# Kirk Magnesium Bicycles



## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Anyone with an interest in (or memories of) Kirk bicycles may like to know that I've developed a website on the topic. Contributions welcome, especially to fill in some of the gaps, especially magazine reviews and adverts from way back then. It was one of those bikes that divided opinion, so I look forward to the replies!

View www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk and then click on the A of HAYDN for access.

Thanks. Simon.


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## Arran (Jan 27, 2006)

You got the frame for 60 squid? You lucky ba$tard!

I loved those things. I thought they were called 'Kirk Precision' though.

Sorry I don't have anything to contribute other than to say that i'd give my left nut to have one...

You've given me another bike to scour Fleabay for!

Cheers.


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## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Well, it was for the whole bike, but it's got a whole load of problems. The white racers were marketed as Precision in 1988/9, as were a few early (and foreign sold) mountain bikes. In 1991 they were sold as Kirk Revolution (MTB), Ranger (Hybrid) and Genesis (Racer). Simon.


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## rutteger (May 6, 2005)

Nice site. I've one of these stashed in the loft, one day I'll rebuild it. Couple of the lads on retrobike are into their kirks also, a couple of nice examples.


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## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Thanks Rutteger,
I'll have to sign up to Retrobike too and pester those other Kirk owners to add their pics. I recognise a few of them already though. What version of the Kirk have you got stashed away, any chance of a pic? Simon.


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## rutteger (May 6, 2005)

simonhaydn said:


> Thanks Rutteger,
> I'll have to sign up to Retrobike too and pester those other Kirk owners to add their pics. I recognise a few of them already though. What version of the Kirk have you got stashed away, any chance of a pic? Simon.


It's a MTB. If I can fish it out without being deluged by Christmas decorations and the like I'll sort out some pics...


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## Veloculture (Dec 18, 2005)

here is one i sold about a year ago. it had pretty junky components on it. i thought i rode like like junk. it weighed as much as a rhino too.


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## WTB-rider (Jul 25, 2004)

They came in 1 size only, didn't they? I remember MBA doing a review eons ago, wasn't too impressed with what I saw in a shop a few months later either. Brings back memories of a very fertile time in mountain bike history though.


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## Veloculture (Dec 18, 2005)

WTB-rider said:


> They came in 1 size only, didn't they? I remember MBA doing a review eons ago, wasn't too impressed with what I saw in a shop a few months later either. Brings back memories of a very fertile time in mountain bike history though.


i believe the older one's like mine were one size only. not only that but it's the same frame as the road bike too only the road bike did not have the canti mounts.


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## moonter (Oct 14, 2004)

The bike shop I used to work in sold them. I think we sold about 6. Every one of them broke!


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## rutteger (May 6, 2005)

WTB-rider said:


> They came in 1 size only, didn't they? I remember MBA doing a review eons ago, wasn't too impressed with what I saw in a shop a few months later either. Brings back memories of a very fertile time in mountain bike history though.


Never managed to ride one, do recall reviews in the mags and via word of mouth being less than stellar. Still they are certainly interesting as an item and as a representative of the period in which they were made.
Recall some advert claiming a tonne of sea water went into making each one. Kirk were also tied in with Dawes in the UK at least.


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## weps (Feb 2, 2006)

has anyone ever tried to light one on fire?


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

Light one on fire? Hell, I'd like to see somebody put it out if they did. 

A side story, since I am full of stupid stories. They father of a guy I worked with at the bike shop used to race automobiles and actually built one of the best road courses in North America. Anyway, back in the day he raced a Sunbeam Tiger, which for some reason caught fire on its trailer one night. Sad thing was that once the magnesium racing wheels caught fire there was not extinguishing the flames and the car was a total loss


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## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Nice example Veloculture,
I'll add it to the site, probably in the models section as I don't have any examples of the early Kirk MTBs. The racer, hybrid and MTB were all the same to begin with and then they produced 3 separate models - each version being one size only. 

On the website there's a story about the magnesium powder igniting at the factory and someone has just told me another one about a bike going up in flames. I think I'm going to have to create Kirk Stories section, as there are others. If you look in the Kirk Facts section, you'll find the sea water claim and other unusual claims.

The MTB reviews in the UK at the time, were critical about the weight, but otherwise they all enjoyed riding it, one of the reviewers fancied seeing a tricked out version and there are a few about now (10yrs late!)

Has anybody had any problems with the site, ie navigating around it or things that don't work?


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## mwr (Jul 17, 2004)

I haven't browsed your site fully, but here are some pdf files of a Kirk brochure and sales list from 1987. You are welcome to add them to your site if you don't already have them.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/mwruiz/kirk/


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## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Thanks Mwr,
That's exactly what I'm after and I've added them to the site, along with the pic Veloculture provided. Does anyone have any Kirk bike reviews or interesting stories? Simon.


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## jeffcyho (May 5, 2006)

*Kirk Revolution*

I can't believe it!!!! a thread about Kirks!!! - I thought I was the only person who had one of these relics. I'm selling my Kirk Revolution, it's the Mtb version, black with purple writing. Do you guys think it's worth anything?. I remember paying about £400+ back in the mid 90's

BTW. insane website simon!

Jeffers


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## simonhaydn (May 1, 2006)

Thanks Jeffers!
I've had a Kirk section for years on my main website and I thought it was about time someone did the bike some justice, glad you like it so far. 

That's a nice looking Kirk there, exactly the same as the one I used to own, prices for them vary and eBay's normally a good indicator. I've seen the black ones go for 47-165pounds in the last month or so and to be honest if you like the bike I'd keep hold of it. Yours has the original Biopace chainset and the stickers seem to be completely intact. You should check out Retrobike.co.uk as they have quite a few Kirk fans/owners. Simon.


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## jeffcyho (May 5, 2006)

Hi Simon

Would like to keep the bike but I need the funds to buy a Carrera Banshee hehehe. 
The only thing i've changed is the handle bars. I've replaced the magenta bar with the 'in thing' at the time deer horns & it still has original tyres!! - the reason being, by the time I hit my mid teens, hanging out, messing around took over and the bike was kept in the garage till now when I'm in my late 20's and I've rediscovered MTB.

I found the ride to be OK but overall a heavy bike - even trying to fly off kerbs are difficult!!

Will post better pics in the daytimel

Jeffers


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## Total 13 (Nov 25, 2006)

*ooh*

hey all came across this thread via google when looking up info on the bike i had been left by my australian mate when he moved back over there. Appears to be a Kirk revolution from what I can find online, its black 'I' shaped like girder magnesium alloy frame with turquoisy front forks. Unfortunately the hanger for the rear derailer has broke and the bike shop in town say they can't get replacement ones. Does anyone know how much this bike would be worth without this? or if i can get a replacement from somewhere? I have no idea about bikes as this is my first since i was 12 but the guy in the shop seemed to reckon the frame was worth a fair bit?

Thanks.

I can post images if requested just not taken any yet


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## grawbass (Aug 23, 2004)

Total 13 said:


> hey all came across this thread via google when looking up info on the bike i had been left by my australian mate when he moved back over there. Appears to be a Kirk revolution from what I can find online, its black 'I' shaped like girder magnesium alloy frame with turquoisy front forks. Unfortunately the hanger for the rear derailer has broke and the bike shop in town say they can't get replacement ones. Does anyone know how much this bike would be worth without this? or if i can get a replacement from somewhere? I have no idea about bikes as this is my first since i was 12 but the guy in the shop seemed to reckon the frame was worth a fair bit?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> I can post images if requested just not taken any yet


The frame isn't worth much. You can make it a single speed or use a cheap derailer that mounts to the rear axle.


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## Total 13 (Nov 25, 2006)

ah thought it wouldnt be worth much, could you recommend a suitable derailer? would it matter that theres no hanger?


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## PREDITOR (Nov 28, 2006)

*things of beauty*

the kirk revolution was a thing of beauty i have two of them one is totally origional never riden still in the bubble wrap my other has been given the full treatment over the years and has been re-built twice it now stands with a ford green frame and forks all silver and chrome parts from use and easton , deore lx,xtr bits and peices and a nice set of judys i also decided to try out a flex stem with the forks to see if it would handle well and ill tell you i was amazed , this leads me to why the revolution failed as a mountain bike ! IT WAS FAR TO RIGID! mine has had so much punishment its unbeleivabe ive fell of it god knows how many times but its still alive and kicking anyone who has one and wants to ride it fit a pair of suspension forks i studied the frame and with these mods i made ive had mine for over twelve years now and its never let me down i will try to get some photos up as soon as i sus out how to do it...... ITS TIME FOR A NEW REVOLUTION :thumbsup:


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## Total 13 (Nov 25, 2006)

haha yeah i do like the look of it and have been in touch now with a company who should be able to either get hold of a hanger or machine one for me. I might look into some front suspension forks...any recommendation? i can see what you mean about rigid


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

Magnesium isn't that hard to extinguish actually. If you drop it into snow or a bucket of water it goes out just fine. I routinely toss magnesium fork legs into bonfires and can lift out whole sections that are burning white hot with a steel rod, and then just drop them into the river and poof...steam and out they go.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

DeeEight said:


> I routinely toss magnesium fork legs into bonfires and can lift out whole sections that are burning white hot with a steel rod, and then just drop them into the river and poof...steam and out they go.


I want to be at your bonfires=


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## PREDITOR (Nov 28, 2006)

*reply for total 13*

ridgid is not the word TOTAL the problems that i had was the head tube being a funny size althiugh i did manage to get a set of roxshox judys that fitted , not to many companys make the head tube size on there forks for some reason as it is a 1inch instead if the more popular 1 1/4 inch , i also tried out putting a flex stem on aswell as the forks and oh my god what a result, by keeping the both of them fairly hard ( i mean adjusting the springyness ) it works a treat (the best handling mtb ive riden ) also what i found helped was a suspension seat post but again weird sized tubes made this hard but i found one fron U.S.E i think the seat tube is 26.5 mm im gona try n get pictures up , let you see my pride and joy


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

This afternoon I was going through some old product files, looking for interesting stuff to put on my Weird Bikes page. I came across the Kirk Precision brochure and scanned it, thinking there might be someone on the site who would be interested. So I log on and there is this thread on the top page!

This wasn't everything in the folder, but it's a start.


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## ajr (Mar 24, 2004)

simonhaydn said:


> Anyone with an interest in (or memories of) Kirk bicycles may like to know that I've developed a website on the topic. Contributions welcome, especially to fill in some of the gaps, especially magazine reviews and adverts from way back then. It was one of those bikes that divided opinion, so I look forward to the replies!
> 
> View www.kirk-bicycles.co.uk and then click on the A of HAYDN for access.
> 
> Thanks. Simon.


The factory was over the road from my shop and I rode a few of the first ones made to see how they would hold up to real world testing. I broke two head tubes and various bits that were stuck on fell off. Because of the production method changing the faults was to hard to do so they were never very reliable.


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## christian evans (Apr 24, 2007)

I had a multi coloured one pinched back in the eighties and the pain job then was £250,so if you see it going around south wales the give me a shout.I managed to get a white prototype in the early nineties and I style take it out now and again alongside my retro Alpine Stars in pearl white.


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## hubertje (Nov 20, 2007)

I got my own revolution this weekend. Still got to find a solution for the front mech and replace a broken dropout. Is there noone who still has one of those mechs on spare (i fear)?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

hubertje said:


> I got my own revolution this weekend. Still got to find a solution for the front mech and replace a broken dropout. Is there noone who still has one of those mechs on spare (i fear)?


A broken drop out? Seems almost easier to find one in better shape than to go through the hoops of righting this one.


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## hubertje (Nov 20, 2007)

Maybe I'll machine one myself, in inox or alu..


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## rosstbeef (Jul 22, 2009)

I had a Kirk Revolution back in the 90's (black with the pink forks and stickers). I got it 2nd hand for £200 but the frame was brand new as it had just been replaced under guarantee due to flexing and cracking. The new frame lasted for a couple of years before doing the same. The guy warned me that it would probably break as he'd been told by the bike shop that many were failing. I think almost every frame fell apart so they are probably very rare now. I remember I didn't need to turn the handlebars to turn a corner, just flexing the frame did the job!!! It was very ridgid though before this happened, its a real shame that as it looked "wicked" in the early 90's. 

The frames had a 10 year guarantee which I reckon brought the end to the company as so many failed. The company was owned by Dawes and when the frame failed for me it was replaced with a lowish spec Dawes frame. That would have bothered me more if I'd paid the original price of £699. The bike was then stolen while I was at uni and I then bought a new 1997 Marin Eldridge Grade which I still have today.


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## evo99evo99 (Jun 12, 2010)

Hi guys I have a Kirk revolution and like many other owners have snapped the hanger, I have a engineering company to make some more however will work out a lot cheaper if they make more than one if you'r interested please let me know ASAP as my bike is off the road until I get this part...............


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## hubertje (Nov 20, 2007)

I would be interesed in a dropout or a front mech, my hanger is fine.. 
btw, did I post a picture yet?


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## evo99evo99 (Jun 12, 2010)

Good stuff, I plan to just order for whoever responds to me and just split the cost between us I'm not interested in making any profit ( just to warn you off I was quoted £60 for a one off but if I can get an order of 10 it could work out as little as £15)


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

The server that hosted my scans of the Kirk brochure shut down a couple of years ago, and I'm still findng my old posts referring to images no longer present.

Here they are again.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

there was one listed on CL recently in LA for a pretty high price. I called just to see if the guy would barter and it was already gone. Post was 2 hours old. I always thought they looked cool and wanted to try one. Never knew they were cast, for some reason I thought they were machined. I like the car they used in the advertisment. Looks like the mafia put out a hit on it.


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## evo99evo99 (Jun 12, 2010)

Last chance now guy's Im putting in an order BEOP today for a new hanger to be machined, at the moment I have no one interested, if you want to go direct through the engineering company I dont mind


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## Kmiller (Jun 17, 2010)

Hi Guys cool website, I didn't realise that my bike was a classic and I now let my son ride it. My bikes exactally like jeffcyho's but were the purple sides are holding the wheels, mine is the light green colour, I've had this bike since I was 14 years old and I'm now 33years old, unfortantly my bike got stolen a few years back and both wheels got recked and the brake cables cut, I did get my bike back as it was the only one of its kind in my village and had a tracker on it so the police could locate it when it was stolen. I claimed for parts on my bike and got £150, which back then my bike cost over £700 from Halfords but was rejuced to £500. Later last year I decided to finally get it out of my Garage and repair it, I don't know much about bikes, but Decathlon is brillaint for bike parts and it cost me just over £150 to repare it, so basically my insurance money covered it. I will post picks later as I had to modify it and looks great, maybe I shouldn't let my son on my bike, it might be worth alot of money.


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## Kmiller (Jun 17, 2010)

I've now took some pictures of my bike, I haven't cleaned it yet so its still mucky.


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