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Pictures of old and obscure suspension bikes

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
There have been thousands of different suspension bikes built over time. We have a pretty resourceful group here, what have you seen? There has to be a lot of crazy stuff from the early 90s. Dig up your old pics and magazines and start scanning!

Dave
 

oly

skin cooker for the hive
Dec 6, 2001
5,118
6
Witness relocation housing
I have 2 "mountain biking" suspesion guides from 92 i think. Ive always thought it would be cool to scan some of the wacky stuff in there. It has all sorts of stuff, some of the designs are still used today, but alot never made it. I think my all time favorite product in the mag was the suspension fork that used 2 bungee chords and a reversed rigid fork.

The other thing thats always funny to me is that 1992 isnt that long ago... but man doesnt it seem like the dark ages for some stuff??
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
The original Noveau Riche.

Anyone remember what type of fork this is on it? I remember that the stanchions were steel and it had no brake arch which is why they look silly small.

 
Aug 11, 2003
34
0
atrokz said:
the red Devinci is currently being raced by a dude here who owns a shop. Still runs like a tank I hear.
Eric Gruber has been rocking it at the Ontario Cup races this season. Weird concepts going on with that bike. I believe that when you apply the rear brakes the whole rear suspension system locks out. Can't figure out why that would be advantageous. Does sound like a tank for sure.

Simon
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
Any one got a good pic of the GT RTS......?....i got a pic but is too big for RM....

....also specialized had FS xc bike in like 1994 that's was voted one of the top ten worse of all time, almost bought one....
 

hellonasty

Monkey
Mar 8, 2005
208
0
MSA
Here is the GT from MBAction, sorry about that...
Also a Proflex :( and a Softride which was categorized as a Full suspension, even though it wasn't using any rear shocks...
 

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Fulton

Monkey
Nov 9, 2001
825
0
those risse's aren't that bad of a bike. If they couild go to a welded rear instead of a bolt together, and maybe a cleaner, aluminum front half, they could have a solid ride.
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Fulton said:
those risse's aren't that bad of a bike. If they couild go to a welded rear instead of a bolt together, and maybe a cleaner, aluminum front half, they could have a solid ride.
Well as the main test rider for it, i have to admit, it rode pretty well.

The biggest problems on that particular bike were the weird head tube angle and massive risse fork. The headtube was fixed later on...the fork was an issue. Way too tall, putting the front end up in the air. Stik says EC laughed at it.

Second to that was the ultra bad seat tower - they need either a 1 piece machined or 1 piece welded tower. I bent about 5 sets of those..and I only weigh 145lbs.

A slightly lower pivot on the swinglink woudl have helped with the suspension travel..it felt a bit weird at the very top of the stroke (youc an see hwo flat it is in the picture).

The rear end itself was actually really stiff, and the diff axle systems were cool (9mm qr, 12mm, 15mm or 20mm).
 

Registered

Chimp
Sep 10, 2003
11
0
Why reminisce when you could be riding one today?

Dude down the street from me runs a shop with dozens of old gems.

Check it out: http://www.bikedump.com/ - click on the DH bikes link in the left menu.

Ha! cracktacular....
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
oly said:
I have 2 "mountain biking" suspesion guides from 92 i think. Ive always thought it would be cool to scan some of the wacky stuff in there. It has all sorts of stuff, some of the designs are still used today, but alot never made it. I think my all time favorite product in the mag was the suspension fork that used 2 bungee chords and a reversed rigid fork.

The other thing thats always funny to me is that 1992 isnt that long ago... but man doesnt it seem like the dark ages for some stuff??

oh man, you have to hook it up!! get out that scanner!

this thread is getting pretty good already!
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
ncrider said:
Oh man I remember when the Proflex cam out in like '94. All the mags gave it great reviews and I wanted it so bad. :rolleyes:
it came out in 1993 if not a few years earlier, as i had one then :)

april 1993:

 

ncrider

Turbo Monkey
Aug 15, 2004
1,564
0
Los Angeles
HA that's classic. I would have been so jealous on my Cannondale V something with a rockshox that had those extra bumpers "long travel" put in it to get 4 inches. Oh yeah! And the old school chainguide that attached to the chainstay. That was my DH rig in like '93-94. Then it got stolen and that was it until about two years ago. Good times.
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
I used to work in a bike shop back in 91 I believe. Cannondale's catalog had a FS bike in it at that time. This was the first FS production MTB that I had ever seen and I remember thinking it was the stupidist thing I had ever seen..."why would you want shocks front and back on a MTB?!" hahaha

Does ANYONE have photos of that C-DALE, It has to be one of the first.
 

ncrider

Turbo Monkey
Aug 15, 2004
1,564
0
Los Angeles
Oh yeah, that Manitou was crazy. The rear triangle was basically a fork, or something right? I thought it was cool, but then again I had blue hair and built beach cruisers at the bike shop, so whatever. :rolleyes:
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
I can never find a pic of that Alex Pong Cannondale when I want one. It's like it was made by aliens and all the pics are in Area 54 or something. Cool thread. How about this one:
 
May 4, 2005
26
0
OMG! A yeti Ultimate was the bike I dreamed about when I started riding in '88 :love: especially with the accu trax forks! If any one has one to sell I would buy it in a heart beat! Just to do some old school mtb riding

That flame paint job looks great as well!
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
Damn, the above has the new Rotec front triangle on it!

DW, take note of the chain tensioner system on the last Yeti posted...you guys could really learn something from that.

And yeah, I used to have one of those stupid things back in 95 or so.
 

DH biker

Turbo Monkey
Dec 12, 2004
1,185
0
North East
Funny thing is that in 10 years everyone will be looking at our bikes and say: "Those are so rediculous looking. Who would ever ride that piece of junk type of bike."
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
Didn't those Manitou rear shock bikes also sold as a "Balance" branded bike? I remember they had different colored front triangles for the different models (blue, black, purple, red, green etc...). I still have my purple one but it's not full suspension.
 

dhmtbj

Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
467
1
Boston
OGRipper said:
I can never find a pic of that Alex Pong Cannondale when I want one. It's like it was made by aliens and all the pics are in Area 54 or something. Cool thread. How about this one:
haha, there is some guy who always rides around Northeastern University in boston on one of those...thing is scary!
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
Gemini! the first one.


Orfen had the ultimate "weird DH bikes" collection.