# toad.



## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

one of the firts bikes that made me go oooohhh!!!. not even in person but from a mag test (mtn biking). prestige tubing(aaaahhh), accutrax fork and geometry that's perfect for me... sniff, memories.any photos please?
another bike that made a strong impression: brodie sovereign.


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

*Toadie*



colker1 said:


> one of the firts bikes that made me go oooohhh!!!. not even in person but from a mag test (mtn biking). prestige tubing(aaaahhh), accutrax fork and geometry that's perfect for me... sniff, memories.any photos please?
> another bike that made a strong impression: brodie sovereign.


My buddy has a Brodie, I think it may even be the sovereign. Not sure though, he was sponsored by them, Bullseye, and of course, Etto. All that stuff hangs dormant in his garage, except the brodie, which after about 15 or so years, is finally getting replaced with a custom job Curtlo is building at the moment, mostly due to not getting any decent power out of the rear U. I'll try to get some pics of it. Stunning paint. Maple leafed airbrushed... In the meantime, here are a few pics of ye old Off Road Toad...


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

*thanks...*



flyingsuperpetis said:


> My buddy has a Brodie, I think it may even be the sovereign. Not sure though, he was sponsored by them, Bullseye, and of course, Etto. All that stuff hangs dormant in his garage, except the brodie, which after about 15 or so years, is finally getting replaced with a custom job Curtlo is building at the moment, mostly due to not getting any decent power out of the rear U. I'll try to get some pics of it. Stunning paint. Maple leafed airbrushed... In the meantime, here are a few pics of ye old Off Road Toad...


this site is my new home.


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## Agamemmnon (Mar 15, 2004)

*an Off Road Toad!!*

I was just going to post a query about seeing some ORT's... I lusted after one of those way back in the day!

I came close with my purchase of a Brodie Expresso a few years ago. Got it used from the 'net from a fellow in Vancouver (I am in Michigan)

Love 'dem Canadian bikes!

I would love to see more pics of Off Road Toads! And early Brodies!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Agamemmnon said:


> I was just going to post a query about seeing some ORT's... I lusted after one of those way back in the day!
> 
> I came close with my purchase of a Brodie Expresso a few years ago. Got it used from the 'net from a fellow in Vancouver (I am in Michigan)
> 
> ...


I was going to make the same post too...
I have yet to see one for sale.

I know very little of the history of ORT's...
How are they related to Curtlo and Brodie?


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## Agamemmnon (Mar 15, 2004)

*regarding Toads*



Rumpfy said:


> I was going to make the same post too...
> I have yet to see one for sale.
> 
> I know very little of the history of ORT's...
> How are they related to Curtlo and Brodie?


Well, that I am not sure about. All I know is that thet shared that classic sloping top tube layout that was so radical back then. I still have old MBA's wtih ads in them. In fact, I just found my duplicates of MBA issues from the "Golden Era" and may be wandering thru them to see what I have. I will scan an ad and post it!

p.s. I posted a query earlier today on the Canadian bikes NG about pics of old Brodies and ORT's


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

Off Road Toad.. don't know much about them, other than that Chris DeKerf has build some Toad's and that Toad was also a brand from Vancouver-bike-scene.

Toad's had some really light steel frames, with some very distictive features, such as the seatpostbinder that was placed several cm's down on the seattube, below the toptube-seatstay connection at the seattube. Supposed to be lighter... nice, but it required a longer seatpost to stick in the frame, thus it didn't got lighter 

Here some pic's I have on my harddrive....

First one is the bike used in the MBA for a test between the Off Road Toad, DeKerf Team, American Flyer Ti and a Brodie.










The next ones are from a Toad that was sold via Ebay a year or two back, over in Germany.... If it was a inch smaller, it was mine...


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

Here some pictures from my collection on the harddrive, from Paul Brodie....



















Next Sovereign is a very nice specimen that was on display at the Koeln Bike Messe late August last year (germany) and is property of some one from Austria for as far as I remember. All dashed out with IRD brakes (U-brake style at the rear).





































A '89 Brodie....










Mr. Brodie in person...



















Last... and one of my own bikes; a '96 DeKerf Generation with the Brodie Gatorblade rigid fork. The hardest rigid fork I ever owned...  Still gets it's fair share of singletrack bashing. This bike begs for fast singletracks!


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Jeroen said:


> Here some pictures from my collection on the harddrive, from Paul Brodie....
> 
> on mtn biking, john olsen tested the toad. the bike was a product of a shop called mountain and beach, in vancouver.
> check the tubes in the green toad: oversized prestige.probably ultralight prestige. i have a bike built with those and it's the best thing i have ever ridden, incl.my current ibis mojo.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Off Road Toad was the in house brand of the Mountain & Beach bike store here in Vancouver. It used to be "THE" place to see all the high end, expensive mtn bike parts here in Vancouver. Going in there was like going in to a candy store.

The main guy there was Ross Kirkwood. Ross is still around the area, but I'm not sure if he is still in to mtn bikes at all. I know he is involved with cruiser bikes.

I haven't seen one for sale here for a long time, but I have been keeping my eye out. 

I did see one being ridden on Mt. Fromme about a year ago though.


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## islander (Jan 21, 2004)

Was his name Ross or Rod? I 'm pretty sure the cruiser club guy is Rod. Anyways, I never see Toads around Vancouver - where have they all gone!! I'll still see Sovereigns on the street and the old Rockies, but no Toads. Definitely rare.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

I'm pretty sure it was Ross. I used to go to Mountain & Beach quite a bit when he had the store.

To Google we go...

From: 
http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/its_the_shore_09_00.php

"Ross Kirkwood is generally credited with building the first North Shore trail in 1983 (although he says he wasn't the first). The Kirkford trail on Grouse is steep and challenging and in it's day was considered the pinnacle of gnarl. It lacks built structures but the switch backs with drops in the middle, tight corners and rocky drops make it (like all of Kirkwood's trails) wickedly fun. This was in the era before pads, suspension and low saddles. If you think Kirkford is an easy trail get yourself a 1989 Ritchey (or Norco for that matter) with rigid forks, put the saddle up all the way, make sure that your 2.1 tires are nice and hard, your cantilever brakes are working and that your stem (attached to narrow flat bars) is at least 130 mm long and then give 'er...."

http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/cougarangie2_02_05.php

"Back then, Ross Kirkwood's trails, The Stupid Grouse, Seventh Secret, Griffin, and the Tunnel of Love were about the only "extreme" mountain bike trails on the North Shore mountains. They were hard trails then and all of our skills were needed to stay on the trail and on our bikes!"

Also found a little info that looks like he live in Squamish now and is involved with the Sea to Sky Trail Society.


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## mudpuppy (Feb 7, 2004)

Nice, thanks for the pics guys. I loved those bikes...wanted a ORT so bad, that and a Yo Eddy....lol. I would love to get a collection of great old bikes.....I have yet to see a toad up here....but always lookin.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

*User "whoa" over in Germany apparently has one...*

http://forums.mtbr.com/member.php?u=234931


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

CraigH said:


> http://forums.mtbr.com/member.php?u=234931


yeah but no trail to ride huh? berlin is FLAT and the air? think polish and east german industries..


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

colker1 said:


> yeah but no trail to ride huh? berlin is FLAT and the air?


Uhuh.. and thats's why the Singlespeed Worlds '04 are held there, because of the total lack of singletrails...


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

The only reason I own 1 1/8 Nothread King headsets are a pair of white Brodie Sovereigns. One I bought locally and one I got on an ebay auction. Both came with king headsets (first one blue, second red), and both were the identical modelyear sovereign (and several years apart purchasing). The only time I've conciously bought a king headset was a evolution sized nothreadset I snagged for $11 on ebay. My 1" Nothreadset came on a slingshot frame I bought on ebay. If its on a frameset/bike I buy, i'll pull it off for my eventual use but I'm never paying $90 for one.


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## floibex (Feb 7, 2004)

CraigH said:


> https://forums.mtbr.com/member.php?u=234931


and that's the bike 










and about single trails, fresh air, beer, racing, partytime in berlin read *this* 

ciao
flo


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Thanks for posting that. I looked around the net for a Toad photo without any luck.


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## floibex (Feb 7, 2004)

... link to the '94 mba test.

one sweet toad in hamburg germany

yes these beauties are very rare..

ciao
flo


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

*Have at it!*

Oh ah, noo ne noo, do a do do do....


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> Okay, I debated going after this myself, but I'm committed (or should be) to a Goat Deluxe. So here's a BRAND NEW 14 year old OFF ROAD TOAD currently sitting at $105. Make no mistake, I've got a boner over her too, and if it looks like it's gonna go for a penny less than 250, I'm gonna bag her myself, but I do know there are a few of you with a hankering for some canadian brass, and I really don't need ANOTHER frame begging for a $$$ build around here. Unless its a Goat Deluxe.
> 
> I'm on to you, Goat, it is only a matter of time.
> 
> ...


Sh!t...I was hoping no one would find that little auction.  
The only other bike I've wanted to throw a leg over more than this is the grellow Yo you bid on!
I'm in the same boat...no more new projects.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Sh!t...I was hoping no one would find that little auction.
> The only other bike I've wanted to throw a leg over more than this is the grellow Yo you bid on!
> I'm in the same boat...no more new projects.


not my size... thank God!


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

Yeah, that Yo has got me in a quandry, but along with the toad, there is another modestly priced gem up at the moment. Couple days left... a hint, it's blue, with white decals...


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> Yeah, that Yo has got me in a quandry, but along with the toad, there is another modestly priced gem up at the moment. Couple days left... a hint, it's blue, with white decals...


Very clean...and close to where I live.
I promise not to bid!


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

Hey man, sorry about blowing the scoop on your toadie. I keep going back & forth over the purple monster. On the one hand, It's a toad. That would be enough right there, add to that it's my size, and add to that it's NOS, and it's not even shopworn, add to that it's sitting at a price that's the 2nd cheapest I've ever seen a high end frame sell for, and it seems like a no-brainer. But, on the other hand, it doesn't have the strangely slotted seattube mentioned above, nor the cool bolt-on rear drops. Plus, I should be spending the $$ on my company, and not on my needy frame addiction... I'm thinking I'd be a lot easier to let this one go if I knew it was going somewhere good. If you want it, certainly let me know, it'll make my decision a whole lot easier.


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## Crell (Apr 7, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Sh!t...I was hoping no one would find that little auction.
> The only other bike I've wanted to throw a leg over more than this is the grellow Yo you bid on!
> I'm in the same boat...no more new projects.


LMAO - I seem more names from here up against me on ebay - it's ridiculous -- we should start a cartel as all we do is bid each other up


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## Crell (Apr 7, 2004)

flyingsuperpetis said:


> Hey man, sorry about blowing the scoop on your toadie. I keep going back & forth over the purple monster. On the one hand, It's a toad. That would be enough right there, add to that it's my size, and add to that it's NOS, and it's not even shopworn, add to that it's sitting at a price that's the 2nd cheapest I've ever seen a high end frame sell for, and it seems like a no-brainer. But, on the other hand, it doesn't have the strangely slotted seattube mentioned above, nor the cool bolt-on rear drops. Plus, I should be spending the $$ on my company, and not on my needy frame addiction... I'm thinking I'd be a lot easier to let this one go if I knew it was going somewhere good. If you want it, certainly let me know, it'll make my decision a whole lot easier.


...and the cable guides are on the sides of the top tube rather along the top. It's bugging me as I remember there was a frame where the guides were on the headtube (like this toad). It also seems to have a lugged seat to top tube? I thought toads weren't lugged? (though I've only ever seen the pictures!). I WANT to bid - but something is bugging me about it.


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

Yep, the guides are pretty shweet, nice touch, but I know your're right, I think Breezers had em like that. Kept the paint from rubbing off the side of the ht. I could swear I've seen Fats that did as well, but as sure as I am that I've seen em, I'm sure I'm remembering wrong. Don't know about the lugs. These few pics on this thread, & mostly of the same bike, are the only ones I've ever seen & my guess is the shop was small enough that changes & improvements were plenty over the years. This stuff looks kinda typical from an 89-90 rig, pre-fancy dropouts, etc... but I wonder if those are canti studs or U's? They look too far down to be U's, but that's an eyeballing. 1" or 1.125 @ the HT? Could go either way too. If it is indeed authentic, which I'm guessing it is, at least we have some pics to see the lineage of the frame. Funny that one should appear within weeks of this threads posting. I'd been keeping an eye out for one for a pretty long time, and hadn't seen anything.


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## stediju (Jan 13, 2004)

Jeroen said:


> Off Road Toad.. don't know much about them, other than that Chris DeKerf has build some Toad's and that Toad was also a brand from Vancouver-bike-scene.
> 
> Toad's had some really light steel frames, with some very distictive features, such as the seatpostbinder that was placed several cm's down on the seattube, below the toptube-seatstay connection at the seattube. Supposed to be lighter... nice, but it required a longer seatpost to stick in the frame, thus it didn't got lighter
> 
> ...


and it was my cycle......i am a bad boy a very bad boy......


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## donk (Jan 28, 2004)

Crell said:


> ...and the cable guides are on the sides of the top tube rather along the top. It's bugging me as I remember there was a frame where the guides were on the headtube (like this toad).....


The Rocky Mountain Altitudes of 90 or 91 (with the Ronald McDonald paint jobs) had the guides on the head tube also. Not really a big surprise considering that them and the toads were probably built in the same shop.

I also seem to remember that toads had the seat post collar located about half way down the seat tube for awhile.

As for brodies, I posted my 1988 Brodie Climbmax(Prestige / Concept mix) here awhile ago, or maybe it was in the Canadian bike section.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

If you are looking for one, check out this counterfeit Toad thread here:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=31269


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

Agamemmnon said:


> I would love to see more pics of Off Road Toads! And early Brodies!


I posted some of my old Brodies here: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=7399

G


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

Man I always wanted a toad too...
I guess it's cause I am 6 feet tall 145lbs and a smooth spinning climber.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

*re: ROSS/ROD, ORT/MOUNTAIN&BEACH BIKES*



CraigH said:


> I'm pretty sure it was Ross. I used to go to Mountain & Beach quite a bit when he had the store.
> 
> To Google we go...
> 
> ...


yo,

i just googled 'ort' and found this discussion group. never done one, but this is a dang good place to start. please let me know if i'm doing anything what ain't good 'etiquette'...

anyhow, i was compelled by these threads re: ORT 'background'. i'm in the greater vancouver area and was an avid rider up until 6-odd years ago when i broke my neck and joined the wheelchair set(i got me a relatively trick ti-framed chair with spinergy carbon-spoked wheels- pretty tasty for what it is- lotta mtn. bike technology has crossed over to 'mobility equipment'- if your insurance company will spring for it. my 'ride' is worth 6700.00cad!). my first toad was an '89 with full xt and tange switchblades. not super-light, but nice and stiff and responsive, given the frame spec's. that was stolen in '91 and broke my heart like many may imagine. i happened to made a quick chunk of money in the local stock market and resolved to get another ride- a worthy replacement for da 'toad. after looking at rocky's, brodies and konas, turns out i wanted another toad. in feb. '92 i went down to mounain and beache's new w. 2nd ave location and talked to ROD(one of the matters that needed clearing up. his name is rod kirkham. don't know his middle, but i can find out.) and told him i had been looking at a rocky mtn. altitude. i told him i wanted basically the same thing on the newer., lighter prestige-tubed toad frame, with a few tweaks here and there. it was heaven on wheels. had the new mag 20 rock shox and the just released xtr group. the rest was syncros. i took that bike from the north shore mtns here, to moab, durango, sedona, page, lake powell, lake tahoe, marin county, etc. alotta fun was had on that thing. in '97 however, a repeat of '91- the toad was stolen! i was so pissed off as i was 3 weeks away from going to the canadian rockies/kananaskis area to shred. i went to the cop shop right away and put in a report. i went to every bike shop within 10 miles and gave out 'stolen' posters, and after two weeks i was pretty much shopping for a good used bike of any kind so i'd have something to ride on my vacation, when my roommate got a call from a bike shop in the valley. they had my toad! other than the 737s being gone in favour of quill pedals and a few stickers peeled off, oh and one of two bottle cages removed, there it was! i bucked the odds, big time! needless to say, security was everything since.

enough persona;l background, let's talk toads. i became fairly good customer and then friend of rod, but i haven't seen him since my accident. the store went under a few months after my accident, while i was still in hospital/rehaab(14 month stretch). i had participated in every annual 'rod's birthday cruiser ride' since its inception. the year of my accident('98) it was a 'stage event' or multi-day. saturday night, ascended burnaby mountain, where simon fraser university is located and had the first 'repack tribute' downhill race. cruisers only. in a word, bumpy. brakes? a springer front end on my monark kept me from a podium finish, but a pile of fun was had by all. next day was the cruiser roll and i rreckon there was about 100-120 people there. after the ride finished at the shop, skid contests, ride the plank and other contests of cruiser-pilot skill were had with much liquid refreshment. cripes, i was supposed to talk about toads...

word is rod is wrenching at a shop in downtown vancouver. i have to make a point of getting there and reconnect. i've been a huge toad fan since my first one and i have a reasonable amount of toad-abilia. a t-shirt from 1990. the shirt is lime...i mean toad green in colour. nasty. i have a 'toadal domination' tee that was a long sleeve shirt before a dirt bike get-off neccessitated some tailoring alterations...a toad coffee cup(how many of those you think are around? yes, coffee tasts better in it) and toad 'brochures' from '90, '91 and '92 as well as '91 and '92 mountain and beach 'diry mail' mail order catalogs. i've been tempted to sell them along with other vintage 80s/early 90s mountain bike literature, but haven't decided. they're fairly low budget- just photocopied regular black'n'white paper. raw. real. not corporate. it's what they(mtn and beach and ORT's) were.

anyhow, that's a reader's digest version of my toad-related experiences, but i'm not going to clog the group with a 'war and peace' version. as soon as i figure out this discussion group stuff, i'll get some toad pics scanned and posted for your enjoyment. or you can email me for them. might be faster. btw, my toad is hanging forlornly over the computer i'm typing this on, repleat with the dirt from my last rides. it's waiting patiently for me to walk/ride again. i don't want to disappoint it! ;o) HOPE YOU WAS MILDLY ENTERTAINED/LEARNED SOMETHING. maybe go for a ride for me one day, when you don't quite feel like going for one. peace all.


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

Yo Jimbotoad,

Welcome to the group and thanks for your story; its very compelling on many levels. 
I hear you about the cost of chairs today. I chat with a bunch of racing chair guys when I'm out on my road bike and those things are nicely decked out: ti, Corima wheels, etc.

Toads were always an unattainable cool. I tried to buy one back in 88 or 89, but it was too much cash for an 18-19 year old, and Rod didn't cut shop guys from the East much of a deal. Ended up buying a Brodie Climbmax (see it here) which started my Brodie addiction.

I would love to see the old catalogues from M&B, and the toad info. Please get some scans done and post them, or if you want to do photocopies, send me an e-mail and I'll gladly get you back for the postage.

Best,

Geoff


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

could you get us a pic of that dirty and sweet toad?


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Thanks for posting! It was interesting to read your story, and the story of your two Toads. I was around back in those days too, but couldn't afford to spend that much on a mtn bike, but always wanted one.

Like the others have mentioned, it would be great to see scans of the old litrature and photos of your Toad.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

*Toad Jpegs And Scans...*



CraigH said:


> Thanks for posting! It was interesting to read your story, and the story of your two Toads. I was around back in those days too, but couldn't afford to spend that much on a mtn bike, but always wanted one.
> 
> Like the others have mentioned, it would be great to see scans of the old litrature and photos of your Toad.


hey folks,

thanks for the words. please bear with me, as i've seemed to have lost access to scans i had (seems to be xp service pack 2 'update' related) . i hope i can recover that stuff cuz it was a bit of a job scanning the pages of the 'dirty mail' order catalogs, as well as the toad catalogs. this group is a great 'catalyst' for tracking down rod and find out exactly what happened.

speaking of toad-abilia, i forgot to mention a couple other bits i have somewhere in this place- two 'team toad/mtn.& beach racing jerseys, one black, green and white and the 'newer' one, blue, green and white. the second one has never been worn and still has its original tags!!!! one for the museum, eh? pretty damn slick...

yah, toads weren't cheap, by any stretch. if it weren't for that 'windfall' the stock market graced me with (the vse gaveth and tooketh away!), i'da been riding a rm blizzard, or something. not that i'm saying blizzards are bad bikes- quite the opposite- i liked'em, but toads come in at a different price point(as customs do). how's this- i still have the sales receipt/'build sheet' for the toad- it's hanging under a photo under a picture of me and it, down somewhere in moab! i dug it out going through old receipts and figured it'd be good for a chuckle.

anyhow, i'll see what i can do about getting some 'toad-porn' posted. hang tough! ;o)


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## whoarrior (Jan 10, 2005)

CraigH said:


> https://forums.mtbr.com/member.php?u=234931


I lost my password and don't know with which mailaddress i registered here.  
Here is a pic of my Toad and the green Toad from the top of the thread.



click to enlarge

The pic was shot a month ago after playing in the dirt with some other retro dudes.


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

whoarrior said:


> The pic was shot a month ago after playing in the dirt with some other retro dudes.


Whoa... you dirty pervert!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

whoarrior said:


> I lost my password and don't know with which mailaddress i registered here.
> Here is a pic of my Toad and the green Toad from the top of the thread.
> 
> 
> ...


Love OR Toads...thats now the next one on the list for me!


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

Is it me, or has this picture disappeared? Can't see with any browser. Hate to miss the Toads...


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

Aye, same here. Fiddlesticks...


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

GonaSovereign said:


> Is it me, or has this picture disappeared? Can't see with any browser. Hate to miss the Toads...


Click on the red 'X' and a new browser should pop up with the dirty Toads!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

full size Toad image link


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Just found out that I have been wrong all these years. Rod the bike store owner & Ross the trail builder are two different guys.

Sorry to both for the mistake.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Found a scan of an ad for Off Road Toad from Oct. 88 over on the German site that takes about the bikes.


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## robinmiller (May 31, 2005)

^^ Cool. I used to stop by Mountain and Beach Cycles back in the early '90's with my friend on our way to ride the UBC Endowment Land trails. That store was in the worst part of town but had the coolest bikes


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## Aurora Borealis (Jan 6, 2006)

*Thanks for sharing*

Am brand new to this forum site, but just read your tales, and wanted to thank you for sharing. Great memories... very humorous. I lived over near Mountain and Beach from '92-94 and with my boyfriend at the time we were in that place at least every other week, salivating over all the parts (titanium was just taking off then) and the bikes... o the bikes... Toads, Merlins, Kleins.. Brodies... sigh... Never could afford one at the time, but they were beautiful to look at and dream.

Although your Toad is hung up at the moment I do hope you get out in your chair. You sound like a dynamo yet! Life on a bike is grand, but life in general is still pretty good. Look forward to more of your stories.

I actually posted recently on craigslist for an old Brodie-- and within hours had received 2 emails in reply. Am pretty excited to go check out an '89 climbMax and a '93 Sovereign frame. I hope one of them pans out and I can finally own my very first, very own Brodie.

Take care. Hope to read more from you.



jimbotoad said:


> yo,
> 
> i just googled 'ort' and found this discussion group. never done one, but this is a dang good place to start. please let me know if i'm doing anything what ain't good 'etiquette'...
> 
> ...


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

I actually posted recently on craigslist for an old Brodie-- and within hours had received 2 emails in reply. Am pretty excited to go check out an '89 climbMax and a '93 Sovereign frame. I hope one of them pans out and I can finally own my very first said:


> Vancouver Craigslist? Once again I regret living in the East. Please let us know about the bikes. I rue the day I sold my '89 ClimbMax.
> 
> g


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## offroadtoad (Apr 15, 2006)

*Here is a picture of my Toad*

And me trying to squeeze into my old race jersey. Good thing spandex stretches.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

offroadtoad said:


> And me trying to squeeze into my old race jersey. Good thing spandex stretches.


Sweeet.
I've not seen any new pictures of Toads in a while.

Still have yet to see one come down the line for sale.


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Still have yet to see one come down the line for sale.


Get in line bro! Since Im in the Netherlands and we have more of the same weather as in the Vancouver area, I feel I have more obligation to the first up for sale than you ... hardly ever seing rain!


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Jeroen, do you still have the photos linked in your posts? 
Since MTBR closed down the old Photo Gallery your photo links are broken.


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## j333ssa (Oct 12, 2004)

Yup - would love a Toad myself - especially in the green. Nice geometry and oh so rare....

I'd even swap my Mountain Goat for one!


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## jcb928 (Apr 6, 2007)

Hey Guys, 

I have owned a Toad since 1991 and thought you guys might like these pics. I emailed Rumpfy more pics, I hope he car forward or post some more pics for all those who are interested.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

And to eschew obfuscation....this bike is not for sale.


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

jcb928 said:


> I emailed Rumpfy more pics, I hope he car forward or post some more pics for all those who are interested.


Hey Rumpfy, please post the pics. Thanks!


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## offroadtoad (Apr 15, 2006)

*Here is a picture dump of my Toad Part 1*

Believe me Purple anodizing is coming back!!!!:thumbsup:


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## offroadtoad (Apr 15, 2006)

*Toad Pictures part 2*

:thumbsup:


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## ~martini~ (Dec 20, 2003)

Dude, you NEED some better tires on that thing! Those pinner slicks just ain't cuttin' it, sorry to say. Onza Porcs would suit it just fine!


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

yup. those tires are somewhat obscene.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

offroadtoad said:


> Believe me Purple anodizing is coming back!!!!:thumbsup:


There might be such a thing as too much purple. IMHO, it looked better before with a mix of purple in with the black and silver and knobby tires on it.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

GonaSovereign said:


> Hey Rumpfy, please post the pics. Thanks!


Uh well....I can, but to be quite honest...none of the pictures are any better than what he already posted.
Decent pictures and a clean bike are two things not to be found here.


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## TiLite (Feb 3, 2004)

eschew obfuscation. Did you pick this up in some high school english class?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

TiLite said:


> eschew obfuscation. Did you pick this up in some high school english class?


About the only thing I remember from high school.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

*brodies, toads, rockys, etc- pic for pleasure!*

been a long time since i, or anybody's been sniffing around here, so i thought i'd throw up a pic or two, as i finally got my collection photographed together- lotsa canuck bikes. from left to right are, 89 brodie climbax, '90 brodie catalyst, '92 offroad toad, '93 offroad toad, '91 rm summit, '91 rm experience, '91 rm stratos, '84 rm fat city flyer, '91 rm blizzard- chromed frame, '91 kona explosif, '91 bridgestone mb-0, etc. i also have another 93/94 toad that's stripped down of parts and waiting for paint. anna 1998 dekerf generation that's just a frame, also waiting for resto. i have pics of each, individually, but this covers many birds with a couple stones and makes for a cool 'open-air' bike shop effect? i'm still having a gas with these steeds even though i can't ride a single one. go figure...RIDE!


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## mudpuppy (Feb 7, 2004)

OH...

MY....

GOD.....

/bow


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

I like that spread!


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## 95bonty (Oct 6, 2004)

*since we're reanimating...*

scanned these whilst back in the UK over xmas, sourced from Mountain Biker July 1991...might be of interest to a few toad lovers, tho sadly lacking much in the way of pictures.


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

jimbotoad said:


> ....lotsa canuck bikes. ......


You don't say. I guess I can retire my signature line now.


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## j333ssa (Oct 12, 2004)

Darn it. If I could find the darn correct colour green to match the ORT green then I'd get mine resprayed and re-stickered.


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

jimbotoad said:


>


argh. please re-host.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

whereabouts are you? if you're in the lower mainland, you can get it powder-coated the correct team toad green at rainbow powdercoating in coquitlam. fairly reasonable, too. they walnut-shell-blast the old paint and powdercoat for about 125.00-ish, if i remember correctly. for 'real paint', either toxic harold or a guy up in squamish, who's name escapes me at the moment, both have worked on toads. as far as decals- i have a set that i need to get duplicated. i need to find somebody in the greater vancouver area that does decals. i'll get a bunch of both black decals and white ones made up and sell them to all interested parties. they are the 'newer' toad design- post-1990. if i manage to get them dupe'd, i'll post the fact, if i can?

if you're not in the b.c. area, i'll see if i can get a hold of rod or even take my toad green toad to my local lordco and have them scan the frame to get a code- cool technology i've used for getting old coke pop machines and dispensers, etc restored.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

*fixed. and then some...*

sorry. i'm new to image hosting, etc and the host service i used was kind of bogus. needless to say, i tweaked the pics i had to fit mtbr guidelines/limits and i'm shootemin' in direct, with a few extra for slightly better detail. i'm learning...slowly! enjoy the shots


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

nice collection of canadian metal. was that summit on craigslist a few weeks ago? i was too late, evidently.

huh, i remember racing with chuck kohler (ex toad racer mentioned in that article) way back when. i wonder what ronnie haws is up to. quite the character.


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

yah, thanks. a few years in the making. i can't ride, so i collect. i am having fun and hooking up with people who have the same interest and experience. yah, the summit was from c/l. that was a score. best part was, it was 10 minutes away. i think i'm trying to collect most of the entire 90/91/92 rm line up. at least, equipe and up. i think i'm halfway there? still need an equipe, tantalus, wedge, thunderbolt/ti-bolt and a team, i think?

so, you are local if you've raced with hawes and kohler? i really do have to get a hold of rod and catch up. i bet he knows where they are and what they're doing. i never raced mtn bikes, but in hindsight, i should have. too late now! 

let me know how you make out on getting yer toad painted and if i find any info, i'll do the same. steel is real!


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

heya. it's been awhile, eh? don't retire your signature- there's no such thing as too many toad and brodie pics! i have a few pics coming up that'll keep this group interested...


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## j333ssa (Oct 12, 2004)

Hiya Jimbo Toad

Appreciate your help here - your a star.

Im in the UK unfortunatley. I was going to recreate the decals in Illustrator and get them vinyl cut in black. It would be awesome if you could at least get a scan over to me. Im hoping to do the blocklettering style text with the Toad scibble design.

The paint is the most important aspect. The colour green is kinda fluo but not. Closest I got to a match (from looking at swtaches) is Linden green RAL. Not sure if thats very close to the actual colour as its pretty difficult getting a match comparing phtoos.

If you could get a colour code that would be AWESOME. I'll PM you aswell matey.

Jez


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

jimbotoad said:


> so, you are local if you've raced with hawes and kohler? i really do have to get a hold of rod and catch up. i bet he knows where they are and what they're doing. i never raced mtn bikes, but in hindsight, i should have. too late now!


 yeah, i'm in vancouver. the race scene was pretty sweet in the lower mainland back in the day; lots of fun courses, and good turnout. was cool to see the builders / owners out supporting their teams as well. i remember seeing paul brodie at most of the races, as well as rod (in the sweet beater m&b team wagon). i raced with kohler as an expert (where i stayed, alas), not with haws, who was pro. i lusted after those team toads...


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

j333ssa said:


> Closest I got to a match (from looking at swtaches) is Linden green RAL. Not sure...


This is Toxic Harald's business. He can get you the right codes.

http://toxikdesignlab.com/index.php


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

jimbotoad said:


> ...or a guy up in squamish, who's name escapes me at the moment, both have worked on toads. ...


Mike Truelove?
http://members.shaw.ca/mtmetal/


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Does anyone know what happened to Ken Legge, on of the Toad frame builders mentioned in the article?

My brother & his wife have frames built by Ken (his was built about the during the Toad era). Last he heard Ken moved to the Sunshine Coast.


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## jakirk (Nov 10, 2009)

CraigH said:


> Off Road Toad was the in house brand of the Mountain & Beach bike store here in Vancouver. It used to be "THE" place to see all the high end, expensive mtn bike parts here in Vancouver. Going in there was like going in to a candy store.
> 
> The main guy there was Ross Kirkwood. Ross is still around the area, but I'm not sure if he is still in to mtn bikes at all. I know he is involved with cruiser bikes.
> 
> ...


I think you mean Rod Kirkham owner operator Mountain Beach Bicycles on Main street Van B.C.


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## jakirk (Nov 10, 2009)

islander said:


> Was his name Ross or Rod? I 'm pretty sure the cruiser club guy is Rod. Anyways, I never see Toads around Vancouver - where have they all gone!! I'll still see Sovereigns on the street and the old Rockies, but no Toads. Definitely rare.


My best friend was on "Team Toad" and I used to repair rims for Rod, the reason you probably don't see many toads is cause they were so dang expensive, that's probably why they didn't last long. I can remember how much I spent on my Brodie Romax, I had every IRD component Rod sold along with the bullseye hubs and 2 piece crank it all set me back about $4500 in the late 80's for a mtn bike with no suspension.


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## jakirk (Nov 10, 2009)

love the cook bros. racing crank and hubs


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## jakirk (Nov 10, 2009)

not 100% sure but I think some of the toads were powder coated


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## Funrover (Oct 4, 2006)

So Cool!!


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## whoarrior (Jan 10, 2005)

Some old pics of my toad and 1 mba scan.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

I want that bike!


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

Me too! I always liked the one in the MBA scan, had that seatpost clamp under the top tube.


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

Was the Accutrax fork standard equipment on the Toads?


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

muddybuddy said:


> Was the Accutrax fork standard equipment on the Toads?


 I think so.


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## whoarrior (Jan 10, 2005)

My Toad came as frame only, but all early 90s Toads i saw before had Answer forks (Manitou or Accutrax) so i bought an Accutrax for it.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

looks good with the accutrax.


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## rismtb (Dec 11, 2012)

Jimbo I am surprised that you haven't informed the vintage set why Toads are so elusive........I think I heard there were only 65 total including the 4 horny toads that there are 3 surviving in Vancouver {Rod owns 2} They were all made in small patches over the years by Derek Bailey, Dekerf,Toby, Rocky mountain and perhaps more. I first met Rod Kirkham{not Ross Kirkwood the trail builder pioneer} **** can't place year perhaps 82-83. He was renting a small shop on main st and around 18th st . He had a motorcycle repair business and loved cruisers. In the window he had hung the very first Toad. It was a square tube slopping top tube frame that was painted a crazy lime green. That caught our eye and went around back to talk to the mechanic who was in the middle of tuning up a motorcycle. Friendly as ever we talked about the frame and he said he welded it and wanted to start building mountain bikes. The next time we went by his little store he had cleaned it out of moto's and was selling high end mountain bikes and parts. Over the years Rod's shop moved around and he always had the cream of the crop of the day. Ritchey's Brezzers, Potts, Salsa, rocky fillet bikes. Maybe that's why not too many toads were built, his selection of other high end bikes was too good. I would say the nicest toads were the fillet Derek Bailey early ones. We would always see them at races painted the cool lime green. Haw's man and Chuck K and others were always there for fun and entertainment. Rod put on quite a few races back in the day. He is the supreme chief commander of the fledging cruiser gang in Vancouver. Ronnie Haws is in Rossland BC, Chuck Koeler is living in burnaby, Ross Kirkwood is in sqish and Rod Kirkham is working with Simon downtown. He does want to bring back the toad but that's a big undertaking. The Lime green sloping downtube were the coolest back in the day of Toadal Domination.
PS Ken Legge never made any toad frames he was a hack


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

Oh man, rob, yer bringing back an oldie, eh? you probably have a much better take on those early daze than i did- i was a 'late bloomer' and didn't starting riding 'til '85 and seriously(first used toad) in 1990. also, being out in the valley, i didn't see all the exotic stuff at mtn 'n' beach nor deep cove. i'da had that first toad much sooner if i'da walked into one of those 'candy stores'. i was still shaking my roadie roots, anyways...

i thought i asked rod about 10 years ago and i recollect he said he had about 150 made, total and about a third went to europe. he said he was having problems with his european distributor because 'toads were too expensive'! same price as a goat wtr and a number of top-end fillet-brazed frames with bigger names, so again, not many sold. i bet tom ritchey could have brazed that many frames in a few weeks! oh, and rod mentioned 9 horny toads were made and most cracked like a...(fill in 'famously fragile frame' here).

haws the ginger with purple/red or blue-dyed hair flying out behind his helmet- whether he was racing or couriering- quite a sight and no mistake who it was! chuck kohler and darren, who worked at mtn 'n' beach- TEAM TOAD! mighta been a couple others?

yes, derek bailey, chris dekerf and then toby were toad frame builders. wasn't sure about ken legge- thought i read that somewhere on the internet. so, ken legge is/was the 'kenny banya' of bicycle frame-builders? that's funny- can i use that?

one of my resolutions for 2015 is to get some toads back together as they've been painted by toxik harald- they just need build-schemes and assembly.


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## RFAK (Dec 9, 2011)

hi
since this thread has been resurrected. 
here's one of mine.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

One of my goals is to get a Toad. Period.


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## RFAK (Dec 9, 2011)

hi
here's another of mine.


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

RFAK said:


> hi
> here's another of mine.


Another????

Multiple Toads...you lucky dog.

This one is fantastic...color me super jealous.

Steve


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## rismtb (Dec 11, 2012)

*unhooking the past*

Dusted off the black 91 or so and it still says "ride me". The green one is 87 and is a beloved art piece. Syncros made nice machined rings too. The smoking frog is such a cute innocent looking thing.......but he's not.


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

I believe you might be mistaken it's screaming "ride me"


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

yup. maybe even crying 'ride me'!? ridden hard and put away wet. the black one, at least. other end of the scale is the green '87. that's a cream-puff and looks like it hasn't conquered anything more technical than the stanley park seawall to get a hot dog at the concession stand! ;o)


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

New fangled brake on the black one....I bet it would work great in the East Coast woods, hint, hint.


Steve


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## jimbotoad (Nov 5, 2004)

yah, disc brakes. too bad they never caught on. just another of many flash-in-the-pan design gimmicks of the early nineties. like neon lycra and elevated chainstays- where are they now? ;o)


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Fantastic!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Toad thread revival with a before & after set.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Toad thread revival with a before & after set.


What do you have against set back?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

colker1 said:


> What do you have against set back?


Depends on the bike. My Ritchey and Klein have set back as they have pretty compact cockpits.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> Depends on the bike. My Ritchey and Klein have set back as they have pretty compact cockpits.


It´s a really cool bike. And not easy to find..


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Nice! Smaller bike will be too small! (Say it with me, colkervision)


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

girlonbike said:


> Nice! Smaller bike will be too small! (Say it with me, colkervision)


I am with you: not into smallish bikes anymore.


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## Mr. Claus (Oct 5, 2015)

Nice reincarnation of that ORD, was it ever confirmed that roughly 150 or so of these were made? Oh and OT, but I'm curious about another project, maybe a certain TIGed ("producttio" bike) by Steve Potts, pics? dig it


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

Rumpfy said:


> Toad thread revival with a before & after set.


Congrats E!

Really glad you finally got your hands on an ORT...and by the looks of it, so is the bike.

Must have been an interesting ride in the "before" version.

Ride report on current (beautiful) build?

Some close up pics would be nice too....

Steve


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

girlonbike said:


> Nice! Smaller bike will be too small! (Say it with me, colkervision)


It wont be, I know it!



Mr. Claus said:


> Nice reincarnation of that ORD, was it ever confirmed that roughly 150 or so of these were made? Oh and OT, but I'm curious about another project, maybe a certain TIGed ("producttio" bike) by Steve Potts, pics? dig it


The S/N on this thing is #172...so more than 150. I get the impression that numbers are around the 200 mark.
Aah, the Phoenix. Soon.



eastcoaststeve said:


> Congrats E!
> Really glad you finally got your hands on an ORT...and by the looks of it, so is the bike.
> Must have been an interesting ride in the "before" version.
> Ride report on current (beautiful) build?
> Some close up pics would be nice too....


Thanks! I just finished pretty recently. No shake down ride yet, but it's coming. With the OCC coming up, I need to spend on the bike I'm racing for it.

Full shoot here (though I'm not thrilled with the quality of it overall. Light was bad): 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rumpfy/albums/72157671504313813


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## onebignut (Aug 1, 2013)

superb job as always!


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