# Show us your dirty vintage rider.



## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

The concept of a wall hanger or trophy bike is lost on me, everything I own I use in the way it was intended (and some not). Here's some pics of my Fisher Excalibur with some well earned trail dust on it, let's see yours.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

rev106 said:


> The concept of a wall hanger or trophy bike is lost on me, everything I own I use in the way it was intended (and some not).


Amen to that!


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

I ride all my bikes hard...


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

This thread sort of begs the question:

What is the purpose of owning an old bike?

A. You're a cheapskate
B. You have eschewed modern niceties such as disc brakes, suspension, and index shifting
C. You like to admire the craftsmanship, history, and ride of the old stuff
D. You're simply a nutjob-hoarder of nice bikes
E. You have mental problems
F. You just want to be different
G. Riding one is a nice excuse for your below average riding skills 
H. You like to have pretty/historical stuff to hang on your walls
I. I just like to cruise on something simple

And another question:

What are the reasons to own a modern mtb?

A. You like the super bichen handling on the descents and love the terrain/line options and "riding freedom" it allows
B. You have thousands of dollars to spend on modern bikes and like to look cool at the trailhead
C. You don't

Feel free to add some other choices.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

A, C, E, f, G, 

Mostly G....../


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## Fred Smedley (Feb 28, 2006)

a,d,e,g


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

B (but with indexing)
C

add J: they have soul

I rode a Trek Fuel EX this weekend and besides constantly hitting my ankle on the swingarm, I just didn't feel in touch with the trails enough. I have front suspension but there was just no feeling of being offroad on the Trek. It was amazingly smooth but I was happy to get back to a hardtail.


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## wv_bob (Sep 12, 2005)

Not real dirty at the point where I took the photo ... OTOH, I never clean it so it sort of maintains a constant level of filth.

Q1: A, C, E, G

Q2: A

Other people seem to like the modern bike but since I don't like other people enough to care, I can't say B applies for me on Q2.


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## Max Hc (Aug 13, 2005)

My Clark Kent F-12 lil bit dirty indeed:


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## djmuff (Sep 8, 2004)

I don't have a lot of dirty bike photos. It doesn't rain much here.

But I do have this. I hope it suffices.

Taken in 1996, on the way up to Flagstaff, from Phoenix. We stopped to put on chains. Three people in the cab, three people in the back, and my 1993 S-Works Steel at the rear. Carbon Judys, Syncros stem & post, blue Grafton cranks, this was my second mountain bike, first being a Trek 800.

And yes, my friends in the bed were on something other than the bedliner.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

nice list. i fit all items on the old bike.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

djmuff said:


> I don't have a lot of dirty bike photos. It doesn't rain much here.
> 
> But I do have this. I hope it suffices.
> 
> ...


Great shot. Those old mtb road trips were so much fun.

I miss those days of being able to ride in the bed of a truck legally.


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## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

Q1: all G, all the time.
Q2: A, directly relating it to G above.

Funny thing about the polished Ti on my GT is that mud really doesn't stick, so it combines vanity and practicality.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

AC/DC and G all the time. :blush: I like my modern bike. It's different. I don't have to think so much about shifting as it shifts faster than my old 6-7 speed bikes. It's easier to ride while still being fun.

But.

I didn't put the effort putting it together as I did any of my other bikes. I think about builds when I lie down at night and go the sleep. Sometimes in the morning, I have eureka moments when I know how I want something to go. (Is that weird? ) But I get totally mindboggling excited when I look and think about bikes up to the v brake era (that's not everybody's cutoff but it sort of became mine) built by somebody that cared.

I think I'm a little I and E too. :skep:


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Fillet-brazed said:


> This thread sort of begs the question:
> 
> What is the purpose of owning an old bike?
> 
> ...


 C, D, E, G, H

Also fun to pass modern bikes while riding vintage bikes.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> C, D, E, G, H
> 
> Also fun to pass modern bikes while riding vintage bikes.


That needs to be option J. But you can't pick G and J unless the guy on the modern bike is really bad..


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> C, D, E, G, H
> 
> Also fun to pass modern bikes while riding vintage bikes.


It is extremely satisfying to clean a tough climb on klunker. Especially when nobody else in your group made it on their modern bikes. It is also nice to have the "my bike is 70 years old" arguement to fall back on when you don't make it.


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

I'm a solid "G" rider...but I have lots of F, U, and N.

No new dirty bike pics until the wrist heals, so these will have to do for now:



















Steve


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

sandmangts said:


> It is extremely satisfying to clean a tough climb on klunker. Especially when nobody else in your group made it on their modern bikes. It is also nice to have the "my bike is 70 years old" arguement to fall back on when you don't make it.


Then there's no reason for you not to sign up for K'Ville 2012 then.


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)




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## screamingbunny (Mar 24, 2004)

sorry this is as about dirty as we get here in colorado


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

(Ignore the v-brakes. I was suffering from temporary insanity.)


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## paetersen (Jul 28, 2007)

eastcoaststeve said:


> I'm a solid "G" rider...but I have lots of F, U, and N.
> 
> No new dirty bike pics until the wrist heals, so these will have to do for now:
> 
> ...


WTF?! Where are the slicks for that Klein? :devil:


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

sgltrak said:


> (Ignore the v-brakes. I was suffering from temporary insanity.)


Paramount Team. Nice!


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## djmuff (Sep 8, 2004)

sgltrak said:


> (Ignore the v-brakes. I was suffering from temporary insanity.)


Love those Paramounts. Nice bike.


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## halaburt (Jan 13, 2004)

FB's category options seem pretty comprehensive. For me, It's mostly C with a good dose of D and H too.

Dirty (or at least as dirty as you can get in Norcal) vintage "riders" for me:




























Oh, and a little surprised Rumpfy didn't select A... as we all know he's a cheap SOB ;p


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

For me I just can't justify the cost. The most I've spent on a mountain bike was 160.00 for a land shark, and being a shop owner I can get bikes at cost but would rather pay 40 bucks for something that was awesome back in the day, I don't feel they become obsolete. After all the trails I ride have not changed much so the old rig will do the job. The one I enjoy the most is my 52 schwinn clunker. I've ridden my friends plastic bikes and I'm just not into it. And yes, passing some carbon wonder bike on a single speed schwinn cruiser is a good feeling.


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## Austin Dave (Jul 7, 2010)

girlonbike said:


> I think about builds when I lie down at night and go the sleep. Sometimes in the morning, I have eureka moments when I know how I want something to go. (Is that weird? )
> I think I'm a little I and E too. :skep:


A, E, G....

I like Rev109's remark that you can have something really nice for much less than you'd spend on something new. I know I can't have a handmade custom bike for cheap. But I can have a terrific bike cheap, if I get an older one, and keep my eyes peeled.

If I read on this site of an early 90's bike that had tons of great reviews and happy riders, I'm likely to be happy on that bike too. Happiness on a bike was no different then than it is now. It's just the industry depends on obsolescence for it's economic health. They want you lusting after the latest and greatest, so you'll keep them in business. That's were we're weird: We lust after the _rarest_ and greatest instead.



girlonbike said:


> I think about builds when I lie down at night and go the sleep. Sometimes in the morning, I have eureka moments when I know how I want something to go. (Is that weird? )
> I think I'm a little I and E too. :skep:


GOB's neurosis is mine, too: I love planning bike builds, and think about them lots and lots. It's a way of engineering something using other people's expertise and artisanship. All design is about working within constraints and limits: such as ability, availability, time, and money. But that's the fun too. In fact, if you have no limits or rules, bike projects (most all projects) are not even fun. I like learning about what parts will work together, what would be great to have, then what is _possible_ for me to have, and trying to balance it all out. I like balancing old and new stuff on the same bike, too.

My current project is an older, out-of-production bike, but isn't VRC, and that's fun, too. It's like opening a new door in the bike Fun House and learning about a different era, different technologies, and different ways of enjoying bikes. I like it a lot.

But there is something primal about the VRC-era bikes that just strikes a chord. That period was long enough into mtbs that some of the big technical issues were sorted out. But the bikes still _looked_ like bikes, and the the technology was still transparent--you could still see how everything worked. There was a variety of handmade (or at least carefully made) parts, too, many tugging the design of bikes in different directions, before all the battles were won. It was a crossroads of sorts, in lots of ways. And crossroads are interesting places. So interesting, in fact, some people don't want to leave.

They say that when Enzo Ferrari wanted to have fun he used to go for a ride through the hillside....in his Austin Mini Cooper.


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## Cabin Fever (Jan 23, 2004)

Get over yourselves.

Just admit that old bikes are cool, but there IS NOTHING WRONG WITH PURCHASING NEW STUFF, unless your whole purpose in life is to always say how much better things use to be.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

halaburt said:


> Oh, and a little surprised Rumpfy didn't select A... as we all know he's a cheap SOB ;p


What the ****!?


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

halaburt said:


> FB's category options seem pretty comprehensive. For me, It's mostly C with a good dose of D and H too.
> 
> Dirty (or at least as dirty as you can get in Norcal) vintage "riders" for me:
> 
> ...


 ... HOw tall are you?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

colker1 said:


> ... HOw tall are you?


He bumps his forehead on door frames a lot.


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## SubaDrew (Dec 22, 2009)




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## Xizang11 (Feb 3, 2008)

I think riding an old bike makes a trail more challenging, and thus more fun. On the same trail, the best line for my new FS trailbike is very different from my the best line for my old FS bikes and completely different from my older ridgid bikes. 
When I lived in the mountains, this wasn't such a big deal, because I had a lot of trails around anyway, but now that I'm a flatlander, I relish the ride variety I get from having lots of very different mountain bikes.


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

Am just finishing up my vacation here in NE and SE Oregon. Found some totally awesome trails, and as usual my '89 Stumpie Team kicked butt, as for me on the other hand that's another story.... This pic is from the top of Steens Mountain at 9600 feet yesterday.


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## 120 (Nov 20, 2009)

Not that dirty but in the dirt:


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## floibex (Feb 7, 2004)

c, e, f, g


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## nutallabrot (Jul 12, 2005)

I think I fall into the categories C, D, E, G, H


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## rigidftw (Mar 21, 2010)

rode it 240miles+, last weekend. works great except for the tires, the fact, that it's just about an inch too long for me, in that state and that i crashed 500ft from the finish line and in that process bent the left barend, as well as thoroughly scratch the rear derailleur.


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## modifier (May 11, 2007)

Who built this?


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## adroit 96' (Sep 16, 2011)

Man I wanted one of those back in the day but bought a Trek instead cause the Paramount was outa my price range!!!


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

Thats a Merlin Newsboy, few were made.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

modifier said:


> Who built this?


If he is not riding a 29er i don't see any reason for me to go that route.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

chefmiguel said:


> Thats a Merlin Newsboy, few were made.


HIs is not susp. corrected. Maybe a one off from an already small scale production. Talk about rare.


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## halaburt (Jan 13, 2004)

colker1 said:


> If he is not riding a 29er i don't see any reason for me to go that route.


Well, about half my off-road riding is still on the 3 (26"-wheel) bikes pictured above. 29" wasn't an option when these were built. My one modern MTB and other current projects though mostly involve 29" wheels.



colker1 said:


> HIs is not susp. corrected. Maybe a one off from an already small scale production. Talk about rare.


ColkerVision fail? ;p The frame is a standard 19" Newsboy (the biggest of the 3 sizes they made) -- except for the 140mm rear dropouts which I requested to match my other bikes. Newsboys were designed for a Judy-SL / Manitou-4 era fork. The Potts Type-II I had made for it has a 16.5" (~420mm) axle-to-crown. That compares to a non-suspension-corrected T-II size in the 15 to 15-1/4" range (~385mm).


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

halaburt said:


> Well, about half my off-road riding is still on the 3 (26"-wheel) bikes pictured above. 29" wasn't an option when these were built. My one modern MTB and other current projects though mostly involve 29" wheels.
> 
> ColkerVision fail? ;p The frame is a standard 19" Newsboy (the biggest of the 3 sizes they made) -- except for the 140mm rear dropouts which I requested to match my other bikes. Newsboys were designed for a Judy-SL / Manitou-4 era fork. The Potts Type-II I had made for it has a 16.5" (~420mm) axle-to-crown. That compares to a non-suspension-corrected T-II size in the 15 to 15-1/4" range (~385mm).


Fail, miserably. Yup.. Newsboys were 63mm Judy Sl compatible. The Potts fork is beefy so i took it for non corrected. damm.


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## hairstream (Apr 20, 2008)

...


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Hairstream, 
I didn't realize you rode your bikes in the mud. Always so perfect.

From todays ride:


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

A little mud and dirt. Nice to see your bikes being put to good use. :thumbsup:


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## 805MTB (Jul 4, 2010)

I know what it looks like - but trust me that's DIRT!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

vintagemtbr said:


> A little mud and dirt. Nice to see your bikes being put to good use. :thumbsup:


Welcome back JR, where ya been?


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## vintagemtbr (Jun 6, 2004)

Hey brother.Long time no see.I've been out for awhile but I'm back on the saddle.I've been lurking the site.Lots of nice bikes I see.


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## DFA (Jan 26, 2004)

For some reason I really dig riding my Goose. Super stiff AMP bike. Hate the Hydrocoil. Have a yellow Z1 going on for this season.

Then again, getting retrodirty is in the blood.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

True story- This morning I wanted to ride the WTB but it was quite dirty from neglect after Saturdays ride. I opted to hold off until I could clean up the drive train a little.:










My next choice was the TimberWolf, but it looked fairly clean, and I didn't have the heart to trash the drivetrain:










So I opted to ride this. Not to dirty but already in need of a good cleaning:










Great ride:


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

Love the bars on the dekerf. Flask was hard to spot, Doesn the seatstay have "Insert/plugs" for the frame holes?
Is that a 97-360-EXC? And get some booties. OK I'm done!!!


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## Surly Gentleman (Aug 9, 2010)

jimbowho said:


> <snip> Flask was hard to spot,<snip>


that flask is so shiny its got a "predator" type cloaking device...!


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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

Good. Good.


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## asa572 (Sep 13, 2010)

jimbowho said:


> Is that a 97-360-EXC?


98 or 99 250, 300 or 380 with zooks instead of WP's.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

Here's mine, out yesterday for a blast of steamy post summer rain singletrack.

1990 Raleigh Technium Chill. M900 XTR everything except seatpost (Kalloy) headset (Tange) and front derailleur. Onza Chill Pills, Ritchey pads (I had Matthausers but took them off) Syncros bars, T-Bone stem and an old Avid Rollamajig.

























Not long had it on the trails and I'm loving it.

Grumps


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## DFA (Jan 26, 2004)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> 1990 Raleigh Technium Chill


 Been there, done that.


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## guywitharitchey (Nov 29, 2011)

ridin' dirty at the dump vrc style today.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

DFA said:


> Been there, done that.


Cool, that's my wife's birthday!

Serial on mine is R8293xxxx (numbers under the cable guide).

Grumps


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## halaburt (Jan 13, 2004)




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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)




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## rev106 (Jul 9, 2009)

Yes, I'd say value is one of my main choices, I paid 40 bucks for my fisher, how much were they new? Another is style points, older bikes look..well like bikes. Most new bikes look like a deodorant can with all the graphics. There's a quality issue too, I run a bike shop and the new components are cheaper and cheaper than older ones. I ride with a lot of guys with new bikes and they are plagued with mechanicals. Also being able to ride where others can't on new tech is a good poke in the ribs.


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## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

The do it all grocery getter... (main ride)

Richter 8.0


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## Empty_Beer (Dec 19, 2007)

MB1 at the Cool (CA) race. So much fun today!


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

Nice!


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## rigidftw (Mar 21, 2010)

Empty_Beer said:


> MB1 at the Cool (CA) race. So much fun today!


sweet! 32:16 magic gear?


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## jeffgothro (Mar 10, 2007)

rigidftw said:


> sweet! 32:16 magic gear?


It must be, because thats the same gear on my GT posted right above his post.


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## Empty_Beer (Dec 19, 2007)

rigidftw said:


> sweet! 32:16 magic gear?


Yup. With an ENO hub :thumbsup:


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## Dr S (Dec 7, 2007)

Old bikes look so much cooler with a good healthy coating of dirt.


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## High Gear (Oct 13, 2007)

*Hope this is what you ment...*

My fave.


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## rigidftw (Mar 21, 2010)

Empty_Beer said:


> Yup. With an ENO hub :thumbsup:


ah, an eno. so technically no magic gear. 
as long as i have my mb-1, which isn't that long actually, i fantasised about stripping all the gears off, except for one. but since the bottom bracket is glued in, i figured that it wouldn't be worth the effort, so far.


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## Empty_Beer (Dec 19, 2007)

Back in action today...

1. Lining up vs. a lot of technology (took 6th out of 12 in SS Expert)
2. Enjoying a rare race on Folsom Prison property :thumbsup:


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## High Gear (Oct 13, 2007)

Nice1 Probably one of the lighter MTBs in the race.


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## huhue (Feb 5, 2013)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> Here's mine, out yesterday for a blast of steamy post summer rain singletrack.
> 
> 1990 Raleigh Technium Chill. M900 XTR everything except seatpost (Kalloy) headset (Tange) and front derailleur. Onza Chill Pills, Ritchey pads (I had Matthausers but took them off) Syncros bars, T-Bone stem and an old Avid Rollamajig.
> 
> ...


Cheers for those pics!

Had a chill myself (first MTB) and loved it.
Long gone, regret selling it and are looking for a replacement...

This is my rig barely dirty on a humid day:


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

Okay not dirty but at least taking a bath..


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## CCMDoc (Jan 21, 2010)




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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

patineto said:


> View attachment 779970


"You VRC guys are so elitist you think you can ride on water..."

Grumps


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## huhue (Feb 5, 2013)

CCMDoc said:


> View attachment 780070


Nice bike, but it's got the same problem as mine: *NOTENOUGHDIRTONIT*:thumbsup:


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

huhue said:


> Nice bike, but it's got the same problem as mine: *NOTENOUGHDIRTONIT*:thumbsup:


Dirt is Yummy


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## Shogun700 (Jun 15, 2009)

Winter fun:


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## huhue (Feb 5, 2013)

patineto said:


> Dirt is Yummy


I'd rather taste that purple ibis tandem...

I'only have an ibis for a single rider:


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## Jens_bm (Nov 10, 2009)

Huhue, What brakes is that?


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I like to keep them really clean..


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

Jens_bm said:


> Huhue, What brakes is that?


Looks like an IRD switchback with the pulleys replaced with a post and a straddle wire from some WTB speed controllers pulling them together.


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## huhue (Feb 5, 2013)

Boy named SSue said:


> Looks like an IRD switchback with the pulleys replaced with a post and a straddle wire from some WTB speed controllers pulling them together.


Jepp, and a Machine Tech cable carrier! Got those from a friend who made that up from leftovers...

This setup is now living on the Kona HeiHei pictured above, also sporting the appropriate IRD brake booster...


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2013)

*89 Potts*


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## den haag (Feb 18, 2009)

this is sick. we drove to moab in april, 1981 for a mountain bike trip from crested butte. three bikes, five guys in a chevy love. i was in the back, and was much more comfy than the guys squished in front.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Huh?


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## den haag (Feb 18, 2009)

*wasn't vintage at the time.*

but a fine greasy uphill/downhill time trial. check out the shoes.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Oct 20, 2005)

I would if I could, but the photo really doesn't show the shoes. 

If you said "Check out the maniacal grin" then yeah, that's fun being had right there!

Grumps


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## Narhay (Feb 1, 2013)

I don't feel so bad anymore about taking my 1991 Marin Team out in the downpour today...


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## den haag (Feb 18, 2009)

sorry,detto pietras w/ road pedals. almost a BIG mistake.


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## jaxes88 (Oct 17, 2012)

Went for a ride up the walla walla river today on my 88 mongoose IBOC comp. Haven't had it out in a few years and I'm taking it out of my mothball fleet. My old sunbleached spoke guard shattered off in a few minutes and my chain is so stretched it was giving me trouble, but overall it was good fun ride.












rough rocky trail+no front suspension= hands turn to claws


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