# What was your first mountain bike?



## singletrackmack (Oct 18, 2012)

What was the first mountain bike you owned? The one that got you into the sport. What did you (or do you if you still own it) love about that bike? What did you not like about that bike?

If you got a pic of your original, post it. If no pic of yours, post one you can find off the web of the same model bike. Pics always make it more interesting.

My first mtb, a 1991 Trek 970 Singletrack. Still own it and ride it to this day. I love the lugged True Temper OX Comp II steel frame painted black with white splatter and fluorescent pink shadowing. Also that it that it can fit 2.5" wide tires and that sweet singletrack decal with the mountains in the background. I do not like adjusting the canti brakes and couldn't handle the original 20.5" wide handlebars. Way too skinny for someone who is 6'4"

Pretty much original here even the tires, but not the original 20.5" bars.








Trek stamped lugs
















Singletrack decal with mountains in the background








Set up for snow with some 2.5" tires and my old triangle shoulder bag for when it gets too deep


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## tylerw (Dec 7, 2009)

first mountain bike at the age of some single digit in the 90's. Not my picture*


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## trailrnr (Jan 15, 2013)

Near as I can remember, my first mountain bike, or at least one I rode like it was a mountain bike was a 1964 Western Flyer. I rode it like I stole it, and gave it away to a cousin a few years later.


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

I have no pictures, but it was along the lines of this:










Had my first OTB and a trip into a tree on it and everything.

I also suspect it cost less than a set of brake pads do these days...


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## Rogueldr (Jul 30, 2007)

'97 Klein Pulse Race. It has some updated parts on it (bars, tires, fork) but other wise still original. This bad boy is still in my rotation of bikes that I ride, so it still sees its share of dirt.


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## johnski (May 19, 2011)

'93 KHS Montana Summit. I've got more scars on my body from time on this thing than I care to admit. (googled image to find one)


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## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

~1988 Performance. It was blue, I had it until it was stolen while I was in college. 

My dad walked in and bought 4 bikes, one for each of us in the family. His is still around, yellow with biopace front rings.


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## rangerbait (Jul 15, 2007)

Mine was a 1993 Trek 830 Antelope that I saved up for by splitting a ridiculous amount of firewood back in high school. It got stolen out of my apartment in San Diego in 1999...didn't pick back up with MTBing until 2007 as a result :-(

Looked just like this one, with the after market bar ends like all the cool kids had:


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

1991 GT Avalanche


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## mudforlunch (Aug 9, 2004)

1999 Trek 820. I woke up from a night of drinking in college with this in my back yard. Not sure where it came from or who took it/borrowed it. After asking around at the bars we hung out at if anyone was missing a bike for a week or so with no results, I started using it to ride local trails. I still was riding BMX bikes at the time, but started riding this guy almost daily instead. 

A couple years later in graduate school I bought a new Specialized, after the old Trek started having issues dealing with the mountains in my new state of Colorado. It became my bar bike, and was stolen out of my back yard one night. From nowhere it came, and to nowhere it returned.


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## borbntm (May 4, 2011)

I still own it! A 1996 Trek 7000 shx converted to rigid single speed. The made in America bonded aluminum frame is a work of art:thumbsup:


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

First real bike, 1987 Cannondale SM 400 (had a p.o.s. Motiv boat anchor from Price Club before it). This isn't mine but besides having white housings and a white saddle it was identical.


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## norton55 (Oct 5, 2005)

1992 Marin Muirwoods. Still have it and of course it's a single speed.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

A 92 Giant Iguana. I don't know how I survived on that beast but I thought I was the sh*t. I was hooked.


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## 1trakryder (Apr 21, 2010)

First bike was an Iron Horse. Back in 92 they weren't a Walmart brand. Only lasted a few months until I bought the bike I really wanted: Barracuda Dos Equis Team model.


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## golden boy (Oct 29, 2008)

*1992 Bridgestone MB-3*

Not mine, but the best image I could find on Google:









Wish I still had it!


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## RiceBrnr (Oct 13, 2014)

A Wally World bike with 500$ worth of rockshox on it! The **** I did as a newb.


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## gzank6 (Aug 26, 2014)

still in my first year of mtn biking... I picked this schwinn sidewinder probably a 2004 at a thirft store for $30 bucks last spring with plans to use it to pull my son (2) in a trailer around to the park and stuff. After another near miss with a car on my road bike I thought I'd take it for a spin in some nearby hills. The climbing... lack of cars, being on trails... I was hooked.


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## tbmaddux (May 22, 2012)

1998 Marin Eldridge Grade. At the time I thought it was pretty awesome with the bar ends and click shifters and V-brakes.

Photo not mine.

Tried to turn it into a commuter bike in 2010 but wasn't happy with the result, gave it away to one of the undergraduate student workers at my lab. He's still stoked about it.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

This one. I bought it in November. I just started riding. 

2015 Scott Aspect 930

100% stock although it came with Nano tires which are not listed as the OE tires for this model. *shrug*

Pros: It fit my budget and rides very well for a noob like me.

Cons: So far I can't find anything to complain about except the front tire needs to be swapped for something with more grip.


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## dh_bc_yolo (Jan 22, 2015)

my first mtn bike was a GT Avalanche I loved the feel of it and I still do its good for doing tricks and jumping


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

F8L said:


> This one. I bought it in November. I just started riding.
> 
> 2015 Scott Aspect 930
> 
> ...


Bike looks great. You just started riding in November. Hmm, there are better methods for carrying tools/extra tube/energy gel/pump, etc. when you ride than that blue shoulder bag.


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## caRpetbomBer (Jul 13, 2013)

Just the frame and fork are the original part of my first mountain bike.


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## The Yetti (Dec 22, 2005)

First serious mountain bike was a 1995 Specialized Hard Rock, bought in 94. The frame is still hanging up in my garage, if I could find a 1" fork I would see about putting it up on the road again.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

*Peugeot Crazy Horse*

View attachment 960085


I didn't even think about taking the spoke reflectors off. I just aired up the tires to about 45 psi and went that'a way.

Had a blast and never gave Hi-tech add on's a single thought


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

1989 MB6 Timberline. I was 11 when I got it, my dad had me save up half of the $250 for it. Did a lot of exploring around the Navy Housing in Hawaii with it!

Bridgestone Bicycle Catalogue 1989-08

This was my second mountain bike, a 1994 Hardrock FS, was my 16th birthday present, mostly because my dad didn't like that I was so into skateboarding:









My dad's plan worked, in 1995 I bought this with the money I saved working at McDonalds:









I broke the trek 2 times, the first time they were able to bond a new dropout on, the second time the chainstay broke at the bottom bracket and they tried giving me an aluminum frame, I told the rep that I bought a carbon fiber frame and wanted a carbon fiber frame, so they sent me a 9.8! I sold the 9.8 frame to some racer in scotland and bought this frame and built it up with full XTR and a Marzochi air fork:









I sold that bike when I went to the Peace Corps in 2008! (a 10 year old bike. . .)
After the Peace Corps my wife and I started Grad School and both got these, which were perfect for the trails around Portland and Bend:









After I moved to Bishop CA and started riding in Vegas (Bootleg) and Mammoth mtn I decided I wanted something a little bit more "AMish" and picked up this frame:









After a few months on that I decided to go Full suspension, so last year I bought this and built it up with almost all new parts (XT, RS Pike, RS Reverb, Stans Flow Ex):


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## Vegard (Jul 16, 2009)

An orange GT Avalanche 2.0 back in 1990-something.


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## 80Pro-Line (Dec 3, 2014)

While not considered a mountain bike, I'll still count my old Pro-Line. When not competing on the BMX track some 35-40 years ago, this thing blazed trails through the woods, tore through fields, flew down treacherous hills, plowed through snow and even played on frozen ponds (among other things). Pre-driver's license, it was also my main transportation so I guess that makes it my first road-mountain-fat bike. 










For the purists-at-heart, my recently purchased Haro FLC 29er would be my first _actual_ mountain bike and I'm having a blast with it. :thumbsup:


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

2005 Enduro Comp. Bought it NOS in 2006 from my LBS. Rode it for a few months thinking I'd really enjoy riding and my fitness sucked at the time. I had a ride one day that just sucked, came home, ghost rode the bike into the garage, hung it up and never touched it again. After a year of ducking under it every day, I got pi$$ed because I had so much $$ hanging there doing nothing, I sold it and everything bicycle related to it to a buddy.



After my neck injury/surgery in Feb 2013, I had to do something to get my health back that would be low back friendly. MTB was the answer. I bought another bike on the used market so that I wouldn't repeat my first mistake. This time I got hooked and haven't looked back other than to reflect on how it started and enjoy the stark improvements in my health and riding skills.


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## J-Bone (Aug 26, 2008)

Haro Escape like 92 is
Trek Singletrack with a spring shock rock shock maybe 95
GT XCR full suspension with I-drive in 99
Cannondale f400 05
Giant Trance X 08
Vassago Verhauen 29'er 2013


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## J-Bone (Aug 26, 2008)

80Pro-Line said:


> While not considered a mountain bike, I'll still count my old Pro-Line. When not competing on the BMX track some 35-40 years ago, this thing blazed trails through the woods, tore through fields, flew down treacherous hills, plowed through snow and even played on frozen ponds (among other things). Pre-driver's license, it was also my main transportation so I guess that makes it my first road-mountain-fat bike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


nice redline

I started on my uncles SuperGoose with Tuffwheel I's-stolen
Then Roddy BMX-dept store but it was mine
then mongoose expert-stolen
Mongoose Californian-stolen
Mongoose Cali TC-Stolen
Hutch Pro Street-Stolen
General-stolen
Used GT-Stolen
Haro Master Bought it used from a shop and was awesome

for the ones that were stolen I was one the at the time until I was knocked off and then knocked out by thugs and they made off with my wheels. Oh well-the life when you grow up in Detroit.

I fixed that though. I live in a low crime area now


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## NightOWL (Jul 30, 2006)

1st real mount bike was a 1994 Trek 930. I still have the frame. It's purple and green with with a Rock Shox Q21R



=Tapatalked on the go=


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## sammon287 (Apr 7, 2010)

1989 Nashbar MTB purchased at an outlet store in Mass on a summer trip to Maine. Shimano Biopace chain rings and Exage Country components in a frame size one size too large when I was 14-15.


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## gravitylover (Sep 1, 2009)

1984 Diamondback Ascent. That bike went everywhere! 12,000 feet in the Rockies, top of the Sierras and Santa Cruz beach rides. I miss the pure and simple side of it sometimes but then the marginal performance memories come trickling back into my consciousness. I like my fatbike ...


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## Jovian (Jun 18, 2013)

1989 DiamondBack Outlook. Low end MTB but it's still kicking today with just about the same everything except tires. Gave it to a friend a year ago and he uses it now.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

1988ish Specialized Rockhopper.
Biopace Chainrings
push-push rapidfire shifting
3x7


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

it was a 1988 or '89 or maybe even 1990 univega alpina uno. exage, biopace chainrings and farmer john tires.

i traded a leather jacket and forty bucks for this bike when i was 29 years old (1991)

i rode it until 1994, then i sold it at a yard sale for forty dollars after i'd purchased a brand new 1994 kona fire mountain.


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

1939 Schwinn (heavily modified).


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

Repack Rider said:


> 1939 Schwinn (heavily modified).
> 
> View attachment 960334


well sir, you _did_ have a major part in making the sport what it is today!:thumbsup:


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## Impetus (Aug 10, 2014)

My first bike was a steel framed Schwinn something-or-other with a 3x6 thumbshifter drivetrain that was about 3 sizes too big for me.

That was replaced with a 1993 Specialized RockHopper that I rode until I hand-built a StumpJumper M2 when I graduated from high-school.

I still have that StumpJumper. It's in my garage.


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## bbob (May 21, 2014)

93 specialized rockhopper sport. Now a shopping - Towne bike.


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## MMS (Apr 11, 2011)

1987 Specialized Stumpjumper, Suntour Thumbshifters, Biopace rings, Shimano U-Brake, rigid front...miles of smiles.


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

Repack Rider said:


> 1939 Schwinn (heavily modified).
> 
> View attachment 960334


Thread winner.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

F8L said:


> Cons: except the front tire needs to be swapped for something with more grip.


Bontrager XR-3 TLR Expert 29X2.35 
I'm on a 650b with that tire out front, tubed, 190 pounds in ride gear running 27 psi
Fantastic control in all conditions,,
It's not a cool tire becuase It only cost $50 but it will last twice as long as any $90 

The Tires that came on my Scott 940 HT also sucked....
Went right to that Bonty above and with my new Scott That tire is now out front. My stock rocket Ron stays out back and I have a spare
they wear fast and I will wear both out before the front Bonty reaches
50% tread....

Just sayin,,,,,


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## Saladin (Sep 25, 2014)

Walmart bikes might not count and I never beat it as hard downhill as I do my current bike, but back then I could still outride many of the people I see today on much more expensive bikes with this old Mongoose:








(stock photo)

This is my first and current real bike, albeit still entry level, a '14 Hardrock:


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## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

View attachment 960475
This is my first mountain bike. A mid 90s Royce Union Abstract,aka, big POS . I rode the crap out of it for better part of a year, bending the rims several times but still able to keep up with good quality bikes. This is what got me to love mountain biking.
View attachment 960476
This is my first REAL mountain bike. 1997 Jamis Dakota AL. This bike was used hard but always came back for more. I never trashed anything on it, a couple of small dents though. I don't think I could ever part with it.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

My first mountain bike was a Redline that I bought at Sport Chalet (sporting goods chain store out West) in 1991 for $400 if I remember correctly. My first trip was up to Mammoth Mountain where I heard the "must ride" trail was something called the Kamikaze. I rode down the 1st section of downhill and jumped off my bike the first chance I got with severe arm pump. After that, I stayed down on the lower part of the mountain where I belonged.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

My first mountain bike was a 1993 Wheeler 3800. I set it up with city slick tires and I rode it as a commuter. I didn't know what mountain biking was so that bike was never taken off road. 

It wasn't until 2007 when I started dating a downhiller, that I learned to ride trails. I learned the basics on a used Santa Cruz Heckler. My first real mountain bike purchase was 2009 Santa Cruz Blur LT. As I got more skilled mtb, I turned to DH and got a Transition Syren.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Repack Rider said:


> 1939 Schwinn (heavily modified).
> 
> View attachment 960334





KevinGT said:


> Thread winner.


Yeah, can't compete with that.

My first mtb was also a Schwinn cruiser, a 50's or 60's model with motorcycle handlebars salvaged from the junkyard. I was inspired by the stories I was hearing about some crazy mf'ers in California doing likewise. A few years later (1983) I bought this-


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## lbro (Nov 28, 2014)

First real bike was an early 2000's Giant Rincon. Prior to that I had several free spirit bikes from Sears, which were utter garbage. I abused the Giant quite badly, not understanding why and when it needed maintenance. I still have it, but aside from the frame, everything else needs replacing.This is just a picture I found online but mine is identical.









This is my current bike, a 2014 Devinci Wooky.


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## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

A Raleigh , Dad bought it for my birthday. $300 back in 87'-88'. I bent the fork jumping it off a dirt mound. LBS ended up putting a dark green Giant Iguana fork on it , never did bend that one. The only other upgrade was a set of Tioga Farmer John's.


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## golden boy (Oct 29, 2008)

Repack Rider said:


> 1939 Schwinn (heavily modified).
> 
> View attachment 960334


Charlie, is that you? I've just about finished your book Fat-Tire Flyer. Loving it! Thanks for sharing THE definitive history of the evolution of the mountain bike with us.


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## jp08865 (Aug 12, 2014)

1983ish Nashbar Terra XT, lugged Cr-Mo, XT group, Biopace (loved it (BP) except for the top chainring). Put 2.25 Tioga City Slickers pumped up to 60PSI and a 52T round chainring on it for my first (Gap Gallop) Century. Spent a winter milling & drilling every component on it to 'trick it up'. Stripped it and had it powdercoated black. Still around, somewhere


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## mjydrafter (Aug 20, 2014)

My first was a '91 GT Tequesta in a cool blue with black & white splatter paint like this one I shamelessly stole from the internet:









I don't have the Tequesta anymore.

I replaced it with a '94 GT Karakoram, which I still have. And just replaced the '94 with a 2014 GT Karakoram.


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## slowride454 (Jan 11, 2014)

My buddies had nice bikes back in the early 90s when we were in high school. One had and still has a GT Tequesta another had a sweet Gary Fisher. I was broke so I had a Huffy 18 speed BSO. Many times I rode my pimped out hardware store BMX because the Huffy was broken so often. At least I had a sweet vintage Campy equipped Schwinn Paramount to keep up with their Treks, Specializeds, and Cannondales on the road.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

I had an 88 Schwinn as my first MTB, my parents got it for XMas. Logged a lot of miles, bent a few sets of folks. I rode it like a BMX bike, don't think it was made for that. 

Then a few years back I got my Jamis XCT1 and got back into after a long pause.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

1991 Rockhopper. Got stolen. First and last Specialized bike i owned, next was the bubble gum FS a Pro-Flex 853, quite the plushness at the time....


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport.


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## blaklabl (Mar 14, 2011)

1987 Schwinn High Sierra in "Black Chrome". Picture taken from internet search. I hadn't thought about this bike or what it looked like in so long, this thread really got the wheels turning.

I still remember the day my dad drove me all the way up to Redlands Cyclery when we lived in Temecula, California. We had only lived in CA for a short time, me being 12 at the time and moved cross-country from NC to sunny SoCal and he was desperately trying to make it up to me that they had pulled me out of the backwoods and dropped me on the beach. I had a really bad accent, no style, a fish out of water in the truest sense. We went up there to get the "Sierra" model, but when we got there they didn't have my size in stock. I remember my dad asking the guy what could be so special about the bike that made it worth $500? The Sierra was supposed to be $400 and that was bad enough - but he ponied up for the more expensive model and never complained about it. I rode the SH*T out of that bike, all over Temecula (Rancho California at the time!), back and forth to school, friend's houses, aimless exploring in the hills long before it became Temecula and all those hills became tract homes and strip malls.

That bike, and that time in my life, began a mountain bike addiction that has carried on my ENTIRE life and had brought me joy, pain, tears and laughs. And it just made me realize I need to hug my dad and thank him next time I see him.

Thank you for starting this thread.

(Looking at this pic one last time, I realize this is the Sierra model, not the High Sierra, but pretty sure they were the same frame and just higher level components like under the chainstay pull brakes!!)


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## Crankyone (Dec 8, 2014)

Wow some folks have pics! I bought a Rockhopper in Sun Valley on a winter sale in 86.


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## flyboyfish (May 27, 2013)

Always had a bike around growing up, but I never really got _into_ mountain biking until my dad and I rented a couple DH bikes at Kicking Horse resort.

Immediately went out and found myself a ~'03 Santa Cruz Heckler. I've loved that thing so much over the last few years; it's my baby. I've gone over it with a toothpick getting it in perfect shape.

Bought condition:







Current condition:








PS it's currently for sale! 
2003 Santa Cruz Heckler, size L, well maintained For Sale


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## sml-2727 (Nov 16, 2013)

2000 Schwinn Moab 2


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## Patchos1 (Feb 2, 2015)

fat chance, coming back soon via kickstarter


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## jbt56 (Mar 2, 2010)

Cool thread!

When Charlie and his buddies were inventing mountain biking, I was riding one of these in nearby Mill Valley- a Webco BMXer with Tuff Wheels.









My first MTB, in 1985, was a Schwinn Sierra-









After that, there was a Fisher Montare in late 87, and a Klein Pinnacle XCD in 88, which I still have.
After a 15-year break from riding, I got my 09 Epic Comp.


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## daniel_g_z (Feb 2, 2015)

*1998 Mongoose Pro NX 7.5*

When Mongoose bikes used to be good bikes.

It was an awesome bike, very well balanced with good components. Sold it a couple of years ago.


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## epicxt (Dec 24, 2007)

Only have a pic of my current ride, the list started back in '87 or '88 with a Spesh Hard Rock Sport which I upgraded quickly (flat bars, toe-clips, Ground Control tires, etc). Ended up getting stolen. It was a great ride for a middle-schooler and I spent many hours trying to keep up with an older brother and his bike shop friends. Taught me the meaning of physical & mental suffering. 
Over the years I've had the following rides:
'89 Klein Pinnacle with Suntour (xcd?)
'93 Specialized Stumpjumper 
'01 Gary Fisher Sugar (first bike with suspension)
'03 Specialized Epic Marathon
Random Gary Fisher DH bike. Can't remember the model (Kingfisher?) with Saint components. 
'09 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 ssl
'12 Trek Rig SS (still have)
'15 Trek Superfly 9.8 x1


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## mudmullet (Dec 27, 2014)

*Yellow Trek 850 1986ish*

Can't believe I don't have more photos of the beast: 1987ish Trek 850

1990-1991 Memorial Park, Houston, Texas.

Before: 


After:

I still have it, even the Rockshox RS-1, except that I've replaced everything but the seatpost, the quick releases, the front derauilleur, and the bottle cages. It's purple, now, too, thanks to a Montana Comp frame that I got in the mid 1990s after I cracked the 850 frame.


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## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

A Cannondale 2000 SuperV700SX:


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## Whacked (Sep 29, 2008)

90 Trek 820
Rode that until I bought a 94 Trek 8300
sold that bike last summer


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## rockhopper97 (Jul 30, 2014)

first 3 mountain bikes were dept store specials....... my first real one was a 92 diamondback outlook which I traded back in 6 months later for a cannondale m400......got out of riding and sold it.....in 96 I picked up a raliegh m 80 and put a rock-shox Q21r on it..... that one was stolen about a year later....went 3 or 4 years without one till I picked up a used haro from a friend....life got in the way and I sold it..... got back into bikes again a few years ago and picked up a genesis V2100.... decided I didnt like it and found a 97 specialized rockhopper at a garage sale in sad shape for $5.... used some parts from the V2100 to make it rideable.... tore it down about 6 mo ago and painted it and made it a single speed


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## OldZaskar (Oct 18, 2007)

A 1988 Diamond Back. Rode that bike 'til 1995.


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## prj71 (Dec 29, 2014)

This was my first...


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## ernvil (Apr 8, 2011)

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/..._BawBgRb-gu5_FOmmYqdDL0MI2AGjHTusIN0rI6ncRy04

It was something like this...an early 90's Nishiki Colorado I picked up in a thrift store. It had been rattle-can painted hot pink faded into black.


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## Old Ray (Sep 5, 2010)

It was a Fisher with U-brakes under the chainstays. Those were the days.
Deore DX thumbshifters.


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## gthcarolina (Mar 3, 2005)

*Alpinestars with elevated chainstays*

My wife andd I both had them. These pictures borrowed. I think they were 91 or 92.


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## Mojave G (Jan 30, 2015)

First mountain bike was this GT timberline given to me 10 years ago by a friend before he moved. Haven't ridden it much until recently when I quit smoking cigarettes. Been riding the hell out of it now! :thumbsup: Been shopping around for a new one in the next few months. Are the new GT timberlines anygood?



Notable bike before that had many uses, GT mach one, was my 20" mountain bike for me as a kid in the Nevada desert. It's last life was bmx racing and ended up like this. Funny I just put it back together a few days ago after sitting on the shelf in the garage for yeeeears.......

On the shelf.



And put together, needs a rear tube, was hoping to go for a ride but no. :nono:


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## enginesix (Jan 7, 2015)

trek 6000.


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## Spec7 (May 3, 2000)

A 1981 Murray USA "Baja". I was 10 when I got it. I literally had to grow into it as it required a cinder block for me to stand on to get my leg over the top tube when I first got it. Lots of neighborhood riding on it for the first year or so, then hit the trails and rest is history.
Stock photo from MOMBAT:


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## RWhiz (Jun 10, 2013)

Supergo with Columbus frame and bio pace gears. My brother still has it, might want to see about getting it from him. Soon after I bought a Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo II which I rode for many years before relegating it the garage.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Modern Era? Giant Iquana. Steel rigid with Suntour SCM groupo from the early 90's. Maybe a bit earlier but I can't remember the details.

First bike on dirt? Schwinn Jaguar circa 1958. I loved that thing and rode it almost exclusively on dirt. Many of our roads weren't paved and we regularly used the animal trails between neighborhoods. 

This was in northwest Jersey, not California and in the late 50's. We were too young and dumb to know we were mountain biking.


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## Brian Grimes (Feb 8, 2015)

First mountain bike was a Roadmaster department store bike my dad got me for Christmas my sophmore year, 1992. I rode it into the ground, replaced parts I scavenged off other POS department store bikes, rode it into the ground more.

First "real" mountain bike was a 2000 Specialized Rockhopper pro. I loved that ride, right up until it got stolen.


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## darth biker (Jul 8, 2011)

*1999 Kona*

Rode it from 2000-2003 until it was stolen from 2nd story balcony. Nice steel frame. Did not get back into mtb-ing until 2008.


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

1992/1993 GT Pantera. Bright orange. U-brake. Man that thing was cool.


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## Elbastardo (Oct 30, 2014)

GT Timberline


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## ConchoBill (Jan 12, 2015)

Being a noob this isn't too interesting, it's my very nice Trek Marlin which is the best bike I've ever owned. Thanks to eb1888 I have gotten it modded with a Suntour Raidon air fork. I bought the Marlin the 1st of February and have over 250 miles on it. 

I also own a Schwinn Sidewinder and it will be going back to the Rancho once the income tax is done. However the Sidewinder is not ruled as a real mt bike, right?


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## mark! (Jun 1, 2012)

My first legit bike was a 2011 Trek Wahoo purchased in 2012. Son has it now after replacing the frame with an X-Cal. Still making upgrades as we go for him, but he loves it just as much as I did.


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## Barman1 (Jan 8, 2014)

I used to borrow a Mid 80's Ross Mount Whitney is how I got the bug and that led to my first purchase of a new Specialized Stumpjumper in 1988.
It was the sweet Magenta/Green model. 
I'm trying to remember how much I paid for it. Maybe around $800?? That's like $1600 in today's dollars. :eekster: 

Rode the hell out of that bike all over the US for 10 years till I sold it for $200. Sad day when I sold that one for sure.


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## JTC3495 (Oct 24, 2014)

My first real mountain bike was a 96 Cannondale Super V 500 like the one in the picture.

I just remember how awesome it felt to have a bike with full suspension. It however was stolen about 5 years later. It was what really got me into this great sport.

The only issue I remember from this bike is the head shock needing to be rebuilt several times after grenading off of jumps.

ATTACH=CONFIG]976771[/ATTACH]


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## BigHit-Maniac (Apr 13, 2004)

I had one of these.

Had a Manitou Fork on it, and looking back it was a complete pogo-stick.

LOL.

Got me into the sport, and I rode Slick Rock on it!


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## jim293 (Jan 3, 2014)

My first one was a Trek 4300. I really enjoyed that bike but I am really enjoying my new Stache 7 And my Trek remedy 9.


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## IFallDown (Mar 2, 2014)

Mongoose something, then a entry level trek, Scott scale 960, Cannondale Scalpel, Now a Cannondale Trigger tricked out


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## sbeedy01 (Nov 7, 2014)

My first bike that got me started was an 08 GIOS XC3 never heard of the company or anything totally winged it and bought it for $125 and have been hooked ever since. Got rid of it to upgrade to a new bike. One of the best $125 I've spent!


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

1987 GT Avalanche


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

'95 Giant ATX 860. Can't find a pic of it. It's all blue, rigid fork, alivio components. Last time I saw it, it was resting against a wall in the backyard covered in snow, next to the BBQ grill, when I last visited my old folks' place. Most likely moved by my little brother or old man for room for their toys since they are fans of Sears stuff. Looked like it was far from being in rideable shape. It was mostly urban, riding through dirt trails in the parks and in the woods behind peoples' houses.

First mountain bike I had that actually rode on mountains was a '98 Schwinn Homegrown Factory XT in Bass Boat Blue. Got it used while in the military as a more unique hobby over what others were doing (ex. video games, going to the gym, drinking, and going to clubs to pick up chicks). The blue started flaking off quite a bit, looking quite ugly, and I just flaked the rest off. I had the riding bug pretty bad with it, riding up to 5k miles a year, racking up well over 15k on it. Didn't take it to a bike shop at all, except once right before I sold it. I guess seeing all the new bikes got me to want one with disc brakes, better suspension, etc. and was lighter for the climbs, since I was struggling to handle the mountains I was riding on this.



My mileage has decreased as the bikes I've owned have gotten better. Now I ride about 1.2k miles a year, on my modern bike. I'd say the reason for this is because the quality of those miles is far better and satisfy me more, riding even more remote and unknown places with more enthusiasm.


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## mattnmtns (Sep 16, 2010)

Bikes sure have come a long way.

My first bike was a 1986 Stumpjumper that I bought off a friend in 87. I rode that bike all over the place until it got stolen. Not mine but it was like it, except painted black stripes on it









Got a Trek 850 to replace it, total POS compared to the stumpjumper. Kind of led to a long hiatus from mountain biking before I rediscovered it about 6 years ago.


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## BikeHikeNH (Oct 8, 2014)

My first mtb 1991 GT Timberline (pulled out of the shed sans front tire)
Wife's first 1992 GT Timberline (refurbed 2 years ago)


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## BikeHikeNH (Oct 8, 2014)

^^^^^^
The blue bike was the 91` and the green was the 92.


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## dfrink (Nov 6, 2013)

1991 Specialized Hardrock Sport. Saved money all summer to buy that bike. Upgraded nearly everything. Thought I loved it until I bought a new bike in 2000 and realized the Spec. was WAY to big for me (I'm 5'6", it was an 18" frame). That explained all of the crashing (at least some of it)!


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## 87turbo951 (Mar 31, 2015)

2003 Kona Stuff.Weapon,never had one problem for first 5 years of riding 4-5 times a week in summer.Still have it.


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