What bike did you want when you first started mountain biking?

Used to go into the old Harry Halls Cycles in Manchester as a kid and dream of owning one of these

For the first few years of my MTBing I was happy to ride self built klunkers. Then I saw one of these in MBUK – I think Steve Geall was throwing it about. Would still love to own one.

1992 Bear Valley SE. Could only afford a poxy Muirwoods

Randomly enough, I have a virtually unmodified Marin of roughly that vintage hanging in my Dad’s garage, in very good condition. Not sure of the model, but it could well be a Bear Valley SE, I has that grey/cream painted Exage groupset.

I bought it years ago from a work colleague for my Stepmother who has, to my knowledge, never ridden it!

When I first started MTBing, in late 2003, I had a trek 800 cheapo hardtail, didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but did the red route at GT with only a front brake, as the rear packed in on the first descent, and absolutely loved it. I didn’t know anything of any other brands, so never lusted after anything. I was quite happy with what I had.

That was about the only time that happened.

Klein Adroit. That particular love is still unrequited.

Those pre-Trek Kleins would still hold their own today if Gary would only dust off the torch and spray gun.

Nice relliott, you selling it? 😉

Can’t say I’d ever really thought about it!

Kona Cindercone, with the splatter paint job. Still want one.

Didn’t really need to “want” with mountainbikes my first mountain bikes were pretty much as good as they got at the time. a ’89 Raleigh Appalachian (full 531/Deore II group) then a ’90/91? imported US Cannondale M1000 (Alu f&f/Suntour XCpro group). Must’ve had well over 150 bikes since and have ridden thousands that didn’t belong to me.

Much like my experience with women.

An alpine stars al-mega xt white superoversized tubing elevated chainstays. Couldn’t afford one of those with paper round money so bought a kona fire mountain in blue with white splats – perfect 17.5″ frame, u brake,upgraded with xt thumb shifters, mavic x221 rims and mavic hubs (!)

Used to drool while looking at this in a local bike shop. It’s made from granite FFS !!!!!!!!!!!

Or as above a bear valley! If there’s a nice garage one going up for sale I’d be v keen 🙂

That Diamond Back was a Sintesi, IIRC.

I get all nostalgic just looking at that pic, makes me feel like a boy again

Verlicchi. I stand corrected!

Not quite when I first got into mountain biking but this is the bike I have lusted over the most.

I too first saw one in a bmx mag around 1984. My first bike crush was a Overburys Pioneer, my Mum lived in Bristol and I’d seen a few. I did manage to get a 89/90 explosif, splatter, suntour xc pro and track two forks.
I remember getting a kona/Brodie brochure poss in 87 and though that they looked fantastic.

That Sunn was fast because the front brake lever wasn’t attached to anything! 🙂

FWIW, I remember seeing one of those (Anne-Caro’s, IIRC) at the factory in Saint Gaudens many years later. Still looked fast then! Still looks good now.

Kona cindercone too. Lives in Switzerland now with an ex.

Another Doug Bradbury Manitou fantasist here,

This one

followed by this one

and back in the early 90’s i would prob have removed my left bollock with a series of paper cuts to have this – just look at that anodising 😯

Parkpre titanium for me after seeing one in a pro bike check in a magazine

I came late to the game…

Ritchey p22 team for me please.

Diamondback Axis TT for me!

San Andreas

I always lusted after one of these when I first started mtbing. They just lookef so out of thid world at the time. Then later I fell in love with a dayglo orange/pink painted Klein frame that was hanging in a bike shop in Battersea which had a price tag that I just couldn’t fathom at the time.

[Img]http://ep4.pinkbike.org/p3pb12602118/p3pb12602118.jpg[/img]
There was a shop in the Meadowhall centre in Sheffield where I used to drool at the window lusting after one of these

my first MTB was a trek 430 (i think) in 1991, and it was a bit rubbish really but before very long i bought the bike i really wanted, which was a 1992 kona kilauea (the dark blue one).
however, i always had somewhat of a hankering for one of those klein attitudes up there…

Rusty Spanner,theres a nice Team Marin for sale on Retrobike at the moment.

Merlin Titanium.

I remember the days when LLBs was a place to worship as it was an Alladin’s cave and I so happened to want a limem green SC Bullit but remember it being what I would call excessive amount just for the frame as I was new to the game of proper mtb’ing.

Still dream I picked it up and built it with monster Ts and Hope M4s etc.

Something much like this, although obviously shiny and new and without accessories.

Looks rather rubbish now.

@colournoice

I loved my metalhead and was definitely a bike I’d always wanted.

I had big plans, but in the end I decided I needed a clear out and I sold it.

how can nobody have mentioned this

Mostly because Steve Peat was riding one!

I don’t specifically remember the first one I wanted but it must have been around 1987 as the bikes I get wistful about are all from that time. Saracen, Muddy Fox, Specialized are the main ones. By ’89 I was into it and very jealous of a couple of older boys at school who had a Team Marin and an Overbury’s.

The first mountain bike I owned was a Muddy Fox Explorer, bought from the general used goods auction they used to have at the market in Chichester. It was in a right state but I got it all running again and even splashed out on a new powder coat for it. I’d quite like another one now, come to think of it.

After that I lusted after all the usual suspects, the top end Spesh & ‘dale models, anything Klein, anything titanium.

In case some of you haven’t stubled across it yet, retrobike.co.uk[/url] is the place to go for all this kind of nostalgia.

Fear not knightrider

thegreatape – Member

San Andreas

POSTED 7 HOURS AGO #

DMR Trailstar was my first proper mtb. This is actually my 2nd one as I can’t find a good pic of the first which cracked at the head tube. Kinda wish I never sold this frame. I rode everything on it til I bought a full suspension and never fully went back to HT.