# Most Beautiful Bike You Have Ever Seen?



## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

Someone posted a similar thread in "general" and I posted here the ugly bike thread, so, I thought perhaps it might be fitting we could post the most beautiful bike you have seen.

Mountain Goat get my vote with those old school underwater sea scenes I've seen painted on MG's...its almost a shame to ride the bike as its such a beautiful work of art. One of these underwater Goats like what I just described actually sold on ebay a couple years ago locally here in my town.

Would have loved to have it, on the other hand, I would be afraid to ride it 

Sorry no pics.


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## proto2000 (Jan 27, 2007)

That would be mine...all of them! Well maybe not the Raleigh Edge, it's kinda ugly.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

There are far too many bikes to pick just one to be the ultimate for me. I don't even know where to begin.


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## rigidftw (Mar 21, 2010)

Rumpfy said:


> There are far too many bikes to pick just one to be the ultimate for me. I don't even know where to begin.


dito.


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## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

Well, I ment in terms of paint schemes, I have yeto see to many bikes painted as nice as a cmountain goat unless it was a one off custom paint job.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

I posted this in that other thread because I felt that it was so iconic of a bike, so much about bikes today owe a debt of gratitude to the Nitro, from the V-brakes to the carbon to the organic forms to the 4-5" travel set up. Sure things have progressed past this bike, but place it next to a current carbon trail bike and they are so close.

Beauty as defined by the function begat form in this case.

Oh and of course the mountain goat deluxe with any of the myriad of crazy paint jobs available. The slender pipes and the fat paint. Gorgeous! Wish I had a better picture of my friends MG deluxe. Painted to match pump, fork, and stem (sadly stolen, but here he is at Banff National Park in the very early nineties with his signed Mountain Goat T-shirt and bottles. Everyone on here would poop their shorts to have this bike today, he was the ultimate collector of choice parts then).


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

jeffgothro said:


> Well, I ment in terms of paint schemes, I have yeto see to many bikes painted as nice as a cmountain goat unless it was a one off custom paint job.


Ah, I see I see. Carsten's white feathers Deluxe is way up there for me.
DC or FB's 87/88 Potts Custom frames both have pretty impressive paint work as well.


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## rolondo (Jul 19, 2005)

That's a really hard topic. I think a lot of folks frequent here because of the inherit simplicity and ridability of "vintage" bikes. Beauty is not necessarily flashy - in fact its the opposite I think. It's the little things that make all the difference. Lugwork, welds, geometry, overall craftsmanship - that sort of thing. And I'm not one to believe that a beautiful bike by definition has to be mint. Mine is beautiful to me because of the memories it carries with it.


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## ish (Jun 17, 2009)

1995 Kona Kilauea.


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

Heidie's Yo Eddy. I love the color and it has stunning small details that make it so amazing.
This is, by far, my favorite bike on the forum. Congrats Girlonabike!
Fat Chance Yo Eddy


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

ish said:


> 1995 Kona Kilauea.


That....is a very specific answer.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Drummerboy1975 said:


> Heidie's Yo Eddy. I love the color and it has stunning small details that make it so amazing.
> This is, by far, my favorite bike on the forum. Congrats Girlonabike!


Thanks!!


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## Drummerboy1975 (Nov 24, 2011)

girlonbike said:


> Thanks!!


Not only is it beautiful, but that bike has _soul_.


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

jeffgothro said:


> Mountain Goat get my vote.


This is my brother's. He is the original owner and raced it back in the day. He did a restore job on it and it now hangs in his garage - but now that I have my KHS, we'll probably do a vintage ride soon. 









































This restored Rock Lobster is his daily rider. This thing is over 20 years old.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

Dion said:


> This is my brother's. He is the original owner and raced it back in the day. He did a restore job on it and it now hangs in his garage - but now that I have my KHS, we'll probably do a vintage ride soon.
> 
> This restored Rock Lobster is his daily rider. This thing is over 20 years old.


nice, the WTR is pimp and Paul Sadoff was and still is amazing at what he does!


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

rockcrusher said:


> nice, the WTR is pimp and Paul Sadoff was and still is amazing at what he does!


Paul used to weld our freestyle BMX frames when we broke them. His shop/home as (don't know where he works now) was across the street from McDonalds. So, what better thing to do then to ride over (with a broken frame, of course) and get it welded right there, while chomping on a cheeseburger? 

Paul's a pretty fierce racer, too - watching him get through the fields at CCCX and Surf City Classic is pretty cool.

Not VRC, but this is my brother's race bike. Scandium, of course.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

De Rosa Primato in red w/ campy C record.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

I'd have a tough time picking between these two at First Flight. Both are pretty incredible to see in person.


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## Kstateskier (Apr 18, 2012)

Growing up my buddy's dad had a late 70s early 80s paramount Waterford with complete campagnolo... it was a beauty!


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)




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## RaveOn (Dec 21, 2003)

This is pretty close for me.


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

Oof, the white Ritchey and the Potts. Lordy lordy.


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## Stylus (Oct 9, 2008)

Halaburt's S&S Phoenix


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## trodaq (Jun 11, 2011)

RaveOn said:


> This is pretty close for me.


That's Hot!!!


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## Keranu (Apr 21, 2012)

The bike in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. 8)


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## Z-Man (Apr 25, 2005)

Too broad of a question, but the bike that haunts me, that looks just perfect, is DoubleCentury's Salsa
http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/vintage-2011-pearl-pass-tour-salsa-18-a-737557.html


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Z-Man said:


> Too broad of a question, but the bike that haunts me, that looks just perfect, is DoubleCentury's Salsa


DC's builds are phenomenally well done and always impressive. He has a lot of my favorites over the years.


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

Z-Man said:


> Too broad of a question, but the bike that haunts me, that looks just perfect, is DoubleCentury's Salsa


Ah shucks, thanks Z-Man!



girlonbike said:


> DC's builds are phenomenally well done and always impressive. He has a lot of my favorites over the years.


I've been fortunate to get a few bikes that were 100% original, and the Salsa is one of them.


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

*The Pottsapurna*



Pottsapurna on Flickr


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

DoubleCentury said:


> Pottsapurna on Flickr


that's the one.

sigh..


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

Too hard to pick just one. This forum has waaaay too many choices, if I were to nominate a few I would mention Rumpfys drop bar Otis Guy, FBs florescent Yeti, BPs blue Phoenix, and KBs Salsa.


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## MrOrange (Jun 21, 2004)

*I like this one*


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

I have two that really do it for me. Neither are mountain bikes though.

My Hunter cruiser is - to my eye - just about perfect and really completely its own thing. It lacked skinwalls for the longest time, but putting them on just completed it so nicely.

The silver track bike I built with Yamaguchi is an hommage to an old Cinelli track bike (that didn't really fit) I had way back when and is the only road-esque bike I've ever had without a wacky-long tiller of a stem. The 61cm top tube - on a 59cm seat tube - was spec'd to keep the stem at 12cm. I love how classic that keeps the overall, while accommodating my mutant arms.


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## donny70 (Feb 28, 2010)

The monolith


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

The Monolith landed Spencer Owyang a job at Specialized.

Mainlyfats, you have great taste in bikes. I love my BMX bike for probably the same reason you love your Hunter.


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

Somebody here has a Mountain Goat with flames, set up single speed. I think it's blue with red flames. I can't remember who the owner is. That bike looks so right.


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## fat tire trader (Sep 18, 2010)




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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Just like Zagat restaurant ratings, the atmosphere rating bleeds into the food score...


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## joeadnan (Oct 21, 2003)

*The Merlin "Scorcher" by Terminaut*


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## 51mondays (May 17, 2008)

*Wolfhound 96er*

Great cycles. I love the Potts and the Hunter. I just acquired the most lovely bike i have ever seen.......A Wolfhound 96er. it's just a nice wet black but holy moly these are some fillet welds to behold. I've benefited from (the original owner) Eric's injuries as he's been unable to ride and been _forced_ to sell the bike to me.
I'm not "mature" enough to be able to post links or pictures yet so if you're keen google "Eric Wilmann's Double TT 96 Mtn. Caddie" as there're great build pictures.
The work that's gone into this thing, and the skill is outstanding:eekster:


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## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

RaveOn said:


> This is pretty close for me.


I like that, its so clean and simple its badass. :thumbsup:


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Mainly Fats Fat Chance Team Comp, Hollister's recent drop bar Salsa, Rumpfy's blue ccr, Fillet Brazed's white yellow Ritchey team comp, Double Century's Bontrager & Cunningham, Halaburt's Ti Phoenix, Laffeaux's white Ritchey, Bushpigs Merlin and Cunninghams
Can't remember who it belongs but there was a Yeti FRO in red white w/ cook stuff that was also sublime.
This board is the NIrvana of MTB hotness.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

joeadnan said:


>


too bad those tires are not titanium..


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

colker1 said:


> too bad those tires are not titanium..


Didn't he build up Araya titanium rims for it?


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## thebronze13 (Jan 10, 2011)

AMP Research B4..... Had one... sold it... regret it.... should have hung it on the wall as art.


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## MN Haro Extreme (Jul 20, 2011)

Late 80s early 90s Haro Extreme. Fell in love with the first one I saw. Couldn't afford it in 1989. Finally found this '92 last year. I've been updating it. The bike shop guys think I'm nuts for not buying a modern bike instead, but I've never been so happy to own a particular bike.


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## beepbeep (Sep 3, 2006)

Apart from the blue bottle (why?), this:


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## yo-Nate-y (Mar 5, 2009)

There is one (cracked) hanging on the wall at my LBS.


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## mazdaprotege4 (Jun 26, 2011)

MN Haro Extreme said:


> View attachment 703490
> 
> View attachment 703491
> 
> ...


That bike looks familiar to me (I think I sold it to you last summer, great to see that you are putting it to good use.


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## RoxMDO (Nov 12, 2011)

1997 Trek Y-33


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

John Barrett said:


> 1997 Trek Y-33


Are you effing kidding? Did you read the title of thread?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

John Barrett said:


> 1997 Trek Y-33


You must be blind.



muddybuddy said:


> Are you effing kidding? Did you read the title of thread?


LOL!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

MN Haro Extreme said:


> Late 80s early 90s Haro Extreme. Fell in love with the first one I saw. Couldn't afford it in 1989. Finally found this '92 last year. I've been updating it. The bike shop guys think I'm nuts for not buying a modern bike instead, but I've never been so happy to own a particular bike.


I think you're nuts for finding that bike attractive, but not for being stoked to own a bike you've wanted since 89...especially if it makes you so happy. Good on you. :thumbsup:


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## longfinkillie (Jan 28, 2011)

For pure aesthetics, I would say Boude's Ferraroli. 
But the riser bar makes me kinda sad.


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

colker1 said:


> Mainly Fats Fat Chance Team Comp


Very nice to hear. Thanks! :thumbsup:


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## muddybuddy (Jan 31, 2007)

Now, that is a nice looking bike.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

longfinkillie said:


> For pure aesthetics, I would say Boude's Ferraroll.
> But the riser bar makes me kinda sad.


That is a pretty one. I hear ya on the bars...but a quick bar and tire change and you'd be there! For rider use, I can see why the bars and tires might be swapped.


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## RoxMDO (Nov 12, 2011)

muddybuddy said:


> Are you effing kidding? Did you read the title of thread?


I guess my 3-D design degree warped my sensibilities...........


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## lowmassmetals (Dec 27, 2010)

Here's a few of my favorite beauties...
The Trimble is obviously just a bare frame but so much potential for awesomeness

Sent from a galaxy far, far away...


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

lowmassmetals said:


> Here's a few of my favorite beauties...
> The Trimble is obviously just a bare frame but so much potential for awesomeness


Phew. Good ones!


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## RoxMDO (Nov 12, 2011)

lowmassmetals said:


> Here's a few of my favorite beauties...
> The Trimble is obviously just a bare frame but so much potential for awesomeness
> 
> Sent from a galaxy far, far away...


Stunning.


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## lowmassmetals (Dec 27, 2010)

Sent from a galaxy far, far away...


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## lowmassmetals (Dec 27, 2010)

Sent from a galaxy far, far away...


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

I love the old bikes for their history, craftsmanship and, for their day, innovative use of technology and materials. However, modern bike builders have some amazing materials/technologies with which to build bikes. Carbon fiber and hydro-formed aluminum tubing allow a lot more artistic creativity.


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## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

Sorry I just realized I posted the thumbnail.


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## Kailas (Jan 26, 2012)

wow, some amazing bike's in there.


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## ear_ache (Apr 18, 2012)

Remember this concept bike from Pong that we thought would change the face of cycling?


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## ear_ache (Apr 18, 2012)

This was one of my favorite bikes - GT STS thermoplastic! I miss her....


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## TheSingleGuy (Mar 11, 2004)

bweide said:


> Sorry I just realized I posted the thumbnail.


It was better that way.


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## Rmabus (Jun 12, 2012)

Two come to mind and I don't have pics. 

The prior owner of Bicycles Outback has a Specialized ultimate with a carbon judy, xtr drivetrain, avid brakes. and ti dripping all over it. I have thought about a hostage situation to get it from him.
The shop also has one of Frischy's softail's Ritchey frames hanging on the wall it is a beaut.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

Rmabus said:


> Two come to mind and I don't have pics.
> 
> The prior owner of Bicycles Outback has a Specialized ultimate with a carbon judy, xtr drivetrain, avid brakes. and ti dripping all over it. I have thought about a hostage situation to get it from him.
> The shop also has one of Frischy's softail's Ritchey frames hanging on the wall it is a beaut.


something like this may be perfection in my book:


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## Rivet (Sep 3, 2004)

This


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*Hot!*

Oh yeah.


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## RoxMDO (Nov 12, 2011)

tl1 said:


> Oh yeah.


Wow...great lines.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

Rivet said:


> This


Awesome paint on that mantis!


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## lowmassmetals (Dec 27, 2010)

ear_ache said:


> Remember this concept bike from Pong that we thought would change the face of cycling?


Wow I totally remember that convention in Anaheim, what '93? Drooled over so many bikes there, wish I could take a time machine back with a million bucks. That magic pong bike was so awesome, think it weighs like 50lbs though lol

Sent from a galaxy far, far away...


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

I think the suspension bearing on that Pong cost about 10K.


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## Allard (Nov 8, 2007)

The pink Phoenix previously owned by Jacquie Phelan is probably the most beautiful i have ever seen. 

Gr. Allard


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

*Newsboy*

For me it doesn't get any better than this...if I only had the money.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

I didn't think that one was for sale.


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## mainlyfats (Oct 1, 2005)

bushpig said:


> I didn't think that one was for sale.


...and if it was newsboymerlin would have first dibs. Bendix red-band coaster = no cables...


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## Michael Staab (Jan 13, 2004)

hmm, difficult to say, but a Germans Bat Bike ranks up pretty high on my list I',m still kicking myself for not buying the frame of a buddy when it was avaiable cheap. Bat Bikes were built in 1990 and were only avaiable at "Germans", the first MTB-only shop in Germany, owned by German Möhren from Heidelberg. It's a real shame that German will go out of buisness end of this month after 26years

Michael


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## phattruth (Apr 22, 2012)

bushpig said:


> I didn't think that one was for sale.


If I couldn't buy it, I'd have one made just like it. :thumbsup:


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## newsboymerlin (Jan 7, 2005)

mainlyfats said:


> ...and if it was newsboymerlin would have first dibs. Bendix red-band coaster = no cables...


 ja ja... i would love to. but no 1 and 2 would be the first fat ti from 1986/87 and the newsboy from 1988.


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## gofreddo (Jun 12, 2010)

*1989/90 Santana Moda*

Originally was neon orange, repainted by Santana in '92 to pearlescent white; a simple "look", but definitely emphasizes the beautiful Columbus MaxOR tubing. Recently converted to single speed for trail riding....


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

Saw this on ebay. Love the paint


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

I may have voted but... Ritchey P23.


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## ScubaM (Apr 25, 2012)

*98 Rocky Mtm Element T.O.*

Just replaced it with a new Intense but it served well for 15 years.


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## Sizzler (Sep 24, 2009)

. . .
<img src = "https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4675367994_33507085fb_b.jpg" >


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## CCMDoc (Jan 21, 2010)

This would rank high










Built up in mostly black components with some strategic silver - seatpost, stem, chainrings - would be hot!

This, though built with the blue JT Tioga/Showa forks:










A bunch of others as well ...


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## ShiverDC (Mar 6, 2008)

this is my fave - the un-buyable ... even offered up a couple grand cash for it a number of years back - a non-collector owns it with a ton of nostalgic attachment to it :s


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## derekheaton (Aug 31, 2013)

I was going to say the Merlin Newsboy.


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## seat_boy (May 16, 2006)

I'm a steel guy, but I've always loved the look of these:










Though ideally without the Toyota logo and with Control Tech bar ends with the remote shifter.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

seat_boy said:


> I'm a steel guy, but I've always loved the look of these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would take out those tires before even riding it around the parking lot.


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## bullprick (Dec 19, 2010)

*Monolith*

Here's a Monolith. I rode it a ton back in '93-'94 era, raced it at the Mammoth Kamikaze 2 times.


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