Components I owned that I had forgotten about

I was just about to post that! Got a brand new, never fitted (can’t remember why) one. Keep a look out for it on Antiques Roadshow in a couple of decades, just before I retire from the proceeds of selling it.

Maybe.

Edit, slightly misread the post.

Any ex DCD owners?

We had a discussion about those very DMR Speedguide's on here recently. I nominate it as one of the worst MTB products I've ever bought. It took forever to space them correctly using the washers and the things were so flexible they'd go out of whack every 5 minutes. Then there was the noise! Horrible, horrible things.

One of my best forgotten bike parts was an anodised blue Avid Rollamajig. I can't remember where it came from or ever using it on a bike but it was perfect for smoothing out the entry of the throttle cable into the carb on an Opel Manta.

I have a Park Tool toilet roll holder somewhere, and a nifty Pace CNC'd stem from 20+ years ago. Occasionally I find them, have a perv and put them back in the box.

a nifty Pace CNC’d stem from 20+ years ago.

Oooh. A mate had one of those, was mega jealous.

I had one of those chainguides, I got a stone between the crankarm and backplate, and bent it out of shape. I never bothered to refit

Avid Rollamajig !

Best bit of kit ever.

I had one of these, never fitted it. Somehow lost it in a house move. No idea if they worked or not. But they looked cool 🙂

Avid Rollamajig !

Best bit of kit ever.

I still have a couple of those kicking around somewhere.

No DCD, but I did have a Crud Claw, Ti axle Onza spd’s and an original Cambelback.

And some X-Lite qr’s where the lever unscrewed as a security feature.

And some X-Lite qr’s where the lever unscrewed as a security feature.

They were very secure because if you did them up too tight the lever would snap off when you tried to open them.

Someone should do a regular feature about the most shockingly ill-conceived MTB components ever. An online hall of shame.

Someone should do a regular feature about the most shockingly ill-conceived MTB components ever. An online hall of shame.

Isn’t that the retrobike forum?

more pics please

Argh, a starry eyed look into the distant past:
Did anyone have a set of those Tioga steel cranks? After the 3rd set broke at the weld I got a refund and put the XT's back on.
How about the Hope mechanical disk brake: first generation disk brakes that worked until your forks snapped in half.

I had a chain tensioner, that was supposed to be for MTB's on my recumbent to stop the massive chain sagging. It was basically a long cantilever arm that was clamped by the QR skewer with a spring to the bottom of the derailleur by the lower jockey wheel.

Anyone remember what that was called? Quite effective for my application.

I used to have one of these.
A 24/Seven Dark Angel.

Luckily I've mostly forgotten about it.

Biopace - bad ovals

Bullet Bros chain tensioner I think?

Anyone remember what that was called? Quite effective for my application.

Dia-Comp SS-5 levers, DX Canti’s and a non-branded purple brake booster.

Hite Rite and Flexstem

@jimmy748  I was obviously considerably cooler than you as I had a Tranz X branded purple brake booster

Bullet Bros chain tensioner I think?

That's it! And in sharkattack's picture. function > form for sure.

neon yellow flexstem with super soft green bumper in it, dia compe SS5s and 987 cantis, XTR cantis with stock XTR brake blocks that were so soft they were race only, as in, by the end of one race, you'd be down to the studs.

I had a crud claw (in purple, of course), worked quite well really, saved my pushing through clayey clag at man v bike v horse one year back in the day.

Those 8 speed XTR cassettes that were held together with tiny chainring bolts, or rather weren't, as they'd work their way loose and disappear into the bushes.

I had a snowflake laced wheel too.

I used to have one of these.
A 24/Seven Dark Angel.

Luckily I’ve mostly forgotten about it.

Hahaha, I picked up a set of the 5 piece bars on here a while back, even heavier than I remember. Someone on the Vintage DH group said they paid £80 for a set 🤣

Disappointing lack of 24/7 cranks on that Dark Angel. I really liked that the cranks were set at a 175 degree angle rather than the, boring, conventional 180 degrees.

jimmy
Full Member
I have a Park Tool toilet roll holder somewhere

Why on earth is that not in use?!

I had the same guide as in the OP.

DCD ✅
Crud Claw ✅
Crud Bung ✅
Onza H²O pedals ✅
Snow flake laced wheel ✅
RST Mozo Pro 4.5" forks ✅ that was fairly long travel back in the mid 90s!

Profile (For Speed) bolt-on bar ends that joined in the middle for the ultimate MTB / Triathlon crossover look. They were great until I went full aero into the back of a van riding through Shrewsbury town center....

Those Dark Angel DH bikes were so heavy. I remember a friend bought one and raves about it. To be fair I thought it went downhill alright but I just couldn’t get over how bloody heavy it was and I had a 41kg Mongoose Freeride bike!

Those DMR chain guides were so bad. I put min on, rode it once, the rattle almost drove me insane so for the rest of the 2 week alps trip I just bodged my own with a bolt and some cable ties from the Morzine ironmonger

Tioga Factory DH of an unfathomable size. They said 2.1 on the side, but they didn’t fit in the back of my frame that had tons of clearance for other brands.

And they were shit.

I had a 41kg Mongoose Freeride bike!

You sure?

I had some Middleburn cranks from the OP. RS3 or RS7s. The drive side one snapped clean in half about 2 or 3 inches down from the pedal. Genuine JRA: I was pulling away from the lights on my commute.
They wouldn’t warranty them. I never bought anything from them ever again.

How about the Shimano Sharkfin and Sharktooth?

And the Anti Chainsuck Plate that followed a few years later.

Thank **** we don't have to deal with chainsuck any more.

I really liked that the cranks were set at a 175 degree angle rather than the, boring, conventional 180 degrees.

is that really a design feature or was it a damage/defect?

I was thinking about this recently, how much offset from 180 would still pedal normally, but give you a lower effective BB height assuming you always ride with the same foot forward.

Seems I'm only a few decades behind the innovation curve.

and a club roost beam stem and those creaky bars with the brace

I had a Zoom stem with Scott AT2 bars for while.

Some Ritchy Z-Max WCS 1.75” tyres in that supersoft almost flesh colour.

Roox Chaindog and ChainCat
Clubroost bars with the brace
Magura HS22 Racelines
Azonic Zero Stem (I'm sure the guys at Mondraker nicked this idea!)

Not a component but i also had a couple of Sunn Bmixs - the original chrome one and then the pained red one.

Clubroost bars with the brace

Those, for me, will never be forgotten. They were the first ‘upgrade’ I ever bought and were it not for them, I’d probably be a lot better off, financially…

Shark attack and Mesh +1.

I also had one tthew.

Seeing the brake booster reminded me I had a Shimano one.

Also had some Pace RC130 bars that snapped just by pushing down on them while stationary.

@tomhoward - oops, I meant 41lb (what a silly bunt), although those Dark Angels felt like they were 41kg.

I had a pair of those Tioga Factory DH tyres as well (came on a pair of eBay wheels). They had terrible grip, weighed a ton, dragged when pedalling and were the only tyres I have ever had to cut off a set of wheels (WTB DH wheels), switched back to the Nevegals that came on the bike which improved the grip (that’s how bad they were!)

jimmy
Full Member
I have a Park Tool toilet roll holder somewhere

Why on earth is that not in use?!

It was in our previous house but doesn't really fit now. Plus, y'know, doesn't suit the decor (apparently).

I’d love to see this thread in 25 years time…

Remember when we thought 820mm bars were a good idea mwhaahaha

so who used to have 12speed with those stupid 400 quid dinnerplate cassettes on the back that wore out in 5 months

…and EVERYTHING was ‘gravel specific’!

The original EDC from Kool Tool

wow! 5mm, chaintool and a spanner!

and a club roost beam stem and those creaky bars with the brace

Was that the welded beam stem?
My boss at the shop got a really good deal from the importer and had the full range of sizes, 2 or 3 of each.

Every single one was welded cockeyed.

And one of the guys who i used to ride with found the only way to stop the creak was to tighten and tighten the bolts, until the creak became the bars actually failing instead of the clamps moving.

HO pedals, HO brakes (all cracked on the clamp, i think i have one half of a pair i kept for the hell of it in a box somewhere. The only one that didn't crack.)
Scott Mathouser fined brake pad holders with the clear/white elastomer pads, never wore out because they were all but impossible to set up so they didn't squeal and judder, so you never used them...

I'd still run a riser bar with a brace if anyone makes one. Bonus points for a foam pad wrapped in cool graphics.

wow! 5mm, chaintool and a spanner!

Maybe I should have shown the 4 & 6 mm allen keys, 2 spoke keys, 8 & 10m spanner plus flat blade screw driver as well.

jimmy
a nifty Pace CNC’d stem from 20+ years ago

me too - I think though I may have sold it on eBay last year in a fit of clearing stuff out that I'll never use again.

beer247
Roox Chaindog and ChainCat

This was the first thing I thought of - used to have one on my hardtail many years ago. No idea what happened to it but think it was fairly quickly replaced by an MRP 4X guide iirc. It worked but was nosy and draggy.

Tranz X branded purple brake booster

There's an entire log on Mt Fromme covered in these! I think it's on Expresso but can't find any pics.

Seeing the brake booster reminded me I had a Shimano one.

😍 I had some 90mm arm mini-Vs on the CX bike which cause all sorts of flex, wonder if I could still pick up a pair of those carbon boosters (can't imagine how much of a mud trap they would create on the CX bike though 🙄)

Park Tools loo roll holder,....

@13thfloormonk yes it's on the original version of Expresso, just before it joins on to the Expresso Smooth rock roll IIRC.

Magura HS 11s and HS 33s
X-Lite chainstay chain tensioners (looked like a cotton reel fixed to an alloy frame?)
Club Roost Go Fast bars, narrow diameter with a shim where the stem clamps
Old school 7 Speed gripshifters
IRC Mythos XC tyres

I just found a Park Tools pizza cutter in a box that we (obviously) never got around to unpacking when we moved in 5 years ago. Not even sure if I’ve ever used it.

I also had a USE XCR suspension seatpost on my Cove Handjob.

A DX front hub (pre disc), a Power Spring for a Shimano rear mech, an XTR rapid rise rear mech & a box full of stuff I’ll never use.

Seeing the brake booster reminded me I had a Shimano one.

I hope you've kept it safe.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403873106224?hash=item5e08b68930:g:97AAAOSw8t9jGKzr

Also had some Pace RC130 bars that snapped just by pushing down on them while stationary.

A mate had a pair with bar ends on. Needless to say, first time he laid out down the bar ends sheared the bar. Unadorned, you could compress the circumference of the bar it was so thin.

I also have a PT pizza cutter. Barely used as so many pieces have snapped off and been glued back on. It's just a windowsill ornament that needs dusted every few months.

Ah, brake boosters.

Blingy cable straddles for canti brakes, set low and calipers wide for more power but very squishy feeling brakes.

Good call on the anti chainsuck plates and finned chainstay protectors.

Sachs wavy shifters were another common upgrade (sure I still have those).

Still got a pair of red DX levers in the parts bin and a red DX V brake.

MASSIVE Tioga DH Seat?

an XTR rapid rise rear mech

Still using XTR rapid rise, best mech shimano have ever made.

Great thread this!

Still using XTR rapid rise

Me too - if you’re used to them they’re great. I sometimes wonder if they would have been more popular if the first derailleurs had been low normal and everyone had got used to them first. To me low normal makes sense because I never need high gears in a hurry (only low) and if something goes wrong, a mech stuck in low gear is at least useable. I also use my brakes in the US/European configuration, so riding my hardtail can be an interesting experience!

I’ve not come across the brake boosters - how do they work?

MASSIVE Tioga DH Seat?

Was that the seat that was so big it had two seatposts, one fore and the other aft?

I seem to have owned most of the components mentioned on this thread. Flexstem, sharkfin, dcd, crudclaw, I beam, brake booster, snowflake wheel, hite rite. Also smoke and dart tyres in cream.

On a purple anodised bike. Nice.

Actually, I still have the hite rite and sharkfin on my Breezer.

Was that the seat that was so big it had two seatposts, one fore and the other aft?

Scott Octane DH frame, the seat was frame specific.

I’ve not come across the brake boosters – how do they work?

They stop the stays/fork legs splaying outwards when braking with rim brakes.

They stop the stays/fork legs splaying outwards when braking with rim brakes

Was quite frightening how much flex a Magura hydraulic rim brake could cause.

Had a lot of the stuff listed

Magura Hydraulic rim brakes
Grey Mavic D521s on Bulb hubs (used on a ride today)
WTB Velociraptors
Club roost gofast bars
CNC big heavy nickel plated stem I can't remember the name of (sat on a shelf)
RST mozo pros
24seven cranks (still have them somewhere) they came with a tee.
Crud claw
Bullet bros chain tensioner, it hushed my biscuit tin Marin a bit..
Oh, the mighty Marz Z1 bam. Still going strong (ish).

The ubiquitous ringle zooka. My mate done me a good deal on it he bought a new at the time raceface system stem. I soon discovered why he wanted rid. It creaked like f@*k 😫

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/FHWvghHK/CA2-B9772-12-A0-4190-97-C5-D6-F84332-A360.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/FHWvghHK/CA2-B9772-12-A0-4190-97-C5-D6-F84332-A360.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

I’ve not come across the brake boosters – how do they work?

They stop the stays/fork legs splaying outwards when braking with rim brakes. separated people from their money while not actually making any difference to braking performance

FTFY.

I’d still run a riser bar with a brace if anyone makes one. Bonus points for a foam pad wrapped in cool graphics.

Excuse the garden

generic expandable brace off ebay fitted to a Renthal jump bar

@ransos - I forgot I-beam seatposts and saddle, I bloody loved the one that came on my Mongoose Freeride bike, comfy as heck. Shame droppers killed them off.

Only ever broke one (because I had way it too far back on the rail.

@ransos – I forgot I-beam seatposts and saddle, I bloody loved the one that came on my Mongoose Freeride bike, comfy as heck. Shame droppers killed them off

I meant an I beam stem, but I still have an I beam saddle and post on my commuting bike! And thumbies...

Anything by DDG which flooded the market with cheap jump/free ride/Dh kit.  I think I was a huge 80mm cnc stem and a Shooter jump frame (exactly the same as the later Heavy Tools frame but half the price).

I forgot about cable hangers, I had the Onza chill pill and iirc the Ringle one that looked like the peace sign. I use to always overdo them and **** the grub screw up.

Also had the Ringle bottle cage in green to match the Ringle front hub that scratched the hell out the bottles as you took them in and out.

Loving this thread, lots of great nostalgia in here. I had a few of the parts mentioned, but all gone now unfortunately.

I meant an I beam stem

Fairly light - but not necessarily straight.

Anything by DDG which flooded the market

For some reason, this brought back memories of FSA PowerPro cranks. I never had any, think I might be the only mtber of the early 00’s that didn’t.

Liv Embolden E+. I'd completely forgotten we owned it and went into the storage and thought "oh yeah, we've got an ebike"