# The first MTB you ever rode



## BobHufford (Jun 9, 2004)

The first mountain bike I ever got my hands on was a friends '83 Univega Alpina Sport (in 1983 -- a blue one). I remember riding it up the front steps of the restaurant we both worked at and jumping around on the curbing and large rocks in the landscaping. I borrowed it for the weekend and rode it around the dirt/gravel roads where I lived at the time (in the boonies near Buffalo, MO). The rear wheel tended to unweight and loose traction. I, unfortunately, didn't get bit with the MTB bug and did not get on a mountain bike again until 1995. I missed so much and have a lot of catching up to do! I would love to see (and maybe even own) an '83 Univega Alpina Sport. Does anyone have one or any photos?

Thanks,

Bob Hufford
Springfield, MO


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

1987 or 88 specialized rockhopper. Solid blue with orange letters.


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## neveride (Feb 7, 2004)

*Mongoose Alta*

Circa 1987. But my first off road riding was with my 20" Schwinn Predator, circa 1985, when my buddies and I at age 12 discovered we could ride our bikes across the bridge from Jersey to Staten Island, and on trails in Clove Lake Park and the Greenbelt. It was like a 4 mile ride their, and riding over the bridge was tough on a 20". Since moving back to the area I grew up, I still ride those trails now and again.

I upgraded from the Mongoose to a Schwinn High Sierra maybe 88 or 89 or so.


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## SS Jerry (Dec 22, 2003)

*1988 Diamondback Apex with DX groupo.*

I sold it to my buddy for 300, many years ago. I would like to buy it back for sentimental reasons.

JS


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

BobHufford said:


> The first mountain bike I ever got my hands on was a friends '83 Univega Alpina Sport (in 1983 -- a blue one). I remember riding it up the front steps of the restaurant we both worked at and jumping around on the curbing and large rocks in the landscaping. I borrowed it for the weekend and rode it around the dirt/gravel roads where I lived at the time (in the boonies near Buffalo, MO). The rear wheel tended to unweight and loose traction. I, unfortunately, didn't get bit with the MTB bug and did not get on a mountain bike again until 1995. I missed so much and have a lot of catching up to do! I would love to see (and maybe even own) an '83 Univega Alpina Sport. Does anyone have one or any photos?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ...


An '83 Alpina Sport was my first mtb and the first one I rode. Bought it new for ~$389. Cromo main triangle, hi-tensile stays and fork. 68 degrees parallel angles, 18.5" chainstays, 45" wheelbase. Bullmoose style bars, Araya 7X rims (32 mm wide) and bolt on hubs. Sugino knockoff of TA cranks (180 mm). Stock gearing was 48/38/32 with a 14-32 5 speed. "Racing" weight was around 32 pounds.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

*'91 Gt*

The first MTB that I put significant miles on was a '91 GT Team Avalanche, which I bought in late '92 or early '93.

When MTBs first came out I was still in high school in a small town on the east coast. I was riding a Schwinn Varsity road bike both on and off road. I'd never seen or heard of a mountain bike, and my Varsity seemed to do fine on trails, off ramps, around town, etc. I rode that bike from late junior high through the first couple years of college, and then got away from biking.

When I finally got a job that paid enough to buy a bike (which was going to be a new roadie) a friend of mine talked me into getting a MTB instead. I ended up with the previous year's model full-XT GT Team Avalanche. It was a fun bike until I chained it to a bike rack at Union Station in DC. It was not there when I came back.


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## vdubbusrider (Jul 28, 2004)

my first was a 1986 fisher procaliber. lucky to get such a nice bike to ride at 11 years old. still own it!


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## Guitar Ted (Jan 14, 2004)

*'89 Mongoose Sycamore*

I thought "All Terrain Bike" meant you could ride it anywhere, through anything. So, this poor bike went through rain, snow, heinous mud, and several submergings through flooded river bottom trails. By '91 she was toast! Learned a few things along the way! Got a replacement for that $350.00 steed in a $3000.00 Klein Attitude in '92. Just a bit of an upgrade!


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## GonaSovereign (Sep 20, 2004)

1987 Rocky Mountain Fusion. Blue Tange MTB frame, white fork, with Mountain Exage LX components. Chainstay u-brake, of course. My friend had a chi-chi Rocky Blizzard I coveted, but I didn’t have that sort of cash to throw around. I ended up saving all my summer job money and got a pro-deal on a Brodie ClimbMax the next year, a photo of which lives elsewhere on this forum. Those were the days…


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## bulC (Mar 12, 2004)

*I remember*

I rode over to a wheelbuilder friend's place and he had just acquired one of the original Stumpjumpers, so that would have been what '81? Rode it on a singletrack that went along some fence rows between some fields, then up and dirt road a few miles and back down. Thought it was cool but it wasn't a revelation or anything as I had been riding dirt roads and trails on my Varsity since about '65, and doing the same on a Mondia cyclocross bike starting in I think '72. You didn't ask but the second true MTB I rode was a Bicycle Corp. of America (BCA, Bethlehem, PA, Willie Ehrlich's company in case there's any oldtime industry types out there) "ATB." I vividly recall that the bars, which I measured, were 32" wide, and that I did not like that aspect at all.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

My first MTB was an 87/88 Miyata Countryrunner. My first super dope upgrades were a pair of DX pedals and internal wedge style control tech bar ends. I had done lots of BMX so this bike was a chore to jump. I think they used lead frames on that bike?


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## Jeroen (Jan 12, 2004)

I see a lot of '80's bikes coming around as being the first mtb you rode...

The first MTB I rode was the first MTB I bought. Its a '97 Balance AL450. I bought it new in 1997 when I was 16yrs of age. Balance was rarely sold here in the Netherlands and a friend and I both bought one. He was a bit more into mtbing already and he bought the '97 AL750.

I cruised on the rig for a bit more than a year, 11000km to start with (also a lot of road use) and got totally infected with the virus. Bought myself a '97 AL750 frameset a year later and built it up like Id like. A bit in the same sence as those GT bikes from back than. Those appealed very much to me back in the days (polished frame, yellow Judy SL forks and Michelin tires; damn... how time fly's and taste changes  ....).

Left the AL750 just after finishing it. Right the AL450 which I kept a few months aside the AL750.










The AL450 was stock, STX RC parts with some LX. Nice, but it was totally finished after one year. The AL750 was build in first trim with the Judy SL LT, Magura HS33, Mavic 217/XT wheels and a part XT/ESP 9.0sl groupo. Later I added a set of King hubs and headset.

Rode 3 yrs on the Balance AL750, and than I turned to steel and rigid forks. In a word; I got mature  The DeKerf Team SL was my first and the rest is history.... 

Funny thing is, that I have seem no more than 3 other Balance's in my whole cycling life in reality. I can trully say Ive seen more DeKerf's by now than Balance's


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

*in '85*

on the same day '85 Fat Chance & Ted Wojick.

Scoty


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

First mtb was a 92 attitude purchased in 96 ,kooka cranks, ritchie vantage pros on ringle hubs,ringle moby duece,avocet 02 air, the rest was xt parts.

I knew nothing about bikes. I had read two mtb magazines.It didnt even mention klein. I didnt own a computer. I just so happened to look in the newspapers classifieds. 
The exact words were "klein attitude,kooka cranks, ringle parts 500 dollars."
I thought to myself that must be a nice bike if they are advertising the parts on the bike.
I asked my buddy who let me borrow the mtb magazines if he had ever heard of klein.
He said he heard it was a nice bike.
All i had was 460 bucks.
I called the guy up and met him.
Before i got out of the car ,there it was, a gator fade attitude.
It was the most beautifull bike i had ever seen and i knew right then i was buying it.
I would have bought it regardless of the size too because i was still completely clueless.
God hooked me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the EXACT size i needed.(not to be known till a few years later)
And please dont let me have to explain how impossible it is to find one in your exact size and couple that with trying to find one with your correct reach and rise mission control handlebars.
I still think about that event often and wonder what did i do specificly to get such a material reward on earth from god. I praise the lord daily(not for the klein) and ask that his will , will be my will. I love him.


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

*My story*

I was born in '77, so the first time I should have been on a bike should be around '80. It was a sturdy green bike of which I don't know the brand anymore. It definately wasn't a MTB. After that; an Altra, a small Peugeot sportsbike and a Kaptein followed. I still remember the time a saw a MTB for the first time of my live, around mid eighties. To me it actually looked so weird! I bought my first MTB in about '89. It was a crappy Carrara and I used for commuting and making a few small MTBrides in the local woods.

In '92 my parents bought two traditional -typical Dutch- Koga Miyata bicycles. They took the very glossy brochure home and I immediately liked the appeal of the brand. I decided not to spent my money on an expensive scooter, but I bought myself a 'top notch' Hybrid bike; a Koga Miyata TerraLiner Carbolite. Carbon frame, all XT, Syncros all over. Every bit black - very classy!

Because I spent so much money on the bike I decided I should use it where it's intended for, so a started serious biking. That biking soon became downhilling and jumping.....and that's not where a Hybrid is intended for. I had some money left and I bought myself a second bike for more serious mountainbiking, a Cadex CFM3. I not liked all the bits on that bike (cheap trick!) and it wasn't cool enough (NOT!  ) , so after three quarters of a year it had to go.

The battle was now between the Koga SkyCarbolite, Yeti Pro Fro and Manitou HT. I really liked those H-Ball style Miyata's and Koga is an excellent, reliable company. I also liked the Pro Fro very much, but the availability was very poor(no distibutor in Holland!), so I thought after sales service would have caused serious problems. I guessed the Manitou couldn't stand my abuse. I decided Koga and because it came in red I decided all the components had to be in blue for contrast.









The SkyCarbolite just after I took delivery of it. Unfortunately initially there was no money left for blue Ringle stuff. Later blue Sun rims, blue CNC ALPA stem and blue H2O were fitted. Notice the red Renthal motorcross bar - they can be considered as sturdy! BTW those blue Vredestein Slizer and Grinder tires are the crappiest products the world has ever seen.

The SC frame is now on my closset, next to some other spare frames. After the SC another 10 to 12 Koga's followed. Only one and a half year back I bought myself a different branded bicycle; the '95 Yo of which I am the lucky owner. My current stable: http://www3.mtb-news.de/fotos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=24536


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## kb11 (Mar 29, 2004)

My little brother bought a '82 Stumpjumper when they came out. I was into dirt bikes and off road racing at the time. After riding my brothers new bike my thoughts were this thing needs a motor and some sort of suspension. The 1st MTB I bought was a 1988 Rockhopper. Put alot of miles on that one. I quit motorcycle racing in 1990 after taking a BIG crash ! A couple years later I started racing MTB's. My son started racing a few years later and we hit most of the big races and Nationals on the West coast. We went through quite a few bikes in those days. My brother still has that '82 tig welded stumpy but wont sell it to me


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## WTB-rider (Jul 25, 2004)

*I'm getting old...*

...but it was a 1988 Ross Mt.McKinley(I'm more certain of the year than the exact model)
It was a 20" frame(I now ride a 14-16" frame) and way too big but I knew this was something for me.Complete Suntour XC group,friction shifters and rollercams,it would have been worth keeping for the parts but who knew back then?


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## MtnSpectre (Nov 21, 2004)

Bought a K2 A88 in Germany back in 1996. No frills. No shocks. I had a Nishiki Custom Sport road bike that I rode all the time. I had aspirations of being the next Greg Lemond. Had a rude awakening in a mountainous race in Colorado as to my competitiveness. Decided to ride road to stay in shape. Weather didn't permit much year round riding in Germany, so I bought a mountain bike. A friend took me on a trail he had hiked and started to challenge my spinning abilities. He was just suckering me into disaster. He knew what the trail had in store and I didn't. I was riding hard enough to keep him behind me and when he stopped before we started a downhill portion I didn't think twice and kept going (my first mistake). I was able to able to pull off the first drop but wasn't really paying attention to further down the hill (my second mistake). Saw the second drop coming off a large log and a thin trail around it. I decided to take the trail around instead of the drop (maybe my third mistake). My bar caught a small tree and you can imagine the rest. After laying there for while thinking...man that hurt and listening to my friend laugh, I thought I should have taken the drop instead. I got up and talked myself into trying it again (fourth mistake). Second trip to the ground didn't hurt as much and pain was forgotten further down the trail. Got home and had some good looks from the wife as to how dirty I was. Fell in love with it and sold my road bike to upgrade my K2. Which has long since been replaced. Now riding a Yeti 5.75 AS-R and love it!


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## movingmountain (Jun 6, 2004)

In '83 I rode a friends Ritchey. The next day I bought a stumpjumper.


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## grawbass (Aug 23, 2004)

*My first MTB was about circa 1985........*

Its was a Ross (i think) I remember it being burgundy or dark red with a welded frame. Bullmoose handlebars, AME grips, motorcycle brakelevers, cantilever brakes, thumbshifters (of course), one piece steel crank, 5 speed freewheel, Cyclepro Snakebelly tires. The thing weighed about 40 lbs. I think it was the first MTB in my city. I remember getting some weird looks while riding it. When it was about 2 years old, I built a huge ramp out of wood and placed it on the sidewalk in front of my house. The ramp was at least a 45 degree angle and when i would land on the sidewalk, 100% of my weight was on the rear wheel. Granted I only weighed about 100 lbs, but it was enough to break the weak weld where the seatstays joined the seattube. That was the end of my first MTB.


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## fat chance guy (Jan 15, 2004)

*1989 Trek 8000*

At the time I worked at a place with quite a few fairly serious recreational cyclists, (all roadies) and I became interested. Only one of the guys had a MTB but I decided to go that way as I could put slicks on it for thr road rides and still putz around in the dirt too. At the time I was recently married but I bought the bike when my wife was out of town. Not a popular move.

I shopped around quite a bit, not expecting to spend much, but ending up spending just over $700 for the Trek. I never met many "real" mountain bikers at first, until I visited my sister in Northern CA and met some of her friends, all serious riders. I recall one person asking if my bike was brand new (it wasn't). After riding with these folks, I understood why he asked; I did not really know what it was about. These people had cool bikes; Fats, Ibis, Salsa, etc. and they really knew how to ride them. I was hooked.

I started planning buy another bike. Fortunately I was able to visit a lot of cool shops; Bike Beat in Orange, CBO in Cambria, Point Reyes Bikes, Buds Bikes in Claremont, and rode lots of cool bikes, Rock Lobster, Cunningham, American M-16, Santana Moda. In 1990 I ended up buying a 1989 Wicked Fat Chance on clearance ($1199) in neon orange.

I still have the Wicked (and a few others as well), but I sold the Trek years ago to a friend. I would very much like to find another, just for the heck of it. It was a pretty good bike for the time, although I have never bought another aluminum bike.

And I don't know if any of the guys that got me started still ride at all.

Thanks for the bit of nostalgia.

rick


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## rideit (Jan 22, 2004)

*84 or 85 Ross Mt. McKinley...*

Friends bike, LOVED the gold anodized or painted parts on it..then...
Univega Alpina (87)
Nishiki Alien (88-89?)
Nishiki Alien warranty, with one piece frame, neon green..
Klien Adroit, gator fade...sweet..I was pimpin' for 3K....(90?)
Klien Adriot, warranty (92)
GT trials bike, Hans rey mustard yellow
Trek 2300 carbon road bike
Klien Adroit, Warranty (93)
Park Pre custom modified 24" trials cruiser
Klien Attitide. warranty (96) they would not warranty me another Adroit, go figure..
Cannondale Beast Of The East (92)
Marin Dually? (98)
Redline C-cross (98)
Moots Mootaineer (99)$$$$$$$$$$$$& SQUEAKY
Ellsworth untruth (01)$$$$$$$$$$$$$& CRAPPY COMPANY
Rocky oxygen hardtail
Giant XTC dually, pre NRS
G. ATX990, prototype NRS (euro model)
prototype NRS, three travel options
prototype AC, two BB height options, and two travel options
AC,(3 of them, one built down to 26.5#)
Giant VT
Giant ATX Downhill bike
NRS Air Carbon 
Rocky Mt. ETSX all pimped out...(NOW)


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## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

Around 1987-88, a real Gary Fisher in aluminium. It was about $2000 at the time. I spent about 1/2 hour together and it was heaven.


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## p0werp0p (Jun 10, 2004)

1987 Sekai Mountaineer - shifted like mush until this year when I converted it to SS

Actually, until this fall, the newest bike I've ridden was a 1990 Giant. No problem keeping up with the others on their latest and greatest FS rigs. After planning some trips to Utah for next spring, I decided it was finally time to upgrade to a new bike with a suspension fork. I'd be extremely pleased if this one lasts 15+ years.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

BobHufford said:


> The first mountain bike I ever got my hands on was a friends '83 Univega Alpina Sport (in 1983 -- a blue one). I remember riding it up the front steps of the restaurant we both worked at and jumping around on the curbing and large rocks in the landscaping. I borrowed it for the weekend and rode it around the dirt/gravel roads where I lived at the time (in the boonies near Buffalo, MO). The rear wheel tended to unweight and loose traction. I, unfortunately, didn't get bit with the MTB bug and did not get on a mountain bike again until 1995. I missed so much and have a lot of catching up to do! I would love to see (and maybe even own) an '83 Univega Alpina Sport. Does anyone have one or any photos?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ...


Mine was a 1988 Cannondale that I borrowed from my roommate. The first ride was a 10-person group ride above Boulder from Nederland to Jamestown via some mining roads and singletrack. None of had any idea really what we were doing, other than riding down the mountain and laughing wildly. If any one of us had flatted, we'd probably have stood there staring and scratching our heads. We had backpacks loaded with huge deli sandwiches and bottles of Gatorade.

I was down at Mountain Bike Specialists down in Denver shortly thereafter obtaining financing for a 1999 Cannondale Red Shred for $1000. The day after I bought that bike I headed to the Canyonlands and Moab for my first bike trip. About a month after I bought the bike I entered a race and threw up all over the mountain.


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

First MTB was a Schwinn Sidewinder, 21 speed full rigid bike. I got it prior to getting married 12 years ago and sold it for $100 about 6 years ago and have regret it several times because it would have been a good starter singlespeed and barely used it.


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## colker1 (Jan 6, 2004)

saw it on the wondow of a bike shop and was instantly hooked, mesmerized: black, handmade, 24 in wheeled, bmx cranks, stem and bars.. straight gauge chromoly welded in tyhe backyard garage. it was the most beautifull bike i've ever seen and probably i'll ever see. i ordered one with 26 wheels but opted for a cheap crank, one of those one piece jobs and everything went wrong: changed the cranks with a an adapter to reduce the BB. i couldn't find good seatposts, saddles, cables, brakes.. (i live in brasil and mtb's were a novelty).
the first real mtb was a GT karakoram. i still have it and it mustweigh like 35lbs...


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## Call_me_Clyde (Oct 27, 2004)

*Early '90's Giant Yukon*

Rigid, cro-moly frame, Altus drive train. Bought it used, rode it for two years and gave it to a friend, who still rides it.

Clyde


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

1989 Schwinn Frontier


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## uphiller (Jan 13, 2004)

The firts MTB I rode was some kind of Ross, I must've ridden it for the frist time around 1994. It was my older sister's bike, which she had bought at Sam's Club. I was only 13 and planned on getting the same piece of crap, but my older brother, who rode a Cinelli MTB at the time, convinced me to spend at least 400 dollars and I ended up with a Cannondale M300, and ended up spending more upgrading the bike with ano parts and a Halson Inversion.


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## JAK (Jan 6, 2004)

*one scrapper and one real*

I saw a an add for Ritchey Bikes in Action Now 81 or 82. I thought wow, a dirt bike with gears!! I gotta try that!! A keen buddy of mine and I converted his dad's Schwinn World Tour into a skinny/700c MTB. We had 1.25" knobbys that rolled fast! We put motocross handlebars and brake levers that were attached to caliper brakes  ...we used to go to the local moto-cross track and do timed laps against each other...we finally taco'd the rear wheel on some jump. Then we got our Sumpjumpers. 84 or 85...Red with chromed chainstay, I believe Campy drops, Suntour XC pro groupo, long stays, slingshot stem with risers...It loved high speed power-slides down fire roads...


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## RobynC (Feb 14, 2004)

My initial MTB experience was negative. In '86 or '87 my boss had gotten one of those "Firenze" mountain bikes that were given away by a local electronics store (Matthews top of the hill, Daly City) if you bought a TV or something. I asked to borrow it one weekend because it "looked" like fun, but slogging that 40lb monster along my local trails, and I was like, this SUCKS! It really just turned me off MTBs completely for a year or so at least. Even at the LBS I paid no attention to them, focusing instead on my road bike. I could not have afforded the custom MTBs of the day anyway, even if I had known about them. 

About two years later I moved to southern California and finally bought a Nishiki Pueblo to ride to school. It still weighed a ton but there were a lot of upgrades available, and you could sort of have more fun with aftermarket parts. I started riding more and more, preferring it to my road bike (Cannondale) for daily riding. I sold it to buy a weird Stumpjumper clone from a local enthusiast. I wish I had a picture of it. The frame came wrapped in Japanese newspapers and it was a really cool white/acqua fade paint job. Full XT gruppo (with U brake of course), Sun rims, Farmer Johns. I rode it until '89 when I finally bit the bullet and got a Klein Pinnacle, which I still have.


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

*Matthews is gone but the Firenze's live on*



RobynC said:


> My initial MTB experience was negative. In '86 or '87 my boss had gotten one of those "Firenze" mountain bikes that were given away by a local electronics store (Matthews top of the hill, Daly City) if you bought a TV or something.


To this day I still see some of those bikes around!!!

Amazing he must have given out tons of those.

I remember we had a firenze "toss" one year


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## Boy named SSue (Jan 7, 2004)

p0werp0p said:


> 1987 Sekai Mountaineer - shifted like mush until this year when I converted it to SS


Sweet, that was my first bike too. Not much on it worked that welll or held up well. I ended up bending the frame and fork and breaking just about every component. I probably spent more money maintaining it that it had cost in the three years I owned it.

On december 31 '89 I got a '89 Diamondback Axis Team for half of retail. That was a sweet bike for the time with full XT II. It made it untill '94 when I got a Bontrager frame cheap.

The first mountain bike I rode was a Peugot that was part of a match set my friend's parents had. They had a cabin in Tahoe so my friend and I rode all around there on his parents' bikes.


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## Luther (Aug 29, 2004)

*1991-2 Diamondback Topanga*

I bought it new. It was stolen in 1994 then I bought a used 1991 Bridgestone MB-2 and that's when I really fell in love with MTBing. I still own the MB-2 see the Bridgestone Pics post.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

jasonwa2 said:


> First mtb was a 92 attitude purchased in 96 ,kooka cranks, ritchie vantage pros on ringle hubs,ringle moby duece,avocet 02 air, the rest was xt parts.
> 
> I knew nothing about bikes. I had read two mtb magazines.It didnt even mention klein. I didnt own a computer. I just so happened to look in the newspapers classifieds.
> The exact words were "klein attitude,kooka cranks, ringle parts 500 dollars."
> ...


A bit heavy on the religion...but a great first MTB story non-the-less!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

rideit said:


> Friends bike, LOVED the gold anodized or painted parts on it..then...
> 
> Nishiki Alien warranty, with one piece frame, neon green..
> Klien Adriot, warranty (92)
> ...


Would you say you're _hard_ on your bikes?  
Power rider or finess rider?


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## flyingsuperpetis (Jan 16, 2004)

My first bike was my only steel bike. I knew the kid I'd sold it to had left it in his yard, and thought about repo'ing it at one point, but decided against it. About 10 years ago there was a pile of dirt & mulch where I knew he'd abandoned it. I inquired, and indeed "it musta gotten buried when I landscaped..." Several cedars grows there now. I have the head tube badge above my workbench.

Thinking about it, having wooden roots split your frame apart & the soil reclaim your elements is probably as dignified as it gets anyway.


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## Fuelish (Dec 19, 2003)

My first actual mtb was (still is rideable as a beater) a '90 Schwinn Sierra MOS (*M*ountain*O*ver*S*ized, or some such nonsense....had ovalized downtube, cromo frame) "Burnt Chrome" color, built by Giant, if what I've been told is true.... Came with "standard" (at the time) low rent BioPace rings, "push-push" Shimano Rapidfires, canti's, rigid fork.....and it rocked !!!! I can still ride it to this day (although the drivetrain has been upgraded).....but, in my heart, truly, my very first mtb was my beloved StingRay of my lost youth, with the fattest knobbies I could find for it....I'd take off for an afternoon and ride by the canal and river trails, be home by dinner, life was good (Unfortunately, I'd FREAK, nowadays if one of my kiddos pulled the same stunts at the same age...LOL....'tis a shame, what's become of our world, when we have to worry constantly 'bout the safety of our lil ones when they're out and about.....at least they do willingly wear their helmets............) Of course, I had my roadie years in between my StingRay and my first mtb, but those were "a beard", in comparison (i.e., as much fun as watching a beard grow....) Am plotting to possibly update the ol' steel bike again, beings as steel frames seem to be a rarety these days, and this one is in good shape - dunno....perhaps (dare I say it ???) SS it...for me, the jury's still out on the SS idea - like the idea, dunno if my knees would like the additional "load" from the single...who knows ???


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

Rumpfy said:


> Would you say you're _hard_ on your bikes?
> Power rider or finess rider?


- My friend & LBS owner would warranty a "Klein 'a' Month" back in the Chico Daze YEARS ago. - Pretty cool to get a new Klein with a different paintjob every month free.  
Hmmmmm, Now why did Klein sellout to Trek?


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

My 1st experiance was around 89 or 90 in Mill Valley @ my Aunt & Uncles wedding.
He offered me his Rigid Klein with Mission-Control, XTR and WTB spec'd Attitude to trip around Tam on.....
- Never been the same since.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Sure about that year?*

XTR wasn't available until 1992


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

Shayne said:


> XTR wasn't available until 1992


- True dat! It was XT & thumbies. 
Told ya, never been the same since. 

If I recall correctly now a couple years down the road an XTR rear der. made an appearance on his rig.
Amazingly enough this bike is still in his quiver setup fixed! To boot, it's probably the only old Klein NEVER warrantied!


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## Pottser (Jan 30, 2004)

My first was a black Cannondale SM800. That was in 1987. It had a Shimano drive train, diacompe brakes ( U rear) and sansuie/RM20 wheels. At that time I worked in a bikeshop in the Netherlands. I had been looking at the first few mountainbikes coming into the Netherlands since 1985/86 and had started riding off-road with my Miyata touring bike. That first bike was stolen the second day, when I was 'working' on a mountainbike-outdoor-event where we were introducing people into the pleasures of riding off-road. The Frenck company that was the main sponsor, Peugeot cycles, of this event helped me financially. So a week later I had my second and same Cannondale. I rode this bike for several years until 1991 when I bought my first Steve Potts. In fact I sold this Cannondale to a friend. We did iditabike together, he on my old Cannondale and I on my new Potts. Almost 20 years later he is still riding this Cannnodale for commuting in Amsterdam.


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## SSINGA (Dec 23, 2003)

Fuelish said:


> My first actual mtb was (still is rideable as a beater) a '90 Schwinn Sierra MOS (*M*ountain*O*ver*S*ized, or some such nonsense....had ovalized downtube, cromo frame) "Burnt Chrome" color, built by Giant, if what I've been told is true.... Came with "standard" (at the time) low rent BioPace rings, "push-push" Shimano Rapidfires, canti's, rigid fork.....and it rocked !!!! I can still ride it to this day (although the drivetrain has been upgraded).....but, in my heart, truly, my very first mtb was my beloved StingRay of my lost youth, with the fattest knobbies I could find for it....I'd take off for an afternoon and ride by the canal and river trails, be home by dinner, life was good (Unfortunately, I'd FREAK, nowadays if one of my kiddos pulled the same stunts at the same age...LOL....'tis a shame, what's become of our world, when we have to worry constantly 'bout the safety of our lil ones when they're out and about.....at least they do willingly wear their helmets............) Of course, I had my roadie years in between my StingRay and my first mtb, but those were "a beard", in comparison (i.e., as much fun as watching a beard grow....) Am plotting to possibly update the ol' steel bike again, beings as steel frames seem to be a rarety these days, and this one is in good shape - dunno....perhaps (dare I say it ???) SS it...for me, the jury's still out on the SS idea - like the idea, dunno if my knees would like the additional "load" from the single...who knows ???


I had that same bike as my first real MTB but I think it was an 89 model. After 4 weeks of having shifting problems and numerous free upgrades from the LBS trying to fix the problem they gave me my $$ back and I got a Cannondale M400 in the "team" white, black and pink paint scheme. It's first upgrade was a rigid Ritchey cro-mo fork (I remember it was a deal at $99) after breaking the OEM fork jumping off a 4' tall sea-wall. I eventually stripped all the paint off the frame and hand polished it in the hanger at night. It soon went to get a Giant ATX 780 when the LBS became a Giant dealer and right after that I saw an ATX 880 and had to have it - see-ya 780! Many free warranty replacement forks later - Next in line was a Giant CFM 1. Top of the line in Giant's racing quiver that year! I thought I was in heaven. After moving to GA I decided I needed to make the move to a suspension fork and got a 92 GT Corrado with the RS Quadra fork. It had a DX/XT parts mix. I really liked that bike the best and wish it was still around but sold it to go full squish in the form of a K2 razorback with the Smart linkage fork. The K2 was incrediably quick and was quite the climber. I was always first to the top on that bike. Things went downhill from there -literally. I got into DH/DS racing and got a 99 GT STS1000DS with 5"rear travel and a 5" Marzocchi Z1 fork. It was an excellent trail bike too except for the RS Coupe Deluxe rear shock that puked it's guts every 10th ride . The rest are too new for this forum - SC Bullit, Azonic Evolution HT, Ells Joker, Ells Moment. Thanks for bringing back the memories.


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## Blizzard (Oct 8, 2004)

Mine was a Bianchi, mid Eighties that I borrowed. After that a Ross, a friends, then a Diamonback Ascent, a friends. The I bought a Giant Butte, what a POS. Then I got a Raleigh Chill ('92) and still have it. It's a great bike.


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## Mountain_Smith (Aug 11, 2004)

My first MTB was a fluorescent yellow (w/ black splatters) Trek 830 sometime in the mid to late 80's. It was a decent bike, but saw more bike path riding than trail riding. I was young, and had no way to get to any trails other than those that went around my parent's property in Michigan.

I later upgraded when I bought my brother's Trek 990 (a '90 or a '91.) It was beautiful (in a early 90's kinda way) in conch with the black fade. I still have this bike, and ride it quite a bit. Everything is stock XT except for the front derailleur and the bottom bracket / cranks. I have ridden it on almost every trail that I ride my full suspension on, just a little slower. It is fun to see the looks on other rider's faces when they realize that racket of chain slap and all sorts of other noises as I struggle to keep up with them on a downhill run is a fully rigid Trek 990.

Here it is at China Camp a few winters ago:


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

*The good old days...it was a spanking new*

84, maybe 85, Schwinn High Sierra. Loved that bike. Had lotsa great features, a bit on the heavy side, but a downhill bomber (as long as the trail wasn't too rough).


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## 2ManyPlaces (Nov 4, 2004)

*Bought it when...*

I was 32.. Takara Scout in 1983.. $250.. Got me hooked.. I never looked back.. Addicted to this day (at age 53)..


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## ~martini~ (Dec 20, 2003)

First MTB that I actually took to trails was a 1987 Schwinn Mesa Runner POS. Beat it to sh!t, broke it and the one that followed and then got my first love. A Bauer Chequamegon with full Deore. Araya RM-20's. Tioga Farmer Johns. The pic was taken at the 1990 (or 91) Chequmegon race. Just finished the Short & Fat. Great riding bike, and I've only ever seen one like it, and that was a year or two back. Passed the guy on the Riverbottoms trail. I asked if he wanted to sell the bike(looked like it was in pretty good condition), but he wouldn't.


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## loonyOne (Dec 25, 2003)

p0werp0p said:


> 1987 Sekai Mountaineer - shifted like mush until this year when I converted it to SS
> 
> Actually, until this fall, the newest bike I've ridden was a 1990 Giant. No problem keeping up with the others on their latest and greatest FS rigs. After planning some trips to Utah for next spring, I decided it was finally time to upgrade to a new bike with a suspension fork. I'd be extremely pleased if this one lasts 15+ years.


Ah yes, the Sekai. The first MTB I ever rode. I think it actually was a 1986 though. I also don't remember the model number. I actually wish it was still around. It ended up getting stolen, recovered, and then I really don't remember what happened to it after that. It was charcoal gray and was an 18 speed. Odd that I remember every single component that I've ever put on an MTB over the last ten years, but can remember nada about that bike. Maybe it was just too long ago...but I do remember having two other Sekai road bikes.

A local, small, home-based, component dealer-turned bike shop owner got the "rights" to deal Sekai bikes in the early '80s'. He sponsored my brother and I for BMX for a few years...good fella, don't know what ever happened to him. During that time, we did LOTS of road riding and training for BMX...rode RAGBRAI 13 years straight, plus lots of local rides. One year on RAGBRAI, Dan Warrington (the owner dude) was riding a John Deere bike that he had converted to an MTB. It definitely was the first MTB I had ever seen. I think I remember hearing about them in that era...somewhere near 1978-1980. It went kind of hand-in-hand with the BMX cruiser scene, and was cool. I think it had mostly Campy components that had been robbed from various road bikes, fat tires from some cruiser or something, flat handlebars, and some oldish cantilever/cyclocross brakes. It was cool riding with him that year, he was constantly 'jumping' into the ditches and just flat out rippin' it up. I was hooked! And still am!!


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## Adrian (Oct 7, 2004)

a 1990 Bridgestone MB-6 in navy and grey. it was $600, and i still regret waiting a couple weeks and dropping $900 on the MB-3, because it was black and had Deore stuff on it.

i guess it was a year that Grant Peterson couldn't find thumbies because mine had LX rapid-fire shifters. they were terrible, i broke 3 of the front shifter units.

in fact, i think i broke everything on the bike except the frame and wheels in three years of hard riding. it was an awesome bike.


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## sallen (Dec 8, 2004)

I think it was a 1988/89 GT Tequesta. My dad helped me get the bike because his close friend owned and operated AME Grips. They made GT's grips so we got a deal on the bike. Suntour XCM parts that were later changed to XC Comp and XC Pro stuff. It had hot pink paint with a smoke effect to it. Heavy, but lasted me til 1992 when I got a GT Avalanche full XTR Mag 21... Great bike, still have it, still love it, still has a U-brake.

/C


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## BobHufford (Jun 9, 2004)

Mountain_Smith said:


> I later upgraded when I bought my brother's Trek 990 (a '90 or a '91.) It was beautiful (in a early 90's kinda way) in conch with the black fade. I still have this bike, and ride it quite a bit.




After being MTB-less from 1983 - 1995, I picked up an early '90s Trek 850. In 2003 I finally upgraded to a 1991 Trek 990 in conch/black and it is my main offroad ride. I love it! I bought it as a frame and rigid Spinner fork and equipped it with nearly new 1991 all-Deore-XT (from a donor Diamond Back Axis that had been ridden around the block maybe once). The 990 is a keeper -- I even like the color.

Bob Hufford
Springfield, MO


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

1985/6 Miyata Terra Runner.
I bought it in 1987 and sold it in 1999 when I bought my second "real" MTB

It was a 21" and I was 5'5" at the time.

Man I loved that bike. Some old guy (BulC?) bought it from my garage sale for $75. I'd pay a lot more to get it back.


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## lml1x (Jan 13, 2004)

*Used Haro Escape*

I graduated from my Haro Sport freestyle bike to buying a friend's late 80's Haro Escape. I joined a mtn bike club in college and quickly upgraded to a C'dale M700. That was followed by a Bonty, an Ibis . . .


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*1989 Mongoose IBOC Pro*

Actually,the first MTB I road was my cousin's new '87 Nishiki Colorado which made me a hardcore mountain biker.
But my first race bike is the 1989 Mongoose IBOC Pro I bought new that year.I raced it on my first race during the 1st Sizzler Mountain Bike Classic held in Grant Ranch,August 1989. I dnf'd my 1st race but I had fun.I raced it just once but trained on it for future races. I still have my IBOC and it's on display in my garage,all nicely restored.I ride it once in awhile. I also still have the original race day t-shirt that was sent to all the participants who registered.


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## zon (Nov 4, 2004)

1986 Novara A/T from REI. Yellow with red lettering. Bought it for ~ $350 and at the time it was pretty dang cool! Still ride the sucker today as a beater. pretty much stock except for Veloceraptor tires, Wellgo platform pedals, cant remember the brand handlebar, and a "springy" seat to absorb some of the bumps. This dang bike just keeps on going and going! I have had it coast to coast and it has carried my 200+ lbs very well.


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## Impy (Jan 6, 2004)

Specialized Hard Rock, about 1990, bought from Valencia Cyclery in San Francisco. 14" frame, black with yellow lettering, crappy components. Had NO idea what I was getting or even why I was getting it - my SO at the time wanted a mountain bike and so I got one too. Ended up using it as a commuter. It was really fun to take the trails in Golden Gate park to and from work, but I didn't bike for fitness or recreation until much later. 

I still have it and its currently undergoing a renovation project. I'm glad I kept it!


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

The first mountain bike I rode was my friend's Schwinn High Sierra in 7th grade. I thought it was the coolest thing. We used to all ride to school and back together through some trails. Then later that school year for my birthday I got an 84 Raleigh Elkhorn. I broke and warranteed the frame, but now I found another one thats all original. Its hanging on my garage ceiling. This one is a monster at 23". It was a fun bike. Id still like to find a smaller model like an 18 or 20" like I had back then.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Fillet-brazed said:


> The first mountain bike I rode was my friend's Schwinn High Sierra in 7th grade. I thought it was the coolest thing. We used to all ride to school and back together through some trails. Then later that school year for my birthday I got an 84 Raleigh Elkhorn. I broke and warranteed the frame, but now I found another one thats all original. Its hanging on my garage ceiling. This one is a monster at 23". It was a fun bike. Id still like to find a smaller model like an 18 or 20" like I had back then.


How did you secure that to the ceiling?...I'm not that desperate for room yet...but you never know.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> How did you secure that to the ceiling?...I'm not that desperate for room yet...but you never know.


Just took off one pedal, twisted the bars and just used two regular bike hooks. You can see one on the fork, the other is on the rear tire out of the picture.


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## DMFT (Dec 31, 2003)

*Seriously..........*



Fillet-brazed said:


> Just took off one pedal, twisted the bars and just used two regular bike hooks. You can see one on the fork, the other is on the rear tire out of the picture.


......There IS a 12-Step program that CAN help you F-b ! ! ! ! !


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## HPilot (Jan 30, 2004)

My first off road ride was a ~ 1986 Ross 18 speed All-Terrain bike. I bought it after out-growing my 20" bikes. It had 26X2.125 knobbies, a Shimano drivetrain and was made of chromoly. I remember it came with a frame mounted shoulder support to assist with carrying the heavy thing. It was a pig and was later thrown out in 1992 for a Trek 7000. I still have the 7000 frame, which I rebuilt into a racer in late 2002. The '92 7000 frame was replaced by a 1998 Trek 7000 frame this year due to better geometry with the latter. I may build the '92 frame into a road-use bike.


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## mattbikeboy (Jun 8, 2004)

*My First ATB*

I rode several ATBs before I actually got one. I think one was my buddies 1986 Raleigh Elkhorn with bullmoose bars (he still has it hanging in his garage). And an '86 Ross (my uncles). Mom and Dad got the entire family mountain bikes in 1987. The boys got Diamond Back Ascent Ex's with deore parts and mom got a Mongoose ATB womens in chrome. Here is mine after 3 years of use (summer of 1990).


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## LeiniesRed (May 24, 2006)

*1989 iguana for a day, but really 1988 Jamis diablo*

Got to college, hooked up with a guy named Brook from Colorado who had his huge schwinn "mountain" bike. (It weighed as much as a mountian!) Borrowed Desi's brand new giant Iguana and hit the river trail...in the rain. Through the mud, sand and even parts of the river I got sand in every part of that bike in 10 miles of action. WOW! I can ride like I did on my BMX bike as a pseudo grown up!? GREAT!

Called my dad the roadie. "Whaddya know about mountain bikes?" A week later he was on a trip to philly and called me. "Send me $350. You just bought a Jamis Diablo I'll have it shipped to you."

El Diablo survived college life losing bars and a front wheel to theives, plus all the damage I did to him. I was in the shop about 1/month getting warranty parts. Shop guy in KC, "How can a guy break 3 rear axels? Here, try breaking this cromo axle. What are you doing to this bike?" Me, "I dunno, I guess I cowboy it a little too much." I wrecked a crank and 2 sets of pedals too. I eventaully broke the chromo axle, but it took a couple of years. 
I rode that bike through everything. Mud so deep you couldn't turn the cranks in the lowest gears while going DOWNHILL. I rode it through storm drains under highways. To class everyday, on long adventures, over nighters, through ice, snow, mud, sand on the river and countless miles of singletrack. I rode with the "blood brothers" at night without lights. I even rode it completely submerged in a flooded forest preserve with "Crazy Mountain Biker Lu." I flipped over the handlebars while riding the river and sinking the front into quicksand. I rode it back from shows and bars with my ears ringing and the road doing the wave in front of me.

El Diablo was phased out of active duty about 1995.

El Diablo still sports his Bike Registraition number 6669. I know it because I saw it last summer! I never sold the bike. My little sister took it to Michigan to ride and it is still there! I can't wait to ride El Diablo again. Everyone who rides it comes back with a big smile. It is just a big smooth ol' steel bike that I've even ridden everywhere and shared lots of memories with.

I'd like to find another "Period correct" Diablo to commute to work on these days.


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## 82Sidewinder (Jun 28, 2006)

*Hate to admit it but my first MTB was........*

a 1995 Huffy Expedition. Amazingly, it didn't kill my enthusiasm for riding. Less than a year later I bought my first real mountain bike, a 1996 GT Outpost in forest green.

Today, my everyday ride is a 1984 Schwinn Sierra.

The Huffy now sits under the basement stairs, never to see light again.


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

*boogie*

i stole a ride on my dads ron miller when i was about 11-12.i wasnt supposed to touch it but i got out of school at 3 and he didnt get home till 6:30 i remember i snapped the chain,i used a finish nail to hold the chain together so it looked functional.hauled @ss to the LBS the next day for a new chain and tool,thank god the guy behind the counter took the time to tell me how to install the new one. the bikes mine now and is waiting for me to restore it


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## gotdirt (Jan 17, 2006)

*see a pattern here?*

first MTB (er, ATB) i owned must've been an '85/'86 Panasonic (woohoo!)... (stolen)
followed by a Peugeot... (stolen)
follwed by a Maruishi... (stolen)
followed by a Giant... (stolen)
followed by a Trek... (stolen)
followed by a Bontrager... (still own/ride)
followed by an Intense... (current ride)

seems like i'm forgetting one, as i think i've had 6 bikes swiped (as an adult). took me a while to catch on, but once i had the bontrager i never bothered to buy a lock, as i never let it out of my sight. 

{this thread is an oldie but a goodie}


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## IF52 (Jan 10, 2004)

It was some kind of Ross from around 84, then some kind of Univega around 86. The first serious offroad excursion was in 88 on some Myata on the Tsali trail in North Carolina and I had never really ridden hard offroad like that and bonked like a tourist.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

BobHufford said:


> I, unfortunately, didn't get bit with the MTB bug and did not get on a mountain bike again until 1995. I missed so much and have a lot of catching up to do!


Same here, I rode a Specialized Stumpjumer in 1984 or 85 and loved it. I couldn't really afford a mountain bike of that quality back then so I decided to keep riding just my road bike. The my son was born in 1986 and I _really_ couldn't afford a good bike after that.  Finally in 1993 I decided to just get an inexpensive Nishiki, Montana I think, and haven't looked back.


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## Gregingore (May 7, 2006)

1990 Schwinn Sierra MOS, red with black paint "spatters". I loved that bike, went everywhere with it. Kind of wish I still had it today.


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## mrcmatt (Oct 27, 2004)

Oh man, I had this big red jamis with crazy bio space brakes. It was maybe 22 inch frame, I now know better and ride 19. It was a big tall steel horse and I loved carrying speed and leaning too far into turns. I got her for cheap, rode her hard and 6 months later got a hookoo e koo with stx bits with my student loan check. Rode that one for years, sandy north florida and later over the golden gate bridge into the headlands so many times. It kind of seems a shame I let her rust out when I bought a new bike, that sweet steal frame probably still had some life...


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## takenomorimonster (Jan 22, 2007)

My first ride was the "road bike" Shwinn Mirada. The blibbin thing was pink. I wanted a mountain bike so bad and pickins were so slim in Great Falls Montana that I took what they had. You can imagine ridin around on a pink bike in hickville. Despite the jeers, I took pleasure in knowing I had one of the first bikes to really hit it big. My second was another fart, it was called the MTM Beartooth. A congrats for anyone who's heard of that. I finally graduated to the real ranks with the purchase of a first year Cannondale Delta V. It was amazing. I used to dream of things, things that I had no idea how I would ever buy, things I buy now like they were a drop in the bucket. But ,oh, oh, oh, the nostalgia factor is a rocker.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

I bought a 1991 (I think) Miyata Elevation 300 -- it was sold to me as more suitable for casual city riding than a road bike, which is what I went in looking for. I soon figured, well, I have a "mountain bike," so I should take it mountain biking. This thing weighed in around 39 lbs., stock, and most of the components seemed to be sculpted from butter, which relaxed into a liquid state as soon as I hit dirt... In the first few rides I wasted the bars, saddle, nylon pedals, and the rear derailleur.

I replaced it a few months later with an Alpinestars Al-Mega DX, my first real mountain bike, and repeated my component recycling program for quite awhile, until I finally had a fairly sturdy if non-light build (Control Tech became my best friend). They really don't seem to design bicycles for 200+ lb. guys... or at least ones whose preferred log-clearing technique is "just build up enough speed before your front wheel hits."


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## meackerman (Mar 9, 2005)

first or second year chome Mongoose ATB with the drilled out proclass rims, what was that '84? Working at a bike shop in Folsom at the time.


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## tibug (Dec 5, 2006)

My first was a GT Palomar fully rigid. Also a Giant Atx or something like that from the late '80s


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## Archangel (Jan 15, 2004)

1989 Nishiki Bushwhacker with Suntour XC Ltd parts. 
Got me a 1990 model with full Deore LX. My father still has it as a daily rider (with racks, fenders etc.), upgraded with XT M737 components.


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## xJumper (Aug 10, 2006)

meackerman said:


> first or second year chome Mongoose ATB with the drilled out proclass rims, ...QUOTE]
> 
> That Mongoose was my first mountain bike also. I loved that thing even though it was kind of a heavy tank. Triple butted CrMo, Sugino crank, Suntour shifters and deraillers, Dia Comp cantilevers. The chrome finish looked pretty cool.


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## meackerman (Mar 9, 2005)

That's the one. Ended up replacing most of the parts on it before I traded up for an early Fisher Mt Tam.


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## kemmer (Jun 17, 2006)

I had an older white Diamondback in the early 90s. It was probably more than 5 years old when I bought it in about '90. It was heavy compared to the '94 Trek 850 that replaced it. I think it had araya rims and non-indexed thumb shifters above the bars, not under. I could be wrong about that though.


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## dwilson (Dec 8, 2006)

*1987-88 Jamis Explorer XR......*

My dad still rode that bike up to last year when the local shop said they couldn't fix it anymore. It had the goofy U-brake on the rear chainstay and BioPace rings. I bent the frame probably two weeks after buying it trying to ride up a fallen tree, actually made it up about 10' then fell off, bent the seat stay (the bike landed on another log). LBS pulled it out and away I went.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

I looked at some of the vintage "mountain bikes" and they are certainly much different to todays MTBs

If that is the definition, then....

I pulled an old bike out of a barn, in oh 1970, my great Uncle told me it was from the 1920's.

It had fat tires, single speed, fenders up off the tires by about an inch, big long front forks that swooped forward.

It was fast and smooth on the gravel and mud roads, did pretty good on summer fallow too.

A Good Idea never dies it just comes around again.


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## bikeproject (Nov 18, 2004)

My first mtn bike was a 91 Fisher Hoo-Koo-Koo, black with bar ends. Rode that for about year and half and had it stolen when I made a late night run to the grocery store. In 94 I bought a Bontrager Race with the Bontrager fork, purple with silver and white decals. Loved that bike, sadly I ripped the drop-out off after Trek got a hold of Bontrager. I rode that bike for close to 6 years.


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## corprin (Mar 12, 2007)

I was a poor kid in a rich town, so I rode a used mid 80's rockhopper, blue with yellow stickers. RST-400 fork, various no name parts with the best being a groupo which was one step below deore LX (can't remember, but it was junk) Frame was a 20" and for my 5'6" 152lb body, it was a TAD to big. Dad bought it because it was so bloody cheap, I think $125 from a local guy.

I needed something smaller so my friend who just upgraded to a Klein sold me his old 89 Rockhopper Comp 16" frameset. Spent the better part of the next year saving my allowance and building the bike up. Bontrager BCX 2/3 wheel set with Ringle front hub (ano purple of course) XT rear hub dt double butted spokes and ano purple nipples. RS Quadra 21R (best I could afford) no name stem, club roost riser bars, ouri grips DX thumbies, diacomp 7xx levers (ano purple again, then sand blasted when I lost interest in the color) XT cants, tridangles, DX cranks, GT platforms (left over from my BMX) XT front and rear derailers, Some form of nice rings, can't remember what they were for the life of me, ano purple 'RockRing' which I sandblasted as well, Gonzo Mudslingers for my commute to work, bontrager Ti saddle (still run on current bike) Answer med bar ends dented and bent from whacking trees and rocks. I believe this bike is still locked away in my parents storage shed, where it has been for 9 years. I hope to get it back, I miss thrashing that POS.

From there, was given a '00 stumpy M2, blown Judy DH, Ritchy seat post BEAT into the seat tube, required a 4-Ton engine hoist to free it from the seat tube. KORE steam, profile bars, Megura hydro cantilver and some mavic wheels with XT hubs. Which has been converted to......


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## tibug (Dec 5, 2006)

corprin said:


> I think $125 from a local guy.


LOL, my mom spent 20 bucks on mine-DB Sidewinder.

Tim


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Way ahead of my time in 1986. Flat pedals and riser bars.


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## soreyes (Mar 16, 2007)

87 Schwinn Sierra. 

I used all of my 8th grade graduation/confirmation gift money to buy it. It was a little big for me at the time, but I grew into it over the next year. It's still a good fit. It saw a lot of rail to trail and bike path use. I really loved having that third ring and grinding up anything I could find. That was a pretty limited selection within riding distance of my home in the Chicago suburbs.

I got it back together as a commuter/touring bike last summer. It's been real fun seeing all the higher end classics in these threads.


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## brandonbacc (Apr 8, 2007)

*92' Giant*

A friend lent me a bike to ride with him. Got me hooked. Went and bought a Giant (can't remember which model) Paid around $350. That got stolen from my house:madmax: 
Traded in my 87' GT Pro Series for a 94' Kona Fire Mountain. LBS gave me a killer deal and was able to sell the GT quick. Before I even took it home we upgraded it with a Rock Shox and XT group components.
Do any of you remember the recall during the mid-late 90' on the XT crank set? Yup this bike had it. Nothing wrong with mine, but took the opertunity to get a new set free:thumbsup:


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## gm1230126 (Nov 4, 2005)

Panasonic "ATB" in like 1983 or 84. I had personally seen a StumpJumper that was purchased in CA by someone and brought to Minnesota the fall before the Panasonic's arrived in our shop. Ohhhh! the memories.


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## The Bat Bike (Feb 3, 2005)

*1988 Cannondale SM500*

I finally got back into biking in the mid 80's. I hated running and figured that biking was a form of exercise that I could live with. I remember thinking that mountain bikes looked ugly and why would you buy one, so I bought a Shogun touring bike. It was great compared to my old heavy Schwinn Varsity with crap brakes. Then one day, I rode with a friend that had a Specialized Rock Hopper. Everything was fine until he went into a trail that had soft dirt and gravel. I couldn't keep up but I enjoyed the trail ride. I was impressed how his mountain bike handled the terrain. That next day, I was on a hunt for a mountain bike. 3 day later, I found one that I liked and could afford. It was a 1988 Cannondale SM500 with Shimano Exage grouppo. Light blue with a yellow saddle with rear U-brakes on the chain stay. Man, I loved that bike. I rode it everywhere until I spotted an odd looking mountain bike. :arf: But&#8230;, that's another story.


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

1st bike: Scott Sawtooth, Shimano Exage, U brake, and special feature, extra spokes were mounted neatly to the chain stay as a stay protector. really long stays, and shallow head angle made it cruise downhills nicely! 6 speed I think, and yes, Biopace! Metalic aqua green, steel handlebar painted to match. I raced that tank for a year before upgrading to a Monster FAT!!! Sold it to a pal who stills has it.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

*'81 Stumpjumper & '83 Fat Chance*

My friend's brother was a real bike fanatic. On the same day in 1984, I rode both his '81 Stumpjumper and his '83 Fat Chance.

My first mountain bike was a '87 Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo with a Shimano U-brake under the rear chain stays serving as a mud sample collector. I gave it to one of my wife's younger relatives and I think it is still being ridden from time to time today.


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## jkyeti (Dec 10, 2005)

First was a friends 85(?) Stumpjumper. Shortly after (1986) I bought a Jamis CrossCountry. Three years later (89) bought a Yeti FRO, which I still ride (among newer rigs).
jk


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