R.I.P. - List your old bikes here! What did you start on? What bikes do you miss?

[Collette]

Motiv HT Trashed
Spec. Rockhopper HT Still have frame
Fetish Cycles HT/SS Sold
Yeti 575 (team) FS Sold
Erikson SS/HT/Rigid
Yeti 575(Black) FS

[jolcott]

Giant DH, great bike but the linkage always came loose.
Giant AC1
Turner DHR
Turner RFX

[el_d00der1n0]

70something big wheel: jumped off the porch and broke it in half.
70something huffy: i repainted it. put a seat on it that looked kinda like an old mx seat. it even said mx on the back.
70something murray? 10spd. it was way too big for me. getting it started was like riding a tall bike. i did a lot of work on that thing.
91 huffy "mountain bike". that thing was a pos fer sher.
got into surfing. got fat. got sick of crouds. my buddy gave me an 01 giant iguana. i was hooked.
next was a 06 hardrock.
80something raleigh roadbike.

now, 08 specialized fsr xc.
gave the iguana away.
just sold the raleigh and hardrock a week or so ago.

[ddmansprty]

First BMX bike was a Redline.
Second BMB Bike was a GT
First and last road bike, Centurion Iron Man (The magenta and yellow one)
First MTB, some Puegot piece of junk.
First real MTB, Mongoose IBOC (sweet bike)
Current MTBs: Specialized Rockhopper, Diamondback xts Moto
Future Bike: Rocky Mountain Slayer SXC50

[mtnbikej]

Ok.....here goes. Not goint to include any kids/BMX bikes becasue, they were all no name. So I will start with 1st mtn bike:

1994 Giant Iguana (stolen)
1996 GT Avalanche LE
1997 GT Zaskar LE(broke frame)
1998 GT Xizang(wish I would have kept this)
1999 GT STS1500
1999 GT STS1000(broke frame x2)
2000 Santa Cruz Bullit
2002 Santa Cruz Chameleon
2003 Santa Cruz Bullit(fav. all time)
2003 Azonic DS-1
2004 Chameleon
2004 Giant TCR2....yes a roadie
2004 Gary Fisher Sugar 293(1st move into 29er)
2004 Felt F60.....yes another roadie
2004 Redline Monocog 26"
2004 Santa Cruz Heckler
2005 Surly 1x1
2006 Santa Cruz Bullit
2007 Redline Monocog 29er SS
1990'ish Cannondale Road SS
2008 Gary Fisher Paragon 29er
2005 Santa Cruz Chameleon

[Jman]

I started out on a cool white Stu Thompson BMX then moved on to a really cheesy Cherokee that I used to ride to work when I was like 17. I got into real mtn biking in '95 with a Diamond Back Sorrento, graduated to a 97 Specialized Rockhopper with a RockShox Indy XC fork. From there I went to a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR XC and hated it. Bought my first Santa Cruz and have stuck with them ever since. The first one was a Superlight which I still have (I don't ride it because I can't get anyone to confirm the rider weight limit), bought a used 2003 Bullit, bought a 2006 Heckler then bought a 2006 Chameleon and tossed all the kit from the Bullit onto the Chameleon and then bought a 2006 Specialized Allez road bike. That pretty much gets me to where I am right now. I doubt it'll change for a while as I am still in debt for the Heckler! ;-) The things we do for our toys!

[Von-Skipp]

Heres my list::

GT Outpost
Diamondback XR-8 (was a rental bike at Mammoth Mountain)
Intense Tracer
Turner 5 Spot**
Specialized Tarmac Expert**

**Still own and ride!!

[jfromlv]

GT Outpost
GT Bravado
GT Zaskar (replaced the frame twice)
Trek Y22
Trek VRX (replaced the frame twice)
Trek Fuel
Santa Cruz Bullit

That's the list of MTB's I've had over the years. I loved the Zaskar, I had that bike before my daughter was born, and my wife used to work on the weekends, so I would do some epic rides on that thing. The Bullit helped introduce me to a whole new world of possibilities.

[Amon Amarth]

started road riding in '80, I wont bore you with all the bmx rides.
1st road bike;

KHS 10spd
Picked up my first real road bike in '81 when I was in the Marine Corps in San Clemente, Bianchi Campion D'Italia/ full campy super record
Medici/campy SR
Cannondale 600
Tommasini/ campy SR, and first mtb; Diamond back Assent EX
Same road bike; Univega carbon mtb
VooDoo Ti/ Full XTR mtb
First Team issue MTB Trek 9800 carbon/ full XTR
First Team issue road; Trek OCLV/ full dura ace
2nd Team issue mtb Trek 8500/ full XTR
Faggin Cyclocross bike, Full dura ace
Cannondale Secco team issue/ DA 9spd
Next team issue; Specialized S works M5/ full dura ace 9sp
Lemond Poprod cyclocross bike/ DA 9spd
Bontrager Cyclocross bike/ DA 9spd
****mtb boycott**********************(still have the 19lbs 8500, wont ever ride it)
Hedgehog X-Hog custom Cyclocross bike/ Full DA 9spd, then made into a SS

Current
Specialized S works CX cross bike/ Dura ace 9spd
Specialized Langster fixed gear/ full DA 48x15 (set up for track)
BH Global Concepts road bike/ Sram Force 10spd (around 14lbs)
Specialized S works M5 single speed convert/ full DA 39x12
'79 Schwinn Super Le Tour fixed gear /stock parts 48x20 (commuter)
Early '60's Armstrong 3 spd convert to fixed 48x20 (commuter)
(see pics)

[thephat]

My first bike was a second hand stingray that I got for X-mass when I was like 6 (1980). We lived in the swampy corn country outside Gainsville FLA. I would ride it around the dirt roads, and sandy hardpack trails that twisted around the swamp land. When my dad got the bike it needed work and was missing a seat. He made a seat from wood, foam, and tape.

When I was 9 (1983) I got my first reall BMX bike, again a second hand x-mass gift. At this time, it was easily the nicest thing I had ever owned. It was a Diamond back. It got stollen pretty quickly.

Next I got a Redline bmx racing bike. By then (1984?) we lived in a small cowboy town in Hawaii. There was a lot of dirt to mold and explore. We made little berms and tiny jumps. I went over the bars on this bike trying my first ledge drop. It was like maybe a foot or a little more. I would not try another ledge drop for like 15 years. This one was stollen, too. Then one day, I noticed that the new white bike that the older neighbor kid got was missing some paint. Under the white was my missing bike. This bike moved with us to Tustin. When I needed it fixed, I took it to Don's Schwinn, and got ripped off badly by the old guy running the shop. At the age of 11, I could not believe that a bike shop would treat folks the way I had been treated. This was the first in a string of experiences with bike shops that made me want to offer something better.

After this, I didn't have any memorable bikes till my first mountain bike in maybe 1993. It was a Raleigh Tangent that I found in the Recycler for $350. It was a double butted chromo frame. The origional owner had upgraded it to full LX and an Anti Gravity suspension fork. He had also put some purple ano bits on it. I rode that bike mostly alone for years on the same trails we ride now. This is the bike that I learned how to wrench on.

After that, I got my first really nice mountain bike. It was a 1996 Rocky mountain Vertex. It had full XT, a double butted Easton Elite tubeset, and first gen V brakes. I could not believe how much better the vs worked than my old center pulls. Before I disassembled this frame for the last time, it sported my first riser bars, and helped me transition away from bar ends. It also served as my initial single speed conversion.

After that, I had a couple of steel Voodoo hardtails. The Bizzango was my geared bike, but more and more, I was just riding my white Voodoo Nzumbi. The Nzumbi was my first dedicated single speed. These two bikes marked the beginning of my romance with steel bikes. This feeling is still strong for me. I still have these two.

Then, I decided I needed a single speed that was disc compatible. Duty built me the grey 26er singlespeed. I still ride this one, and it has seen me through a vision quest, countless Sunday rides, stunts, trips, good times...

Around 2003 after being dedicated to hard tails for years, I got my first full suspension bike, an Ellsworth Joker. This bike got me through the process of learning to ride full suspension. I competed in my first dh race on this one. It was the famous 12 hours of dh in Big Bear. Talk about good times.

Then it was my Kikapu. It was decked out good, and we had lots of good times together. During this period, I built up a Kona Stinky (Stab). That was a great way to get used to big heavy bikes. After the Kikapu, I put those parts on an Iron Horse Azure. I have been more into my hard tails, and longer travel lately, so Maxwell is now selling that frame for me.

The parts from the Stab eventually ended up on an Ellsworth Dare along with a new Fox 40. This beauty lives with Auk now.

I had two Kona Coilers one medium, then the next year small. I still can't decide which one I love more. Lacy now rides the small.

This brings us to modern times. I am blessed with a stable of sick bikes including my Iron Horse Sunday, My Iron Horse 6 point 8, a beach cruizer, a Kona single speed/fixie commuter road bike (Paddy Wagon), a Seven road bike, and the Duty single speed full rigid 29er.

Oh yeah, I have a Woodman trials bike and a Blackmaket Mob DJ/park bike too.

This is a discrace, I keep remembering more. My first 26 inch DJ bike was an Identity 666. I also had a Planet X Zebdi Urban trials bike before I switched to the more trials specific Woodman frame.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I'm sure this is just long and boaring for the rest of you, but for me, it is a sweet moment remembering these lovely bikes and lovely times.

[jhardeman]

Very cool thread. Fun to read thru. Lots of memories. I am new here and am getting back into MTB after a couple years off with starting a family. Here goes mine and thanks for reading!

- 1976 - Dumpster Schwinn Stingray with banana seat eventually with nobbies/removed fenders and BMX seat
- 77/78 - Kent BMX from Toys R Us. Candy Red and Yellow. It was the bike that sparked it all and I still get the same feeling when getting a new one!
- 80 - Mongoose Supergoose with Dura Ace 3 piece cranks. This one went thru a BMX phase with 1 piece UNI seat and all the blue anodized stuff I could find, Haro number plate, etc. Eventually it became a trick/jump bike with front brake and pegs. I wish I still had this one.
- Redline BMX
- Redline RL Trick bike
- Torker BMX
- Skateboard phase (Sims, Powell, G&S, etc)
- College - skateboarding one day and almost run over by a guy on a Klein MTB, I was intrigued and wanted to know what it was. It had the cool orange and yellow fade they were famous for. This was before they were bought by Trek. That started the bikes all over again...
- Diamondback Apex MTB fully rigid, eventually RS Mag 20 (before the Mag 21), First year of Shimano shifters. My girlfriend (eventually wife) also got a Stumpjumper with thumbshifters. She was jealous of the Shimanos. I ran into Harry Leary of Diamond back BMX fame and childhood hero on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains while riding this bike. He was riding a Diamond Back MTB too!
- Moved to Colorado and really started Mountain biking seriously in 93
- Attended 94 World MTB championships in Vail Colorado, fell in love with the relaunched Schwinns. Got to meet John Tomac and Ned Overend.
- 94.5 Schwinn with RS Quadra and Grip Shift which was all the rage - this one went thru all the upgrades - Bomber 2, XT, Mavics, V-Brakes were just coming on - eventually parted out. First trip to Moab.
- 3D - Bought from Chris Herting at the Denver Velo Swap. Chris was an original welder at Yeti in Durango and this was one of his sponsored riders frames. This was the best HT ever owned. It got all the Schwinn parts and also the new XT when it went to 9 speed. - Eventually parted out.
- 2000 - Tomac Buckshot serial #375 of the original run of 500 frames. Handbuilt by Doug Bradbury at the Tomac shop in Colorado Springs, where I lived. Not an oversees or Litespeed version. My neighbor was the business manager for Tomac and race team manager their first year. I got the pro deal - Frame, Manitou MRD fork and Tomac/Sun/Ringle wheels all for $600. It got all the 3D parts and new Thompson and Easton Carbon bars. I still have it and won't sell it. This one is the real thing and a piece of history.
- Moved to CA in 2001 - Bought a road bike and tried that for awhile - While good for exercise it will never be mountain biking for me. There is nothing that compares to riding a MTB.
- Time off, family, career - still rode the Tomac but never enough.
- 2007 - walked into Bicycle Warehouse after researching on MTBR. Bought the Giant Trance 1 - Wow! Why did I wait so long to try full suspension or Disk brakes? Totally stock but it is a fun bike. Sram X9 with RS REBA. Works great. It is hard to believe a bike costing 1/2 the Tomac could be so great. I am amazed at how much the technology has gotten better over the years. It has renewed by passion for riding and excitement to be on the bike
- I am now working on a SS after reading everyone's posts on SS over the last month. I have a True Temper Steel frame from Performance that was NOS back in 1998 when I first bought it. I just picked up a rigid fork. The cool thing about it is I am using parts from all the old bikes listed above - old Sun Rims from the 94.5 Schwinn, XT V-Brakes, Easton stem, WTB seat, etc. It will be interesting to see what I can do.
- 2007 - Iron Horse (Hey Dino!)- this one was for my son's 12 birthday. We are now enjoying the trails together and I think he has the bug now...

[boboso]

Don't want to date myself but I miss my Lemon Krate and my Schwinn Fleetwood

RIP:
-Raleigh M80 - my first mountain bike bought to go on a "ride" date a girl who became my wife

Giant - something or other - first full suspension bike for me

-GT LTS2 - need to get this one out of my mind (squeak, squeak)

-Chuck CR-FS - Loved this bike (pic below at 12,500 in Colorado) - plush great climber


- Intense Tracer - Another winner, many good years (pic from Bend Or)


- Schwinn Moab Disc SS - got for free during Toyota/Schwinn partnership / converted to SS - need another SS NOW!

Current:
- Intense 5.5 Baby Blue (part of the Tracer trade in)

[alank]

Mongoose BMX
Diamond Back BMX
Nishiki Road Bike
Specialized Enduro
Specialized Stumpjumper Hardtail
Specialized Allez Road Bike
Santa Cruz Chameleon
KHS Solo
Chumba Mamba
Chumba XCL
Chumba Hardtail
Chumba EVO
Chumba F5

[kentonn]

I've had too many bikes to really remember them all, however. Almost all of my bikes were special at one time. Here is a picture of a bike similar to one of my all-time favorite bikes. Throw on some Bullseye hubs, Landing Gear forks and Bear Trap pedals and it is pretty much a dead ringer.

BTW, for those that remember this bike and the debate on whether or not the extra bar added strength to the frame... I don't think so. I eventually broke the down tube just behind the head tube.

[dudevf1]

The only bike that I miss is my first real mountain bike, a Rockhopper with threaded headset and RST fork. It fit me great and it's how I was introduced to the sport. I then got ridiculous upgrade fever and got an F-900 with a Lefty that was a real POS in terms of component failure. Then a Rockhound that never fit quite right and easily shed paint on the stays just from fixing a flat. A Palomino that was an amazing frame but the Maverick suspension was problematic, but I can't say enough good things about the workmanship and the paint job on the Palomino, it was like art. The Rockhopper was primitive by comparison but fit much better and was totally reliable. I miss that bike.

[mtbchip]

1968-1972: Schwinn Varsity "Sierra Brown" 10 speed
1972-1978: Peugeot 10 Speed (stolen 2nd year in college)

No riding for 12 years.............. then discovered mtbikes!
1990-1996:Specialized Hardrock Sport
1996-2003: Catamount MFS
2003-present: SC Blur Classic

[Mudd]

Tricycle
Schwinn Krate
Schwinn "Chopper"
Murray "The Rail" 5-speed
Schwinn 10 speed
'94 GT Backwoods
'84 Cannondale Crit-3
'96 Cannondale Caad-4
'00 Santa Cruz Bullit
'04 Santa Cruz Bullit
'00 Santa Cruz Roadster - red
'00 Santa Cruz Roadster - another one!
'99 Intense M1
'03 Santa Cruz Roadster - white
'04 Santa Cruz VP-Free - large
'04 Santa Cruz VP-Free - medium
'06 Santa Cruz Nomad - won on mtbr.com

[OldDogDan]

Here 'tis. 1986 KHS Montana Pro. Still in working order with thumbshifters & (in)famous Biopace chainrings. The Judy XC elastomer forks were added some years later.

[SKINNY]

Unknown BMX
Redline BMX
GT BMX
GT cro mo mtb.. cant remember model
GT Avalanche
GT Zaskar
Trek Y33 - two different frames
Supergo Access XCL
Specialized Stumpy FSR (current bike)

[1FG rider]

I had a lot of hand-me down kid bikes but my most memorable was a brand new 1975 Schwinn Sting Ray my parents surprised me for Christmas. I never thought I would get it because I didn't think my mom and dad were going to spend $100 on a bike. I was so excited I remember riding it around the living room in my pajamas.

My "adult" bikes include:

1986 Giant ATX 740 - whopping 18 speeds with Biopace chainrings, under the chainstays U-Brake, Hite Rite, Onza Bar ends....Stolen

1988 Giant RS 9?? - Road Bike, POS but it made from Huntington Beach to Gainesville, Florida. Still hanging in my parents garage.

1990 Diamondback Apex - Rockshox Mag21, 21 speed, canti-brakes, Later converted to my first SS. Still have some of the remains in the garage.

2000 Specialized Enduro Comp - Parted out

2003 Santa Cruz Blur - Sees little trail time thanks to the SSs. Built up with donated parts from the Enduro

2006 Niner SIR9 SS - gets used occasionally

1978 Schwinn Beach Cruiser converted to SS - my favorite ride