[Closed] On the other hand, The best bike you ever owned?

Raleigh activator. The dogs back then....

The one bike I won't ever sell . Have a spare frame in the loft just in case!
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Ibis Mojo. I've been riding this pesto coloured mother****** since 2007 and it still makes me smile and whoop!

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I'll NEVER sell or replace it.

Ellsworth Distance. Nice and long and quite slack for the times. Durability a bit suspect (I went through about 5 frames, all warrantied) but lovely to ride.

My current one.

Trek scratch, the only part from the original bike is the frame.

It fits me perfectly, can go a lot faster than I can and still climbs well despite 170mm travel!

'95. Marin. Steel.

Perfection. Love that bike!

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Had it a few years now, I had a period of about a year another bike but returned to it and sold the other bike. I just really, really get on with it.

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This:

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Utterly mindblowing bike. A triumph in suspension kinematics over wheelsize.

Kona explosif from 1999. I did absolutely ridiculous things on that bike considering it had 80mm travel and v-brakes. Ive been chasing that perfect blend ever since and never quite found it.

I need to balance out the Zesty hatred from the other thread so here's the best bike i've ever owned.

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I've only been mountain biking about 4 years but before buying my full sue I demoed loads of bikes and I can honestly say that I bought the right one. Therefore my Blur TRc which I still own, and probably will until I break it, is the best bike I've ever owned. Light, playful, pedals well and incredibly confidence inspiring. It can be used for anything I rekon if set up right, proper xc to light DH 😀

Jones. 3 years on the Ti sf, still get off it grinning, knowing there's nothing quite like it.

My road bike, it's an Ali frame with 105 5600 and fulcrum 5s but I am constantly impressed that I'm comfy on it (despite what people carp on about Ali frames) and it handles great

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If I could only have one bike it'd be this one.
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Perfect bike for the Chase sold it when I moved to the Lakes 🙁
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/49/136528697_e82bd266a4_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/49/136528697_e82bd266a4_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/d4Ke4 ]DSC00450[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

Either my 12 year old merlin magia road bike ( merlin USA )
Or my 2003 enduro sx , still takes a beating and keeps going

'09 Giant Anthem Advanced.
Last of the true xc race type before they all became the Anthem X.
So quick & light, did so much on it & now kept purely to look at!

Postie, said it before and I'll say it again, that bike looks perfect. The angles are just right.

agree with that flash, if it was the blue ss bike. lovely looking bike.

My Pivot Mach 4, inspires and encourages me to ride places and things (up and down) that I never thought I could, then asks for more.

My brown/cream On One 456.

Brilliant frame that was £125. Decorated it with all sorts of bits, thrown it down all sorts of trails. Love it.

Just for Flash! In its coat of many colours 🙂

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3123/2305449626_e3e28efaef_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3123/2305449626_e3e28efaef_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4vJ2Ru ]DSC00114[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2304/2426004006_9be6dc921b_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2304/2426004006_9be6dc921b_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4GnUth ]DSC00320[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6065/6046490737_42fd531de6_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6065/6046490737_42fd531de6_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/adiR3i ]P8153891[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22534490@N00/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

agree with that flash, if it was the blue ss bike. lovely looking bike.

I'd assumed it was the same bike.

Always looked "just right".

*Edit - See above!*

kinematics

kine****ingwhat?

Back to the OP. My Pompino.
Its in the shed loft. Probably will be for years. But I'll never lose it.

It made me who I am and was part of building my family.
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'Trusty Rusty' of course, here at Hamsterley in 1995ish...

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/14753111237_ab8bc435b9.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/14753111237_ab8bc435b9.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/otFxYR ]001 (2)[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

& this September in Scotland...

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_e59c071571.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3852/15312970195_e59c071571.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/pk9Yxv ]Camban trip, Sept 2014 027[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7904024@N08/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr

Same bike only 'different'. Triggers brush to a new level but I'll never ever get rid of it.

Edit, I've still got (& use) the Buffalo windshirt in the 1st photo.

Well the little orange Tazer was so good I bought it twice 😳 but if I had to choose it'd have to be the lovely Hooker . . . hey, it's been 18 months now 😛

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that's sweet, essel.

Evil Sovereign

Cannondale scalpel 1 from 2012 - it was a rebuilt as a 1 x 10 with sram xx and quite a few weight weenie parts.
Awesome bike and its a keeper.

A strange one but I had a Beone team frame which I stripped the paint off - the frame was only 950 grams after a re spray of clear laquer. It's been a single speed for 4 years and over 12000 miles. It's a great frame and worth nothing but sutch an awesome bike to ride.

I also bilt up a weight weenie Dahon folding bike which has american Classic aero wheels and a full dura ace group set. Anyway, it's bee used for many longer road rides including a 126 miles rook of lake geneva. It is totally unique and rides well. Just a really enjoyable thing to take for a spin.

This old Klein was a cracker and did lots of action at Cannock Wyre Brenin Machynlleth. Totally overwhelmed Judy forks somewhere near Buttonoak circa 98

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Fully upgraded to Marzocchi forks and a single disc upfront for Alpine action
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Loved my Zesty. It would have been in my possession for a long time if it hadn't been nicked. Search online for it every day

My Salsa Mukluk, god she's so much fun to ride, to the point where I just can't get enough of her 😉 old pic, have changed a few bits and bobs but still the same bike, my absolute favourite, in love! <3
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2001 Litespeed Kitsuma, updated recently with a new fork (bought last year when you could still get straight 1 1/8" steerers relatively easily) and XT brakes.

Every time I ride it, which to be honest is mostly in the summer on nice days now (after all it is my 'best bike'), I realise how much I enjoy the whole experience* and why I bought it in the first place.

* the ride, the 'feel', it's lightness, the way it looks modern even though approaching 14 years old, the memories etc.

My Salsa Mukluk,

good god man! did you let your wife colourway your bike too!!! 😉

PS you appear to have let her fit a chainstay protector....to an SS. Have a word...

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Is this you?
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I never thought I'd even admit this to myself, let alone say it on a forum...but it has to be my 29er Stumpy Evo. This is my fifth fuss suss bike and my fourth Specialized, it just feels so damned right.

The frame that started it all for me hangs on the living room wall - a 2004 Enduro. I've covered some 12k miles on it, with four different forks, three drivetrains and two sets of wheels and I retired it back in 2012. Compared with the bike I replaced it with (a Camber), it felt flexy and squat prone to ride but I can't part with it.

Cannondale Prophet. Had many adventures on it in the 5 years I rode it, such a versatile bike.
I've recently moved on to something newer with more complicated suspension but I can't bring myself to let the Prophet go![URL= http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/SimonB_09/Image0110.jp g" target="_blank">http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq245/SimonB_09/Image0110.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

that's sweet, essel.

Cheers Stoner!
The only original parts of Trusty are the right hand seat & chainstays. It's a fillet brazed Tange Prestige frame & every other tube has been replaced never mind the other bits!

Triggers brush? This is waay beyond that!

Hah! Trigger's broom indeed.

Wouldnt it have been kinder to put the ol'girl down rather than replace both her hip joints?

1999 853 gun metal gray Kona explosif absolutely brilliant bike. I've still got it I would never sell it.

Ha! If/when she goes she'll be going on the living room wall!
Plenty miles in old Trusty yet, I know!

As mentioned in other thread- Alpine 160 with Marz 55Tis and CCDB.

[img][url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3591/3360080935_afc6d956b7_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3591/3360080935_afc6d956b7_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/67VhZV ]Orange ST4[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/88555557@N00/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr[/img]
A fabulous thing.
Just enough cush on the seated, smaller stuff. Not so much that it was like a marshmallow to get the power down on.
Felt like it had a secret auto-switch to open up more travel at the back, just when you needed it.
By 'eck it were fast downhill on your average trail / rocky landrover track / red route / forest leckin' about singletrack.
I miss it.