# The Good ol' Days



## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Here's a little trip down Memory Lane. (They say memory is the second thing to go. I can't remember what the first thing is.)

After 15 years of being a stuck up roadie, I started mountain biking in March, 1985. My first bike was a slightly used Diamond Back Mean Streak. That antique had:

Long chainstays (like 19"!)
High tensile steel frame & fork -- not even cro-moly
26" wheels... yeah, that happened
Short top tube -- level with the ground, not kidding
Rigid fork... with 1" threaded steerer & quill stem
Suspension? What's that? Another decade
"Beartrap" platform pedals (um, yeah, I prefer step-in pedals)
Index-free shifting on a 5-spd screw-on cluster. Ha!
3 chainrings. Almost as many gears up front as out back 
Above-the-bar shifters called "thumbshifters." Wacky!
Magura motorcycle brake levers that pulled a cable
Rim brakes called "cantilevers." (Can't I leave 'er right there?)
One-piece "bullmoose" bar/stem, chromed for beauty
Nutted solid axles
IRC X-1 Racer gen-u-wine rectangle block knobby tars with schrader tubes in 'em
THREE water bottle bosses! Sheesh!

But I had as much fun on that bike as any bike I've ever owned. In fact that's the machine that sucked me into mountain biking -- I instantly became fully assimilated... no escape! Don't wanna.

FWIW THESE be the good ol' days! Happy to still be kickin' & ridin' at 63. Have fun, y'all. 
--Sparty


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## mactweek (Oct 3, 2011)

Yeah, My first mountainbike was similar, 1983 Bianchi Grizzly, not quite chro-moly tubing. bmx sized headset and bullmoose bar/stem that would spin occasionally like when trying to get over a big rock. Had to replace hubs, bb and all bearings because nothing was sealed against dust. Lots of silly crashes on that bike, but I learned a lot. I gave that to my brother and he rode it occasionally... wonder if it still exists. I followed that up with a Ritchey. Yes I was hooked.


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## TTUB (Nov 9, 2010)

I had an early 80's GT Timberline, fully chromed frame and man was it heavy!
This was back when the GT frame design had the top-tube extending slightly behind the seat-post where the seat-stays were attached. Complete opposite of GT's current signature frame design.


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## ladljon (Nov 30, 2011)

Lost Lake....1983


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## crossracer (Jun 27, 2004)

I got into Mtn bikes in the early 90's. But it was a great time, so much new stuff hitting the market. I loved the time before shimano introduced the v brakes . There were so many American manufacturers making such funky stuff. Back then it was all dirt rag, velo news and MTB action magazine. 
There was just a great spirit back then. I miss that a lot. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

BMX trail riding in the 70's, Santa Cruz mountains, big climbs, one gear, steep down, coaster brakes.

What we got now is like, the future, man.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

TTUB said:


> I had an early 80's GT Timberline, fully chromed frame and man was it heavy!
> This was back when the GT frame design had the top
> 
> I've got one hanging in garage, It was my buddies that has since passed, he paid around $500 for it at the time and I thought he was crazy. I bought a Panasonic shortly thereafter.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

crossracer said:


> I got into Mtn bikes in the early 90's. But it was a great time, so much new stuff hitting the market. I loved the time before shimano introduced the v brakes . There were so many American manufacturers making such funky stuff. Back then it was all dirt rag, velo news and MTB action magazine.
> There was just a great spirit back then. I miss that a lot.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What an incredible time for the mtb scene, particularly the pro racing scene. It just blew up back then. We'd go to Mt Snow to watch the pro's race, and do the Beginner races on the same course. We thought we were the sh*t.

I think of Paul's Components when you talk of the American manufacturers.

https://paulcomp.com/story/


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## Ntmboy (Nov 10, 2010)

Had a Diamond Back in the early '80's. Don't remember the model but it had a desert camo looking paint job and seemed to weigh about 50 lbs. Took it off the top of the car driving into an underground parking lot; demolished the rack, not a scratch on the bike. Not sure you could do that now.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

Crankout said:


> What an incredible time for the mtb scene, particularly the pro racing scene. It just blew up back then. We'd go to Mt Snow to watch the pro's race, and do the Beginner races on the same course. We thought we were the sh*t.
> 
> Same here, but it was Sugar Loaf Resort in Traverse City Mi., raced on the same course. I remember taking some practice laps the day before the race and Max Jones came flying by me, it was sandy soil and you could see the roost he was putting down with his pedal stroke.
> 
> I grew up in the same town as Tomac so we had a whole crew up there every year to cheer him on. Good Times.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

Don't forget Biopace chainrings and toe clips with double straps! Also, re-tightening the threaded 1-inch headset every other ride and replacing it a couple of times a year was standard procedure.


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## tductape (Mar 31, 2008)

Ha, like the OP, my first bike was the Mean Streak. I just remember paying way too much for it and thinking it would last a lifetime. Broke almost every part within a year.
Now I collect and ride old mountain bikes so I guess I never learned.


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## Eric Malcolm (Dec 18, 2011)

*Meet UGLY*





















Way back in 1982 when the pioneers of the MTB were establishing their bikes in the USA, a work college at the LBS read about them in an issue of 'bicycling' magazine. He wanted one. So we took a Cruiser class BMX frame and fork and proceeded to alter it. It had 3x5 gearing, which to achieve, I fitted a collar on the under sized seat tube for a clamp on front derailleur. The rear end treatment included a piece of solid steel silvered into the chainstay and then filed down, drilled and threaded for the rear derailleur - still on the bike. The brakes were Mafac cantilevers intended for a tandem using motorcycle brake levers - still in use. They were scary, I don't believe they could stop a tandem.... We used BMX parts to fit the whole thing together. I was reunited with it 2 years ago and took these pictures for old times sake. It is a 1x5 now with odd seat stem and a suspension fork, and I am really amazed that it still has the original wheels.

At the time, to be able to ride off-road was an incredible experience, and though somewhat crude, I fondly remember this build and it has seen a lot of southern New Zealand before the 'movement' became popular. Interesting, also, was the fact that the owner was often laughed at when riding through the sea of 10-speeds that littered that period of time. We, who experienced this wonder of wandering off the beaten path, have lots of pleasant memories.

Eric


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Does growing up riding Schwinn Stingrays on motorcycle trails in the 60's and early 70's count? If so, I helped pioneer the sport of mtb. 

I left bikes for motorcycles [dirt bikes] after the age of 13. I came back and dabbled in mtb through the early 90's in my 30's by borrowing and renting bikes. My first real mountain bike purchase was in 2000' at age 39. I waited until I could afford a bike I wanted. My first bike was a year 2000' GT-XCR LE i-drive. The top of the line GT for that year, It came in at 4K.








First real mtb in 2000' at age 39. ^ I'm 55 now.








During my borrowing and renting days. ^ 1994 Moab Slickrock on a borrowed way too small for me Raleigh HT / elastomer RS fork and basket pedals. :madmax: 
My MX instincts took over and I survived that 4 day trip without crashing.


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## Crazydad (Jun 30, 2011)

For me it was a 90 Schwinn High Sierra with the sexy G-Force curved chain stays. And then I broke the bank to put a Rockshox RS-1 on it so I could ride over everything and dust all of my friends. Didn't quite work out that way, but at least I had the coolest ride until a friend bought a Nishiki Alien.


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## TTUB (Nov 9, 2010)

Back in the early days of MTB racing, many of the races here in California had a stage-race like format. You had one bike (imagine that!). On Saturday, you raced the 'Hill Climb', once everyone got to the top, you did the 'Downhill'. Then on Sunday, you raced the 'Cross Country'... all on the same bike!


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## beezee (Feb 15, 2017)

Started mountain biking in '85 on a Nishiki Barbarian, then went to a Ritchey Ascent for '86, which I still have for the sake of nostalgia. Anyone remember this:









Volume 1 Number 1. It has test on the Trek Antelope 850, Kuwahara Jaguar, and GT Backwoods.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

TTUB said:


> Back in the early days of MTB racing, many of the races here in California had a stage
> 
> Same in Michigan but add Dual Slalom and Trials, and sometimes a time trial, all on the same bike.


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

We started off road riding in the 1960's on English three speeds with the biggest tires they would take. I believe they were about 1.5" tires. Then, a detour to dirt bikes, road motorcycles, and road bikes for many years and too many accidents. I got a trek something or other used in the late 1980's and a better Trek Mountain Track in the 1990's. I still have the mountain track and use it with armored tires around our farming area because it is full of goat heads.

However, the good old days are right now. Fat bikes, plus bikes, 1x11, high tech suspension, mountain bike parks, and lots of growing trail systems. The only thing about mountain biking that isn't getting better all the time is us aging riders! Still the second most fun thing in the world to do after hot powder snow descents.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

I wasn't a rider until the mid eighties when out of the blue I bought myself a Fisher Montare: rigid fork, Bio-pace chainrings and cantilever brakes.
At first, as I was logging in those days, I rode mainly on logging roads after work.
Within a year there were three of us with bikes riding what trails we could find across southern Idaho. Some of my most memorable rides were from back then.
Within ten years we were heading to Moab to ride with the rest of the growing crowds of mountain bikers.
Still riding today as much as I can, and loving it!


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

Anyone remember "The Gant Challenge"? It was a series of mountain bike races that traveled around the country in 1984. You could use your own bike or borrow one of their Fuji's. I rode a touring bike converted to a cross bike and did OK, I think I got third in the "Citizen's Race", which got me nothing. Of course that was in Tampa, home of *huge* mountains. I had no recollection of the race being covered in Sports Illustrated, but through the magic of the internet: ON STURDY, LIGHT OFF-ROAD BICYCLES, RACERS CAN HANDLE TOUGH TERRAIN

That race persuaded me to buy a brand spanking new Specialized Rockhopper, and a tank of a lower end Jamis for my wife. Jamis was based in Florida at the time.

If I ever come across one of those mid-80's faux-fillet brazed Jamis Dakotas I'll probably have to buy it because that is what I really wanted back then.


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## gunnrunner (Aug 15, 2006)

*Nice Vintage Dakota*

Still looking?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jamis-Dakota-1987-26-Mountain-Bike-Deore-Vintage-Medium-Large/123082665800?hash=item1ca84c6f48:g:RNcAAOSwFm5a1UF4


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## zandr32 (Aug 20, 2018)

*Still Have My 83 Jamis Dakota*

I'm 61 and still in love with this piece of history. I bought her in Orlando Fla. in 1983.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

"Back in the day" the tire choice was either a Specialized Ground Control or a Tioga Farmer John, take your pick. Both 2.1" size.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

No such this as mtbs back when I was a lad. Had to wait another 20 years for them.

This was my introduction to riding in the mountains, I didn't leave many tracks unexplored within 50 miles from home.



Lightweight Andre Bertin C37, front 52/48, rear 13/22 (5 spd). Don't know how I got up those hills with those ratios, but somehow I did. The derailleur didn't last long - I broke it on a climb so the bike became singlespeed.

One thing I already knew was to fit the fattest tyres I could get on it. My bike used to attract scorn from my roadie mates because instead of alloy rims and 1" tyres I fitted a wider steel rims and 1½" tyres which looked way wrong on a bike of that class. However they soon learned to avoid coming on one of my rides because they'd end up with pinch flats or buckled rims.

What I learned from that bike has stayed with me. I still pick my lines as if my wheels and tyres are skinny - except on my fatbike. 

I recently found another Andre Bertin, so to relive my youth, I have set it up in a similar manner*, but this time I built the wheels up with Mavic rims seeing as alloy rims are no longer made with cheese, and as a concession to age put a S-A hub on the back.



It gets the same sort of ab/use, so for me, it's still The Good ol' Days. 

* Bars, stem, saddle, brakes are the exact same as my original - everything but the frame and cranks is NOS - including cotton bar tape. I had been collecting them for years for when I found the right frame.


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