Retro mountain bikes

That's a beauty. HS-33s are as powerful as any disc brakes!

Breezer £140 collection from Ipswich.
Seller has a Rocky Mountain as well.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254171300359

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This looks like a Saracen Transverse Competition Hydrotech to me.

Collection from Shepperton.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254171351660

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Interesting bar-end angle. Aero...?

If you want to race, buy a modern 29 'er. I have a Ritchey P Team (26") with modern 2x11 xt and although it's a superb bike, it's frustrating when everyone leaves you behind (even the ones that have less skills and that can't follow e.g.on a road bike). But if you don't race, a decent vintage bike is as much fun as a modern one. When used in dry conditions, even XTR M900 canti's have plenty of braking power. When it gets muddy, Magura rim brakes or disc brakes are less frustrating though.

Thanks for the replies @voxelwise, @TvH and @WimVDD it's been helpful.

I don't want to race (nor do I possess the fitness currently) but I want to get back out into the woods. The last bike I rode was a late 2000's Norco Sasquatch that had a more modern RockShox Sektor fork and although old it worked pretty well. Regrettably, I sold that frame and swapped the parts onto a mid-2000s Orange Hitman which I haven't ridden off road yet but can already tell was a mistake. I'm trying to decide whether to transfer these parts onto another, more suitable frame, sell the whole thing and buy something retro or to bite the bullet, drop proper cash on a modern bike.

I'm wondering how well something from the 90's holds up now and whether its viable to use a retro mountain bike instead of buying something more modern.

Depends on what you want to do with it. Modern kit - both the racy stuff and the rad stuff - is light years ahead if you want to push yourself. If you just want to bimble around the woods with your mates and only get 1" or 2" off the ground early 2000s kit is plenty.

I recently went out on my 1995 Colnago Master Alloy (I don't even consider it a decent retro bike, actually, as it doesn't have a proper geometry) and it was great fun. I recently bought this Cannondale FSi and for me, it looks hidious. I much more like my 26 inchers (I have 10) and bought this one for ego-reasons only (Once a competitive racer, always a competitive racer, I guess).

I'm happy enough with 26" wheeled bikes and I agree that for me, the bikes from the 90's look better but I think thats down to my religious reading of MBUK in my youth.

I completely agree. 26" is fun but slow.;)

Just testing the water, any interest in a Specialized S works m2, 1998 ( I think), 18", complete bike, £220. Not mine. But can get pics and full spec if anyone's keen.
Jon

Too young for me. ;)

Ah, not retro enough? Where does one start when classing bikes as retro? If it has ahead stem, too young I guess.

Anyone a mtb encyclopedia here? Have an old mtb in the shed, got it from my fil, have barely ridden it so in not so good condition. Can't find anything on the brand online, except it doesn't exist anymore for a good ten years.

I believe Retrobike uses 1997 as a minimum. Personally, I use canti's as a criterium. From the moment it has V-brakes or better, I consider it modern. :)

What brand is it? And do you have a photo?

I'm thinking of swapping out the parts on my early 90's Raleigh Yukon commuter that weighs a ton to something a bit later/lighter. Ideally with threadless 1/8" fork so I don't have to mess around with adaptors for modern bars.

What would be a good donor bike to keep an eye out for on eBay?

Loads of good shit out there. Stumpjumpers, GTs, Oranges, Konas... What kind of size?

This is rather nice and will probably go for a lot of money -

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F123690591881

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1993 Specialized Stumpjumper

Nice cranks

Looks like Cannondale Coda Magic cranks from mid-nineties.

Sweetwings methinks, not magic.

Put together a little runaround. First time putting together a mtb and it's great fun -

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Lovely! DBs are fantastic, I love mine too. :)