I've had a couple of Bontragers over the years, but always Privateers. I finally managed track down a mid '90s Bontrager Race Lite with all the trimmings, gussets everywhere, milled headtube and removeable brake bosses.
The stem is in a different postcode to the seat and its going nowhere near anything techy, but for me its the epitome of early mountain bikes and I've lusted after one for more than 20 years.
That's glorious.
Apart from the pedals, but you already know that.
Smoke/Dart - Classic combination.
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff like this that has been rendered obsolete for its original use and is inferior in just about every way compared to modern gear?
Because I dont get it.
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff like this that has been rendered obsolete for its original use and is inferior in just about every way compared to modern gear?
It looks better
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff
Same reasons people collect anything really. Because its a fun challenge to find the bits, you get to talk to people with the same interests and ride and own things you dreamed of when you were a kid.
That and the realisation that you've got less life in front of you than you have behind makes people want to revisit their youth
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff like this that has been rendered obsolete for its original use and is inferior in just about every way compared to modern gear?
It's no different to owning a classic car, or an 80's classic 2 stroke motorbike - modern stuff is obviously "better" but that's not really the point, is it.
Retro bikes aren't going to be ridden on the EWS, they're going to be looked at, fondled, bought rare parts for that take months to find...
FIT AF
It’s no different to owning a classic car, or an 80’s classic 2 stroke motorbike – modern stuff is obviously “better” but that’s not really the point, is it.
I dont know, because I don't think like that.
So it's not about what it can do anymore, it's all about the peripheral stuff that it represented BITD, and the warm feeling this nostalgia gives in ones cockles?
That's a lovely thing.
As lovely as that is,
Retro bikes aren’t going to be ridden on the EWS, they’re going to be looked at, fondled,
Nah, I'd smash that round the countryside like any modern bike. They have feelings you know, they get sad if unridden.
Nah, I’d smash that round the countryside like any modern bike. They have feelings you know, they get sad if unridden.
That reminds me - I must take my ‘88 Explosif out for a rag around in the near future. I actually do anthropomorphise bikes (and basses) from time to time....yes, they do pine for attention.
That's lovely op. Second I saw it and the tyre choice I was back in the mid 90's on my polished alloy Popcorn Blizzard.😁
I've never enjoyed biking as much as I did back in those early days. Everything was new.
I’ve never enjoyed biking as much as I did back in those early days. Everything was new
Same here, plus I was young(ish) and race fit.
Make a good gravel bike that 😉
That is lovely. Enjoy riding that!
Not generally into "Retro" bikes or the way they look and wasn't mountain biking back when that would have just been a bike. That however is a lovely looking bike. Best of luck with it.
Lovely looking thing. The snowflake laced front wheel is a particularly nice touch!
I still have a Race I bought from KMB in 1996. I couldn't quite afford the extra £100 for a Racelite 🙂
Looks really nice. Would have really liked that back in the day.
Would be good to have a modern day version of it.
Lovely, enjoy. I have a 89 Rockhopper in the loft, very rarely risen but lovely to own. I tried a Bontrager as my main bike but even in the early noughties it wasn't up to what I was riding.
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff
Wait till you hear about classic cars.
Thanks Guys, glad you like it..
It's d definitely going to be pressed into gravelish duties and I'll get it properly dirty too.
A modern version would probably be a pre longshot Soul, which I did used to have.
Although as Rocketdog says a more direct comparison would be with some of the more capable gravel bikes or a mason iso.
Although I'll probably be stopping every 5 miles to tighten the headset, you don't have to do that on any modern bike.
So it’s not about what it can do anymore, it’s all about the peripheral stuff that it represented BITD, and the warm feeling this nostalgia gives in ones cockles?
mainly, yep.
There's also the 'nod' to the foundations of what is still a young sport. Bontragers were quite revolutionary BITD. I'd honestly recommend anyone rides a 'retro' once in a while. It'll hone the shit out of your bike handling...
Following on from simians 'revolutionary' BITD comment, have a read of some of the reviews on retro bike:
It is really interesting to compare how views on state-of-the art geometry and fork offsets have changed (or not)!
Very nice indeed!
It's in slightly better nick than my OR was!
Taken before the rusted downtube succumbed to a spiral crack. Good fun to ride for the year I had it, though!
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff like this that has been rendered obsolete for its original use and is inferior in just about every way compared to modern gear?
Because the best bikes of that era, if properly dialled into the rider/ terrain, had a ride quality that just doesn't exist in a lot of modern gear. Some of my favourite experiences ever were on bikes of that era, though maybe a bit later with suss forks, admittedly my specs aren't just rose tinted they're full on techno kaleidoscope. Also that acquiring the skill and finesse to pilot such a thing over tricky terrain is arguably more satisfying than sitting on a pillowy sofa steamrollering through stuff.
Can you please explain the fetishisation of old stuff like this that has been rendered obsolete for its original use and is inferior in just about every way compared to modern gear?
Think there probably an enjoyment over the historical aspect, and stupid tyres aside, would still be appropriate and enjoyable today if it was ridden on the terrain (and with the technique) appropriate relevent to it.
Although personal taste comes into it a lot. I like this bike. Show me a lineup of early 2000 downhill or freeride bikes and I'd think they are universally hideous and I'd much rather take literally any modern bike to do that sort of riding.
edit, based on endoverend's comment, I should point out that I'm too young/new to the sport to have enjoyed either first time around.
🤤
Nice Bike.
Yeah,the old stuff is a funny one.
I still fancy a 90s Kona Explosif just to see how I would get on with it now.
I used to have the ti version of that until the frame cracked. It's still the second favorite bike I have owned. The favoirite was a Early 90s Kona Hei Hei which got stolen. We used to ride bikes like these on the same natural tracks that now seem to require special geometry and extra long travel suspension. Probally not as fast though.
Very nice bike op, What forks are they?
Following on from simians ‘revolutionary’ BITD comment, have a read of some of the reviews on retro bike:
/a>
Good article on pinkbike too
Now THAT Was a Bike: Bontrager Race Lite - Pinkbike
What forks are they?
Tange Switchblades - licensed version of the bontrager composite fork, but heavier and more flexy 🙂
I personally am'old stuff' and well predate this bike. I spent far too long riding crap old bikes and driving crap old cars to have any attachment to them. I am glad though, that someone can be bothered to restore stuff, simply from an historical point of view.
I couldn't possibly be like a mate I used to race motorbikes with. He spends loads of money buying and restoring the old junk we used to ride back then, he has to have a huge lockup just to keep his collection in.
Not for me.
That looks great, but I wouldn't be holding back on the tech stuff too much - you may have to move about a lot more and accept it'll be much bumpier but I bet that handles plenty of stuff.
but I wouldn’t be holding back on the tech stuff too much
It does alright. Needs new brake pads but it likes going fast
simian
I’d honestly recommend anyone rides a ‘retro’ once in a while. It’ll hone the shit out of your bike handling…
Not so sure about that. I went from fairly retro to bang up to date just over a year ago and I still find it hard at times to forget my old school 'skills' and they don't always work all that well with modern geo.
Your Bonty is lovely. A stunning old school steel HT. I can understand that most don’t get Retro Bikes, they are not as capable as modern bikes. An 60’s era Aston Martin is nowhere near as capable as today’s Aston but that’s not the point. I’ve got a ‘95 Kilauea in the garage, and until a ‘mid nineties Merlin XLM comes along it’s staying there....
Very nice! I was going to sell my old one but it accidentally became a bit of a lockdown restoration - just needs the forks servicing and its all set for some fun. Originally red when I got it in 1995, then orange, now this rather nice blue.
That is a lovely bike, OP. Gives me a warm nostalgic glow just looking at it!
lovely bikes to ride. Enjoy
One day... the clues in the username
Still have my frame, but it’s been in need of a rebuild for nearly 20 years. I did manage to acquire a 1” ahead P2 for it last year off a STWer. If I ever get it built it’ll get ridden on the same loamy, wooded singletrack of 25 years ago- but without the Judy XCs (which snapped in the aforementioned woods, along with my wrist in a tree stump collision)and some better tyres.
I enjoyed today’s ride more than I recall enjoying yesterday’s and I’ll enjoy being able to ride tomorrow even more.
And I love the bike I got a couple of weeks ago. It makes me feel so competent.
And I love my 30 year old Kona. I make it so competent.
Make sense?
What I like about old bikes is that you still get the thrill at half the speed. It’s a bit like driving an old Mini in that regard. I ride on my own so high speed isn’t important but, being the wrong side of 50, I take a lot longer to mend these days. I live near Bristol and find that a 20 year old Sunn single speed is still fun round Ashton Court whereas something more modern and capable would make it seem a bit dull. My other main ride is a 2005 Santa Cruz Superlight which is great fun for anything bigger without having to find stuff that is super steep and technical and more likely to cause me harm. Oddly, both these bikes have the same geometry as a gravel bike which people seem to have turned to now to get their kicks.
Of course, there is the possibility that I am simply trying to persuade myself that the above is true because I can’t afford a new bike. I have resisted any test rides just in case.
I spent a couple of days riding round the Isle of Man last year on my old kona explosif. It was just after I’d bought a new P7 which I wasn’t able to bring with me and while the riding really showed up the limits of an older rigid bike it was massively fun. At the end of the day riding a mountain bike in the country is fun and grin inducing whatever your riding and surprising how much abuse an older and supposedly unsuitable bike will take.
Mine got swiped a couple of years ago from my garage, although I still have a half build frame hanging up. I liked mine a lot, though many means ago I also owned a Yo Eddy and I miss riding that more.
To Science Officer. Yes, if you take these on gnar they are going to feel horribly dated though on old school trails, south downs they'll still be really nice to ride. When mine got swiped I also lost a Scott Scale carbon and in terms of riding that was much better. I found the most annoying bit wasn't the frame geometry but the 3*9 drivetrain, and in terms of carrying speed 26 to 29 was very noticable. But it was still fun to ride
Compared to the Yo Eddy the Bonty was very 'soft' - the YO was like a big BMX - a big shock upgrading from a Muddy Fox in 1991/1992, especially with BOI rigid (and I mean rigid) fork.
Lovely. Those forks look so good too, read mixed reports on them but was always a fan of clamp-ups like that, had some Pace RC30 rigids back then.
Can't understand why anyone would question the value of old things like this really. Some things just have an alternative value that's based more emotive stuff. Some get it some don't. I'm the same with road bikes, to me a lot of 80s and early 90s era bikes have an aesthetic appeal way beyond new bikes.
Lovely bike Slackboy. Although that stem length gives me a slightly nervous feeling just looking at the pictures!
I've come back to this thread a couple of times and I've only just noticed the snowflake lacing! It truly is a lovely bike OP. It's evocative of a time I suspect a lot of us on here were really getting into the sport and lusting after American exotica on the pages of MBUK and MBI. Also, those shifter pods (7sp ?) are some of the best things Shimano have ever made.
Although that stem length gives me a slightly nervous feeling just looking at the pictures!
It's actually surprisingly ok. I took it over Holcombe hill in ramsbottom last night. Came back feeling a bit rattled, but the stiffness is really noticeable going uphill and that makes for a fast climb on things that aren't too techy.
snowflake lacing
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">I got lucky with the build for this. I'd actually sold my retro stuff to fund a new bike when this frame turned up and I had to rebuy everything to build it up. The wheels came from France and were on a Fat Chance that was being spilt and the rest came from some of the guys on retrobike who happened to have the right stuff available.</span>
I'll keep looking for some titec ti handlebars and maybe a shorter stem . And some brake pads that aren't 20 years old 🙂