Remember when...

[Skidmark]

Norco bikes were looked down on like Raleigh and CCM?

Kuwahara was the coolest mountain bike you could own, and Diamond Back was the coolest BMX?

No-one wore a helmet, ever, for any kind of riding, and it didn't seem like a big deal?

Most mountain bikes still had 10-speed road forks?

You'd spend an afternoon building a quarter pipe in the driveway with lumber and plywood stolen from a nearby construction site, then launching your POS bmx off it?

Your bike had one pedal that was half broken off, with just the axel sticking out from the crank? And you rode it for like a year like that because it seemed like too much hassle to replace the busted pedal?

Ah, memories...

[wheeler]

I remember being so jealous when my buddy got a Kuwahara Sage. The bar was like 12" wide. ANd he had the seat jammed so high he could barely reach the pedals. But that was way the cool kids did it.

[Skidmark]

One of my friends had this monstrous bike that was built to look like a dirtbike, I was so jealous. It had working front shocks, from what I remember. The thing weighed like 50 lbs and it was a kid's bike. We'd build jumps in an empty lot across the street from our school, and build walls and obstacles to crash into on landing. The thing was indestructable.

[mzx]

Whistler "bike park" was actually on Blackcomb Mountain and a day ticket cost $11? Goin' down those trails on hardtails with rigid forks, wearing XC helmets...Suspension and armour were things of a distant future...It was just back in 1992...

[stugatz]

One of my friends had this monstrous bike that was built to look like a dirtbike

AHH I remember those days.. I too was in awe of the "shock bike with the plastic gas tank" COOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL!!!!!! can I try yer bike?

[Pedro2005]

Nope.. don't remember...


But, then again, I can hardly remember what happened yesterday :)
Pedro

[dragonbones]

Lets not forget purple anodized EVERYTHING! That shit was the coolest.

[Jay T.]

lets not forget your riding ability was judged if you could ride up the mtn

[Gex]

I still have my diamond back bmx!

[ShoreIH]

lets not forget your riding ability was judged if you could ride up the mtn


what a joke :rolleyes:

[BrianPark]

Norco bikes were looked down on like Raleigh and CCM?
Uh, you mean like they are now? :dizzy:

[mudpuppy]

Whistler "bike park" was actually on Blackcomb Mountain and a day ticket cost $11? Goin' down those trails on hardtails with rigid forks, wearing XC helmets...Suspension and armour were things of a distant future...It was just back in 1992...

I remember going to a DH race back in the day and watching hball tear a new one down the hill...with a flat...he passed Andy Tout (I think thats how ya spell it..the guy with the alligator on his bars). RS1's were brand new as was the tioga disk wheels...haha....

The only time I have ever rode down the mountain...we rode from the top of the lifts on our XC bikes with no suspension and canti (or in my case U) brakes and fully clipped in. I remeber taking a wrong turn and sliding out...somehow my shoe got stuck on my front der....so I leaned back and pushed up..put my exposed fingers (Fingerless gloves) touched down on my rims that where sizzling hot as I found out...a little burn..but I still had a blast and my hands and wrists hurt so much the next day....ahhh...good times. :D

[old_school_n00b]

Norco bikes were looked down on like Raleigh and CCM?

Kuwahara was the coolest mountain bike you could own, and Diamond Back was the coolest BMX?



I believe the correct pecking order at the time was:

Klein
Yeti
Nishiki Alien (but not the goofy bolt-on rear triangle one)
Rocky Mountain or Kona or whatever your parents bought you after you killed your Norco
Norco
BRC
Raleigh
CCM
Supercycle
Bridgestone (martyrs of the friction-shift option)

:D

[sanrensho]

Bridgestone (martyrs of the friction-shift option)


Huh? The MB-1 is considered an all-time classic. Feel free to enlighten me.

[phat-phur-knee]

What about Specialized Stumpjumper, Ritchey & Fisher Montares? The first Mtn bike I ever saw was the former, belonging to patrolskid and the 2nd one I can remember seeing was a Ritchey Montare. My first mtn bike was a Rocky K2 Sherpa followed by a Ritchey Timberline ( still have it) and now a Giant AC2. Now that I think about it, not too bad for 20+ years of riding.

[apeshape]

I had one of those chromed out Norco distro'd Kuwahara BMXs when I was 10 in the 83. I did a few junior mean-nothing BMX races on it and I'd kill to have it back just to have it. My mom still rides my Nishiki Barbarian that I got in 85 when I wanted a big boy bike and know what...it still has the original wheels on it. i'll take it for a spin to the store when I go home and think damn I love suspension.

[mudpuppy]

I believe the correct pecking order at the time was:

Klein
Yeti
Nishiki Alien (but not the goofy bolt-on rear triangle one)
Rocky Mountain or Kona or whatever your parents bought you after you killed your Norco
Norco
BRC
Raleigh
CCM
Supercycle
Bridgestone (martyrs of the friction-shift option)

:D


Nice....In Oregon Bridgestones were up on the list with
Fat City Cycles
Manitou frames (Doug kicked ass)
Rock Lobster
Fisher (remember the CR7?)
Nishiki Alien
Bontrager
Klien Adriot
Dean
Yeti
Stumpjumper
then came the Offroad full suspension bikes and AMP (I WANTED ONE SO BAD).
Everyone wanted a badass seafoam green Diamondback Apex....teh pizzimp...

The Components that rules the roost that I remember were:
IRD brakes (the precurser to the V brake) with matthauser pads. (I can hear the squeel now)
IRD and Syncros seatposts (the XT's were pretty nice too).
Bullsye cranks (Rasta for the pimp factor)
Araya RM20 rims
Bontrager rigid forks
Answer hyperlight bars cut to 20-22 inches
Syncros/Salsa Stems EDIT: how could I forget FTW stems....
Cant forget the hite rite
Specialized Ground control tires

[mudpuppy]

If ya ever want to get into the way back machine...go here:
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/default.htm

[mudpuppy]

OH HELL....I found my first mountain bike...I have never been able to find a photo of one...and in all her glory..

http://www.firstflightbikes.com/Lframe105.JPG

That is just the frame..but look at that geometry...good stuff there..lol...many good memories with that bike...

[old_school_n00b]

Huh? The MB-1 is considered an all-time classic. Feel free to enlighten me.

For sure, and the XO-1 even more so! Bridgestone's downfall, though, was trying to sell bikes on the merits of friction shifting instead of being really, really well-made and not weighed down under tons of plastic-covered Biopace STI crap. The problem was that us middle-schoolers didn't care for the nerdy thumbshifters when GripShift and push-push were the new hotness. Thumbies, to us at the time, were synonomous with hi-tensile frames and Shimano Tourney.

[old_school_n00b]

Manitou
Dean
Yeti
matthauser pads.
hite rite


The raw, industrial look was what made the Manitous so hot, ditto with the loopstay'ed Yeti and the Dean. I also remember how painful Matthausers were to buy with allowance, then grocery-bagging money.

As for the Hite-Rite, my next build will have one. :D Too bad I've never seen a Grove X for sale, too, because I'd ride one in a heartbeat! What about OnZa barends, Tioga Farmer Johns, and Panaracer Smokes?

[bzerk]

I still have my black Fisher CR7. Use it as a commuter bike.

It still looks wicked 16 years later, with the cro-moly rear triangle bolted onto the aluminum frame.

It took me 14 years to finally get a suspension bike. Now I'm running 8" front an back.

[mudpuppy]

Yeah, I almost bought a manitou frame....with the big square seat and chainstays...ohhhhh mama....

I want a Hite-Rite for my bike...but have not found one..hehe. The one bike I want is a Fat City Yo-Eddy...the team green paintjob...man those bikes were sexy. Also would love an off-road toad.

Haha...forgot about the onza barends...I had the wraparound profiles, loved them. And Johny T pimpin the farmer johns...never did like that tire, or the porcipine much, I was a specialized whore. But I did ride some smokes for a short while, tried them in the front and hated it.

[mudpuppy]

I still have my black Fisher CR7. Use it as a commuter bike.

It still looks wicked 16 years later, with the cro-moly rear triangle bolted onto the aluminum frame.

It took me 14 years to finally get a suspension bike. Now I'm running 8" front an back.


Got a photo of it?

[Phaedrus]

I want a Hite-Rite for my bike...but have not found one..hehe.

Ebay... (http://cgi.ebay.ca/Hite-Rite-seat-locator-vintage-Breeze-Yeti-Specialized_W0QQitemZ7173962555QQcategoryZ106951QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Brand new, Zero bids, 1 day 21 hours remaining...

http://i18.ebayimg.com/02/i/04/9f/9f/ff_2.JPG

:rocker:

[skifreak]

Nice....In Oregon Bridgestones were up on the list with
Fat City Cycles
Manitou frames (Doug kicked ass)
Rock Lobster
Fisher (remember the CR7?)
Nishiki Alien
Bontrager
Klien Adriot
Dean
Yeti
Stumpjumper
then came the Offroad full suspension bikes and AMP (I WANTED ONE SO BAD).
Everyone wanted a badass seafoam green Diamondback Apex....teh pizzimp...

The Components that rules the roost that I remember were:
IRD brakes (the precurser to the V brake) with matthauser pads. (I can hear the squeel now)
IRD and Syncros seatposts (the XT's were pretty nice too).
Bullsye cranks (Rasta for the pimp factor)
Araya RM20 rims
Bontrager rigid forks
Answer hyperlight bars cut to 20-22 inches
Syncros/Salsa Stems EDIT: how could I forget FTW stems....
Cant forget the hite rite
Specialized Ground control tires

Tioga T-Bone stems
Anything Tange Presige cro-moly
Merlin was playing with titanium
Off-Road toad at Mountain and Beach Cycles
Rek-Tek bikes at reckless
Cannondale - with dual 24 and 26/24 combos, and all aluminum Pepperoni forks
Mt. Christophe double toe clips with hiking boots
U-Brakes with Shark teeth
funky paint jobs like the smoke effect on the Diamond Back Apex (think?) and splatter effect on a different model.
original Shimano SPD shoes that you could tear the cleats out
original 737 spd pedals which didn't always release
and of course...

Anything drilled for weight savings!

[mudpuppy]

Sweet...I gotta watch eBay for the long version....

Thanks for the heads up man....

[Rida Guy]

Uh, you mean like they are now? :dizzy:

woo woo , no shot's below the belt. You are just jealous because the bike shop you work in and get discounts at does not deal them so you can not ride one, but secretly you trail ride your buddies Norco's when you do maintenance on them with a huge smile on your face. Then wait for your Kona
frame to come back on Warranty. Wait a minute maybe that's why I get free repair's if I leave my bike over the weekend with my buddy at my other local bike shop ..... I thought my derailer wasn't bent! aaarg. :dizzy: 8)

[cam@nsmb.com]

I still have my first mountain bike. It's a 1984 Ritchey Timberline - custom painted Mariner Blue Metallic (Imron of course).

I do indeed remember when.

[XXX_er]

still got my marin bearvalley from 1986 ,I should get rid of it but its hard to part with

maybe I could give it to some kind of "bikes for peopel who can't afford them" thing

[Skidmark]

My first ever mountain bike was a McKinley 12 speed. I bought it from the Sport Mart at Brentwood Mall for about $120. I was 13 and had saved the money after a year of delivering Burnaby Now and Real Estate Weekly. I remember thinking it must be a really great bike, because it was the same kind they were giving away as a promo prize on LG73.

[BrianPark]

woo woo , no shot's below the belt. You are just jealous because the bike shop you work in and get discounts at does not deal them so you can not ride one, but secretly you trail ride your buddies Norco's when you do maintenance on them with a huge smile on your face. Then wait for your Kona
frame to come back on Warranty. Wait a minute maybe that's why I get free repair's if I leave my bike over the weekend with my buddy at my other local bike shop ..... I thought my derailer wasn't bent! aaarg. :dizzy: 8)
Pshhhhh, I dunno who you are, but I'm just funning. I do have some general issues with Norco (and lots of other companies, don't get me started), but they are still good bicycles for the most part.

Ahahaha, that's rad though. I can just see myself being all fugitive about riding a Norco... ahaha

What are you babbling on about a Kona and a derailleur etc? I've never owned a Kona, and I have no idea what you're talking about.

[skifreak]

First mountain bike I had was a 10 speed Raleigh Safari back in 1984 - when Raleigh still was a quality name. Still trying to convince my dad to give me his 1985 Kuwahara Mt Shasta - pretty much all original - a beautiful bike.

[sanrensho]

still got my marin bearvalley from 1986 ,I should get rid of it but its hard to part with

Keep it if you've got the room. Maybe singlespeed it and use it as your designated errand bike. Everybody needs a bike that they don't have to worry about getting stolen.

[connor]

I have all my MBActions from 1993 -1997.. ahh the years of Purple then Blue Ringle.. I have most of my 1994 Brodie Soverign too. Man that bike was super pimp.
Manitou 3s
XTR cranks, derailleurs, hubs, brakes, shifters
Syncros bar, stem, seatpost

and only cost me <2k at the bike show in Apr 95, brand new..

[mudpuppy]

I still have my first mountain bike. It's a 1984 Ritchey Timberline - custom painted Mariner Blue Metallic (Imron of course).

I do indeed remember when.

Damn....I wish I has my first bike...but my 2nd bike was so much better...a Specialized M2 Team edition in team red....same bike Ned rode to the the worlds. Great bike, but the paint was crappy....chipped off so easy.

[mudpuppy]

still got my marin bearvalley from 1986 ,I should get rid of it but its hard to part with

maybe I could give it to some kind of "bikes for peopel who can't afford them" thing

Hahaha...I had a bear valley...pretty good bike for the money, mine was a titanium color, but it got ripped off....sigh...

[mudpuppy]

I have all my MBActions from 1993 -1997.. ahh the years of Purple then Blue Ringle.. I have most of my 1994 Brodie Soverign too. Man that bike was super pimp.
Manitou 3s
XTR cranks, derailleurs, hubs, brakes, shifters
Syncros bar, stem, seatpost

and only cost me <2k at the bike show in Apr 95, brand new..

Haha....I just ditched a whole bunch from the early 90's. Kept most of my BIKE mags though...have issue 2 and beyond...they are great to look through once in a while.

One of my favourite biking articals was in an early MBA...I found it the other day and typed the whole damn thing out...here it is....

http://www.pedalhounds.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=272&sid=c0a8c851a27fd9ec66557787298ad8ee

[Dimes]

I just finished re-building my first real mountain bike as a commuter. 1989/90 Raleigh Peak, $1200 new - Easton aluminum, ice blue anodized frame, no welds... all sleeve and glue joints. I bought it the year before Tomac rode the same frame (well...front triangle anyway). I've managed to save some of the vintage parts like the Wobler rims, the green anodized Real brake levers ($200 back in the day), and the original XT cranks and pedals,complete with toe clips. It's kinda scary going back to riding that tall geometry after years of riding low back/high front bikes...makes me wonder how we did some of the stuff we did.

[McTB]

Damn....I wish I has my first bike...but my 2nd bike was so much better...a Specialized M2 Team edition in team red....same bike Ned rode to the the worlds. Great bike, but the paint was crappy....chipped off so easy.
I still have my M2 (albeit in a box and the non-team version). I grew to like the crappy paint job as it makes the bike look like a wreck and it's safer to lock-up outside the bar.
I used to want a Manitou frame soooooo bad. Especially when they added suspension forks to the seatstays to make it full-suspension.
Remember:
Tinker racing a rigid Klein Adroit. Think about it, you could read brail on that bike.
When Toman rode all the disiplines? And ruled?
Ned's profile bars. (the bar ends that joined infront of the bars.)
Disk wheels on downhill bikes.
Onza porcupine on the front, Panaracer Smoke on the back.
Toe-clips. And tight yo.
The Bridgestone MB0-Zip. My friend had one. Rigid it was like 21 pounds. It was such flimsy steel that it felt like suspension. From the days of seasonal steel racing frames. Ritchey P23 anyone?
Steel bikes in general. (Props to Rocky for keeping the Blizzard. I love that bike.)
Over bar shifters. These will come back. The most durable shifter ever.
Shimano DX. That stuff never broke. I swear shimano makes it's components to self-destruct after a year now.
Rock-shox on road bikes.

I'm getting carried away. Awesome thread Skidmark.

[old_school_n00b]

I have all my MBActions from 1993 -1997.. ahh the years of Purple then Blue Ringle..

I think I still have a few MBA's kicking around. The first issue of my subscription was all about the first UCI Worlds and Interbike 1st-gen suspension wackiness.

There's a couple of purple and blue bits still on my current bike, but they've been oven-cleanered to raw aluminum. Kind of wish I hadn't, now.

[sanrensho]

Since Ned has been mentioned a few times, I'll throw this out. Ned Overend finished Top 20 in a World Cup XC race this year, at the tender age of 50.

http://www.mbaction.com/detail.asp?id=1373

He also finished 4th, just off the podium, at this year's Mt. Evans Hill Climb--a really hard road race with 28 miles of continuous climbing.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/jul05/mt_evans05

[mudpuppy]

Ned is THE MAN, man him and Johny used to rip it up....Didn't Johny T get first in a downhill race this year too?

Ned was always the best at the hillclimb....to watch him climb was so amazing. I saw a photo of him the other day...no mole, had it removed.

[Req]

Kuwahara was the coolest mountain bike you could own, and Diamond Back was the coolest BMX?


Damn.

For Sale: Diamond Back BMX. Old, but still in great condition.

[Dude Man]

I remember a bike i had in the early 80's that was a BRC and it had a Mono-shock system with no adjustments and a rigid front fork. I remember getting bucked off that mofo and skinning my ass on the pavement. Ouch!

Dont forget the Factory Kuwahara! oh yeah with Z rims.

Imagine having z rims on your DH rig. SNAP!

[sanrensho]

I remember a bike i had in the early 80's that was a BRC

My dad worked for BRC when it still existed. I spent a summer doing odd jobs at the Richmond assembly shop. BRC also carried Maruishi road bikes at the time. I haven't seen one of those in at least 20 years.

[Ninja]

AHH I remember those days.. I too was in awe of the "shock bike with the plastic gas tank" COOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL!!!!!! can I try yer bike?

I had one of those bikes, it lasted for ever!! and I used to break shit all the time.(I guess somethings never change)

[rabidmole]

I remember back in 91 or 92 when the wicked Manitou 2 came out. Rushed to the Cove to have them slap it on and head up to Blackcomb to enjoy the cutting edge 2" of plush multicolored elastamer travel. Sweet!

First mtb bike-1984 Norco Pinnacle 50# $500.00

[skifreak]

meh - 1989 Rock Shox came out with the original RS1 - I think I got mine in 1990 - so cool even with all the flex and leaks just to go find anything to run into and feel the cushion!

Even better was to see them on a Trimble carbon fiber bike.

[Lady Gravity]

got my first "real" bike in 1983 - fully rigid, bright red, raleigh - thing weighed a TON, cost me $350 :lol: but it was great for commuting. had it for years. finally got rid of it after i took a bike clinic 5 or so years ago and was kind of embarassed at how outdated it was :o so i borrowed a buddy's dekerf to take the course - it had disc brakes and everyone was very impressed :P i think this was when discs were just starting to hit the market. kind of interesting to see how fast and how far components have progressed.

before that it was a 10spd with skinny tires - i wish i'd taken pics of my bikes, oh well, be good for a chuckle now.

[stick]

Ahh yes, I remember, I remember overshooting the plywood landing ramp at the end of the new subdivision on my mono-shock bmx (I think it was a ccm??? rigid fork bmx with one big squishy spring right in the middle) ... out comes the peroxide, yahh baby, skinned knees and elbows were the norm. I did steal a pedal off of my mom's five speed to replace the crome post I used for a pedal though :)

that was the 80's

I still remember my first trip down burke mountain on a rocky mountain hammer with cantelever breaks and a rigid fork! ouch! but at least I was wearing a helmet!

[whistler110]

I stayed BMX until 88, mountain bikes were too heavey. I had Redlines's, Diamand backs and Kuwy's but always wanted a Ripper.

My first mountain bike was a Muddy Fox Courier Mega, and I still have it. It's steel and has boxed tubing at the head tube, an ovolized seat tube and a single wishbone seat stay. I loved that thing it felt more like a BMX then anything else out back then.

I wasn't into the purple anodized but I've still got a lot of blue ano parts around.

[patrolskid]

floval flyer with landing gear forks . . . . raced cruiser class with it and ate shit so many times . . . . the front end was so stiff i just couldn't handle it .

sold it to some chinese guy in the city who went and put gears on it and used it as a city bike , and i don't mean urban / dj . . . that was a sad use of a good bike .

[L2R/R2L]

I was one of the fortunate few to get my hands on a brand new 1985 Raleigh Mountain Tour . I was going to Cap College and used to ride it up along Baden Powel in North Van and in West Van up Cypress on the Watershed road. Back then, riding hiking trails, logging roads / fire access roads was where it was at. The frame was from a regular road bike with slightly wider rims, fatter tires and mountain bike style handle bars..everything else was the same as a road bike. Upgrade options? Bar ends, a top tube pad and a water bottle holder was it. I gooned myself so many times I'm shocked I was able to have kids! 4 bikes later....I love my Team shore but still wantin more. Where will our bikes be in the next 20 years....pretty scary thought.

[enduramil]

My first MTB was a black Specialized Stumpjumper with bullmoose bars and flat pedals. I think it cost about $700 and that was high end for 1985. I rode it all the time especially in Whistler.

Back when;

Lost Lake wasn't developed
Bagg shorts where norm
No helmets
Didn't need a lock to go into the store
Levers weighed 5lbs
Full suspension where your arms and legs
Joe Murray was a star
Hite Rite was state of the art- can't recall who made them
Could grind up the access road on Whistler without getting grief
Cheakamus challenge was in it's infancy

[LeeLau]

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=15304&page=23&pp=15