Oldies but goodies?

[Nigeyy]

Well, just been out for a ride on my oldie but goodie. Bought new in 1997, a Mongoose Rockadile SX, it's had many iterations of upgrades; the only original parts left now are just the frame, seat collar, seatpost and saddle.

Recently I put in another 80 quid, buying disc hubs, spokes, A2Z disc adapter (I had a set of Avid BB7s hanging around in my spare parts drawer I wanted to use) and a riser bar and stem. Still on an old 80mm travel 2000 Manitou SX-R, old, yes it's old, but it works......

After building the wheels, installing the disc brakes, stem and bar, I have to say it's still pretty nice. Sure, it's
19 years old, and that fork isn't anywhere near as good as my Fox fork on my Giant Trance -its noticeably harder on those roots -but it's always nice to have a backup mtb

At this point, I have a bit of a nostalgic emotional attachment to this -its taken me on many, many miles (thousands?) of rocky and rooty New England singletrack. But you know what? Still rides well and I now have those spare disc brakes on. Anyone else with some oldies but goodies? (pictures please if possible).

 

[Hugh Manatee]

It isn't that old! Lovely photos of bike and woods. I too have an old faithful. It is a 1990 Saracen Kili Flier Comp. purchased brand new at the end of my university first year. It was at the top of the non custom build tree. I had the choice between the Saracen, the Specialized Rumpcruncher Comp and the Kona Explosive.

All had Prestige frames and Deore XTII full groupsets. £50 off was what settled it for me. That and it was British being actually welded in Warwick. Over the years it has been:

Fully rigid race bike. I remember racing the mighty Raleigh team and watching Hinton and Baker et al disappearing into the distance.

I had some early suspension (Tioga Shock Blades) fitted providing a whole 30mm travel. Before that it had a mighty 150mm long Flexstem.

I still have it. It is now rigid again and set up as a touring bike. I'll try to get some pictures of it soon.

 

[Nigeyy]

Good old bikes don't die, they just get re-purposed! And they usually have bags of memories with them.....

Would love to see a piccy of the Saracen!

 

[ChrisEyles]

Here's my '97 Marin Hawk Hill. It's been "upgraded" with a rigid fork (definitely an upgrade - the RST boingers were well past it), vee brakes, and an STX drive train.

It might not be quite as capable as a modern bike, but it's every bit as much fun. Usually get a few raised eyebrows if I (rarely!) manage to overtake a group on modern flashy bikes at the trail centre too

 

[ChrisEyles]

Will be nice to see some other members old MTBs. Aesthetically, they knock the socks off modern ones as far as I'm concerned!

@Nigeyy I guess you probably know about it already, but if not then Retrobike has a load of great resto threads and lovely old MTBs (I got the forks for my Marin from there, the classified section is pretty good too).

 

[Drago]

Still get regular use from my 1996 Alpinestars ASR140. A little bit battered with use, but still tidy.

Sympathetically upgraded over the years. The double butted cro mo frame has had an NOS stx groupset, Fat Pig headset, Ugly Dog seat, and the only bits that don't fit the period style are the bars and stem. I'll slap up a pic next time I wheel it out.

 

[Nigeyy]

I love the words "sympathetically upgraded"!

Still get regular use from my 1996 Alpinestars ASR140. A little bit battered with use, but still tidy.

Sympathetically upgraded over the years. The double butted cro mo frame has had an NOS stx groupset, Fat Pig headset, Ugly Dog seat, and the only bits that don't fit the period style are the bars and stem. I'll slap up a pic next time I wheel it out.

 

[Nigeyy]

oh thanks, didn't know about Retrobike! (I assume you mean retrobike.co.uk?)

On a "it were all trees it were" note, my first mtb was a bonded steel/alu non-suspension Raleigh Technium jobbie back in 1990 that I did miles and miles on. It then served me as a converted tourer across Europe, and finaly ended up as a commuter bike. After puzzling greatly about a jarring knock each pedal stroke, I realized one of the bonded joints had failed and I ended up hacksawing it up. Needless to say there's a reason why bonded steel and alu bike frames didn't catch on.....

Will be nice to see some other members old MTBs. Aesthetically, they knock the socks off modern ones as far as I'm concerned!

@Nigeyy I guess you probably know about it already, but if not then Retrobike has a load of great resto threads and lovely old MTBs (I got the forks for my Marin from there, the classified section is pretty good too).

 

[Drago]

I love the words "sympathetically upgraded"!

Well, yeah, I used a NOS gruppo from the same year, rather than whack on a modern SLX or XT set. I could've done, but wanted to retain the bikes character.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

Would love to see a piccy of the Saracen!

I am just off for a ride on the Saracen now. My daughter and I are off to find the pub mentioned in a thread a few months back. Canals here we come.

Here is my 1990 Saracen Kili Flier Comp in its current guise. Of the original parts only the front mech and seat post remain. The original brakes are now on an even older Saracen in the garage. V brakes seem to offer a lot more power and pannier clearance. I still have the original cranks but I wanted 170 length rather than 175.

The stem is interesting. It is a Softride I think and thanks to the parallelogram design, doesn't alter the steering as it compresses. The big bar thing at the dropouts is for the Limpet pannier system. The handle bars things are Durango XC bars as used by Ned (The Lung) Overend. I love these so much I have a spare pair. If the repair I have to do to these fails I'll be good!

 

[Old Yellow]

I recently bought this 1988 Specialized Rockhopper to use for leisure and local touring. It was described as 'rough' in the advert, but with a bit of time and elbow grease it has cleaned up well and rides beautifully.

It would appear that many of its components have been changed over the years, according to the original spec sheet, but I am very pleased with my rough bike, 'patina' and all.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

Hello @Old Yellow

A grand old bike. I think everyone must have been very tall back then. You don't often see a smaller 80s mountain bike frame. I think that Is the first U brake I have seen on this web site. Funny, I saw an old MTB at the Bristol stage of the ToB. It had U brakes front and rear.

 

[roadrash]

@Nigeyy not quite finished yet , but any excuse to post another pic

rebuild thread here
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/zaskar-build.206946/#post-4460193

 

[iandg]

My old Trek. Not currently being ridden it's in pieces needing new wheels and some work on the gears.

 

[Old Yellow]

Hello @Old Yellow

A grand old bike. I think everyone must have been very tall back then. You don't often see a smaller 80s mountain bike frame. I think that Is the first U brake I have seen on this web site. Funny, I saw an old MTB at the Bristol stage of the ToB. It had U brakes front and rear.

Thanks Hugh, the 22 1/2" inch frame is what attracted me to it, the correct size for me. That is probably why it is so comfortale. It did have a long stem fitted, which I changed for the current one, the reach suits me better now.

The U brake works fine but, as it doesnt get ridden in mud, yet, it is easy to keep clean.

BTW, I am only 5' 9" tall, so it was not an exceptionally big frame for the day.