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The idea is to post a collage of your current MTB and first MTB. Sadly I don't have a pic of my 1996 Sunn Vertik 2 but anyway here is my pic.
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1995 2024 1995 > 2026
Raleigh M+Trax > Cube Stereo Hybrid One77
I have no photos of the M-Trax in my possession, so the internet did me a solid.
That’s a shame you went from pedalling your own bike to needing an electric motor.
1987. Tour of Jersey. Marin Bear Valley. One bike for everything
2026. New Zealand. Specialized Enduro
Yesterday. Dolomites. S Works Turbo Levo
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30 (jeez) years later and I've ended up pretty much back where I started on a steel rigid atb.
This thread has got me searching eBay for a 1996 Univega Rover 301. That bike got me up and down Ingleborough for a Summer with more ease than my modern bikes get me up and down the Surrey Hills ... or perhaps that's what 30 years does to you.
Diamond Back Topanga
Cotic Solaris
In between these two were a Schwin Moab 3 then a Gary Fisher Big Sur and then a Cotic Soul Gen 4
1990 Raleigh Lizard - mine was second hand, hand painted blue, and clearly been used round the Lakes too much...it didn't last long!
First (not mine/my pic) Carrera Mission MTB
Most recent, BTR Gasser
1989 Tufftrax and 2023 Ripmo
First bike
I had one of these Yamaha’s
I had a Peugeot Ranger, then this Timberline which was my first real MTB.
And a few hours ago.
Well it wasn't technically my bike, it was my dad's, but I used it more than him.
Specialized Hardrock (not my photo).
Now a Bird Zero 29er
Wrong year but interesting comparing geometry.
I've no idea what the lump of a Scott was that I swapped for a lump of dope and was my first actual MTB, but my first bought MTB as it was when I bought it
VS how it is now as I still have it 29 years on
And discounting all the others I have in the shed, my latest MTB
My first MTB and one of my current ones. They have a few things in common. Both are British-designed steel frames, painted purple and fitted with Bomber Z2 forks.
Not my first, but it was the first I’d bought with my own money at about 18 y/o so would’ve been ‘93ish. GT LTS 2 (I think) the forks were terrible so I upgraded those to Marzocchi z2s. It was a great bike but the people I rode with at the time were all xc racers riding rigid Paces with tioga disc wheels so there was a lot of waiting for me on the climbs.
Think it’s the only photo I have of it and that was only because my mum made me take one so she could add it to the contents insurance
I have a few current bikes but this one definitely gets ridden the most lately. Santa Cruz Megatower CC v2
First proper MTB, 1989 Cannondale SM600, bought from Mycycles, Malvern in 1991 I think. Looked like this. (which isn't my own)
This is how it ended up looking like whist I raced it through 1991-1994 XT kit, thumbies, SS5 levers and 987 canti's, XT hubs on mavic rims, started as MA40MB but then git some SUP's, USE seatpost and flexstem. custom Chas Bland forks, x lite stubbie pro barends. Fork got swapped out for a set of RC35's and stem for a control tech, bought from Medway cycles around 1995
Latest main MTB, Lapierre XR7.9, poor photo, but changed most things on it! XTR rear mech, gripshift, easton carbon bars, raceface turbine cranks, suntour axon34 werx fork, KS levCi 60mm dropper and hunt race XC wheels.
Two lovely Cannondales. I didn't really own the first one, but my mate had a Principia MacB and let me use his M500 to get me into MTBing. Before that I borrowed an Al Carter off my dad. My first owned MTB was a MacB, which was featured in Cycling Weekly and I bought as a demo. Weighed about 19lbs, that one.
I also, with shame, went from pedalling my own bike to needing an electric motor. What a pathetic human I am
First mtb was a 2nd hand Raleigh Mustang. Four finger brakes anyone? (Not my pic)
Current, Stumpjumper and Signal Ti. I love full suss bikes, but hardtails remind me of the sport I fell in love with. The signal is the best hardtail yet!
Photos are from around 2010, but the Lee Cooper is from 1996ish and was my first proper MTB (no photos of the various Police auction klunkers that preceded it). This was it rebuilt as an 'urban' singlespeed - you'll have to imagine it with Quadra 21s, (IIRC) a 7 speed SRAM set up, a BMX stem, braced risers and the ubiquitous Smoke and Dart combo. Still got those cool red DX levers kicking around somewhere. The frame is now part of my downstairs toilet MTB gallery.
Another photo from around 2010 of my 2001 Trailstar. Other than the tyres, this is pretty much the 2001 build - short stem, 1x drivetrain - I was kind of ahead of the curve by a few years! All but the back wheel of this is now sitting on a smart trainer in the spare room.
And then, one of the current bikes - the last to join the collection a couple of years ago. Plus ca change - skinny steel, 1x drivetrain, short stem. Built for messing about in the woods.
My first "proper" MTB, from about 1988 I guess, was stolen. No memory of the brand, probably a Raleigh. I replaced it with something similar to this:
Mine was the "Psycho" variant with an indestructible LX groupset and reliably terrifying Farmer John Psycho tyres. No idea why they named the bike after that ditchfinder rubber but... Anyway it was stickered up with Shimano Livery and gave fine service first in the Peaks where I'd come home most weekends with new and interesting bloodied scars and the occasional broken bone. Then in the chilterns where I continued to crash but mostly now into trees. Happy times. May have had early V brakes, I do remember them clogging terribly in the Chilterns clay/mud winter combo.
Now I have this (amongst many other bikes and, ahem, an ebike). Fairly sure if left in the same shed as the trusty CB, it'd eat it 🙂
i would add mine but i cannot find a pic of my first bike anywhere online (never took a photo unfortunately either of my first mountain bike or my latest one yet).
it was a 1988 dawes ascent mtb in white and yellow and my latest bike is a 2026 specialized epic comp ht (i know i am breaking the rules by not posting any pics my apologies 🙁
Was just searching for pics of a "1988 dawes ascent mtb in white and yellow" - glad it wasn't just me who had one of those beasts!
Another Topanga the grey and pink one, kept for years mostly for commuting i didn't start mountain biking again until 2004 or so with a Kona Caldera which was great. Current MTB are a Sondor Signal and Broken Road Pinion.
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1995 > 2026
Raleigh M+Trax > Cube Stereo Hybrid One77
I have no photos of the M-Trax in my possession, so the internet did me a solid.
First I rode was a white Saracen with pink logos (IIRC).
My first MTB was a Raleigh Massif which I kept breaking - forks bent in half, rear axles, it was no match for the vicious Lincolshire Alps!
So I got a massif* upgrade to a Raleigh Dynatec Diablo LX ... broke a Mavic front wheel casing a 'jump', got a stress bubble on the frame so that was replaces, but then it got nicked from my garage (I told the cops who it was at the time and they did nothing about it), and house insurance got me a replacement which was an M-Trax... which got nicked at uni and got replaced with another M-Trax, which I gave to my BIL when I emigrated ... and it got nicked from outside his house.
Best mate had a Claud Butler. The DB Topanga and the Raleigh Mustang were popular too.
Switchblade and Highball are the current steeds.
*thank you, thank you
i would add mine but i cannot find a pic of my first bike anywhere online (never took a photo unfortunately either of my first mountain bike or my latest one yet).
it was a 1988 dawes ascent mtb in white and yellow and my latest bike is a 2026 specialized epic comp ht (i know i am breaking the rules by not posting any pics my apologies 🙁
Did you look?
Haha no way! I started off on a Topanga as well AND went to a Solaris for a bit. Then I got a Vassago which ticked all tickable boxes. Man I loved the Topanga though...
Wow, I even had those lights on my Dawes Ascent
I’d imagine everyone had that light 🤣
Late 80s Raleigh Marauder (not my pic, plus mine was a small)
2025 Orbea Rise LT H10
I’d imagine everyone had that light 🤣
So true!
https://road.cc/content/feature/did-you-use-ever-ready-bike-lights-cycling-268225
Moved from a road bike to MTB late 90s......Rockhopper, it's still in the shed, and occassionally comes out, followed by a 1st or 2nd gen Epic, and now on an EpicEvo 
1993 riding my rigid 1991 Marin Muirwoods on Tim Woodcock’s Coast to Coast. Bikepacking before it was bikepacking.
2026 my 2022 Orbea Oiz on the Tour du Mount Blanc. Bikepacking but now able to afford to travel light without a tent.
I’d imagine everyone had that light 🤣
So true!
https://road.cc/content/feature/did-you-use-ever-ready-bike-lights-cycling-268225
My goodness they were bloody terrible things!
Not my first MTB, but third MTB taken in 1990 compared to my current ride 36 years apart at the same location.
Sadly I can't find a photo of my one, but the first proper mountain bike was a 1993 Kona Hahanna, upgraded with a pair of Marzocchi XC51 forks with a whopping 51mm of air sprung oil damped travel! IT was the '90s so there were obviously some purple anno bits (including a Ging chain device that's still sat in a box in the garage now)
Newest bike, Deviate claymore
Been trying in vain to find a pic (or even the name of) my mid 90's Claud Butler, was a rigid MTB in bright blue with an aluminium frame (which it made a selling point of)
Was called Vulture, maybe? Something like that. Can't find a pic.
Found it on Retrobike... maybe the pic's a bit faded, mine was a brighter blue, closer to Benji's jersey over there on the right
Found it on Retrobike... maybe the pic's a bit faded, mine was a brighter blue, closer to Benji's jersey over there on the right
