[Closed] Retro MTBs

I've had loads of retro rides back in the day and more latterly.

Good fun to do up and to hack around on local rides and as cheap town bikes. However I have since moved on to simple modern bikes as spare/winter duties and the joy of disks and modern geometry are difficult to ignore.

Having said that, the retro kona's in particular were always great for bridleways and singletracks. Light rigid bikes can be great.

Got a 98 gt sts.
It's fun to ride but no way would i ride it a lot or on anything more technical than Thetford, to scared it might crack

I had a bontrager maybe 10 years ago.

Looked lovely, rode, well, shit.

bikes I couldn't afford as a kid in the nineties

That's the reason I bought a 1994 lava dome off ebay a few years ago, used to drool over them in the shop and magazines but my paper round wouldn't stretch to buying one 🙁

It mainly gets used for commuting and weeride duties these days but gets the occasional proper ride now and again. I took it out last week for a 35 mile quantocks ride and it's lovely to ride even though it's rigid, I've even taken it down the triscombe d/h tracks 😆 On stuff like trail centre blue runs, smooth singletrack and bridleways I reckon it's faster than my upto date modern hardtail which cost 10x the price.

I've got an old Kona I love, brakes clog up tho but it's so light I have to hold it down with my foot 🙂
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I've sort of got a slightly retro mtb. No idea what the frame is, but think it's fairly old as has no disc mounts, but is fairly light aluminium.

Got some bomber z1's on it (think '99 as orange legs / gold stanchions / blue alloy top caps), some mavic d521 rims on Sachs hubs, and Magura hydraulic rim brakes. Gears let down the retro theme though - got a 1 x 10 setup on it.

Not ridden it yet though properly.

Until mid last summer my only mtb was a 98 Kona U'hu. As a way of getting back into mtb cheaply it was great. I held my own against most of my mates - in its favour were the Z1's that are still plush in this day and age and it was quite lightweight with Easton tubes. Against it was the urt style rear suspension and V brakes. The brakes were ok for a while, but after a few mins chasing a mate downhill at Cwmcarn my fingers were wilting from braking. He rides a Kona Process 134 though so. It really a fair race.

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I've usually got a modern/on trend bike alongside my old Dekerf ... but for me, where I ride and what I do, the Dekerf always more than holds its own. So the new bikes come and go, the Dekerf stays

[url= https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8002/29771074965_c2e791aaac.jp g" target="_blank">https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8002/29771074965_c2e791aaac.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/MmLxnX ]IMG_20160909_164748402_HDR[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/46083140@N06/ ]aus23[/url], on Flickr

My fully nut and bolt bare metal restored Kona Kilauea, now 22 years old and rides beautifully. Would never sell it.

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*nice bike mister*

I have a slightly newer Kilaeua but it's been adapted for SS. Still a hoot on many many trails, disc rear would be handy though!

You don't want to know how much that NOS tubing decal cost me, had to buy it from the USA.... so rare I bought another spare at the same time in case it ever gets repainted again!

Loving the Konas! I've really regressed with my bikes and now ride a rigid steel 29er and a single speed fat bike. I'm sure a big part of this is because of the fun I had in my teens on my cheap rigid Saracen. There is something very liberating about riding rigid, albeit with modern touches like big wheels and disc brakes.

I had this for a while,
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It popped up on eBay. It had been in some rich kids garage for 10 years after he's bought the best of everything then discovered golf.

I blew the shock on a BMX track. The IRC tyres cracked and delaminated. The brakes leaked. Used it mostly for commuting.

It was amazing just sitting looking at it. After lusting after something as a kid but never seeing one in the flesh, then picking up a mint condition 'barn find'. Bought for 600 sold two years later for 1000.

It was worth it. After the Yeti though there's nothing else I'd like.

Except, maybe...
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Love the Kona newrobdob especially the grips, I spent most of the mid 90's withYETI imprinted on the palm of my hands, seems like yesterday

cynic-al - Member
I had a bontrager maybe 10 years ago.

Looked lovely, rode, well, shit.

[url= https://c4.staticflickr.com/2/1106/1354381827_eac8c02254_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c4.staticflickr.com/2/1106/1354381827_eac8c02254_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/34FywP ]114[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

I still have my Ritchey P20. Fabulous thing, but my modern Cotic Soul and cyclocross do its duties better. I can't remember the last time I rode it 😳 😳 but it does still make me smile when I take it out.

[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/3/2897/14390661652_a8a0f95cea_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/3/2897/14390661652_a8a0f95cea_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/nVDUm5 ]Ritchey P20[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

Yes you certainly should not have sold that Bontrager!

I've had a few nice retro bikes.....

1992 GT Tequesta, replica of my first ever MTB, rode really nicely.

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Me on it in the Dark Peak....

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Why the smeg did I sell those new Onza L-bends??? Dog!

1991 Haro Extreme

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31.8mm bars in 1991!! These are the NOS bars and stem that came on this bike new.

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Rode like a BMX, ace uphill and in the air but stupidly harsh on the bumps. Still shouldn't have sold it. 🙁

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Another one....

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Dave Lloyd Beez Kneez... oh my word the paint on this is amazing.

I've got a 1990 team Marin, the one with the zolatone paint, which is absolutely fantastic to ride. It's just
Lovely. (Sorry for the pic, it's the only one I have to hand!)

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And I've also got a 1993 Klein attitude which is a terrible bike to ride but so so pretty.......

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Squealer - your obviously not riding that Marin fast enough cos even the bairn is kicking you up the arse

I wish it I'd kept my Nishiki Ariel, you will struggle to find one of those now or the high spec model with the square tubing, the Nishiki Alien

I've got a 1991 Clockwork with Pace RC30 forks (hammerited!) and a silly long -5 degree Salsa ahead stem. That's all there is to it at the moment, but I do have a motley collection of components gathered over the last 25 years that make it work when I fancy building it up.

I always take the piss out of retro bikes, I remember why we were all so keen to replace them first time round... But secretly I want a xixang. With massive bar ends.

I do love my '98 O2. So much fun to ride, lively and nimble.

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It's one bike I'll not sell. Currently doing duties with the weeride on (and a chain 🙂 )

Squealer That klein is beautiful

The latest one that is finished and rideable - 97 Y33 Team (fork is newer)

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Schwinn Typhoon klunker build that is still in progress. Just had canti studs added to the seatstays by a LBS; now I need to figure out the paint...

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2002 Klein Adept Race

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1992 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo. The paint is essentially fluorescent orange, which doesn't show well in the photo.

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1993 ProFlex 753

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1988 GT Karakoram B&W Crackle Paint

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I think that's enough for now!

Having started riding in the '90s I have owned quite a few bikes that are considered retro cool now, just that I had them when they were fairly current. GT RTS and LTS, Pro Flex 959, San Andreas, Zaskar, Bonty Privateer, Orange Clockwork. Even had a twin shock Scott DH race tank thing.
The only bikes I've not owned that I'd like to are a Pace RC series, a decent early Kona (only had an early '00s Muni Mula) or an Intense M1.
I do have a '92 Klein Fervor. Not ridden it for a good year or so, it's lovely to look at, light as heck and OK to ride on stuff like blue graded trails but bike geometry has moved on so much that it feels sketchy as heck on techy stuff...
Will never get rid of it though as I have such emotional attachment to it, right back to the early days of my riding history.

I had a go on an Explosif around 99-00 something like that, and to be frank it was massively underwhelming.

hey ho.

Here's one of my lovely retro Kona's I restored ..

[url= https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8389/8558750365_0eb02d250c_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8389/8558750365_0eb02d250c_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/e3iQit ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/54931015@N07/ ]Plus one2010[/url], on Flickr

Stunning to look at but pretty rubbish ride compared to modern hardtail 😳

got a 91 marin. Saved it at the tip. Love it and ride it loads.

Like you, I like looking from the nostalgia point of view but have absolutely no interest in owning one now.

I find it it a bit funny how the whole 'retro' thing has really gone nuts on facebook. It was the times that were special not the bikes themselves. I was a teenager in the mid nineties and get a real ache thinking back to those times.

Mine was in a bit of a state, rusty chain and rusted locks on it. I stripped it down and rebuilt it, putting in new wheel bearings, new pedals, grips, chain and tyres. Still had the original foam grips on it. I waxoiled it too as it was a bit rusty. It rides so well and I've had high rollers on it before as it has good tyre clearance.

Bought my Marin IFT in '94, quite scabby now and rarely used

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Uh-huh. Love retro bikes, the ones I lusted over as a nipper in the mags I can afford to own now.

Building up a GT Pantera from around 96. Got some XTR v-brakes on order, just trying to find some 26" rim brake compatible wheels, not an easy task in Australia, there aint much retro here!

Not really a mountain bike but my go-to for general utilty is always my 1989 Spesh Rock Combo. Right now it's wearing full mudguards & Schwalbe Marathons but here it is with fatter tyres:

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I've also got another '89 Rock Combo, an '89 Stumpjumper, '88 Hardrock & Rockhopper, and a rare 24" wheel '87 Rockhopper that I'm hoping my daughter will grow into ! My modern bikes are Spesh too (SJ FSR, SJ HT, 2x Tarmac, an Allez, a Globe, my wifes's FSR and her Dolce). I'm a bit of a Spesh fanboi I'm afraid.

Also a matching pair of his & hers '86/'87 Muddy Fox Couriers. A 1990 Attitude. A 1987 Hoo Koo E Koo. An early nineties Santana tandem. A Rascal frame that I need to build up. And a very early F.W. Evans mountain bike frame that might be as old as '83/'84.

And I've got a terrible feeling I've missed a couple from that list !

This is my only bike, a 1998 Lava Dome.
Cost less than £100. It's light and dead easy to maintain.

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Retro bikes are great and make the same old boring trails interesting again. No point comparing them to modern bikes as they're completely different but certainly have their place.

I've got a few and mainly just look at them. Managed to get hold of an immaculate 92 orange/white fade Orange Clockwork that makes me smile every time I go in the garage.

Best bit is that as long as you shop carefully you can buy one then sell it on when you've had enough of it and not lose any money!

Sorry for the pic,

Foot on the gas

I turned this:
[img] http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=8246 [/img]

Into this:

[img] http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=8245 [/img]

Some nice steeds on here - I do like a retro mtb thread!

I sold this a year ago, always wanted one & ended up hardly ever taking it off road... because it was terrifying & tried to kill you at every opportunity, it was fast though 😆

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Always wanted a Klein Mantra! Too expensive to justify these days for a bike that reportedly has very odd handling. The most extreme URT bike ever made I'd have thought. Don't they try to catapault you over the handlebars every time you go downhill?

Would quite like a Mantra frame just to put on the wall of the garage and admire.

Newrobdob, my dad has that exact frame/fork sitting in his garage, think it's even a similar build. Who did the restoration for you? The chainstay bridge on his looks awfully corroded, put me off the idea a little.

Firestarter, is that a new paintjob or the original?

Both: easy enough to get new period correct decals?

Might try and persuade my dad to get it restored after all, was great fun to ride.

Love the P20, P20. Those Avid brakes are so hard to find...

13th, all done myself. I'll find a link to the build.

EDIT http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=237961

All done myself!

It cost me waaaaay more than it's worth to restore it but it has sentimental value and it's still the best bike I've ever ridden.

Decals can be bought from Gil at the Bike Shed, he has hundreds on file scanned or designed from originals.

The tubing decal can be reprinted but this one I have is a NOS one which is miles better. It cost me £20 ish just for that decal.

Tried to find original parts OR new parts which matched the originals. Only change really was the V-brakes as the original Kona cantis were beyond crap even for cantis.

NOS XT chainset wasn't easy to find but easier than the original spec Sugino one.

Joebristol - yep the handling was "interesting", I stuck slightly longer forks on it (100/120 can't remember) to slacken & raise the front slightly - actually rode ok as long as you kept your arse on the saddle & didn't try anything steep too quickly... early Klein produced ones came with a rigid fork iirc but Trek apparently didn't think they'd sell that way & the fluorescent pogo stick / space hopper hybrid was born 😆