Post your first mountain bike

[pperrelle]

I came across some old pictures so I figured I’d post here and start this thread. I came across pictures of my first two mountain bikes. The first was an aluminum hardtail. It was a Supergo house brand frame that I built up sometime in the mid-90’s. I think it was called an Access. 26’er of course with I think a 40mm front fork. Here’s the only pic that I have of that bike and you can’t see it too well except for the narrow bars and bar ends. I thought it was a good idea to ride it on the Rosarita to Ensenada bike ride. It wasn’t. lol.

My next bike was my first full suspension bike. It was a Psycle Werks Wild Hare. @herzalot may know the brand as they were manufactured in Laguna Beach. I believe it was a 1992 model. It was actually a great bike for that era. It had both an air shock and a Fox coil shock. The linkage was adjustable for travel and the fork had a travel adjust with a turn of a dial.

It hung in my garage for probably 15 years while I moved on to racing dirt bikes. I had stopped riding dirt bikes as much and one day as I sat on the couch at 235 pounds and out of shape, I decided to dust it off and start riding again. That was around 2014. The rear Hayes caliper was leaking so I took it to the Path to get it tuned up and the rear caliper repaired. The mechanic basically said that I’d have to spend more on repairs than the bike was likely worth so I just had him rebuild the caliper and I started riding it. I probably rode it a dozen times or so before I upgraded to a Trek Fuel 29’er. I still remember my first ride at Whiting as two old Asian ladies kept catching me as they were hiking up Mustard and I was stopped on the side of the trail trying to catch my breath and re-thinking my return to mountain bikes.

Post up what you started riding on.

 

[herzalot]

Not really my first, but let's call it my 2nd... Alpinestars AlMega DX

This was on the Hermosa Trail outside of Durango, CO in about 1992.

My first bike was a fully rigid bike called a Santa Fe. Black with white splatter paint. Shimano LX 400 drivetrain and Ritchey Z-Max tires.

I bought the Alpinestars CroMega DX just prior to the bike pictured here, but the area where the axle and rear derailleur mounted bent forward under the torque of the chain after about three rides. I guess that's why bikes had actual chainstays instead of these elevated chainstays (which were 15.75" in virtual length). No chainslap on this bad baby!

Alpinestars and the Bike Habit (Colorado Springs) decided to give me the upgraded aluminum version which would not bend under torque.

I rode this bike until about 1997 or 1998.

 

[herzalot]

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That Psycle Werks was a quality bike. It was a "faux-bar" suspension which was a popular adaptation of the licensed and patented Specialized Horst Link "four-bar" suspension. The key difference was the location of the rear pivot. If it was on the seatstay above the axle, it was technically a linkage-driven single pivot. If the pivot was below and forward of the rear axle on the chainstay, it was a true Horst Link that separated braking forces from chain forces (or something like that).

Kona, Jamis and even Yeti's flex stays on the 575 and AR-S and many other brands fit into the "faux-bar" linkage-driven single pivot category. Most of these were very good suspension systems in their own right.

The bike you have pictured there was absolutely not a 1992 iteration. It was probably 1997 or 1998. There were no disc brakes nor forks or shocks like that in 1992.

I think we've done a version of this thread before: https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/bikes-you-wished-you-never-sold.9237/page-2#post-214567

 

[Y-not]

No pictures, but it was a BMX frame that I made into a full suspension bike with a motorcycle fork and rear shock. All steel and about 50#.
I rode it on the horse path along the San Gabriel River from Slauson(sp) north to Beverly Blv. and back home.

 

[Cornholio]

I don’t have pictures of my early bikes (my mom definitely does in a box somewhere). Maybe I’m breaking away from the intent of this thread but my bikes kept changing early on, went from a standard single speed kid bike to street BMX to mtn and on.

1. 4th birthday (1985) Diamond Back single speed pedal bike (tiny tires)

2. Mongoose Decade freestyle BMX (had pegs, gyro headset etc) 1987?

3. Sterling Discovery 24” mtn bike (bought at Orange Schwinn) 1990
* This was the bike that really got me into the adventure of riding. Used to ride up in the Orange hills above Maybury Ranch and Oaks, often with my BB gun in my baseball bag over my shoulder.

4. ELF BMX (1993)

5. Cannondale M500 (1995)

And then I got my drivers license and girlfriends…

 

[Obsidian]

2015 Santa Cruz 5010 ... although Santa Cruz does their bike years like cars so I bought it in 2014.

Yeah, I got started late.

It was a good first bike for me, but I outgrew the travel quick and despite being a large, I always felt like it was too small for me. My large Intense on the other hand feels just right.

 

[Danmtchl]

Mine was a 1986 GT Timberline, I don’t have any pictures of the bike, but it was a nice bike back in the day. It was bought at Circle Cycle in Torrance and it eventually turned into a place called Price Point.

 

[da big hills]

it was a Wallmart and a true mtn bike. I would ride with golf shoes. ai was amazed how steep it would climb. Then when I bailed out I would stck to the trail like glue. It got stolen with my 4x4. My next was a cyclepro. I still dream of having toe spikes. It would be rad. Of course all bikes back then were rigid forks and hard tails.

 

[Redman]

First Mtb Cannondale Killer V circa 1993ish. Airing it out at a secrect location in Chino Hills State Park after upgrading the fork to a Girvin Vector w/ Azonic rise bars. That bike was so much fun to ride. Wound up cracking the frame and getting another one full warranty which I sold and promptly bought my second Mtb and Ellsworth Truth.

 

[Redman]

My second Mtb one of the original Ellsworth Truth's. Built up by hand by me. Azonic bars, Ringle stem, Chris King headset, Manitou Mach 5 fork, Ritchey rims w/ White Industries hubs, Ringle skewers (I think), Panaracer tires, White Industries cranks, Ritchey Logic pedals, Shimano V-brakes, Grip Shift X-ray w/ Shimano rear der and cassette, Ringle seat collar, Thompson post, Selle Italia saddle (I think), can't remember the rear shock I think it was Rockshox. I loved that bike, it was light, fast, and bombproof.

 

[Rumpled]

I have no pics, but my first MTB was a Specialized Stumpjumper. 1981? Serial number was something like #71. Fully rigid of course. Cost twice what my car did.
My best friend had a brother in law that started that S company. I should have stayed better friends with him.

 

[bvader]

1993 Specialized Rockhopper Comp Fully Rigid.

First competitive ride was actually the 1994 Mazda Orange County Triathlon.

 

[mtbMike]

I came across some old pictures so I figured I’d post here and start this thread. I came across pictures of my first two mountain bikes. The first was an aluminum hardtail. It was a Supergo house brand frame that I built up sometime in the mid-90’s. I think it was called an Access. 26’er of course with I think a 40mm front fork. Here’s the only pic that I have of that bike and you can’t see it too well except for the narrow bars and bar ends. I thought it was a good idea to ride it on the Rosarita to Ensenada bike ride. It wasn’t. lol.
View attachment 92439
My next bike was my first full suspension bike. It was a Psycle Werks Wild Hare. @herzalot may know the brand as they were manufactured in Laguna Beach. I believe it was a 1992 model. It was actually a great bike for that era. It had both an air shock and a Fox coil shock. The linkage was adjustable for travel and the fork had a travel adjust with a turn of a dial.

It hung in my garage for probably 15 years while I moved on to racing dirt bikes. I had stopped riding dirt bikes as much and one day as I sat on the couch at 235 pounds and out of shape, I decided to dust it off and start riding again. That was around 2014. The rear Hayes caliper was leaking so I took it to the Path to get it tuned up and the rear caliper repaired. The mechanic basically said that I’d have to spend more on repairs than the bike was likely worth so I just had him rebuild the caliper and I started riding it. I probably rode it a dozen times or so before I upgraded to a Trek Fuel 29’er. I still remember my first ride at Whiting as two old Asian ladies kept catching me as they were hiking up Mustard and I was stopped on the side of the trail trying to catch my breath and re-thinking my return to mountain bikes.
View attachment 92441
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Post up what you started riding on.

You were ahead of the times....NOBODY was wearing shorts over spandex back then. I don't have any photos but my 1st bike was a Redline bought at Sport Chalet in Huntington Beach in 88 or 89. I promptly went to Mammoth and tried to ride down the Kamikaze course. I made it half way and had to jump off my bike because I couldn't operate the brakes due to arm pump.

 

[fos'l]

No pics of my first bike a 1983 (AIR) Univega with a double crank, but the third, a 1985 Mt Fuji still resides in mi casa. In this iteration it was a mid-drive errand bike.

 

[DangerDirtyD]

I remember the day I learned to pedal on my Sister’s banana seat beach cruiser. Parents were in the house, and the neighborhood kids were out and about. The first bike remember to be mine looked like this, with pegs and usually a kid on the handlebars and another standing on the rear axle.

although I doubt it was an upper tier model.

My first MTB was a 5-speed 20” Huffy.

Imagine a black fork installed correctly, and that pretty much is it. I got it 3rd grade. A year later, Brandon noticed I wouldn’t lock it up at the racks at school, so he took it for a joyride one afternoon, and we got in a fight over that in front of school. It would be ridden everywhere, including into pools in the neighborhood. At some point, it became a real beater bike. I would spray WD-40 on the tires and light them up and go for a ride. That last bit lasted maybe 40 seconds.

After that, I got my first 26er: A 1993 Huffy Dr. Shock 18-speed hardtail.

 

[Lost Kiwi]

First "mountain bike" an 1987 Raleigh that broke whenever it attempted to do anything dirt related. Replaced with a Giant ATX something or rather that was vaguely better. First proper mountain bike was a '93 or '94 Kona Cinder Cone that I "upgraded". Girvin Vector front fork, running Magura HS33's, XT thumbies and a few other good bits. I replaced that with an Alpinestars D560 frame with full suntour XC pro groupset. Light as a feather and an absolute blast to ride, it was my XC race bike and was brutally quick. Became the only frame I've broken, cracked the headtube Alpinestars came to the party though and I replaced it with an RSA940 same as what earthquake Jake Watson ran. A beautiful bike, I'm pretty sure the frame was actually made by Controltech then. One of the few bikes I'd love to get my hands on again and rebuild. This time I won't bother with the Dia Compe speed check. What a pos that thing was!

 

[Runs with Scissors]

In the early 1970s this is what I used to dirt jump. The apehanger bars got a bit rusty and the right handlebar did the ol' pretzel twist on landing. Almost ate it, but didn't.

In 2013-ish I upgraded to a Trek Mamba. Did most of the Crusher in the Tushar on that bike. Also did the Tour de Palm Springs on it. Fun!

 

[CBone]

Got into the game late. 2006 Cannondale Prophet purchased in 2011. The Lefty was a pogo stick and it was too small for me.
Broke my collarbone bone on my first ride.

 

[Walleye]

1st mtn bike was a 1986 Specialized Rockhopper,seen here on a White Rim bikepacking trip in 1989. I rode the snot outa that bike, and only retired it after the frame broke in 2010 on Skyline in Big Bear. RIP!

 

[Danimal]

Not the first, but this Pivot Mach 5 was a fun bike, bought it used from a friend. Check out the triple chain rings, 26er wheels, and think that might be a TALAS fork too.
And those POS brakes...they gave out and both sides went to the bars on the Luge..then came back and went out again. Talk about a pucker moment! ( then straight to the Path for new brakes )

 

[Y-not]

Not the first, but this Pivot Mach 5 was a fun bike, bought it used from a friend. Check out the triple chain rings, 26er wheels, and think that might be a TALAS fork too.
And those POS brakes...they gave out and both sides went to the bars on the Luge..then came back and went out again. Talk about a pucker moment! ( then straight to the Path for new brakes )

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My kind of specs. on a bike......

 

[Sidewalk]

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That is nearly identical to my GF's first MTB in 2020. She has fortunately moved on

Bought a GT Outpost with likely my first paycheck after getting stationed in Alaska. I didn't really ride it much, I didn't know anything about MTB. I stopped cycling after I got my license. Mostly sat around until I got stationed on my second ship. I brought it with me onboard and rode in every port I could. Second photo is me with my ship behind me in Dutch Harbor.

It was stolen at the grocery store years later when I was broke. Long story.

I didn't actually get into cycling until 2012, with actual MTB following in 2015.

 

[Cyclotourist]

First MTB was a Murray Baja, probably 1980 or so??? Sort of like this one:

Then when I graduated college I bought myself the best bike I could afford, which was a fire-sale Bridgestone MB-2 form Beverly Hills Bikes. Loved that bike!

Here's the final for sale picture I took of it:

Replaced that with a my first 29er which I still have hanging on a hook:

 

[herzalot]

…stationed in Alaska… Second photo is me with my ship behind me in Dutch Harbor.
View attachment 92858

Speaking of Dutch Harbor, Here’s one of me and my boat…

 

[Sidewalk]

Speaking of Dutch Harbor, Here’s one of me and my boat…

That name sounds very familiar. I probably saw it up there. I think I pulled into Dutch maybe 5 times total over 8 years.

 

[Tom the Bomb]

My very first bike! Original Klunker! My Grandfather found it at the local dump then in Garden grove. He brought it home and refurbished it for my I think 5th birthday?
I have no idea where that bike went. I would give anything to have it back! Many crash and burn memories on that baby! Drool on!

 

[scan]

My very first bike! Original Klunker! My Grandfather found it at the local dump then in Garden grove. He brought it home and refurbished it for my I think 5th birthday?
I have no idea where that bike went. I would give anything to have it back! Many crash and burn memories on that baby! Drool on!

View attachment 92877

Wow Tom you still have that bomber look on your face, even that young lol

 

[AKAKTM]

 

[scan]

Just the frame of my first real mountain bike GT iDrive around 2003. Moved the parts over to an intense spider around 2007 or 8

 

[scan]

View attachment 92879

Always on the cutting edge, right Tony?