Im pretty sure I have a copy of What mountain bike with a hardtail test that featured the Stiffee, Chameleon, Soul and the DMR. I alternated between wanting a cotic and a cove for ages. I used to see loads of Kona dawgs and coilers around Bristol in the early 2000s as well as Marins and i think what must have been Cannondale Jekylls / early Prophets?
I think there was a guy with a lovely titus (racer x?) in the uni club as well as an awesome awesome Spesh big hit (the 24in wheel one)
Omg I’ve owned pretty much everything mentioned in this thread: Orange, Yeti, DeKerf, Indy Fab, Chameleon…..no one’s mentioned Cannondale Jekyll or F2000 - I had both of those in Volvo (Tinker) red back in the day….or how about a Klein Mantra…..all of those were for the cool kids in the 90’s and haven’t seen in a long time….
Saw a bloke riding an aluminium Yeti 575 a couple of months ago.
Same black colour I used to have. Looked good TBH.
Another vote for the gen1 Marin FRS bikes - B17, Team DH, Rift Zone etc. we sold heaps in the dealer I worked in
I suspect they're all in skips due to the massive cracks. Gave up after my 6th warranty replacement.
Not frames, but what happened to RST? Mozo Pro 3.5, 4.5 and Hi5s were everywhere in the late 90s, but the brand just seemed to disappear.
How about GT full suss bikes? Used to be loads of I-drive and their replacements about. Haven't seen a GT FS in the wild for years!
Well the STSs _definitely_ all broke! Snappiest frame evar!
I sold my DeKerf Generation on to a friend who's always coveted it - hopefully he's still riding it now. I should really look him up. I had Argos braze on a disc mount that Chris DeKerf mailed over from Vancouver and remove the canti hardware, and while they couldn't replicate the original gorgeous dark green/blue metallic, they did do a really lush forest green. The importers at the time were Dauphin Sport up Box Hill and a short ride from my doorstep; I asked if they could get the mount and decals ordered in, but they never bothered asking DeKerf, so I called their number and spoke to Chris himself, which was a bit of a fanboy moment for me. He made up and posted the disc mount, a beautiful little fillet for the chainstay and two sets of decals for peanuts.
I owned two Mountain Cycles San Andreaseseses (San Andreaii?) - the second one in brushed alloy to replace a super rubbish Marin Alpine Trail that ate two or three RS SID rear shocks (one in the middle of an Alps trip) before MTB Sales gave in and sent me a Vanilla RC. I know they were a bit marmite, but the Sannies really were very special bikes. Someone had a matched pair in matching scary set ups at BPW late last year.
We've got an Orange Five in the shed for our youngest, although he's now growing out of it and into the Kona Process 111 I was running until recently - that may also fit the 'hardly see them these days' list, although I don't think many made it to the UK. Arguably it's one of the first downcountry (spit) bikes.
There's definitely space for older 26" FS bikes with good 24" wheels as kids first serious MTBs. Ours both got to try FS thanks to someone on this thread passing on a Scandium Kona FS frame for peanuts - an incredibly generous thing for them to do.
Both started on 24" wheels and moved up to 26" as they got bigger, and I've since passed it on to another parent on here as a complete bike, so hopefully it's getting another kid or two into riding. Definitely a great way to give an older FS bike new life and get kids riding at the same time, but as soon as our oldest got onto the Process he was riding a load faster.
How about GT full suss bikes? Used to be loads of I-drive and their replacements about. Haven’t seen a GT FS in the wild for years!
GT RTS and then the LTS were staples on the race scene for years. Back then, you could build up an RTS in DH race spec or XC race spec and the bike would just do it! The ultimate race bike for many was the GT RTS 1 with RockShox Mag21 forks (boasting a whole 46mm of travel!)
The Zaskar was the same in HT version, it could be built in proper burly jump mode or lightweight XC race mode. They really were incredibly versatile bikes!
Cannondale Jekyll
Can confirm at least one didn't go to the tip because there's a frame and lefty sat on a bench in my shed. Makes a nice ornament, but several sizes too small for me and lefty seized rock solid.
Proper cyclo cross bikes, now everything's gone all gravelified.
Specialized Enduro Expert, my first full suspension bike.
Ooo, camo Manitou Sherman forks (another brand you don't see many of on the trails). They were ace. I had those on my Dialled Bikes Morning Glory ... another "famous for five minutes" brand and definitely a much regretted sale on my behalf. Can't remember what I swapped it out for but it wouldn't have been anywhere near as good (rose tinted glasses off).
Fat bikes.
This saddens me. Mainly because I bloomin love mine.
Considering the conditions there were not many at the puffer this year.
Lapierre – Zesty’s were everywhere for a few years, now you never see them.
I had one... 2009 - was absolutely fantastic for it's era. Of similar ilk, my mate had the Commencal Meta. Which obviously cracked.
Used to see a lot of On One 456's and Cotic Souls in the Surrey Hills - the latter catching my eye as for some reason I loved the skinny tubes and the old Cotic wrap logo... I went on to buy a couple of Solaris's.
Proper cyclo cross bikes, now everything’s gone all gravelified.
And in particular cyclo cross bikes with cantilever brakes. Last race I did last year I was the only rider I saw with cantis. For good reason obviously - they are not very good.
There must be loads of old high end cx cantilever bikes somewhere - I wouldn't have thought they would make a popular commuter bike even.
but what happened to RST
Still going, pretty big range too by the looks.
My MTB is a 2011 Cove HJ, it rarely gets used as I've been mostly broken since I bought it, hence I ride gravel bikes.
My old 2005 Merlin Malt 1 is still being abused by my nephew and my very old '91 GT Timberline was still going strong until about 2yrs ago when it was nicked from my mate's house. He'd been riding to work on it for about 5 years so he was gutted.
Litespeed. I had two Pisgahs. Even rode one down Snowdon with a full 80mm of travel.
Single speeds!
I seem to be the kiss of death for bikes according to this thread! My most recent ownership has been:
Cove Hustler
Turner 5 Spot (DW Link)
Lapierre Zesty
Orange 5
Santa Cruz Bronson x2 (Still see plenty of SC but the Bronson as a model is definitely less common since 29ers became more the norm).
joshvegas
Free MemberThen i remembered he had owned an ellesworth so i a not sure i should read much into his aesthetic taste.
Ah don't worry, I was fully aware it was hideous
chestrockwell
Full MemberHow about GT full suss bikes? Used to be loads of I-drive and their replacements about. Haven’t seen a GT FS in the wild for years!
They decided they were too good for Halfords and cancelled their deal, and as a result sold IIRC 5% as many bikes in the UK the next year. Then they were super slow catching up with more modern geometry and absolutely fumbled the wheel size changes.
Loved all of these and very very happy memories.
Marin Attak Trail. Became so worn it went out with the recycling.
Replaced with the Ibis Mojo. Tour Mont Blanc, multiple Morocco trips. Loved it and still have the frame. Tough as nails
Ms RM and an original Spesh Epic in Torridon
And an Orange 5, bought on the Cycle to Work scheme. Ms RM did the Mega on it... it's still going strong as a 27.5 now. This was its first day out of the box, Devils Staircase.
Corratec with their bow frame, split curving top tube, the first production bikes I saw with disc brakes I think (maybe Formula).
I remember seeing Oli Beckingsale & Paul Lasenby XC racing with one of them on those FS Marins, first FS I'd seen being raced XC. They were both very fast. (Oli may have been on Scott so that'd make it Paul on the Marin).
Klein. I've got a '95 Attitude (and '95 Pulse) and still ride them in sunny Suffolk but I haven't seen another (MC1 or 2) for years. There is a very active FB group with members of the original factory and with their help many Kleins get repainted and rebuilt to stock. Prices are silly now. I've got a queue waiting for my frame to snap so they can buy the rigid forks!
Not only bikes you don't see anymore websites as well !
Red Pashley postie bikes
&
Fixed gear 500 miles a week courier bikes.
Sunn - their XC Ti frame with Obsys forks actually came with signed x-rays of the welds, built by Morati, sublime.
Their race team dominated DH.
Ooo, camo Manitou Sherman forks (another brand you don’t see many of on the trails). They were ace.
Lol, no they weren't, they were shite like everything else they made.
I'll qualify that.
They were fine if you rode them in design conditions ie. dry and dusty. As soon as water entered the chat all bets were off. Maintenance heavy, expensive and IIRC poorly supported compared to other brands. RS Psylos were terrible too, I'm genuinely shocked every time I see a set as they wore out so fast.
I'd anyone wants to fling mud back I have MX-6's and Sektors in my history!
Don't think anyone has named *THE* bike that everyone desired 25 years ago (but to be fair not many could actually afford) was a Pace RC100. Those machines square tubes were just lovely.
With a Pace carbon fibre suspension fork, they were a less common because the fork was constantly having to sent back to Pace to be fixed.
The reason you don’t see RC100s anymore is because all the retronerds have them tucked away in sheds, guarding them from the bad things actually riding them will do to their ‘investment’
Same with Brooklyns, and all the Huck to flat monsters of the time, though there were never many of those to begin with.
And Kleins, for that matter.
Their race team dominated DH.
Like Iron Horse did…
RS Psylos were terrible too, I’m genuinely shocked every time I see a set as they wore out so fast.
SOME Psylo's were terrible. It was honestly a 50:50 lottery. Either they worked forever or they were total shite. There was no in between. A lot of 90's / early 00's stuff was like that!
If we are talking dialled bikes I still have this MK1 PA. I pre-ordered it so got to choose the RAL colour, Mike liked it so much he went with it for production and mine became less unique.
GT RTS and then the LTS were staples on the race scene for years. Back then, you could build up an RTS in DH race spec or XC race spec and the bike would just do it! The ultimate race bike for many was the GT RTS 1 with RockShox Mag21 forks (boasting a whole 46mm of travel!)
The Zaskar was the same in HT version, it could be built in proper burly jump mode or lightweight XC race mode. They really were incredibly versatile bikes!
Yep, the original RTS-1 with M900 XTR was a thing of beauty for teenage Chest. Had a frame a few years back but couldn't afford to do the build justice. GT full suss were everywhere for going on 20 years, then they weren't.
The reason you don’t see RC100s anymore is because all the retronerds have them tucked away in sheds, guarding them from the bad things actually riding them will do to their ‘investment’
Plenty of them still being ridden although you're more likely to see the RC200's as there wasn't that many 100's made.
God I wanted a Sunn Radical. Even though the rear triangles all broke (Sunn were briefly in the same glorious category as Hope, "Companies that when you break something on warranty, send you two replacements because they know the replacement will also definitely break and it saves them on postage".)
Fat bikes.
This saddens me. Mainly because I bloomin love mine.Considering the conditions there were not many at the puffer this year.
Don't worry, they're all alive and well and have migrated to Formby.
Flocks of them can be seen among the dunes.
Found a couple more from my stash...
Ibis Tranny 26" wheels. this was light and fast! The 29" one could actually run as a Fatbike with a different rear triangle....
...which brings me to fatbikes. 9Zero7 with the groin saving top tube. Stepping off into deep snow was no longer life changing. I still have this bike and it's very fast on JJ's and it's tubeless carbon rims. 10.5kg. Don't see many about.
Same with Brooklyns, and all the Huck to flat monsters of the time, though there were never many of those to begin with.
They're alive and well but a lot either made their way to eastern Europe or, in the case of Brooklyns, became collector pieces with eye watering price tags. Vintage DH group on Facebook is the place to see them, Cranked covered the Ukrainian riders.
I’d anyone wants to fling mud back I have MX-6’s and Sektors in my history!
I had a pair of MX6s in pimp gold. Swapped out the oil halfway through an Alps trip once - it was Citroen ATF fluid, so really easy to sort. I also used to undo the allen bolts on the clamps at the end of each day's riding so the forks would untwist themselves. I might even have had to do that halfway down the Pleney once. An aftermarket 20MM boxxer bolt through axle that could be torqued up from Jason at Goldtec really helped with steering accuracy, but they weren't actually that horrible to ride. The stock axle was basically a smooth 20mm alloy tube, which was quite terrifying!
I had the QR version! Stopping to untwist was just par for the course.
Nice when they worked but flawed in more than a couple of respects. In retrospect a polished anodised surface is less than ideal for clamping on on to with wide clamps. The less said about the caliper mount the better.
I loved the pike u-turns. Mostly set at 110mm, but bumped to 130mm for any fun descents or 80mm for any viciously steep climbs.
I forgot to service them one winter and the peak district grit ate the anodising on one leg.
They were motion control, numerous magazine reviews poo pooed. I found it excellent except right at the ragged edge of control on big rocky descents where it could feel a bit out of control for a moment here and there. Maybe I just didn't ride as fast as reviewers
