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In a Jeremy Clarkson "every petrol head should have owned one Alfa at least" kinda way... What brands are there that every MTB (or even road for that matter) nut should own at least once in their lives? I'm not talking about flash of the pan stuff, or the current in trend. I'm talking about brands that have been there for a long time, at least as long as you've been cycling, and are as cool now as they have ever been. Brands with that certain X factor, that a mainstream brand will never achieve, but at the same time the small uber niche brands are a bit too specialist.
So here's one that I've never owned, but would dearly love to and feel that I should... Rocky Mountain. I genuinely can't remember an ugly Rocky Mountain! Sure, the early 00's ETS-X's were a bit different, but they were still superb looking bikes.
On the road? Colnago... Lucky enough to own one right now (albeit not a C series), not as obvious as a Pinarello or a Bianchi and much much cooler. Helped I think by Wesley Snipes wearing a Colnago cap in White Men Can't Jump no end in my mind! 😂
Others I've considered but ultimately fell short... Yeti, though I'm a massive fan of the brand, they've certainly made a few ugly bikes in their past! I love my Evil, and the previous two I've had, but they're too new, too niche, and I also get why a lot of people don't like the way they look too so easy to rule out.
What other brands should any self respecting cycling nut own, or have owned at some point?
Raleigh.
Had a Yeti; a 2012 ASR5C, holy **** what a fast bike...cracked the seatstay eventually (they all did that) Every one should own one (A Yeti not an ASR5C)
Should have had a least a ride on a lefty, and have had a ride on really nicely made skinny tubed steel hardtail.
Marin.
Depends on the era, once upon a time I would have said Saracen.
I'll settle for Klein from their halcyon period, early to mid 90's. I did have a retrobike phase, my Klein Pulse was a load of fun if scary on descents.
Yeti and Bianchi are the 2 that spring to mind.
Colnago are bit higher end, Marin are like Ford (they may have been first but they’re not a drivers car/riders bike)
Both have heritage though it’s been diluted now, but prone to the odd unexpected problems, both raves about for their handling even though there’s little difference between them and others now.
Purely based on the premise that the list should include those I have owned in the past:
Claud Butler
Viscount Aerospace
Woodrup
Giant
Orange
Trek
Litespeed
Cotic
I had a Rocky Mountain ETS-X many years ago. Never had a Colnago as they were out of my price range, even when I worked for the distributor. I did have a couple of Cervelos though, they were nice but a complete waste for commuting on.
Kona
X-Lite
Pace
Cotic
USE
Marzocchi - specifically Bombers
Agree on Marin & Raleigh
Marin just for to say you like overpriced tatty poorly specced bikes
Yes I have been there, got the t-shirt
😜
An Orange single pivot bike.
Well maybe not everyone should have owned one, but they shouldn't slag them off unless they've tried one of the good ones.
Cove. Just for the names.
Marin just for to say you like overpriced tatty poorly specced bikesYes I have been there, got the t-shirt
😜
How far back are we talking? Their Whyte-designed full suss bikes in the late 90s/early 2000s were game changing (and great value IIRC). And no-one could accuse the Team hardtails of not being riders' bikes a few years before.
I'm going to say Cannondale and Trek - but only if the frame was made in the USA.
Raleigh
Marin
Kona
Orange
Cotic
I can tick them all off bar Orange (sometimes more than once)
I think I would have loved to have owned a Klein. Some of the paint was just amazing.
Gary Fisher
Specialized Rockhopper
Muddy Fox Courier
Cannondale with a Lefty or Headshock. I was fortunate to once own an F400 in that Blue. It was lovely.
But Cannondale can stick their Coda Disc Brakes up their hoops....
Im going to say On-One, specifically a steel one of some description.
Saying everyone should have had a Colnago or Yeti is like saying everyone should have a Ferrari or Range Rover.
On the other hand everyone could/should have spent some time on a cheap rigid singlespeed.
Carrera?? 😀
I had a cheap Carrera MTB in the early 90's as kid. Was heavy as ****, probably the frame was made of welded drain pipe. Drive train was some non-branded crap with the chrome so thin it would develop rust spots on the chainrings and cranks.
Over the years have owned frames/bikes from:
Raleigh < shit kids bike and a 'racer' in early 90's. Also repainted 'ATB' in about 1989 with non-index thumb shifters that was stolen, then a second hand Raleigh Mirage early 90's with SIS shifters which was a brilliant bike at the time and I rode it until 2001 when it basically fell apart after Uni.
BMX < late 80's
Carerra < utter crap MTB about 1991. Criminally bad. Someone stole it. Jokes on them.
Giant < carbon road bike mid 00's.
Specialised < mid 00's XC full sus I forget the name.
Time < carbon frame. Majestic bike, wish I didn't sell it.
On One < steel single speed. Ok but cheaply made.
Cannondale < XC hardtail bike with a lefty around 2008. Wish I kept it. Love the lefty.
Nicholai full sus frame > Beautiful frame, again wich I kept it but for 26" and QR, so dated now.
Willier Trestina steel gravel bike < 2018 great bike.
Orange < 29er hardtail 2018.
A Kona of some description
GT Zaskar
Raleigh Burner
Agreed about Cove just for the names!
Maybe not ‘should own’ but ‘has owned’
On One?
Edit, note to self, post comment before going to make a drink...
@finbar - was a jump bike ht that I bought top end model with like 17mm external diameter rims running Tioga tyres which would roll of rims
Chainsuck galore too and wrapped chains round square stays
Qr forks too
The wheels were shocking crap and dodgily built in house
I knew I should have got the famcier Klein at £100 or so more but that was xc focused
This is a terrible admission, but I set out many years ago to own and ride EVERY brand I fancied - I've managed to do that by trading up and sideways very often over the years, usually by eBay and forum secondhand purchases - I genuinely can't think of a bike that I wish I'd owned, but haven't!!
You might think that involves spending loads of money - and it does - but then I get it back again when I sell, so in overall terms, I'm pretty much back where I started given some of the upsides of selling bikes on. The shorter the length of time you keep them, the less likely you are to lose money, that's my philosophy. Lucky me, eh!
Anyway, to answer the question, some of the bikes I've owned which I shouldn't have sold, so fall into my recommendations for what everyone else should try (!).....
MTBs:
DeKerf Solitaire steel singlespeed
Airborne TiHag titanium singlespeed (I had a thing for singlespeeds a while ago!)
Independent Fabrication
Yeti
Orange 5 (I've had 4 and never fallen in love, but everyone should try one before they start slagging them off on here!)
Cannondale - especially a classic F2000 in Viper Red
Klein
Road:
Any classic 531 from the 50's-70's
Woodrup
Reilly
Brian Rourke
Ritte
Saying everyone should have had a Colnago or Yeti is like saying everyone should have a Ferrari or Range Rover.
I was alluding to Alfa Romeo as per Jeremy Clarkson's quote... Most people won't have owned an Alfa new! You are allowed to benefit from someone else's heavy first hand depreciation here... 😉
I’m going to say Cannondale and Trek – but only if the frame was made in the USA.
Anyone who says Trek isn't an enthusiast, and therefore their vote is null and void! Made in USA Cannondales...? I could be swayed... Been a long time since that has happened though? Besides, if we have to qualify a specific period of time, then the brand isn't cool enough any more, and surely that defeats the whole object? 🤷🏻♂️
Should have had a least a ride on a lefty, and have had a ride on really nicely made skinny tubed steel hardtail.
Definitely experiences that every enthusiast should have had, agreed...
Cove. Just for the names.
They were of their time for sure... Haven't actually produced any bikes for some time though, so their time has passed for sure.
Iconic Stuff:
Mavic, get them while you can.
Thompson stem and seatpost.
Hope brakes
Easton bars (monkeylites)
and of course Bombers
Iconic Bike brands:
my first proper MTB was a Gary Fisher
other ones I have owned: Specialized, Santa Cruz and Turner
Never had a Kona, Yeti or Rocky Mountain though
BMX - any make not important
Cotic
Santa Cruz
That is all.
Breezer? Always wanted one.
Chater Lea
Mafac
Stronglight
Look them up 😉
and Klein or Kona
I still have bikes from many iconic to me names.however I have never owned a kona. To me the most iconic was a kuwahara bmx in the 80s.wish I still had it.i would also say diamond back which I have and hutch which were and are mega expensive which I will never own as they do not make bikes any more.
Isn't the Clarkson / Alfa reference to something which is high maintenance but worth it.
I'd say Intense.
First ever drop handlebar bike was a 5 speed Puch Pacemaker and it was fab. Followed by a team colours Peugeot 10 speed. I've also had a Spesh Stumpy HT. Nothing else comes close to really exotic stuff but I loved them all the same.
Sick - lots of people should have owned those.
@finbar – was a jump bike ht that I bought top end model with like 17mm external diameter rims running Tioga tyres which would roll of rimsChainsuck galore too and wrapped chains round square stays
Qr forks too
The wheels were shocking crap and dodgily built in house
Sounds like a yr 2000 Marin Quake 9.0. TBF almost all forks were QR back then. 17mm external rims do sound a bit sketchy though 😀
Maybe an S-Works money pit??
Definitely agree with Yeti. Great comparison to Alfa, too. Expensive, unreliable, the older ones are the best.
The problem with bikes is that many older bikes are just pretty rubbish by modern standards. I loved my Yeti ASR-5 and I'm glad I owned it but wouldn't own one now. The older ones are old and the new ones are ridiculously overpriced and not all that special.
Actually on reflection, I'd go categories. You're not a proper bike person until you've spent time on a:
Steel hardtail
Lightweight racy thing that's a terrible choice for 90% of your riding
Carbon road bike
Something niche / cool / compromised
Something from a bargain-basement brand (On one springs to mind)
Some sort of internet fad that everyone later realises is rubbish
Emelle or Townsend!
Surprised FTW hasn't been brought up, a lot of good frames have been built by him over the years.
Intense for the M1, likewise Spec FSR. Never owned a Kona hardtail but I know I should, I do however own a DMR Trailstar. Nicolai are definitely on the list. Brooklyns weigh as much as a small country but are definitely cool.
Treks aren't cool but VRXs were. Mr Big ST10 was a URT but built properly. Not sure what to do with them.
The only cool Raleigh was the DHO.
I genuinely can’t remember an ugly Rocky Mountain!
Sure?
Trying to nail who is the Alfa of the bike world is pretty tricky.
Flawed but interesting.
Desirable but risky.
Have flare.
I reckon out of the big brands that have been around for a long time, I would say maybe Kona, but overall I reckon Transition are closer now. I'm already second-guessing my choices.
GT - surely everyone's first bike was a GT?!
If Yeti made a modern, reasonably priced 29in ASR-5 I might be interested in owning one.
Orange could be a good equivalent for Alfa?
Great fun, highly engaging rider's bikes, classic design, might well break.
Awwww the illustrious wonder of riding an orange frame though what makes them break?
Single pivots are odd feeling to sit in and ride ime
Though I'm sure they are lovely & cussshy
On the road? A Bianchi in celeste
I raced on a Bianchi in my teens, but it was candy apple red. I even had the first generation of Look clipless pedals!
In MTB terms it would have to be a GT, and probably an Outpost specifically (only because it was their affordable model back when most of us on here were first starting to buy). Or, if you were more aspirational, a Marin.
Brooklyn Machine Works TMX or Racelink (I had #113) and a Park Bike for street hooning.
BMX wise first issue S&M Maddog/Dirt Bike/Holmes
Dawes - Because of the Galaxy and the Ranger (first UK mass produced ATB?)
Peugeot - cos "everybody" had a a cheap Peugeot ATB/ 10 speed racer.
Raleigh - Maverick - what you bought if you could afford something better than the Peugeot ATB
Specialised - for hardrock/rockhopper/stumpjumper
Orange - when they made proper bikes
Colnago - but only when they were really hand made in Italy
Chas Roberts
and purely because I've owned one
Fondriest
Bianchi
Pat Rohan
Thorn (SJS Cycles)