Retro mountain bikes

Definitely not Velo Orange - been battling with a set on my Explosif for a few weeks now with 2.1” Maxxis crossmark tyres.

Ended up having to downsize to double fighters to be able to run V brakes and guards.

If I hadn’t already drilled and fettled with the VOs, I would have ordered Honjo guards instead or just the standard SKS 26er guards.

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LOVE

It is very nice but not a fan of road bike stems on retro mtbs. 0 deg rise is the absolute minimum for me.

Cheers that’s helpful!

I was replying to a different image! Like an old link I figure

I would recommend Berthoud. Not a retro mtb but you get the idea. I now also have matching mudflaps! They do up to 60mm, mine are 50.

I had velo orange on a rando bike and they cracked in about 8months.

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Are metal (GB or others) guards particularly difficult to fit compared to SKS chromoplastics for example? Maybe a question for the mudguards thread although it does concern a retro mtb...

Depends on how you fit them and what attachments you use. I had to drill mine and file down stand offs. But if you’re just using normal fixings it shouldn’t be any harder.

They all differ. I found GB easier the VO and PDW.

Bloody hell this is great.

Picked up this 1995 Trek 7900 Multitrack today. Not a mountainbike as such, more of a gravelish allrounder. Apart from the saddle and tires almost catalog spec.

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great potential

I don't know if 2008/9 is old enough to qualify as retro, but with 26 inch wheels, a 3 x 9 chainset and a stem longer than a micro penis, it seems pretty old school compared to current mtb trends. I just been to collect it from suburbia.

On One 456 ti built by Lynksey.

Bit of time capsule as its in amazingly clean condition considering its age, previous owner claims its been ridden less than 200 miles since he built it up from new, and judging by the frame and how clean and virtually unused looking the groupset is I'm inclined to believe it.


Top rated back in the day this was, and I think is the end of an era with 29'ers basically taking over the world just after this it seems. Nice rear end and has the same bullet stays as my 1996 Litespeed built Merckx road bike.



I've not ridden a mountain bike for over a decade so I'm relearning my mtb skills but am already looking forward to speed bumps now being jump ramps, and first impressions are its sooooo smooth and very chuckable/flickable.

It feels a bit under geared at the top end to my roadie legs so wondering what the deal is with Shimano and if I can simply replace the 44 tooth outer ring for a 46 tooth one?

The bike is full XT groupset with XTR hubs and pictured with Mavic 819 rims with Schwalbe Nobby Nicks in 2.5, but the deal also included some XTR hubs on some Mavic 717 rims also with Schwalbe 2.5 Nobby Nicks for more XC focus, so think I'm going to put some 2.1 inch Racing Ralph's on the XC wheelset and give them a go for speedier hacking about town duties.

The only other thing I think I need to do is get a dropper seatpost, its an older 27.2 size so that may be a bit limiting but otherwise seems good to go. I've not ridden these pedals before (Nukeproofs) but they seem OK and was pleased to see they still make DMR V8/12/Mag's that I used to ride back in the day so may get some of them just for the nostalgia...think my shins still have dents in them from the early 2000's. I used to have a Fizik Gobi saddle back on my long since stolen Giant Reign so having one of them again was nostalgic too.

Really want to bunk off work and MTB all week, but going to have wait until next weekend to give it a proper thrash, bah!..but otherwise super chuffed.

That's excellent, looks in perfect nick

That looks in amazing good condition and makes me feel sad about the state of my old Marin languishing in my parents garage!
Given most people now run 1x on their MTBs with 28 - 34t chainrings the idea of going even bigger than a 44t on the big triple seems mad! I imagine that desire came from riding on tarmac - might be worth contemplating riding it off-road properly first before making the change!

Cheers, and yes I only got to ride it on road on the way back from the station, but that was on the flat, going to need gears for the downhills too :)

My old full suss mtb had a 46t on its outer ring, and that was from a few years before this era, but still 3 x 9 speed, the big ring was great for slip streaming buses at full speed. I just had a better chain line for more of the time with that, as otherwise I was always in the outer gear or two. Besides I'll still have 2 whole rings to play with for off road duties :)

The whole 1x thing I have ZERO interest in so I'm definitely not going there, I think the jumps are too wide and you always wish for ones between them, and the huge cassettes look fugly and probly weigh as much as a wheel on their own. I'd 100% rather have 3 corn cobs with closer gears .

I'd say keep the 44t. Anything bigger off road is going to be hard work!

Fantastic looking bike BTW! Looks in great nick

Lovely on one. Got exact same bike . Recently converted mine to 1 by 10 and fitted a 27.2 Thomson dropper . Lovely job . Will dig out some pics. Become my winter mtb. That one is super super condition , and you got the best version with the bullett drop outs. .

The Multitracks were all hybrids, done nicely.

Thanks for the info, had no idea Thomson did dropper posts so thanks for that, added to shortlist.

Had a similar mountainbike back in the days (1993 Trek 8700). Always loved the combination of aluminium lugs and carbon tubes. Hope the glue that keeps them together still sticks after 30 years. :-)

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Just fitted some Marzocchi Z2s to my Kona Kilauea, looking hot. I was a bit worried about the red and blue, but I think the mix of ano is good. There's red on the wheels, brake levers and back of the cassette so it ties in nicely. Rides ace, if not a bit springy!

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Looks good. Nice frame too.

switched over some parts from the other 26er

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V nice. Are the forks Silverock from Ali express?