[Closed] What retro full susser would still float your boat?

wanted a manitou FS or a proflex but in reality old bikes were really quite crap. no way I'd bother buying one now

I had a proflex 750, complete with flexstem.
I can confirm, it was indeed utterly crap.
Replaced with a '92 marin eldridge, which was much better.
I reckon its a double whammy, modern geometry is better/more suitable, also shock performance has moved on a lot.
Just my 2P

Original Turner Burner, I remember lusting after them in MBUK back in the day.

A Whyte PRST - just because of the look, really.

I'd have my San Andreas Mountain Cycle back please. It is worth having around just for the aerospace welding and Frankenbike looks
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A Mountain Cycles San Andreas complete with Suspenders and Pro-stops. I dare say it'd ride crap compared to anything modern, but it turned my 15 year old head BITD.
^Haha, yeah like that one!

My gt sts.
Only ride it on smooth stuff though due to risk of cracking.
Looks amazing still

Another San An fan here.

I saw a carbon LTS being wheeled around decathlon with slicks and a big padlock and chain around the seat post gentle clanging away on the down tube.
That poor bike. From cherished superbike to Chav pub bike . Shame.

i had a prst1 hated it, might have been better today with a cane creek in line

i also had a proflex k2 5500 with girvin electronic shocks front and rear,that could also have been improved by todays forks and shocks

id like to have a new marin b17 as its what i thought i was "the man " on haha

i alsow ish that the cannondale raven 2 had been better as it looked awesome

That wouldn't be carbon. Cracking thermoplastic baby. 👿
Would amaze me if gt made any money at all on those frames, so many broke

old bikes were really quite crap

This is especially true of full suspension bikes so I'd go the whole hog for something so bad it's funny. URT should do the job so I choose a Klein Mantra with a massive elastomer in the rear

Specialised enduro 2002 I miss mine bought it off someone on here as a frame only

Palmer's old Spesh DH bike was pretty special - I'd love one of them.

I still like the Cannondale Super V's even though the one I had wasn't great.

The original Kona Stab in blue with yellow flames was cool too.

[quote=bencooper ]A Whyte PRST - just because of the look, really.

talk to dibbs, he's got two in his garage...

Ddoouubbllee ppoosstt.

jam bo - Member
bencooper » A Whyte PRST - just because of the look, really.
talk to dibbs, he's got two in his garage...

Such a love/hate with those but I think I've decided they actually did look awesome. A definite winner for niche-mince machine.

for anyone who liked the PRST i also had one of these, very similar but branded BMW and folding !
BMW Q6.S

http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1758366/

What retro full susser would still float your boat?

The one with the biggest tyres?

Classic Blur - mine wore through the chainstays, but it really suited the riding I did.

Marin Mount Vision, single pivot version.

Please can you make a new version Marin - carbon, single pivot, modern geometry.....

Cannondale Carbon Raven, super ugly and weird, I love them.

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BowTis are retro - just have to sale a kidney to procure one.
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Marin Mount Vision, single pivot version.

Please can you make a new version Marin - carbon, single pivot, modern geometry.....

I had one of those Marins from the 90s! it rode great.

Bearings from the F15 apparently!

So when did fs bikes get good?

Edit: Genuine question. Not a troll...

San Andreas for me, please. Always loved the look of the GT RTS as well.

Pretty sure I mostly lusted after a Trek Y bike, it had everything I wanted, suspension for the bumpy downhill stuff, but not too bouncy for the uphill stuff, carbon fibre (optimally compacted low number of voids).

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I seem to have gone through life without ever riding a full sus mountainbike at all though.

I always lusted after an S-works enduro/epic

My XC bike is an '04 S-Works Enduro 8) which is still going strong and as good as it ever was when I bought it in 2004. A bit like Triggers broom a lot of components have been upgraded but the frame, shock, forks and brakes are original

I seem to have gone through life without ever riding a full sus mountainbike at all though.

My XC bike is an '04 S-Works Enduro which is still going strong and as good as it ever was when I bought it in 2004. A bit like Triggers broom a lot of components have been upgraded but the frame, shock, forks and brakes are original

I've never had a full suss bike but I'm curious. I have a decently equipped 26" hard tail with new bits but I fancy something with some full bounce for a bit of fun, a frame that could be cheaply acquired and then the bits transferred over.

I had a Trek Y22 in cream with Judy SL forks, V brakes, full XT and flat bars. Loved that bike but cracked 3 of them. Weren't meant to be raced downhill... Apparently!

Had a Giant ATX 1 DH aswell but the rear shock kept blowing and spewing all its oil out.

I have been looking for a Trek Y bike for ages now, yet to find a decent one in my size. I think mine was 18" which was too big but big frames were all the rage back in the 90's.

Always wanted a Pro Flex and would still have one just to potter about on. Anybody with a small carbon framed Trek Y bike that they are looking to get rid of? That would be a good winter project for me when I'm finished with the Suzuki TL..

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This still rides well - thought about selling it but not sure if I should just keep it for sunny Sundays.
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I still have my 2004 Enduro frame, which hangs on my dining room wall. It still looks amazing, even today.

I retired it back in 2012, replacing it with a 26" Specialized Camber. To be completely honest, the Camber was far, far stiffer, was better on the climbs and far more capable downhill, despite giving away 12mm of travel. Somehow, it was also lighter too. I swapped the components from my Enduro to my Camber and was blown away as to how far things had moved along in eight years. My Enduro felt a wallowy, steep, flexy mess in comparison.

To build it up and ride it again would be to spoil the memories of riding my old Enduro around trails in the Peaks, Scotland and Wales, of sunny afternoons enjoying a post ride pint and the nostalgia of discovering just how much fun a full suss bike could be. For those reasons, I can never part with the frame. It's not for sale at any price.

Turner rfx mk one...miss mine
Litespeed kitsuma ....miss mine

I sold a Y22 last year. Advertised as 'not for offroad use' or somesuch - it made many worrying sounds...

My 2000 mount vision was the best bike EVER. Even with tall riser bars the front was too low and those steerer extenders are gash. So unfortunately it's now gone and replaced by a Fatty.
Still have a 99 vision as well for winter commuting.

twisty - Member

Pretty sure I mostly lusted after a Trek Y bike, it had everything I wanted, suspension for the bumpy downhill stuff, but not too bouncy for the uphill stuff, carbon fibre (optimally compacted low number of voids).

I'm guessing you're being sarcastic?... 😀

Seeing as it didn't go downhill as you were standing on the rear swingarm - so was basically locked out. And was a pogo stick when sat down pedaling. Classic URT rubbish.

I had one of these. Actually is wasn't that bad.
[IMG] [/IMG]

ChunkyMTB - Member
twisty - Member
Pretty sure I mostly lusted after a Trek Y bike, it had everything I wanted, suspension for the bumpy downhill stuff, but not too bouncy for the uphill stuff, carbon fibre (optimally compacted low number of voids).

I'm guessing you're being sarcastic?...

Seeing as it didn't go downhill as you were standing on the rear swingarm - so was basically locked out. And was a pogo stick when sat down pedaling. Classic URT rubbish.

I had one of these. Actually is wasn't that bad.

Beaten to it - was just about to say they were awful URT things.

The Klein Mantra's always looked awesome but were dogs to actually ride.

The FSR's were actually pretty good and it's still in use today (albeit with clever shocks and tweaked pivot locations etc).

Lots of manufacturers have either licensed FSR or are now selling their own interpretations of it - I believe that Specialized's patent right has expired:

If memory serves, Whyte, Norco, Transition, Rocky Mountain, Boardman, Canyon, YT Industries, Bird and Vitus have current bikes with an FSR setup. There may be others I've missed.

Have still got a Proflex 856 which serves to remind me how good modern bikes are:
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On fireroads and doubletrack it's actually Not That Bad and uphill it goes like shit off a shovel but it's no help at all on technical gnar

Lusted after a klein mantra from when I first clapped eyes on one in the local bike shop when I was 13...So I bought one and stuck some bits on it. Most terrifying bike to ride on even the slightest decent.

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Anything that Jason McRoy rode.

THAT red Spesh'especially.

IMO the first Giant Anthem (2005-6 ish?) was the first time full suspension got good. Well, the first time I rode a FS bike and thought - Wow.

I'm guessing you're being sarcastic?...

Seeing as it didn't go downhill as you were standing on the rear swingarm - so was basically locked out. And was a pogo stick when sat down pedaling. Classic URT rubbish.

Not being sarcastic. I now know that it was rubbish, but back in 1995 I thought it was the bollox.
I did at least realise that the Trek 9000 was rubbish just by looking at it.

Lots of manufacturers have either licensed FSR or are now selling their own interpretations of it - I believe that Specialized's patent right has expired:

Wasn't the FSR a copy of the Amp B4 though?

joolsburger - Member

Cannondale Carbon Raven, super ugly and weird, I love them.

first bike I ever sold when I worked in dales, Glasgow. little over 3k

I always loved the Klein Mantras too - just sold mine last year after not riding it for the previous 5, was "a bit of a handful" on anything other than light xc... looked good though

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Monolith
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Or a Fat Chance Shock-a-billy
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Cannondale Carbon Raven, super ugly and weird, I love them.

Always wanted a Carbon Raven, a mate of mine still talks about his daily commute to work in Manchester and the guy on the train next to him every day who had a Carbon Raven as his commute bike - he openly admitted having never taken it off road. Still brings tears to my eyes...