# What were you riding 20 years ago?



## datawhacker (Dec 23, 2004)

I'm hauling out my 1987ish Klein Pinnacle with an IRD gruppo for my bike club's 20 year anniversary ride and party. Kind of looks fillet-brazed because the painter filed down the welds. Probably wouldn't appeal to Klein buffs because its actually an original paint job. Mostly set up like it was then.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

One of a kind Klein there.

Cool Klein paint before there was cool Klein paint.


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## ssmike (Jan 21, 2004)

20 years ago would be 1988, right? That would be my Salsa.


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## Lutarious (Feb 8, 2005)

*I can't remember.....*

I was a messenger 20 years ago. I rode a Diamond Back Ascent with a rattle can job. Basket and racks with a soup can wired in the basket so I could carry coffee to work and a 16 ounce can of my beverage of choice on the way home.

That bike got stolen from Harveys on 5th street while I was cashing my check. What the hell, I was on my way to rehab anyway.....


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

I was riding a rasta Moulden with WTB hubs, Bullseye cranks, IRD switchbacks, Synros post, Merlin Ti bar ... I wish I had that bike. Seems my photos of it got tossed too (not by me) - I wish I had those.


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

Would be a white 1987 Raleigh Portage, 12 glorious non-indexed speeds on a high-tensile frame and fork with bullmoose bar/stem and some CST 26 x 2.125" knobbies, chromed steel rims, and bolt-on axles... all that you got for $239.99 cdn at the time. I MAY still have the handlebar someplace in my collection of junk. The rest is long gone.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

datawhacker said:


> I'm hauling out my 1987ish Klein Pinnacle with an IRD gruppo for my bike club's 20 year anniversary ride and party. Kind of looks fillet-brazed because the painter filed down the welds. Probably wouldn't appeal to Klein buffs because its actually an original paint job. Mostly set up like it was then.


What a pretty paintjob, I really like it..

20years ago, I was riding my 5 hand made frame (made 2 for me, 3 more as gifts), Ultra short 15" chainstays with out a bridge, chainstay bend downwards like on the Schwinn Kom-10's, super step 72/74 head and seat angles and a 24"top tube.

Parts basically whatever I can find, but mostly worn out XT parts since I was living in Colombia and spares were almost imposible to find.

sorry I don't have a better picture at the moment.









holding my frame in one of our favorite rest stops.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

thats a great bike, Don. Love the paint and the build.

I was riding a relatively boring 88 MB-1. Really liked it though.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Fillet-brazed said:


> I was riding a relatively boring 88 MB-1. Really liked it though.


Me too.
June 1988:


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

sgltrak said:


> Me too.
> June 1988:


nice shot. I distinctly remember the pretty Rolls saddle perched up on that pretty Nitto 65 post and the rarish black ano M730 cranks. Looks like you put a Ground Control on up front too. Thats the first thing I did - took off that pinner Ritchey Force tire up front for something a little fatter. Here I am at the ripe old age of 15 at the Bear Valley Norba National I think:


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

You've seen it before. 88 Avalanche. This is late in my ownership. The 184mm Bullseyes appeared a year or so after I bought it.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

interesting date. well... i was doing a job outside the city and we were stuck w/ rain. we could not work so we were strolling around the sleepy mountain town when we passed a bike shop and i saw on it's window... a mountain bike. i fell in love w/ this vision. it used 24in wheels, bmx cranks, 3 speeds and those beautifull Fat knobby tires. handmade by an owner's friend who was into welding and he used straight gauge chromoly. it was a handmade cruiser. 
i placed an order for one. mine came w/ ashtabula cranks misfit to the wrong BB shell and the 26in wheels were badly laced to bad rims. nothing worked well but i was hooked on the concept. a yr later i bought a gt karakoram and never quit riding.
i must have a photo of that biike somewhere.


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## halaburt (Jan 13, 2004)

*A have NO photos of it, but...*

I did buy a new bike in '88 and found this interesting record of the purchase:









Component mix included:
- IRD "Progressive" U-Brakes front & rear
- IRD Stem
- Merlin Ti Bars
- WTB Fixed-Angle Seatpost
- Shimano Deore-XT for the drivetrain & hubs

I sold this bike in '92 to buy my 'Ham.

- Geoff H.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Fillet-brazed said:


> nice shot. I distinctly remember the pretty Rolls saddle perched up on that pretty Nitto 65 post and the rarish black ano M730 cranks. Looks like you put a Ground Control on up front too. Thats the first thing I did - took off that pinner Ritchey Force tire up front for something a little fatter.


Thanks. Nice shot on yours too. I ran Ground Controls front and rear on all my bikes until they were unavailable (then went to Smokes front and rear). I have always had trouble pinch flatting Ritcheys. I still have both my Rolls saddle and my Nitto post from that bike.


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## surly357 (Jan 19, 2006)

*DB Arrival*

my old DB Arrival. I ordered it from California one afternoon in Colorado. The morning after next my boss (who had the little shop behind his house) heard a car horn honking in his driveway at 6:00 a.m., and when i showed up at 9:00 my bike was there, having been dropped off by 2 mysterious guys in a van!!! Had a lot of fun with that bike in Colorado and Wyoming. 6s XT was quite a revelation after a few years of Mountechs!


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

surly357 said:


> my old DB Arrival. I ordered it from California one afternoon in Colorado. The morning after next my boss (who had the little shop behind his house) heard a car horn honking in his driveway at 6:00 a.m., and when i showed up at 9:00 my bike was there, having been dropped off by 2 mysterious guys in a van!!! Had a lot of fun with that bike in Colorado and Wyoming. 6s XT was quite a revelation after a few years of Mountechs!


ah, the purity of the old days.  Great shots. and yeah, the "New" Deore XT was great stuff for it's time. I remember my buddy had an old Miyata that he hated the stock brake levers on. In high school there was a shop about a block away and every day we'd stop by at lunch to see if the exciting new M730 brake levers were in. Finally he gave up waiting and just got the XT Deerhead brake levers. 

Oh, and that shop was a Diamond Back dealer so I saw a few of those Arrivals back then. I remember them well. Still ride with a guy that worked at that shop and the guy who got the levers for his Miyata.


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## Retro MB (Oct 13, 2007)

Twenty years ago I was riding the same bike that I ride today. I love my Potts.

Data: I look forward to seeing the bike(s) that you bring to Keyesville next year.


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## azjeff (Jun 3, 2006)

This bike's brother. My first 87 Schwinn Sierra was Sebring red with a white saddle, grips, and hubs. Sold it to move up. Traded a pair of Oakleys for this black chrome 87 a dozen years ago. Yep, $300 blue collar POS that I'll never sell.


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## datawhacker (Dec 23, 2004)

Nice picture of that bike. I like that black chrome finish also.


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

I didn't own a bike between 1977 and 1993 so I guess I'll have to bookmark this thread and revive it in 5 years so I can post my rides.


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## cjohnson (Jul 14, 2004)

*A Schwinn!*

I paid $440 or so for a Schwinn Mesa or high Sierra. I can never remember which. What sold me was the bio-pace.


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

An American Breezer, one of my favorite bikes ever, sadly stolen some years ago.


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## richieb (Oct 21, 2004)

20 years ago, I was on a 1986 Raleigh Portage that I had installed XT brakes, Deore XT (Deer Head) Thumbshifters, and XT front derailleur and an XC Sport rear derailleur.

Along with the Takagi cranks, I thought I was THE MAN!

In about June of 88, I "upgraded" to a Bianchi Forte with full Exage Mountain and a Ritchey Force stem upgrade.

THAT stuff was awesome!

Baby-sitting and bagpiping money only went so far in those days!

(My brother bagpiped, I drummed...yes...I was a pretty big geek-boy in those days! How little times have changed me. )


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## ssmike (Jan 21, 2004)

halaburt said:


> I did buy a new bike in '88 and found this interesting record of the purchase:
> 
> View attachment 347389
> 
> ...


I found your bike, Geoff! Well, a smaller one, but same vintage. It came in yesterday for some work.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Pic from June 1988. We were not rich, but we had fun. Nothing exotic, but all were ridden hard and often. 

Left to right:

1988 Bridgestone MB-1
1988 Univega Alpina Pro
1986 Specialized Rockhopper
1987 Schwinn Cimmaron
1988 GT Tequesta
1987 Bridgestone MB-1


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## stan4bikes (May 24, 2006)

*great photo...*



sgltrak said:


> Pic from June 1988. We were not rich, but we had fun. Nothing exotic, but all were ridden hard and often.
> 
> Left to right:
> 
> ...


My wife and I bought matching Schwinn High Sierras in '86 or '87 and we had them till about 6 years ago.....thats when I got the "bug"


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## airwreck (Dec 31, 2003)

I'll have to scrounge for a photo to scan... 20 years ago when I packed my bags for Hawaii I decided it was time to try a alu bike to survive the elements here. Weary of welds and interested in WTB/Potts bikes led me to one of those bonded Treks. Kinda blew it on the sizing though as I was accustomed to longer seattubes and shorter top tubes and should have bought down one size. Have had a couple alu hardtails after that but eventually rekindled the steel love.


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

I rode a 1987 Univega Alpina Uno,in that cool Pearl Mint Green paint and Miami Vice splash graphics and the spare spoke holder on the chainstay. I added a Tioga T-Bone,Black Ano wheelset and Ground Controls. I made a San Jose to Santa Cruz and back roadtrip during the July 4th holiday in '88.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Not quite 20 years ago. More like 19.5 years ago. It's a 1989 Cannondale Red Shred with Deore group. That's me with the protective rugby shirt and bushy hair.


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## scooderdude (Sep 27, 2004)

Was riding this TimberComp in '88, purchased, in fact, at Mammoth Sporting Goods (anyone remember Mel?) during the MTB Worlds that year. Of course, over the next 3-4 years I upgraded many of the parts with WCS components, yet I did manage to keep all the OE parts lest the brake levers, saddle, and seat post.

I had been on an '85 Ritchey Acent until that time, but it was a size too big for me. So I sold it to my taller buddy that same weekend and bought the TimberComp. It had a $1400price tag yet payed only $1000. My best friend's gf was the manager of the store so she took care of me.


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## bla bla (Feb 27, 2008)

*I ride the same bike i did 20 yrs ago.*

funny how things come back around...I have come full circle and am back to riding my Yeit FRO that has been re-incarnated as a single speed...

a pick from the old days...
and one from today...


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

bla bla said:


> funny how things come back around...I have come full circle and am back to riding my Yeit FRO that has been re-incarnated as a single speed...
> 
> a pick from the old days...
> and one from today...


pretty neat that its the same bike. how many cracks?  Or is this one of the rare survivors? Somethin' about those old one inch Yetis...


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## bla bla (Feb 27, 2008)

Fillet-brazed said:


> pretty neat that its the same bike. how many cracks?  Or is this one of the rare survivors? Somethin' about those old one inch Yetis...


No cracks. this bike is a tank and so dang stiff that it can really be punishing. I drilled ahole in the bottom bracket for the grease fitting when i installed the bluuseye cranks, wish i hadn't cuz the hole went right throught he serial number, which if memory serves me was 639. the rear end(left seat stay) is juuuust a bit out of line on one side due to an encounter with a moving car, but the wheel lines up straight, just one canti is adjuted with more reach on the one side....the bullseye crankset, IRD seatpost and Tioga stem are all original. the brake levers and canits are circa 1990.


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

88 rockhopper Dark Blue Exage mountain group (the group was crap)


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

I just realized I sure don't have a lot of pre-digital camera stuff. Computers sure has made some things easier to store....

My main rides were an American Breezer and my Supercomp which I still have today. The Breezer just had a different set of decals. I only found one clear picture of my Ritchey from back then. Unfortunately, No one ever remembered to bring cameras on the rides. They all remembered their pipes though


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## datawhacker (Dec 23, 2004)

Nice bike. I don't recall seeing much in the way of front U brakes on Ritcheys. Was that a custom option?


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

datawhacker said:


> Nice bike. I don't recall seeing much in the way of front U brakes on Ritcheys. Was that a custom option?


It was. I had a choice of different head angles and water bottle boss locations too. LOL! It pays to be local  I remember picking the bike up in Redwood City.

The fork met with an untimely end as a lot of forks and frames did back then. One thing with unsuspended bikes back then, You sure found out real quick who built good frames and forks. I still have the fork somewhere......


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

crconsulting said:


> It was. I had a choice of different head angles and water bottle boss locations too. LOL! It pays to be local  I remember picking the bike up in Redwood City.
> 
> The fork met with an untimely end as a lot of forks and frames did back then. One thing with unsuspended bikes back then, You sure found out real quick who built good frames and forks. I still have the fork somewhere......


Nice picture. Doesnt seem to be many "bike pics" around from the old days. I know I dont have many. I enjoy these vintage pics of vintage bikes.


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

What about 30 years ago? I thought this was a "Vintage" thread? LOL

Beach Cruiser,Schwinn Varsity with Snake Bellies, VVA Comp 3's and IRC racer X1's

KB


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

geckocycles said:


> What about 30 years ago? I thought this was a "Vintage" thread? LOL
> 
> Beach Cruiser,Schwinn Varsity with Snake Bellies, VVA Comp 3's and IRC racer X1's
> 
> KB


30 years ago I was riding a tricycle


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

bushpig said:


> 30 years ago I was riding a tricycle


Guess I'm showing my age! LOL


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

crconsulting said:


> No one ever remembered to bring cameras on the rides. They all remembered their pipes though


What, bagpipes?


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Hmm, 30 years ago I was 12, so a Schwinn Varsity, or maybe a Raleigh Chopper that my mom hadn't given to Goodwill yet.


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## ckevlar (Feb 9, 2005)

This was my first mountain bike. This is how it sit today. I sold it to a friend when I replaced it with a brave racer. It was full xt with a king headset, bullseye wheels, ird roller cam rear ubrake, cbr ti bar, and ird stem. Loved it Not bad for a 14 year old kid. It did not have that fork on it when it was mine.


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## robinmiller (May 31, 2005)

Actually that's probably 23 years ago, but close enough


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## road dirt (Feb 17, 2007)

Specialized Stumpjumper from 1986-87 still in my father's garage
Mountain Klein 1987-1988 sold it
Ritchey Ascent Comp 1988 and in my garage


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## mdmoore99 (Oct 7, 2007)




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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

geckocycles said:


> What about 30 years ago? I thought this was a "Vintage" thread? LOL
> 
> Beach Cruiser,Schwinn Varsity with Snake Bellies, VVA Comp 3's and IRC racer X1's
> 
> KB


Unfortunately :cryin: I can go that far back. It's all kind of murky now but a Cook Bros. 26 incher and then I had a Schwinn King Sting a little later on (that one cracked)
One of my Marin Friends turned me on to The Cove for the latest MTB schwag back then which is where I got the Cook Bros. (I have one beaten up frame sticker left) I wish I had taken more pic's back then but I was too busy being a saddle bum.......


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

20 years ago Honda 250 four wheeler or a 200 XR motorcycle.


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## Slimpee (Oct 3, 2007)

I think I was riding a Bigwheel. Those things were the sh*t!

I guess that dates me, huh?


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

dont have a pix but it was a Muddy Fox,think they used reynolds tubeing but not sure,and it was a blue gray color I think,anyone that can help wid model name or pik would b cool


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## scant (Jan 5, 2004)

specialized stumpjumper team (the white to grey with pink & yellow decals). after my previous raleigh it felt so light & lively & everything just worked so much better 
. aged 14, I remeber my parents were kinda worried I was spending so much as they thought it was still a fad :thumbsup:


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Sekai mountaineer department store junk. Rode it for two years until it was pretty much used up.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

my blue Robinson bmx, I loved that bike


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## Fatmikeynyc (Jun 20, 2005)

A 1987 Wicked Fat Chance, but I'll need to fish through some boxes to find an actual photo of it to scan...It had a box crown fork and Cook Bros. cranks and a Shimano U-brake in the rear which I actually tossed right into the trash and replaced it with a Suntour XC Roller-Cam brake. So somewhere in a land-fill in Staten Island is a NOS Deore XT U-Brake :madman:


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## Howley (Nov 23, 2005)

*1986 SlingShot*

Back then I would have been shot for divulging the location of this trail as all "locals" were sworn to never tell of the awesome single track in Idaho...Today however trails are found out in moments with a click and a GPS.

Triple top tube twincable and springs; Zefel pump fit in between top tubes. Kangaroo panniers; bulls eye BB; hubs and cranks; TA rings Suntour Roller Cams; set post and shifters; Acocet seat; Ground Control Tires; Grab on grips. 1 inch unicrown (spinner?) Fork

Any guess as to the location/trail in Idaho? 
(photo taken Oct. 1986, left for Interbike Reno the next day)



Hint: 21 miles of Single Track; Hot Springs for a soak on the trail before the end. No longer considered a classic or epic as it has been overshadowed by more accessible and popular rides. The shuttle killed the suspension on a Vanagon. If you guess Big Smokie you win!

Rode this bike 'till '89. Even took it to Australia in '88.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Howley said:


> Back then I would have been shot for divulging the location of this trail as all "locals" were sworn to never tell of the awesome single track in Idaho...Today however trails are found out in moments with a click and a GPS.
> 
> Triple top tube twincable and springs; Zefel pump fit in between top tubes. Kangaroo panniers; bulls eye BB; hubs and cranks; TA rings Suntour Roller Cams; set post and shifters; Acocet seat; Ground Control Tires; Grab on grips. 1 inch unicrown (spinner?) Fork
> 
> ...


Now thats cool!

Old, old Slinger... Where is it now is the big question.


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## misterdangerpants (Oct 10, 2007)

Univega Alpina Uno.


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## Photograph (Mar 27, 2007)

I got my first bike with gears 20 years ago, it was a Precision (super heavy 12 speed department store MTB). The bike is long gone but that 40 pounder taught me a lot about bike mainenance, brake failure, frame painting and making sure you don't have parts left over after an overhaul


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 26, 2006)

In the dirt? A Bontrager cross bike.


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## PCC (Sep 5, 2005)

An '86 or '87 Univega Alpina Pro, I think (it was an Alpina _something_). I recall it had a black chrome finish, Deore XT components, and a U-brake under the chainstays. I sold it to my cousin as I felt that it was one size too small for me then I turned around and bought an '89 Stumpjumper Comp that was one size too large for me. I guess I was trying to figure out bike sizing back then. I still have the Stumpie and my cousin sold the Alpina to a friend who was diagnosed with cancer thinking that he would buy it back after he got to the point where he could not ride anymore but his cancer went into remission and that was that.

30 years ago I was riding some hand-me-down BMX bike from one of my brothers.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I was on a Schwinn High Sierra(remember the yellow one?) with Suntour XCD 6000. My high school aged budget allowed for upgrades like Farmer Johns, a True Temper bar, ODI Mushrooms and a 50t chainring.


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

*you guys had much better taste (and more cash) than i did...*

20 years ago, hmmm, probably that _peugeot_ ATB something-or-another (black w/ orange/yellow decals). _i_ thought it was cool. 

EDIT: _orient express_, that was it (thanks to this thread)

(not my actual bike)









30 years ago...










stingray!
:cornut:


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

*Specialized Stumpjumper team.*

Damn good bike.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

*20 years ago...*

A Raliegh Technium of some sorts with low end Shimano something.

30 years ago a Schwinn Continental.

Jeff


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

surly357 said:


> my old DB Arrival. I ordered it from California one afternoon in Colorado. The morning after next my boss (who had the little shop behind his house) heard a car horn honking in his driveway at 6:00 a.m., and when i showed up at 9:00 my bike was there, having been dropped off by 2 mysterious guys in a van!!! Had a lot of fun with that bike in Colorado and Wyoming. 6s XT was quite a revelation after a few years of Mountechs!


A Diamondback Arrival, just like this one.


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

1989: Racing my 1st mountain bike, a Scott Sawtooth. Metallic greenish paint with bright pink decals, 6 speed Exage. I quickly realized it was a heavy turd, and bought a MonsterFAT as soon as they hit the market.

Lets see: Avenir foam lid, avocet mtn shoes, "hand cut" Moto x gloves, t-shirt!

BUT...that bike did get me into riding in a big way.:thumbsup:


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## gm1230126 (Nov 4, 2005)

Started the year in 88 riding a Panasonic Mountain Cat 7500 Full XT top mount Prestige frame in lemon lime/lime green fade One of the lightest steel production bikes ever produced then bought a GT Team Avalanche


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

gm1230126 said:


> Started the year in 88 riding a Panasonic Mountain Cat 7500 Full XT


right on, i had a panasonic too... course back then i paid no attention to anything other than cost/color (it was green) so i have no idea what model it was. thinking '86 maybe? sadly i don't think i have any photos of my first 3 mtn bikes (panasonic, peugeot, maruishi).


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## rbrsddn (Dec 3, 2006)

I still have the 1988 Giant Sedona that I bought new.


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## yoginasser (Sep 14, 2006)

*Raleigh Grifter*


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## esilvassy (Jul 25, 2006)

for 88.
mogoose decade for sure.
either 88 or 89 Shogun trail breaker the low model one, cro-mo front triangle but hi-ten rear. also u-brake under the chainstays. I have not found any photos of that bike yet.
it was great but the rear triangle would flex enough to change gears on steep hills.

that lead to the 93 stumpjumper M2, which was out on the trails the last 2 days. Dang I just realized that i let it in my wife's car last night :madman: So I will have to pull something else out tonight.....


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

holy heckers I had a Grifter but it was in late 70s,man that brings bak memries


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## yoginasser (Sep 14, 2006)

*VERY kool*



TRIPLE R said:


> holy heckers I had a Grifter but it was in late 70s,man that brings bak memries


That was The bike to have when I was 6,it was a tank but as you know it was a sweet ride with the 3 speed Sturmy Archer and all:thumbsup:


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## TRIPLE R (Jan 17, 2008)

yoginasser said:


> That was The bike to have when I was 6,it was a tank but as you know it was a sweet ride with the 3 speed Sturmy Archer and all:thumbsup:


Ha Ha Ha I used to watch "CHiPs"then afterwards I would run out and ride around singing the theme tune,man I thrashed that bike into the ground,didnt have to fix a thing on it,next was a black chopper with the prismatic stickers,shoulda kept that one


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## rockyuphill (Nov 28, 2004)

A Mongoose IBOC Pro (with a Hite-Rite and a Girvin Flex Stem) and Spesh' Ground Controls. Man, these things had steep head angles (72 d)! Lycra covered foam mushroom helmets.


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## CdaleProph6 (Mar 4, 2008)

lets see...in 1988 for the first half of the year up to july i was riding my mothers womb....then after that i think i was livin it up strapped to my fathers back in a papoose


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## medieval (Oct 7, 2007)

20 years ago I was riding a Schwinn Mesa Runner, and a Schwinn Predator TC. I just pulled the Mesa out of the corner and stripped it down to the frame so it would take up less space in the garage. Good lord that is a heavy frame! The Predator is still sitting in the rafters.


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## demondan (Jul 25, 2008)

i raced for richard c. mantis bikes had a sweet xcr composite proto allien and a valkyire does my spelling show that i ate acid cut class and rode my bike instead of going to calli public high school in redwood city tom didnt like my mantis in the ritchey warehouse so i rode his wife katties accent comp


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## Fatmikeynyc (Jun 20, 2005)

CdaleProph6 said:


> lets see...in 1988 for the first half of the year up to july i was riding my mothers womb....then after that i think i was livin it up strapped to my fathers back in a papoose


CdaleProph6,

Just curious to hear what exactly got you, as an obviously 20 year old person, into Vintage Retro Classic mountain bikes, most of which are older than you are? 
Did your dad ride and have some old bikes around that you grew up with or did you get into biking and then seek out something from the year you were born?

I'm always fascinated that there are a lot of people who are into older bikes that are about the same age as the bikes themselves...


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## ickyickyptngzutboing (Mar 30, 2005)

As a 23 yr old, speaking on behalf of other young dudes (& dudettes!)--well, some at least--I think the history & bare bones basic-ness of VRC bikes is really cool. Sure the new stuff is really great and it has all the bells and whistles, but after riding my first non-squishy (I think it's an early 90s Diamondback ??) for the first time in many years earlier this year, there's just some appeal to riding these bikes. They're simple, outdated, but they sure get the job done...

And now I'm trying to scope out the AK CL for a find, but not too many people were into the Mountain biking scene back in the day it seems.


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## Slimpee (Oct 3, 2007)

I'm another young-un (24).

I was paying alot of attention to the mtb scene in the mid 90's and then stopped about the time I went to high school ('98) so for me I have trouble thinking of any fork better than a yellow Judy SL. 

I think of VRC bikes as having "souls" if that means anything. I almost think of bikes as living organisms w/ their own personalities and such so I see VRC rigs as having more "life" to them. 

Also, it's a lot of fun proving that you don't need new equipment to be a good bikers. I'm not particularly good but I tend to pass more people than I get passed myself.

Also Also, i'll admit, I enjoy it when people makes comments on my older bikes and how cool they look and how surprised they are to see an old bike on the trail. I get alot of comments.


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## Zoke2 (Nov 16, 2007)

1988 Peugeot St Laurent ... back then it was set up for dirt but now I use it as a road bike 
and it still has the original wheelset and cranks and BB and headset and F & R der on it - the rear is indexed but the front is friction


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Slimpee said:


> I was paying alot of attention to the mtb scene in the mid 90's and then stopped about the time I went to high school ('98) so for me I have trouble thinking of any fork better than a yellow Judy SL.


It's funny, the same thing happened to me. When I quit working at the shop and then moved up to Ohio I utterly and completely got out of cycling and almost sold all of my bikes. I actually threw out some old late 80's XT components because I figured they weren't worth keeping anymore :madman: Now I pretty much stick to VRC because it is about the only thing I know and anything else is playing catch-up.



Slimpee said:


> I think of VRC bikes as having "souls" if that means anything. I almost think of bikes as living organisms w/ their own personalities and such so I see VRC rigs as having more "life" to them.
> 
> Also, it's a lot of fun proving that you don't need new equipment to be a good bikers. I'm not particularly good but I tend to pass more people than I get passed myself.


VRC bike are just fun to ride. Not overly complicated in most cases and that means you can spend time riding instead of tinkering. I have been getting out on trails more these days as my wife gets comfortable with being on a bike. Initially I was riding my McMahon, which has front suspension, but the other day I figured I would take out my singlespeed which is full rigid. I was kind of worried that I would feel like I was getting beat up in comparison, but that wasn't the case at all. I had forgotten how nice a full rigid ride can be.


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

Zoke2 said:


> 1988 Peugeot St Laurent ... back then it was set up for dirt but now I use it as a road bike


Now there's a blast from the past. The shop I worked/hung out at during the late 80s sold a ton of those Peugeot mountain bikes. You don't see them too often now though.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

demondan said:


> i raced for richard c. mantis bikes had a sweet xcr composite proto allien and a valkyire does my spelling show that i ate acid cut class and rode my bike instead of going to calli public high school in redwood city tom didnt like my mantis in the ritchey warehouse so i rode his wife katties accent comp


Was that a sentence?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

ickyickyptngzutboing said:


> As a 23 yr old, speaking on behalf of other young dudes (& dudettes!)--well, some at least--I think the history & bare bones basic-ness of VRC bikes is really cool. Sure the new stuff is really great and it has all the bells and whistles, but after riding my first non-squishy (I think it's an early 90s Diamondback ??) for the first time in many years earlier this year, there's just some appeal to riding these bikes. They're simple, outdated, but they sure get the job done...
> 
> And now I'm trying to scope out the AK CL for a find, but not too many people were into the Mountain biking scene back in the day it seems.


Thats good to year.

You and Slimpee have torches to carry.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

*DB Arrival!*

Had a lot of fun with it!


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## CdaleProph6 (Mar 4, 2008)

*Respect*

:thumbsup: I am always interested in seeing old/vintage MTB stuff.

I work in 2 shops on here at home in Northern VA and another in Pittsford NY while at School. Any time i see a nice vintage bike i get really excited to see that someone is still riding something as old or older than me. I know it doesnt fit into the 20 year ago category but 10 years ago i was riding a Trek 920 cromo frame bike with Indy XC and Shimano STXrc stuff any time i see any old bike i thnk its f-ing awesome that someone is still out enjoying it. If i ever find something from my birth year i would love to add it to the collection.

~J


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## Slimpee (Oct 3, 2007)

Rumpfy said:


> You and Slimpee have torches to carry.


I'm proud to bear the burden.

FYI, I'm almost 100% positive the Klein will be losing the FSX. It's sort-of vintage (and way cool) but the handling really blows with the increased a-to-c height. Will this make it more "Klein-ish"?


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## holden (Jul 27, 2004)

1988 : I just got my first decent bike even though it was bottom of the line: a gray Trek 1000 road bike. Didn't get my first MTB until 1990-ish.


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## badbushido (Jan 4, 2006)

Same as today


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## Crawfishy (Jun 17, 2004)

*19 yrs ago.*

I got my first Mt. Bike the summer before heading off to collage. I had to talk my parents into letting me get an '89 Specialized Hard Rock Comp. I still have it and it has gone through a few experimental paint jobs and many parts replacements. Not sure as to how long it will stay around since I am trying to get down to 4 or 5 bikes and my use some of the parts on other projects.


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*1985 Kuwahara Siera (sic) Grande*

In touring kit...No drive side shot available


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

American Breezer. Stolen in 1994.


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## GrumpyOne (Jan 7, 2004)

In 1988 - I was riding a 1987 Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo. It was blue with the under chainstay rear u-brake. The only thing I have left from it is the stem and a set Shimano Deore 6-spd shifters. It's one of the few bikes I wish I would have kept.  

Sadly, I can't seem to find my old box of photos right now. 

jw

Note: Just found a set of Fisher double steel toe clips that I had on it as well.


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## Retro MB (Oct 13, 2007)

GrumpyOne said:


> In 1988 - I was riding a 1987 Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo. It was blue with the under chainstay rear u-brake. The only thing I have left from it is the stem and a set Shimano Deore 6-spd shifters. It's one of the few bikes I wish I would have kept.
> 
> Sadly, I can't seem to find my old box of photos right now.
> 
> ...


My wife's 87 blue Hoo Koo E Koo is hanging up in the garage next to my 86 Potts. It has been a very good bike for her through all these years. It is still mostly stock, with a new saddle being the most recent change. As the one who maintains the bike, though, I have to say that I hate the rear u-brake.

I posted previously that I was riding my 86 Potts 20 years ago and it is still the only MTB I have owned since then. My then girlfriend, now wife was riding the same 87 Hoo Koo E Koo that she rides today. I also still ride my 85 Serotta Nova Special road bike and my wife still has her 85 Vitus road bike. 20+years, same girl, same bikes.


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## ssmike (Jan 21, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Thats good to year.


Was that a sentence?


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

ssmike said:


> Was that a sentence?


haha. youre cracking me up today.


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## afxcrazy (Mar 2, 2008)

1990 I think. But here she sits still original right down to the tires!! This pic was taken this year.
I used to ride her on the boardwalk on longbeach LI,NY


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## afxcrazy (Mar 2, 2008)

Here she is.I just used her for boardwalk duty on Longbeach NY.This picture is from this winter.She still sports all original equipment right down to the tires!


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