Retro bike nerd out is easily the best content on the channel possibly network, it could be on its own channel GMBN classic. I am always instantly all over it like a tramp on chips…
Fat chance closely followed by the purple pace!!!! Loved the fat chance brand! I remember having my diamond back apex resprayed and I re branded it Thin chance!! Went as far as using the Mint sauce letters😂🤣😂 great vid as always sir!
I remember putting v-brakes on my old bike after running canti and thought WOW stopping is unreal haha now bottle shelf disc or even mechanical disc brakes are way better but v-brakes were great at the time haha
When scrolling thru YT, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the thumb nail of this video... I had a Giant ATX 1DH TE! I had Marzocchi Monster T's, blue/red Tioga saddle, Shimano hydros front and rear, Dice 26f and 24r, Intense tyres, FUNN stem, etc etc...!!! After an injury to my spine (unrelated to riding), I had to sell it... I've always wanted to try and track down the frame for a keepsake!!! 🤘 Awesome video!!!
Only disappointment was that this episode wasn't at least an hour long. I love the enthusiasm while acknowledging the different between old and cool, but rubbish, rather than getting stuck in the past and ignoring all the real improvements we've all come to take for granted.
Love the enthusiasm of the older stuff.Doddy you will have to do a piece on the more obscure retro groupsets-Mavic Mountain,Campag,Browning BEAST,Suntour etc.That would be a treat.Doddy`s retro reports are rapidly becoming my favourite GMBN content!
I still have a DCD in my parts stash..... As for the Pace square tubing bikes....They were the ultimate lust bike for me.....I never got one though, as I started on rigid Kona's with P2 forks....I remember having Tioga Psycho II tyres and Onza Bar ends on my early bikes...Even a USE suspension seatpost and naff RockShox Quadra forks.... I did own a 1997 GT LTS4000, but alas is was nicked from my shed (along with a Kona) in the early 2000's.....The GT full susser, however, was a godsend as it was good with a baby seat on when daughter was very small.... What a great video and many bikes I recognised....McRoy was very a good MTB rider....I had the "Dirt" VHS as well... I really do like old retro stuff, and would love to build up an old canti brake frame with some modern parts though....frames are somewhat expensive now though.... Great video yet again.....I do like the Tech Show
The early days of an industry are always the most interesting. As Doddy says, just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks! Very easy to get stuck on rails now, never stop innovating - we can always go faster.
Biggest thing for me was reliving how insane dialing in cantilever brakes were……didn’t even mention spring tension centering via the brake posts, which was pure hell (diacompe 986’s!!!!)
As a guy who is over 40 I remember when these were new. I had a purple GT RTS-3. I was very happy to get rid of it. Although I did turn heads as I was one of the few in my Michigan town with a full suspension bike. I used to race at the local ski resort. I had a friend who had an elevated chain stay Haro. Watching this brings back so many memories of my early 20's in northern Michigan. I much prefer many of these older mountain bikes to the new stuff. Thank you.
I really like the fact that you're into vintage mountainbikes. I remember seeing all these bike names listed in bike magazines... I'm talking about the bike shop catalogues' adverts... AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE! Not being able to google anything!! Having to wait for it to be reviewed in some other magazine edition I suppose. That's how it was.
I bought the first model fork Rock Shock fork sold. That was a game changer. Then we debated BioPace chainrings impact on your knees. Followed by bobbing when climbing on full suspension came out.
I went through two pairs of them on my GT Zaskar. The coolest thing about them that no one ever says is the way they sounded when you rode. They made a "womp, womp, womp" noise from the spokes slicing the air. I cracked one of the spokes in a crash on one, and then had the rim delaminate on my second pair. Looking back, they were pretty bad...flexed like crazy (lots of brake rub) and were heavy, but they looked cool. The hubs were surprisingly pretty reliable because they had massive cartridge bearings. Cool wheels, but not super great... especially trying to do XC races on them. I think I was just a naive kid at the time trying to emulate Hans Rey.
I had a set. At high speed, on road say, you would get this, well, "high speed wobble". Not the greatest most confidence-inspiring feeling.😂 But they were sooo cool.
Fantastic video, I still think the 90s especially the early to mid 90s were the true golden years of mountain biking, watching this video really took me back. Thank you for making this wonderful retro video.
Doddy is the most relatable person at GMBN for me because he really understands and appreciates where the tech came from, both good and bad. That Cannondale is an awful design, but Cannondale was instrumental in taking designs to new heights. I remember seeing many of these on the trails in the 90s while living in Durango, CO.
Dude, your enthusiasm is infectious. Watching you lose your shit over bikes that I had postered on my bedroom wall as a kid is like stepping back in time. Keep it coming I love watching this.
What an awesome vid @GMBN Tech. I love the enthusiasm for the past, and would love to see more. That GT was mind blowing! I really think just like classic cars, classic bikes are going to continue to gain in popularity, as they’re important pieces of history. You guys need to get some vintage Gary Fishers on the channel.
That brings back a lot of great memories. I got into mountain biking back in 95 and had or knew people who had many of these parts. I can't imagine what 16 year old me would have thought about my current bike compared to what was available back then.
Oh God I remember racing in the 80s on full hardtails no front suspension either, I still have my custom Fisher Mt Tam fillet braised all-steel frame...what a ride it was, still is and my gravel bike, drop bars and all, converted to disc brakes
This video really brings back a lot of good old memories on how I got hooked to cycling, especially MTB. From those jerseys to the bikes, and that I could only dream about getting those fancy bikes like the Cannondale Vs, Yeti, Trek Y-33, the list just goes on and on
Old bikes might be crap to ride, but they're still fun to ride! My Barracuda XX-XC with Spin mags and a Girvin fork gets all the looks when I bring it out. Doddy isn't kidding about brakes though. Even V-brakes stink compared to discs, but they were a huuuge jump from the old cantilevers!
Doddy and retro mountain bikes go together like fish and chips. His deep knowledge of this rare old tech and the companies that made it is a joy to behold.
One thing you forgot to mention about canti's... If the down cable snapped, the straddle cable would snag your front tyre and send you arse over apex over the bars.
Errrm.....Doddy, I need new pants! What a beautiful collection of vintage mtbs, most of which I drooled over as a sprog mtb'er. JMC Stumpy, I welled up as you described what He'd had done for the UK mtb scene.I still have DIRT on VHS! I remember nearly all these bikes because of MTBUK, I'm so glad I'm resubscribing and riding again. Keep up the great work. 👍
Buddy, your as old as I am. No....as hardened as me. My kids don't even know how to put the tape in the VHS (or even understand that the tape is the thing showing them the gold). DIRT is the bomb, watch it; they will be enlightened. We are not old, just experienced. They'll learn from us and further our luv of MTB. Oh, you're right; I need new pants too 😖 smelly. Build'm, they'll ride'm 🙌
wow...amazing video..! i got into mtb's around 1990 when i had a go on a mate's Raleigh montage atb and when down a steep path and manage to hang on... i was addicted..! then bought a raleigh mustang (then bought my mates montage... then around 1991 i bought a white 18 inch trek 950 for 500 quid... put some bar ends on and 2.1 porcupine tyres and loved it.. used to buy most of the mmtb bike mags and still have some pages cut out of some f the north east routes like blanchland and hexhamshire moors etc.. :)
That Yeti Ultimate is giving me the feels. I remember drilling a little hole in the bottom of the Manitou Fork to let air escape during compression. Made it much more responsive!
It's so cool to see the things we rode back then. I even saw a couple of C'dales and GTs I had. And the white Onza Porcupine! Everybody asked me about that. Panaracer Smoke in the rear, white Onza Porcupine up front. Those were the days.
The key to toe strapped pedals, was to know how loose they needed to be. One did not crank them down to be one with the bike as he suggests. For rowdy downhill / Enduro technical riding in that era you needed to be able to slip out , if things went bad. You rode them like flats, with the strap limiting how far you were removed from the pedal, as well as allowing you to pull up on the pedal when necessary. Discerning line choice, and skillful dismounts out of a strapped toe clip before disaster struck was an art.
I recently bought a bike from the 90's for a bit of fun. Man it's sooo easy to forget how far we've come in terms of development! 😐 It took me a minute to remember how to set up a quill stem for example! 😆 But I have to say other than the very narrow bars and the insane lack of grip I was supprised at how decent my new old bike rides! A real blast from the past!
Great show! Great commentary. Doddy is like the kid in the candy store. Love the reminiscence about John Tomac and Farmer John‘s tires. Those were the days 👍 Remember the JT ad with „I stopped bar hopping“ ?
Oh man! X-lite, Spin wheels, GT RTS, Pace and loads of other stuff not even mentioned!!! Didn't expect to enjoy this vid half as much as I did but I don't have feel old!!! 😂
@5:15, I had a set of Spin wheels with ceramic coating (tungsten carbide cobalt) on the rim brake tracks. And that, my friend, is a Topline SLS crankset. I had one in silver. Super craazy light for the day. They were like 375 grams per set, or something like that.
Doddy. At 16ish I was working in our LBS lacing sick Ringle hubs, to Wheelsmith Spokes, and Mavic ceramic rims. I wrecked myself REALLY good one time MTB, and was hobbling like an old man at work. One of our sales reps came in the shop and saw how jacked up I was, and said like "dude, you need a cane". Not long after, a box showed up to the shop addressed to me. Inside was a cane made from a Syncros bar end, and straight gauge Syncros handle bar stock 3 feet long. It was high polish aluminum, bespoke, and bad-ass. It had a letter from Syncros wishing me Get Well. I am 43 and still have it. Retro as fuck. Anyone else ever seen one of these?? I should send in a pic. Cheers!
This is brilliant fond memories there. I recently sold my Cannondale m900 1996 model. Still a beautiful frame. That pace frame is a work of art. I love to see the parkpre titanium bikes again.
All these bikes are new to me. Suspension used to be adjusting the air in your tires and maybe a flexi stem. Twin toe clips and Axo boots were the thing I ran. You really become one with the bike when you’re feet are strapped to the pedals… or you have horrific accidents 😂😂😂 The trick was to get the toe straps just tight enough without stopping you slip your foot out if you really had to.
Amazing Doddy, I’ll have to get along next year with my GT DHi 1999 Steve Peat tribute bike I’m in the process of building. The LTS DH was definitely my favourite there.
Doddy, The headshock wasn't hard to work on (at least not any harder than other forks at the time). You had to have some specific tools but once you had those they were pretty straightforward to work on. I worked for a big Cannondale shop in the late 90s / early 2000s. I'd polish the races, change the grease on the needle bearings, and re-valve and add heavier oil in the damper. If the lower fork boot wasn't damaged, they would run forever. I've got one in the basement that still moves super smoothly.
It's so nice (and funny) to see all that "old retro" stuff. I owned most of that lot over the years and you're dead right, new bikers have no idea how bad all that stuff was 😂
My first real mountain bike was a 1999 Giant Warp DS2 with the Y frame suspension and cantilever brakes. It rattled like a paint can full of marbles on rough terrain and was quite heavy, but it held up for 4 years until I moved on. Funny looking back how bad these bike really were compared to what we ride today.
the Durango i think might've been an old Jamis?? Nice to see so much cool old stuff, you ended up talking about the SPD system with the YO's, Klein, and the Yeti's, luckily you had something good in the background :D :D :D
Doddy like Charlie in the Wonka factory there lol. Great episode. My 98 Orange P7 would've just about fitted in there. DCD - check. Crud catcher - Check. Pace RC38's - check. Got one of shimano's first XT 4 pot calipers too!
Adjusting cantilevers is always a fun challenge. When they are right, they have better modulation than V-brakes and not much worse stopping power. Though in the wet they tend to be not that nice. :D Its all about symmetry and low straddle cable, combined with the pads sticking far in, arms wide and the proper amount of toe-in, which greatly depends on the flex and play on the bosses and pivots and the pads used.
I tell everyone I meet who is into mountain bikes about my chrome pace rc200 f5 that I had stolen in 1998 when I was 18, buying the frame and the rc35s from my mates dad, and then putting on a full Shimano xt brake and drivetrain system, pale blue Chris king headset and titanium seat, cost a total of a grand which I'd saved up, but was worth double with that set-up! But what a bike, the forks alone felt like they had way more travel than they actually did. My brother used to have one of those suspension stems, can't remember what they were called man, dad's still got his super v in the garage too haha!
I just bought a 2004 specialized Enduro pro mountain bike for $400 from some guy at Starbucks that said it was too small for him it's a medium frame only weighs 27 lb it's the best full suspension downhill bike that I've ever owned or could afford
7:30 black magic indeed :} in theory cantilever brakes can be set up to have a enormous mechanical advantage (the ratio of squeeze force by hand to squeeze force by the pads) but the tradeoff is long lever travel (you trade distance for force, just like the gear ratio trades peddling rpm for torque). the mechanical advantage is in the cable yoke angle with 90deg having mechanical adv of 1 and 0deg having infinity (a horizontal straddle cable). having a small yoke angle is impractical as the brake lever needs to travel a long distance for the pads to move just a bit. (there was a pulley system you could use to shorten the lever travel distance) trial riders would grind the rims and apply violin resin for improved braking power in wet conditions. those ppl are obsessed with their brakes for some reason :}
So many of my dream bikes as a kid in this video. I just bought a mint 1997 Trek Y11. Man have bikes come along way, but they don't look near as cool as this thing. Lol. My opinion anyway.
Ive love to give a new 29er a ride, im still rocking my old 1992 team marin 26inch. I also had pace forks too. Only just removed my purple anti chain plate
I've got a blue anodised DCD in the bike bits box ! fitted it to my '95 Kona many years ago, rubber rolller is looking pretty rough now. Kona fire mountain is still going strong though.
lots of souvenirs there. 🙂 I'd suggest any youngster of the sport to try one of those, so that he can appreciate how extraordinary current bikes are. 👍
thats a awsome show i gotta find a way out there or one in the us i love my old mountain bikes wish i saw some more 80s in the lineup but i guess a little to old for the style ha
I have a Jamis Dakar in metallic red from 1995. It's a Fully with a yellow Rock Shock fork. I dont ride that bike anymore but i love to look at the frame design.
Good friend had the same bike. Purchased the frame and custom built. Highlights including; Ringle Bubba hub set, WTB cantilever brakes, Answer ATAC stem, and Answer bars.
seeing this makes me miss my GT Zaskar LE (1993 model ball burnished) kitted with red and green X-Lite and USE parts, lovely bike, though mostly used for commuting than anything else until I had a hit and run accident, someone drove into the back of my bike, it did more damage to me than my bike though!
What was your favourite bit of retro-tech from this video?
The GT with the shock in the triple triangle, I can hardly believe I just saw that bike. You are the man.
Cantilever brakes.
Retro bike nerd out is easily the best content on the channel possibly network, it could be on its own channel GMBN classic. I am always instantly all over it like a tramp on chips…
Fat chance closely followed by the purple pace!!!! Loved the fat chance brand! I remember having my diamond back apex resprayed and I re branded it Thin chance!! Went as far as using the Mint sauce letters😂🤣😂 great vid as always sir!
Wanted to see the ATX or a GT Lobo
They were not awefull, they where challenging and fun.
And what a Joy of having the brakes all balanced without any rub after 2 hours of fine tuning.
I remember going from cantilevers to V brakes and thinking how game changing that was hah
It was pure freedom! Vastly easier to center and they actually slower the bike!
@@jokermtb your only remembering the good v brakes always had much less rim clearance and suffered in the mid
The stopping power of v brakes when set up correctly is incredible. I used to stoppie for days 😭 dry days anyway haha
I remember putting v-brakes on my old bike after running canti and thought WOW stopping is unreal haha now bottle shelf disc or even mechanical disc brakes are way better but v-brakes were great at the time haha
How about drum brake at the rear? I miss that squeaking noise... lol
His knowledge and the level of enthusiasm he displays for the old bikes is unparalleled. Great content!
When scrolling thru YT, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the thumb nail of this video... I had a Giant ATX 1DH TE! I had Marzocchi Monster T's, blue/red Tioga saddle, Shimano hydros front and rear, Dice 26f and 24r, Intense tyres, FUNN stem, etc etc...!!! After an injury to my spine (unrelated to riding), I had to sell it... I've always wanted to try and track down the frame for a keepsake!!! 🤘 Awesome video!!!
The biggest gem in this video is Doddy - what a legend! So entertaining to hear from him, especially about the "awful" parts.😄
I would love to see a full episode of all the "awful" retro tech there was. Now that would be entertaining.
@@knarfis 100%! There’s got to be some absolutely terrible tech floating about 😂
Only disappointment was that this episode wasn't at least an hour long. I love the enthusiasm while acknowledging the different between old and cool, but rubbish, rather than getting stuck in the past and ignoring all the real improvements we've all come to take for granted.
Yeah an hour is still not enough! ✌️
Love the enthusiasm of the older stuff.Doddy you will have to do a piece on the more obscure retro groupsets-Mavic Mountain,Campag,Browning BEAST,Suntour etc.That would be a treat.Doddy`s retro reports are rapidly becoming my favourite GMBN content!
I still have a DCD in my parts stash.....
As for the Pace square tubing bikes....They were the ultimate lust bike for me.....I never got one though, as I started on rigid Kona's with P2 forks....I remember having Tioga Psycho II tyres and Onza Bar ends on my early bikes...Even a USE suspension seatpost and naff RockShox Quadra forks....
I did own a 1997 GT LTS4000, but alas is was nicked from my shed (along with a Kona) in the early 2000's.....The GT full susser, however, was a godsend as it was good with a baby seat on when daughter was very small....
What a great video and many bikes I recognised....McRoy was very a good MTB rider....I had the "Dirt" VHS as well...
I really do like old retro stuff, and would love to build up an old canti brake frame with some modern parts though....frames are somewhat expensive now though....
Great video yet again.....I do like the Tech Show
The early days of an industry are always the most interesting.
As Doddy says, just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks!
Very easy to get stuck on rails now, never stop innovating - we can always go faster.
my favorite GMBN video yet! This was the world I started mtn biking in…late 80s/early 90s insanity! flash back to my college days!
Biggest thing for me was reliving how insane dialing in cantilever brakes were……didn’t even mention spring tension centering via the brake posts, which was pure hell (diacompe 986’s!!!!)
As a guy who is over 40 I remember when these were new. I had a purple GT RTS-3. I was very happy to get rid of it. Although I did turn heads as I was one of the few in my Michigan town with a full suspension bike. I used to race at the local ski resort. I had a friend who had an elevated chain stay Haro. Watching this brings back so many memories of my early 20's in northern Michigan. I much prefer many of these older mountain bikes to the new stuff. Thank you.
This episode had me grinning ear to ear!! Great memories. Loved it!
I really like the fact that you're into vintage mountainbikes. I remember seeing all these bike names listed in bike magazines... I'm talking about the bike shop catalogues' adverts... AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE! Not being able to google anything!! Having to wait for it to be reviewed in some other magazine edition I suppose. That's how it was.
I bought the first model fork Rock Shock fork sold. That was a game changer. Then we debated BioPace chainrings impact on your knees. Followed by bobbing when climbing on full suspension came out.
Those Spin Rims. I ALWAYS wanted some, lusted after then in magazines as a kid.
I went through two pairs of them on my GT Zaskar. The coolest thing about them that no one ever says is the way they sounded when you rode. They made a "womp, womp, womp" noise from the spokes slicing the air. I cracked one of the spokes in a crash on one, and then had the rim delaminate on my second pair. Looking back, they were pretty bad...flexed like crazy (lots of brake rub) and were heavy, but they looked cool. The hubs were surprisingly pretty reliable because they had massive cartridge bearings. Cool wheels, but not super great... especially trying to do XC races on them. I think I was just a naive kid at the time trying to emulate Hans Rey.
I had a set. At high speed, on road say, you would get this, well, "high speed wobble". Not the greatest most confidence-inspiring feeling.😂 But they were sooo cool.
Favourite thing was listening to you get so excited by all the bikes. Like a kid in the sweet shop.
Fantastic video, I still think the 90s especially the early to mid 90s were the true golden years of mountain biking, watching this video really took me back. Thank you for making this wonderful retro video.
Doddy is the most relatable person at GMBN for me because he really understands and appreciates where the tech came from, both good and bad. That Cannondale is an awful design, but Cannondale was instrumental in taking designs to new heights. I remember seeing many of these on the trails in the 90s while living in Durango, CO.
Dude, your enthusiasm is infectious. Watching you lose your shit over bikes that I had postered on my bedroom wall as a kid is like stepping back in time. Keep it coming I love watching this.
Favorite thing from this video was your enthusiasm for all the classic mtbs you checked out at RMBB.
What an awesome vid @GMBN Tech. I love the enthusiasm for the past, and would love to see more. That GT was mind blowing! I really think just like classic cars, classic bikes are going to continue to gain in popularity, as they’re important pieces of history. You guys need to get some vintage Gary Fishers on the channel.
Wow! I've never seen so many mint vintage bikes in one spot, what an awesome event! U guys know how to enjoy the day. Thanks for sharing.
Really good to reminisce. Had a delta V back in the day. Thanks for a trip down memory lane
That brings back a lot of great memories. I got into mountain biking back in 95 and had or knew people who had many of these parts. I can't imagine what 16 year old me would have thought about my current bike compared to what was available back then.
Oh God I remember racing in the 80s on full hardtails no front suspension either, I still have my custom Fisher Mt Tam fillet braised all-steel frame...what a ride it was, still is and my gravel bike, drop bars and all, converted to disc brakes
I used to work in a Bike shop back in the 90s that sold Yeti and Fat Chance and stuff. THX for bringing the feeling back...
This video really brings back a lot of good old memories on how I got hooked to cycling, especially MTB. From those jerseys to the bikes, and that I could only dream about getting those fancy bikes like the Cannondale Vs, Yeti, Trek Y-33, the list just goes on and on
Old bikes might be crap to ride, but they're still fun to ride! My Barracuda XX-XC with Spin mags and a Girvin fork gets all the looks when I bring it out.
Doddy isn't kidding about brakes though. Even V-brakes stink compared to discs, but they were a huuuge jump from the old cantilevers!
Doddy and retro mountain bikes go together like fish and chips. His deep knowledge of this rare old tech and the companies that made it is a joy to behold.
Thanks so much for your coverage of the vintage bikes. The enthusiasm you have takes me back to my younger years :)
@13:31 the little kid with the full face helmet in the back
One thing you forgot to mention about canti's... If the down cable snapped, the straddle cable would snag your front tyre and send you arse over apex over the bars.
Or ball first into the headset!
There were catcher stems below the middle link to avoid exactly this…I didn‘t have one though, no risk, no fun…
@@Chief_Engineer I bodged a catcher out of a reflector bracket.
@@computerbob06 That comment brought back some painful memories!
: )
Errrm.....Doddy, I need new pants!
What a beautiful collection of vintage mtbs, most of which I drooled over as a sprog mtb'er.
JMC Stumpy, I welled up as you described what He'd had done for the UK mtb scene.I still have DIRT on VHS! I remember nearly all these bikes because of MTBUK, I'm so glad I'm resubscribing and riding again. Keep up the great work. 👍
Buddy, your as old as I am. No....as hardened as me. My kids don't even know how to put the tape in the VHS (or even understand that the tape is the thing showing them the gold). DIRT is the bomb, watch it; they will be enlightened. We are not old, just experienced. They'll learn from us and further our luv of MTB. Oh, you're right; I need new pants too 😖 smelly. Build'm, they'll ride'm 🙌
wow...amazing video..!
i got into mtb's around 1990 when i had a go on a mate's Raleigh montage atb and when down a steep path and manage to hang on... i was addicted..! then bought a raleigh mustang (then bought my mates montage... then around 1991 i bought a white 18 inch trek 950 for 500 quid... put some bar ends on and 2.1 porcupine tyres and loved it..
used to buy most of the mmtb bike mags and still have some pages cut out of some f the north east routes like blanchland and hexhamshire moors etc.. :)
That Yeti Ultimate is giving me the feels. I remember drilling a little hole in the bottom of the Manitou Fork to let air escape during compression. Made it much more responsive!
It's so cool to see the things we rode back then. I even saw a couple of C'dales and GTs I had. And the white Onza Porcupine! Everybody asked me about that. Panaracer Smoke in the rear, white Onza Porcupine up front. Those were the days.
I used to run the smoke lite 1.9 in the rear and the porcupine in the front. I remember the white knobbies shedding like crazy. so much fun.
The key to toe strapped pedals, was to know how loose they needed to be. One did not crank them down to be one with the bike as he suggests. For rowdy downhill / Enduro technical riding in that era you needed to be able to slip out , if things went bad. You rode them like flats, with the strap limiting how far you were removed from the pedal, as well as allowing you to pull up on the pedal when necessary. Discerning line choice, and skillful dismounts out of a strapped toe clip before disaster struck was an art.
I recently bought a bike from the 90's for a bit of fun. Man it's sooo easy to forget how far we've come in terms of development! 😐 It took me a minute to remember how to set up a quill stem for example! 😆
But I have to say other than the very narrow bars and the insane lack of grip I was supprised at how decent my new old bike rides! A real blast from the past!
Nice! Send us some pics at upload.gmbn.com/tech 🤘
@@gmbntechwhere can I get one of those chain guides
Doddy's knowledge is incredible. I have some of these old retro bits in the shed as well. Miss those years.
Great show! Great commentary. Doddy is like the kid in the candy store. Love the reminiscence about John Tomac and Farmer John‘s tires. Those were the days 👍 Remember the JT ad with „I stopped bar hopping“ ?
Best episode EVER!
I have a all original K2 razorback RS.
Love the old school bikes
Incredible, loved every second of that! More please.
Love the retro stuff keep it up planning on sending in a bunch of pics of my retro colletion to ya guys soon..... BTW 26ers are not dead!
Oh man! X-lite, Spin wheels, GT RTS, Pace and loads of other stuff not even mentioned!!! Didn't expect to enjoy this vid half as much as I did but I don't have feel old!!! 😂
Wow, what you call retro, I am still riding! Damn, I need a new bike... Great show as always Doddy
I am still riding the KHS I bought new in 1992. Rides too smooth to let it go.
Sooo Coool.
All of it!! Brings back memories working in the bike shop as a kid!
My favorite and the one own is the GT LTS! Truly an outstanding mountain bike! Bring back great memories!
I will say it again, I love this stuff!!!! Thanks Doddy
I still ride a '99 s-works stumpy. Those avid arch breaks are legit.
@5:15, I had a set of Spin wheels with ceramic coating (tungsten carbide cobalt) on the rim brake tracks.
And that, my friend, is a Topline SLS crankset. I had one in silver. Super craazy light for the day. They were like 375 grams per set, or something like that.
Doddy. At 16ish I was working in our LBS lacing sick Ringle hubs, to Wheelsmith Spokes, and Mavic ceramic rims. I wrecked myself REALLY good one time MTB, and was hobbling like an old man at work. One of our sales reps came in the shop and saw how jacked up I was, and said like "dude, you need a cane". Not long after, a box showed up to the shop addressed to me. Inside was a cane made from a Syncros bar end, and straight gauge Syncros handle bar stock 3 feet long. It was high polish aluminum, bespoke, and bad-ass. It had a letter from Syncros wishing me Get Well. I am 43 and still have it. Retro as fuck. Anyone else ever seen one of these?? I should send in a pic. Cheers!
I have a feeling that you got sent a one of a kind there, man! Pretty cool. I'm guessing that you don't actually need the cane anymore?
Rad! Please send in some pics to upload.gmbn.com/tech 🤘🔧
@@gmbntech I shall. :)
Old man geek overload! Awesome video.
Great to hear you like it, Ian, hopefully it helps educate people on how we got to where we are today 👍
This is brilliant fond memories there. I recently sold my Cannondale m900 1996 model. Still a beautiful frame. That pace frame is a work of art. I love to see the parkpre titanium bikes again.
This is one of your Best videos to date. Thank You!!
Never seen the rear suspension forks before, what a great example of trying something just to try it! Love the way it looks!
All these bikes are new to me. Suspension used to be adjusting the air in your tires and maybe a flexi stem. Twin toe clips and Axo boots were the thing I ran. You really become one with the bike when you’re feet are strapped to the pedals… or you have horrific accidents 😂😂😂 The trick was to get the toe straps just tight enough without stopping you slip your foot out if you really had to.
Cantilever brakes weren't awful. Properly set up they can throw anyone over the bars if you squeeze them to hard.
Maybe with all four fingers, coka cola on the rims, and throwing your weight forward...
Amazing Doddy, I’ll have to get along next year with my GT DHi 1999 Steve Peat tribute bike I’m in the process of building. The LTS DH was definitely my favourite there.
Doddy,
The headshock wasn't hard to work on (at least not any harder than other forks at the time). You had to have some specific tools but once you had those they were pretty straightforward to work on. I worked for a big Cannondale shop in the late 90s / early 2000s. I'd polish the races, change the grease on the needle bearings, and re-valve and add heavier oil in the damper. If the lower fork boot wasn't damaged, they would run forever. I've got one in the basement that still moves super smoothly.
I think that's the first time I've ever seen a RAC on video, that's amazing!
Man, I miss the crazy mountain bike designs from the 90s. They were all horrible to ride, but so out there. They're awesome.
It's so nice (and funny) to see all that "old retro" stuff. I owned most of that lot over the years and you're dead right, new bikers have no idea how bad all that stuff was 😂
Wooo!! Retro bikes😎😎🤘🤘
My first real mountain bike was a 1999 Giant Warp DS2 with the Y frame suspension and cantilever brakes. It rattled like a paint can full of marbles on rough terrain and was quite heavy, but it held up for 4 years until I moved on. Funny looking back how bad these bike really were compared to what we ride today.
the Durango i think might've been an old Jamis?? Nice to see so much cool old stuff, you ended up talking about the SPD system with the YO's, Klein, and the Yeti's, luckily you had something good in the background :D :D :D
Love this video-such a trip down memory lane and a chance to revisit loads of kit I dreamed of owning.
Doddy like Charlie in the Wonka factory there lol. Great episode. My 98 Orange P7 would've just about fitted in there. DCD - check. Crud catcher - Check. Pace RC38's - check. Got one of shimano's first XT 4 pot calipers too!
Adjusting cantilevers is always a fun challenge. When they are right, they have better modulation than V-brakes and not much worse stopping power. Though in the wet they tend to be not that nice. :D Its all about symmetry and low straddle cable, combined with the pads sticking far in, arms wide and the proper amount of toe-in, which greatly depends on the flex and play on the bosses and pivots and the pads used.
Man! The Klein Adroit Madi Gras at the background!! SWEET AS!
Rainforest
I love retro mountain bikes . I started on an steel United , no suspension ( Made in England ) all Shimano equipped , from 2001 .
Perfect. Using brakes that didn't work did make you feel like you're going faster!
Loved this, like yesteryear. Didnt know that about X-Lite and Muc Off
I tell everyone I meet who is into mountain bikes about my chrome pace rc200 f5 that I had stolen in 1998 when I was 18, buying the frame and the rc35s from my mates dad, and then putting on a full Shimano xt brake and drivetrain system, pale blue Chris king headset and titanium seat, cost a total of a grand which I'd saved up, but was worth double with that set-up! But what a bike, the forks alone felt like they had way more travel than they actually did. My brother used to have one of those suspension stems, can't remember what they were called man, dad's still got his super v in the garage too haha!
not getting your feet out of the toe clips and falling over sideways though ☺️ good times
I used to Crave the GT LTS ... and of course I spot me favorite Klein Adrooit in that iconic green
Retro bike nerd out!!! 🤩
I just bought a 2004 specialized Enduro pro mountain bike for $400 from some guy at Starbucks that said it was too small for him it's a medium frame only weighs 27 lb it's the best full suspension downhill bike that I've ever owned or could afford
7:30 black magic indeed :}
in theory cantilever brakes can be set up to have a enormous mechanical advantage (the ratio of squeeze force by hand to squeeze force by the pads) but the tradeoff is long lever travel (you trade distance for force, just like the gear ratio trades peddling rpm for torque).
the mechanical advantage is in the cable yoke angle with 90deg having mechanical adv of 1 and 0deg having infinity (a horizontal straddle cable).
having a small yoke angle is impractical as the brake lever needs to travel a long distance for the pads to move just a bit. (there was a pulley system you could use to shorten the lever travel distance)
trial riders would grind the rims and apply violin resin for improved braking power in wet conditions. those ppl are obsessed with their brakes for some reason :}
Still believe the nicest looking retro bikes are the Klein bikes. The attitude colourways are still stunning today
So many of my dream bikes as a kid in this video. I just bought a mint 1997 Trek Y11. Man have bikes come along way, but they don't look near as cool as this thing. Lol. My opinion anyway.
Very cool video! I had a KIller V and and Gemini back in the day.
Cool retro bikes, still hanging onto GT LTS 1000DS, GT LTS 2000DS, GT STS XCR1000, GT STS-1.
@6:50, I was ahead of the curve there, I had a set of powergips toe straps, you could release your foot at an angle, kinda sideways.
Great video. Love Doddys videos.
new mad respect for Doddy; the man knows everything...alternatively, he really knows TOO much.
Ive love to give a new 29er a ride, im still rocking my old 1992 team marin 26inch. I also had pace forks too.
Only just removed my purple anti chain plate
You mean 92 team marin .
I still ride a stock 92 cindercone
@@whollyspokes3645 yep typo
@@whollyspokes3645 i built it myself, its a bit like trigger broom now. New wheels, stem seatpost handle bars, forks and group set.etc
@@retroonhisbikes
Triggers broom lol you wicked child ! As long as it put a smile on your face is all that matters
I'd have killed for the giant atx one back in the day, still love that red, yellow and blue colourway.
I love my '97GT STS, still ride it today.
Wow!.. There's some really beautiful bikes there. Next year, I really need to go to Malvern.
that was the best episode for long time
Great video. Thanks brother.
wow some real memories there, lol farmer john tyres to, amazing
Haha!! Odyssey triple traps… I also have ankle craters from those monstrosities!!
I've got a blue anodised DCD in the bike bits box ! fitted it to my '95 Kona many years ago, rubber rolller is looking pretty rough now. Kona fire mountain is still going strong though.
Still running my x-lite bar ends too, until fitting an alt bar a few months ago !
Great video! Still love riding Retro steel. Shame you went straight past the Dave Yates tho!!
lots of souvenirs there. 🙂 I'd suggest any youngster of the sport to try one of those, so that he can appreciate how extraordinary current bikes are. 👍
thats a awsome show i gotta find a way out there or one in the us i love my old mountain bikes wish i saw some more 80s in the lineup but i guess a little to old for the style ha
I have a Jamis Dakar in metallic red from 1995. It's a Fully with a yellow Rock Shock fork. I dont ride that bike anymore but i love to look at the frame design.
Good friend had the same bike. Purchased the frame and custom built. Highlights including; Ringle Bubba hub set, WTB cantilever brakes, Answer ATAC stem, and Answer bars.
seeing this makes me miss my GT Zaskar LE (1993 model ball burnished) kitted with red and green X-Lite and USE parts, lovely bike, though mostly used for commuting than anything else until I had a hit and run accident, someone drove into the back of my bike, it did more damage to me than my bike though!