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My DMR Switchback...
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Or my DBR Axis TT...
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Had both for 10 years now.
But then there's my old Salsa...
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'98 Kona Hei Hei here, bought new after I'd stared at it in the shop window like the Wayne's World guitar. Still going strong with a bit of Scotchbrite once a year.
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My old Sov
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The thing all these bikes have in common - they just look 'right'*
except for that haggard looking Evil frame 😉
Gary Fisher Big Sur was a good one.
On-One inbred 29'er SS still going strong,even after South Downs and two trips to the alps.
My old Holeshot. Still wonder if it was the right thing to sell it, although it was a tiny bit short. Superb bike - I only hope the new owner is enjoying it as much as I did.
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9183197402_d1bf900582.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/9183197402_d1bf900582.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/eZuhDG ]July mountain biking in the UK. #mud #wet[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/77122468@N00/ ]NeilCain[/url], on Flickr
I never liked any of my hardtails but I haven't had a long travel one maybe that would be more fun.
both my kinesai (??) ... xc120 was a hoot,
sold and replaced with an xc130. even more of a giggle 🙂
My current bike,
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Having said that,nothing has ever felt as good to own as my first ever bike. It was a fully rigid 1991 Saracen Andes,Orange with green forks like the one in the pic below.
Jesus,look at the length of that stem.
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Kingdom Bikes Project Brigante
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I've never had so much fun, and felt so confident, riding down stuff*
*stuff = 4-passes route in the Lakes. Ti hardtail frame meant hike-a-bike climbs were easy too.
I loved my old Pace's (RC200 and RC300) but nothing was as good as my old Orange elite (2011 edition), loved that bike so much. Undoubtedly prefer 29er's now but my dream bike would be a 29er version of that elite- keep hoping orange will do that one day.
Andy R, that Genesis Alpitude with white wheels and white Marzocchis is incredible, I'd ride that down anything...looks really confidence inspiring.
As others have said, something about a HT looks 'right'....no fussy linkages, no absurdly long wheelbases, no excess weight etc etc....get the angles right, bolt a burly set of forks to the front and it's still the most fun mountain biking in my opinion.
The 456-evo I had was a gem, I got all fashion conscious about the lack of a large or tapered headtube, the 27.2mm sestpost making a Reverb impossible and the lure of bigger wheels...sold it to fund a 45650b that wasn't half as good....now back on 26 inch wheels with a Ragley and all is right with the world, I'll post a pic later when I finish work.
ah ha ... knew i had piccies somewhere 😉
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Hardtails are ace. I realy like them with long travel forks.
My Stantons were/are great but thining about it I've loved most of the hardtails that Ive had.
My '97 Kona Koa was ace - first bike with bouncy forks.
Loved my '99 Chameleon built up as a jump bike in 05 even though it was properly short. The later one in a sensible size was an awsome bike and one that I regret selling (it was that or my DH bike which I kept instead).
I had an Orange Sub Zero which was reay good until it craced. It was more forgiving than the Chameleon that replaced it.
There are some lovely bikes on this thread - surprised that a Shan in gold colours hasn't appeared yet.
For me its one of these, but not in single speed.
Rode beautifully, although you did take a bit of a battering through the arms.
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Still stand by my original suggestion of a Sov (missed my chance to post a pic too, so here's an early incarnation just after I put it together):
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I can see that a Blue Pig might be quite nice though too. Bought a cheap Mmmbop recently and loving the ride of it even if it is ridiculously stiff. Definitely seems to need a bit of welly to get the most out of it, but it begs you to anyway, so it's not such a problem.
Always had a soft spot for my old GT Outpost.
Destroyed everything on that bike but the frame outlasted everything.
I rode like a complete malaka.
😆
Heard that lots while living in Greece.
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Love this, had the frame since new in 97, it's been through the twin crown fork phase, commuter phase and finally it's actually back to something sensible.
I'm *considering* retiring it though. 😥
Round here a 29r is just a better solution most of the time.
Raleigh Strika. The early one with pedal back brake. Loved it!
My Bianchi Mutt with Rocksolid carbon forks. It was so light and fast it just devoured climbs. It was no downhiller but I always said if I could only have ONE bike - including road - this would have been the one.
My Mmmbop was a nice HT alternative to a full susser, but was a drag on anything that wasn't up or down.
Jumpin jack flash..
I have two in the attic should you be feeling...in need of one.
Would have to be my Chameleon, won it in 2007.
Orange Sub Zero with 36s and then 55s. Brilliant fun, decent all-rounder.
Bontrager Race. The head angle is (apparently) too steep and the wheels are (apparently) too small but it's the one bike I can't see me ever selling.
...it's the one bike I can't see me ever selling.
Is that because no-one would buy a bike with a steep head angle and small wheels? 😈 😉
I would like to ride my old 92 Explosif ,just to see if it really was as good as I remember.
Very happy with my Tuareg and it hasn't cracked yet 🙂
AD +1
My old Fuquay custom build - whenever I ride it there's always that moment when it just seems to surge with acceleration.
xc120
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3331/3190277053_507ba683cd_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3331/3190277053_507ba683cd_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5RV1dM ]Frosty ride - winter hill[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/23330272@N06/ ]D0NK[/url], on Flickr
My most favourite-ist HT ever. Short lived but I loved it, could proper rag it around, mmmbop that replaced it wasn't quite as good - could be urged into action but took a bit more effort on the riders part. My carbon 456 could possibly equal the 120, it is nice, but that's setup a bit more cross country style (and no gears), quite tempted to do a lairy c456 build, we'll see. But for the time being I've binned off the "fun hardtail" and got my heckler frame back out of the attic - that's even more fun than the 120!
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Gone but not forgotten.
^
deviant - Member
Andy R, that Genesis Alpitude with white wheels and white Marzocchis is incredible, I'd ride that down anything...looks really confidence inspiring.
I tried to and ended up underneath it twice, on stuff I've cleaned with ease in the past. Ok, it was a bit greasy and icy but basically I was riding like a knob. It's a thing I do sometimes.....
The forks are lush though.
Got to be the 1992 Klein Fervour that is in my spare bedroom. Either that, or the Bonty Privateer that sadly snapped a year or so ago.
RC200, Trek 69er Rootbeer SS, Stooge. Not necessarily in that order.
Love my alpine with 150s up front, it loves to manual! Really did enjoy my Rocky Mountain Vertex carbon til it snapped , then the warranty replacement cracked.. gave up and went with the steel alpine 🙂
Favourite has to be my old Trailstar. Still just looks kind of right, even if it is resigned to roller duties these days.
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Best though, has to go to my BFe. Just a really capable, really tough little bike.
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Since we seem to be allowing rigid bikes too then I'll have to post this one, because it probably is my favourite bike ever.
Now with shorter stem, dropper post and decent tyres.
If I could only have one bike it would be this one....
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This
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My Curtis;
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it just feels 'right'.
My longest serving is my Orange P7, 2007 model. I still have it, it is currently my only MTB and I like it a lot.
But for pure laughs per minute, my PX Jack Flash (bought for £28 off eBay) is the winner. At it's best it was built with 100mm coil forks, 521 rims, v-brakes and a 1x8 drive chain. It rode like a BMX, simply brilliant fun. I then had an idea I would make a DH bike from it, fitted RS Domain's, big disk brakes, heavy tyres and wheels, etc. It didn't really work if truth be told. But riding it in it original guise was quite simply wonderful.
From time to time I do debate building another hooligan hardtail up...
When I was less decrepit, and not falling apart at the seems, I bloody loved my old Chameleon. Mainly due to the identity crisis it was clearly having, thinking it was actually a BMX. But my God! You knew about it after more than a couple of hours!
But for all-round, do-it-all awsomeness, from a quick blast out playing silly buggers, to an all day jaunt, you just can't fault my P7. I bloody love that bike! Here it is out playing in the snow last weekend
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Dialled Alpine on Lyriks.
Ragley Ti with an oversized headtube and a set of the new Pikes set at 140mm travel 🙂
I have a soft spot for the original Marin Rocky Ridge though - first aggressive(ish) hardtail I ever owned.
omg ... my dream frame came up on here !!!!
18" Tinbred ... sex wee ... 😉
Cannondale Beast of the East '97 , still ride it now, it is light stiff and a joy ,Rode a 44mile sportive a couple of years ago on it . Love it