It wasn't until after that when I began to read the bike mags, and I found mtbr in college.
> 
> ...


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

All of the Klein bikes with their crazy colors schemes...


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)




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## Mr. 68 Hundred (Feb 6, 2011)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> ^ Oh gosh, if my dog were that ugly I'd shave its ass and make it walk backwards.


You young'uns have no appreciation for the shitty suspension bikes of yore.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

David R said:


>


That is stunning.


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

I started riding mountain bikes sometime around 1989/1990 and I've never stopped riding. The bikes I remember always wanting were...

1. Mountain Cycle San Andreas- Bike was way ahead of it's time with disc brakes, formed monocoq FS frame, upside-down forks and made in SLO, CA. I took one for a spin back in the day; it was really plush and stopped on a dime.

2. Merlin Newsboy with the springer fork- Incredible piece of art. I still want one.

3. Fat City Wicked Lite- I took one for a spin back in the 1990's and it's still to this day one of the best handling bikes I've ever ridden.


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## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

Back in the day it was a red ,white and blue Ritchey.


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## gzank6 (Aug 26, 2014)

right now... this one
Bike Review: Intense Tracer 275 Alloy Foundation - Mtbr.com


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## ctimrun (Aug 22, 2008)

I had this same bike with blue accents to match the Manitou blue. Used to get a lot of compliments on it out on the trail. Great looking bike, still looks fast!



slapheadmofo said:


> Holy Picture Reincarnation Batman!
> That was my old bike. It's in Germany somewhere now.
> Here's the replacement, I can't take my eyes off it though:thumbsup:


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

ctimrun said:


> I had this same bike with blue accents to match the Manitou blue. Used to get a lot of compliments on it out on the trail. Great looking bike, still looks fast!


Boiiinnng!!


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## man.cave (Nov 8, 2014)

David R said:


>


I wanted one back in the day. That bike is still sleek


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## haybine (Nov 7, 2014)

In 1997 I bought my first mountain bike.......Cannondale F-1000 with the fatty headshock. It was the polished aluminum frame and fork, never saw another one like it to this day. I loved the look of the fat tubing on the frames. Wish I still had mine.








Then it wasn't long and Cannondale came out it the carbon Raven with Spynergy wheels. I drooled over that bike forever but couldn't justify spending that kind of money.


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## jk13 (May 21, 2012)

There was another bike that used a similar swingarm with a traditional front traingle too. Kid in our scout troop has one. Loved those. Never saw one like yours until more recently. Very cool.


Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


>


Don't know any child of the 80s or 90s that didn't want a PK Ripper!


Flucod said:


> View attachment 954269


I had a chrome Motomag for a bit. Got it used for $30. Probably the heaviest bike I've owned to this day. But a conversation starter for sure. 


Rated R said:


> '78 Mongoose Motomag.
> View attachment 954577


Holy grail back then. Never even seen one in person. Would even have "settled" for one of the hardtails linked earlier lol. Answer/Manitou was the epitome to me and nobody in town carried them.


David R said:


>


You guys pretty much covered my old school list. Great thread!


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

When I was in high school, the Performance in Alexandria, VA had a neon pink Klein ('89 or '90, probably; don't remember which model) that gleamed with the soft glow of electric sex.


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## Acme54321 (Oct 8, 2003)




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