# Official Doug Bradbury Manitou Thread



## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

It seems like there isn't a consolidated DBM thread so I thought I'd take a crack at it.

Here is my 1989 blue DMB. All original build, came with some original DB forks as well. PO was a childhood friend of Doug's and ordered the bike directly from Doug.










Recent snow excursion


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

... and here are some cool other photos I've collected


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

Some more










A couple more blues ones, Doug says he only did 5-6 of them


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

... a few more










Here's a 1988 with roller cam mounts front and rear:










and a 1990


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

First Gen Manitou-FS


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## den haag (Feb 18, 2009)

double century, get in here!


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

An attempt at trying to show off some changes, evolution between the model years. Welds look just about the same, I think the only difference I can tell is that the 88 gusset (seen the same on 87s) is taller than the later years.

Head tube gussets 1988:










Head tube gussets 1989:










Head tube gussets 1990 (lousy pic):


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

You lucky man, I dream about your bike for many, many years..


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

A couple pics of the 89 Brochure including some of Doug's hand made Buisness cards and a cool glossy of an early (87?) Manitou


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

Sadly, all of my Doug bikes still need work of some form or another. Here are some 
teaser shots.

One of the questions I keep asking myself is why none of these bikes got serial numbers?!?


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## scant (Jan 5, 2004)

SMRTIN said:


> A couple more blues ones, Doug says he only did 5-6 of them


I nearly bought that frameset. when the seller brought it to me I noticed the massive crack in the seatcolar, that the seller hadnt.


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

I was going to post some pics I took, but you seem to have found them already. The Travis Brown pic is from Mont Ste Anne in about 1991, as is the bike with the front wheel missing.


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

GonaSovereign said:


> I was going to post some pics I took, but you seem to have found them already. The Travis Brown pic is from Mont Ste Anne in about 1991, as is the bike with the front wheel missing.


Are those photos you took? If so then I'm sorry for not giving you credit, I just had them in my DBM library.


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

scant said:


> I nearly bought that frameset. when the seller brought it to me I noticed the massive crack in the seatcolar, that the seller hadnt.[/QUOTE
> 
> Was this frame repaired by a German collector?
> 
> It's such a nice one.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

There's nothing wrong with crack repaired bikes! :|


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## scant (Jan 5, 2004)

DoubleCentury said:


> scant said:
> 
> 
> > I nearly bought that frameset. when the seller brought it to me I noticed the massive crack in the seatcolar, that the seller hadnt.[/QUOTE
> ...


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Cracktastic!

One hardtail, one FS:


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

Aemmer said:


> Cracktastic!
> 
> One hardtail, one FS:


Those look like the 7005 Easton Variolite versions, post DB buyout right?


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

That seat tube makes my head spin.


DoubleCentury said:


> Sadly, all of my Doug bikes still need work of some form or another. Here are some
> teaser shots.
> 
> One of the questions I keep asking myself is why none of these bikes got serial numbers?!?
> ...


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

jeff said:


> That seat tube makes my head spin.


Yup. I think it started out as a pipe with a 1/2" wall thickness.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

Aemmer said:


> Cracktastic!
> 
> One hardtail, one FS:


Ohh, Ohh same Easton tube that the Alpinestar's..!?


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## mik_git (Feb 4, 2004)

and yeti arcs... all cracktastic


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

mik_git said:


> and yeti arcs... all cracktastic


Sorry I forgot to mention the ARC's too


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

Fun lineup over the weekend


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

Here's another Bradbury, little later version than the ones above.


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Hell yes!


SMRTIN said:


> Fun lineup over the weekend
> 
> View attachment 810964


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Digging that cockpit. Great spec. What are those shifter pods?


crconsulting said:


> Here's another Bradbury, little later version than the ones above.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

jeff said:


> Digging that cockpit. Great spec. What are those shifter pods?


Grafton. It's all Grafton'ed out.

I want that seatpost.


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

SMRTIN said:


> Are those photos you took? If so then I'm sorry for not giving you credit, I just had them in my DBM library.


No worries. I posted them up originally so people could see them. And now you know where where they were taken!

The week after Mt Ste Anne I was at the Mt Snow race and chatted with Doug. It was just after he sold the fork design to Answer and the first batch was being distributed. He was willing to sell me one, but it was too expensive for this teenager at the time. His handmade forks had a cooler dropout design, but they didn't work as well.


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## mm78 (Aug 5, 2012)

Dont know if you guys are interested,but this is the last frame and fork,and infact full bike,that doug designed for answer !


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

Very cool.

Year?


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## mm78 (Aug 5, 2012)

Cheers,

Its a 1997 Answer manitou downhill,with king fork and prototype ringle front hub,araya 915dh rims,and it has a pro shift rear mech in black and red at the moment,i rode this all day at epping forest a couple of weeks ago and it works flawlessly,


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## Chrissy Wiley (Oct 9, 2014)

*1993 System FS*

It is with a heavy heart that I share this with you.









My beloved 1993 System FS. I was tearing it down to clean and rebuild when I noticed this crack. I've been riding it for over 20 years, and I'm retiring it anyway, but dammit this breaks my heart.

It was a very good run.

:'(

-c








93 System FS frame
Mach 5 fork
Manitou CNC stem
Hyperlite bars
XTR dérailleurs & V-Brakes
XT brake levers
Grip Shift X-Ray
King "NoThreadSet"
White Industries Ti BB
Pulstar front / XT rear hubs
Speed Springs


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## jeff (Jan 13, 2004)

It held on for 2 decades. Yes not a bad run.


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## Chrissy Wiley (Oct 9, 2014)




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## dirtdrop (Dec 29, 2003)




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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Chrissy Wiley said:


> It is with a heavy heart that I share this with you.
> I've been riding it for over 20 years, and I'm retiring it anyway, but dammit this breaks my heart.
> It was a very good run.


Flat out amazing is lasted that long!



dirtdrop said:


> Proper DBM


There we go. Rad bike.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

*I spent a summer tree-planting when I was 18 (1988) so I could afford to buy this:*









Stupidly sold it long ago. Doug said it was the first Manitou ordered from Canada.

Trying to track it down now, or at least find out when it shattered...


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

shamobius said:


> View attachment 980947
> 
> 
> Stupidly sold it long ago. Doug said it was the first Manitou ordered from Canada.
> ...


Yeah, too bad you sold it! Now go punch yourself.  It looks wonderful btw. Stem, forks....geeeez!

you have more pictures?


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## dirtdrop (Dec 29, 2003)

girlonbike said:


> you have more pictures?


Ditto!


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Great thread bump, I love these old Manitou's. Anybody have the one that had the fork suspension in the rear? Post a photo up if you do. One of the more intriguing rear suspension designs of all time. Back in the day my local bike shop had one in the front window. I left more drool on that window they eventually moved it inside. I guess cleaning the window got to be quite the hassle.


Chrissy sorry to hear of your loss.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

*these pics make me misty...*

Decades of regret have accumulated...

I had given Doug Bradbury a spec'ed drawing of what I wanted, and we had agreed on the dimensions. When I received the frame I was pretty choked to discover that he had built it with his traditional tall head tube, I believe it was 7.5" (I had asked for a 5" head tube). I remember when I was ordering the frame having a phone conversation about that head tube, and Doug trying to convince me of the benefits of going taller, which was probably true for the riding he was doing in Colorado. 
But at the time all my buddies were riding small frames, we were into trials-type riding; crazy rock wall descents, hopping up unrideable lines, not cross country stuff. Keeping your seat lowered and your bars close to the front wheel were where it was at. So to me, the frame seemed huge, and I was irked that he changed my design. I ended up selling it two years later to a friend who was 6'2" or so.

Obviously looking back I should have held on to it like grim death!


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

Awesome bike Shamobius. I think Doug did give you the short headtube version. Check out this early Manitou built specifically for trials,

1986 Doug Bradbury Manitou - Vintage Mountain Bike Workshop


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

Yeah I'm sure he gave me what I wanted. It still seemed tall up front for crazy steep descents where you hung your ass over the seat until the tread tickled the spandex...


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

P.S. your website is what got me thinking about the old steed. Thanks for that! I am telling my old riding buddies about the site. We all rode Yeti, Klein, Fat Chance, Ritchey. Everyone trying to one-up the other in coolness...


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

shamobius said:


> P.S. your website is what got me thinking about the old steed. Thanks for that! I am telling my old riding buddies about the site. We all rode Yeti, Klein, Fat Chance, Ritchey. Everyone trying to one-up the other in coolness...


All his workshop elves have paid for themselves.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

So, this happened today...


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

After a month of tracking its travels from owner to owner over the last 25 years I had this conversation this morning on facebook:

"Hi Pete, not sure if we have crossed paths before, but I'm kind of on a wild goose chase here. Back in the day (1989 I believe) I bought a Manitou mountain bike direct from the builder and sold it later to my friend Paul. He said that he gave it to a guy named Pete (neighbour of Ian) to find a fork for. Just wondering if you possibly be the same Pete...? 
Looking for my dear old bike, Shamus

Unbelievably, yes I have the bike!

you are joking me!?!? Is it still in one piece?

I told Paul, probably 15 years ago that the forks need replacing as they are unsafe to ride

which forks are on it, or did you replace them?

As it is a 1" headset with huge steer tube, the fork options were limited, so I never switched them out

Right on

Then the bike sat in my attic
and sat and sat

Are you in Victoria?

yes I am!

Let's meet up, what's your day looking like today?

anytime, anyplace!

Haha

Pete you have blown my mind today…"


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

*Pete you are the man!*

Re-united with a long lost friend...


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

Wow!

I wonder if the original stem broke; most did.

And at some point it looks like it got new Manitou graphics, but lost most of those.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

I am pretty sure the stem has met its maker (wait that sounds wrong, I mean god not Doug). Broken or at least long gone. I have seen on your website that you have reproduced that stem (or should I say improved it for other builds...!

The "Manitou" graphics are original (what's left), and the red decals were made by me 27 years ago...


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## DoubleCentury (Nov 12, 2005)

I actually took that reproduced stem off because it was so flexy. The IRD is much better.

In your original photos the vinyl "Manitou" sticker is back by the seat cluster and has bold font. The current photo of the frame has "NITOU" up by the headtube in thin font.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

You're right, I hadn't noticed the location change on the decal. Wonder if the frame was sent back to Doug at some point...


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Wow, that's crazy. A week ago you were wishing you'd never sold it...now it's back in your hands. Congrats on getting the bike back Shamus. Solid sleuth work.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

She's coming along nicely...


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## bushpig (Nov 26, 2005)

Wow! Is it ever.


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

Found and traded for some Grafton brakes, but missing some hardware. Still searching for the near impossible find of an original Bradbury stem (flex be damned DoubleCentury!)...


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

Looks fantastic!

Are you going to mount toe clips or just run platforms?



Steve


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## shamobius (Jul 26, 2014)

eastcoaststeve said:


> Looks fantastic!
> 
> Are you going to mount toe clips or just run platforms?
> 
> Steve


Thanks Steve, it's been a truly rewarding restoration. Truthfully as a 'rider' I slap on SPDs when taking it out, but back in the day it was Bullseye pedals with WTB toeflips, plastic Specialized cages and those little tabs screwed on to the end of vinyl toe straps that helped you grab and tighten the straps? If I ever find those pedals, or some Suntour XC grease guards I will try that setup again!


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

A few DBM projects I've got cooking right now

Large 89-90









Medium 89-90









88-89 Elevated


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## SMRTIN (Dec 17, 2012)

1990 DBM










1991 DBM (MBA Test bike)


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

There's just something about that MBA Test Bike that I dig.


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## mauricer (Apr 15, 2011)

It has quite the same race appearance like your FRO.


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