80s/90s mountain bikes

redzerredzer

Which 80s and 90s mountain bikes were

1. good and would be classics of the era?

2. were not so good?

3. Which ones did you have?

Lemming

Klein, Bontrager, Fat Chance Yo Eddie, GT (back in the day their triple-triangle design was unique), Fisher, and Yeti all spring to mind as being classic names. Perhaps honarable mentions to Marin, Kona (their straight-blade forks made for disturbingly sharp steering), and Orange who had rather decent steel-frame beastie offerings early to mid 90s. Not sure how much of the above is just me being nostalgic, save perhaps for the likes of Gary Klein or Keith Bontrager who genuinely did pioneering work with their respective materials.

I can't remember many brands that were notably not so good; perhaps those brands (Townsend, Raleigh, etc.) that sold bikes with fat tyres rather than really aimed to appeal to mountain bikers save a few token "upper price bracket" offerings.

I owned (still do) an Orange Prestige with old school black livery with orange decals. I also own a Klein Attitude now (didn't back then, no way in hell I could afford it back then)

jethrothe2nd

I had a Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo which was my pride and joy. Having said that, what I really wanted at the time was a Klein but couldn't afford it

Along with Townsend which has already been mentioned,Black Diamond was one of the cheapo ones around.

benneca1

I had atrek back in the day bonded frame used it as commuter eventually still a class bike.

ednwireland

Still got my orange aluminium o

wanderer 22

I had a Giant Box three - my teenage self thought it was the coolest looking bike of all time :pac:
https://www.google.ie/search?q=giant+box+3&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=775&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMInaOD8o3xxwIVYQbbCh06UAjc&dpr=1#imgrc=Ll9QKHUPTD1GRM%3A

gnarbarian

Here is a good video I just watched this week
Top 10 Retro Mountain Bikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_eisK1nu88

Daroxtar

I still have a Raleigh Mustang in the shed at my parents. Black and red, about 2 sizes too big and around 20kg!!

magicbastarder

i used to have a muddy fox courier comp. i think the paint job added a kilo to the weight.

ra0044

I had an Emmelle Corniche in day glow orange and green.

It was my first bike with indexed gearing. Compared to my Raleigh Mustang I had before it was as light as a feather.

Loved that bike

Cee-Jay-Cee

I had a Townsend (non suspension) MTB, can't remember the model. It was 18 speed and had OS tubing. It was quite heavy and cost me IR£180 in 1992. It got a lot of abuse over the years but never missed a beat and the gears rarely needed tweaking. I dumped it in a skip only 2 years ago as it was beyond repair.

jethrothe2nd

I had a Raleigh Marauder at some point. Finances couldn't stretch to the Mustang.

jethrothe2nd

I had a Raleigh Marauder at some point. Finances couldn't stretch to the Mustang

Pablo Rubio

First MTB (late 80's)was an MBK Tracker (fluorescent green yellow and orange).
followed by
Peugeot Python.(purple)
Diamond Back Apex (smokey paint job)
Diamond Back Ascent EX (smokey paint as well)
Giant Escape (Red)favourite MTB(stolen)
Giant Boulder.

Also had a Raleigh Bomber , but dont think that counts.

at1withmyself

I went through quiet a few in the 90's, had a Look MI80, Merlin & Easton oversized aluminium framed bikes, a Ballistic with Tom Ritchey Tange tubing before moving onto my pride and joy:



Still have this frame but have moved on now to a Tomac, new frame but has the name of a 90's legend!

I have a load of old MTB magazines from the 90's, still love going through them looking at the bikes, ultimate bike porn!

Eamonnator

Daroxtar wrote: »

I still have a Raleigh Mustang in the shed at my parents. Black and red, about 2 sizes too big and around 20kg!!

My son's first MTB was a Mustang. He got it from Santa Claus.
He went on to win 6 Irish DH Championships (not on the Mustang)

2 Wheels Good

Lemming wrote: »

Klein, Bontrager, Fat Chance Yo Eddie, GT (back in the day their triple-triangle design was unique), Fisher, and Yeti all spring to mind as being classic names. Perhaps honarable mentions to Marin, Kona (their straight-blade forks made for disturbingly sharp steering), and Orange who had rather decent steel-frame beastie offerings early to mid 90s. Not sure how much of the above is just me being nostalgic, save perhaps for the likes of Gary Klein or Keith Bontrager who genuinely did pioneering work with their respective materials.

I can't remember many brands that were notably not so good; perhaps those brands (Townsend, Raleigh, etc.) that sold bikes with fat tyres rather than really aimed to appeal to mountain bikers save a few token "upper price bracket" offerings.

I owned (still do) an Orange Prestige with old school black livery with orange decals. I also own a Klein Attitude now (didn't back then, no way in hell I could afford it back then)

Have you a photo of the Klein? Still dream of owning one!

GTDolanator

I have quite a few kleins,only built up at the minute,a pulse comp from 96...its my baby!

Got my hands on merida albon tech 870 frame the other week!NOS from around 89/90

Lemming

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Have you a photo of the Klein? Still dream of owning one!

From the boards users fleet thread

.

The photograph doesn't do the livery justice, and Klein called the livery "lava" if I recall.