What was your first mountain bike?

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    • #203350

      7815701_lg

      My first mountain bike was actually a Western Flyer, probably like the one pictured above, which I received as a Christmas gift in the late 80s/early 90s. Truthfully I asked my parents for a 10 speed bike, thinking they’d get me a road bike like my neighbor had. Instead, I got a mountain bike and never looked back!

      bridgeston_mb5

      I like to say my first real mountain bike (not department store quality) was a Bridgestone MB-5 which I purchased used from a local bike shop in 1992. It was a rigid steel bike but had QR clamps on both the axles and the seatpost (a big upgrade IMO then). [Not my bike in the photo, but my frame was the same color as this one.]

    • #203460

      Mine was a bike made by Murray (who also made lawn mowers and small engines). I don’t remember what the model was but it had cantilever brakes, chain rings the size of dinner plates, no suspension ( which was probably a good thing) and was heavier than my car. This was the first bike I ever rode on single track. My first real mountain bike was a GT Aggressor 2.0, a step up from the Murray but still not great.

    • #203493

      My first mountain bike was a 20o8 Trek Singletrack 590, which my parents bought for me for my tenth birthday. I still have it, though it is just a frame now ’cause i destroyed everything else on it. It had the old V-brakes and three cog setup on it(it seems ancient now!). I like to say my first real mountain bike was a 2014 Specialized Hardrock 29er hardtail, which I worked over the summer to buy at my LBS(which by the way, is the greatest bike store I know of. Paul’s Cycling and Fitness.) It has everything a modern low-end hardtail has and was a great upgrade. I have smashed and bashed that thing up until the time of last week, when I bought a Specialized Enduro. The Enduro is the greatest bike I have ever ridden. Awesome.

    • #203494

      It depends on your definition of mountain bike. Long before that term even existed, I was a kid riding bikes through the New England woods in the 1970s. But after the term “mountain bike” was being used by manufacturers, the first bike I had that was marketed that way was probably my 1992 Specialized Stumpjumper. Steel, fully rigid, purple. That was a great bike. 🙂

    • #203498

      Same here. As kids, we were dirt-bags bombing through the woods on whatever we could piece together. Later, when ‘mountain bikes’ were a thing, I got a GT Rebound. Hardtail, RockShox Jett up front with like 25mm of travel 😉  But whoever says you need a $5,000 carbon frame to really hit the trails is wrong. I used that thing to shred up in Dupont for days on end.

      Ignorance really was bliss….

    • #203499

      I still have my first mountain bike, it’s still in good enough shape to go to my son. Back in the day when Schwinn was American made, I bought a Moab 1, found a trail so step I couldn’t get the side pull brakes to haul it to a stop, so I put some Avid Arch v-brakes and a Marzocci shock on it.  Still ride it.

    • #203500

      Yeah, like those guys said, it depends on how you define “mountain bike”.  When I was a kid in the early 70s I would take my Schwinn Typhoon and hit all the cross country ski trails around the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.  The fenders, chain guard, etc., disintegrated from pounding over all the rocks and roots.  What fun!

    • #203501

      My first mountain bike if you want to call it that was a huffy. I broke that bike on the first single track I rode. My first real mountain bike was a Giant Yukon. It was black with purple fireworks in the paint. Brings back a lot of memories.

    • #203508

      1987 Specialized Rock Hopper. Put fat boys on it to ride the streets in DC and Farmer Johns for the trails through Rock Creek, Battery Kemble, and Glover Park that we would poach.  I was still mostly a skateboarding punk creep at the time, but the mountain biking took over in the ensuing years.

    • #203513

      I built my first “mountain” bike to trail ride in Michigan back in 1970 out of a old Schwinn steel frame my step grandfather gave me. Added flat straight bars, wide knobby tires. it looked about like this before I stripped it. 

    • #203516

      My first mountain bike was a 2000 Trek 4500. Last year I decided to bring it out on the trails once more and lets just say it didn’t survive. Now it is hanging on my wall.

    • #203585

      I noticed most of us started off on some sort of entry level or department store bikes. I’m no different. My first mountain bike was full-suspension Mongoose that I bought used. After trying riding it on real singletrack I’ve realized I need a real bike, not just to survive but to actually enjoy the trail. So I got 2011 Stumpjumper FSR 29er and still enjoying it every ride.

      While technically Mongoose was one that hooked me up on sport, I consider Stumpjumper as my first MTB.

       

    • #203586

      for those that can’t see it, I didn’t realize the site was going to forbid linking pics.  If you do a right click and open image in new tab you can see what I was trying to post.

    • #203588

      I started mountain biking in relative style on a used 2008 carbon Scott Ransom AM bike with 160mm of travel and a RS Lyric 2 step on front.  It was/is a totally fun playful bike.  The only problem was it was too small for me, so I learned the hard way the importance of frame size.  Too small of frame and too little skill as a newbie make for a bad mix, but most of the time even the spills were all laughs.  The bike is still going strong.  My middle son has it, and it serves as a great second bike especially to share with many gals.

    • #203604

      First MTB was Magna… got it for 75 bucks at a second hand shop. lol But I consider my Specialized Pitch my first real mountain bike…

    • #203609

      My first mountain bike was a Mongoose XR 1100. Bought on clearance at Walmart for $75. I didn’t know it wasn’t any good. So I rode it far, fast, and rough; long climbs (even though it weighed 39 lbs), fast descents (even though the fork had the damping of a pogo stick and the rear pivot stuck so bad that for a while I thought the shock was just for show, and the brakes tested by grip strength), and rough technical trails (I had no business riding Noble Canyon alone on that, but I did). I had a blast on it for about 3000 miles. I occasionally miss it. After getting myself and my sons real mountain bikes, I cleaned and tuned it and gave it to a thrift store. I wonder what adventures it provided to the next owner.

    • #203638

      A 2008 Specialized HRXC.

      I still have it, and ride it! It’s attached to my trainer.

    • #203640

      I guess my first mountain bike was a Murray as well. Rigid, of course, with cantilever brakes. It had brown paint with gold metal flakes in it. My dad removed all the stickers from the frame before I got it for Christmas. It replaced my 1970s Schwinn Stingray. I rode both of those bikes all over Charlotte on and off trails.

      The first really real mountain bike that I purchased for myself was a 2004 (or maybe ’05) Specialized Hardrock Pro. 3×9 Deore drivetrain, a Marzocchi coil fork, and Avid BB5 disc brakes. Black and blue paint job. I rode the absolute shit out of that bike. The frame wasn’t anything special, but it turned out to be a great platform for upgrades. Once I began working at a bike shop I swapped out parts. Eventually, it had a pretty blingy build with a Reba, carbon bars, upgraded drivetrain, and some custom wheels. I got it down below 24 lbs. and raced all over Georgia on it. I sold the frame on eBay several years ago, hopefully it’s still out there shredding somewhere.

    • #203673

      I am not sure what my first MTB was. I was very young (2nd or 3rd grade I believe) and My dad had found me a 20″ five speed kids MTB. I didnt have it long before it was stolen from the school bike rack.

      My next MTB was a good quality bike. I remember my dad had sourced it from the flea market (now days you could assume any bike at the flea market is stolen but back then the flea market had a more honest crowed, or at least that is how I remember it). I was told it was a Specialized stump jumper. My dad had stripped it down and painted it NEON GREEN… it damn near glowed in the dark…. I remember it had a “Height-Right”(spelling?) seat post spring on it, black foam grips, Shimano thumb levers, aluminum wheels with QRs, 18 speeds and flat pedals with cages.

      The one thing that stands out about that bike in my memory was the rear breaks. It had U-brakes (that’s what we called them at least) and they were mounted UNDER THE CHAINSTAYS.

      I also had a BMX with the same brake set up so it must have been a fad during that time. This must have been 1995 give or take a few years. And the bike I’m sure wasn’t new at the time.

      Funny how I hadn’t thought about the rides on that bike before now. Great memories of my dad taking 7+ kids on 10 mile bike rides. A feat I would never attempt! haha.

      *That bike also taught me a valuable lesson about tightening QRs correctly. I lost the front wheel, at the highest speed my little legs were capable of at the time, when I went to hop off of a curb. Woke up in the street with significantly less skin on the right side of my face and ear along with a big ol tire mark on the underside of the down tube.

    • #203734

      Now with all of the choices of mountain bikes, I love this question.  In fact, we were just having this discussion during a recent group ride.  To think of all of the options: 27.5, 29er, fat bike, full suspension trail bike, hardtail xc bike…and on and on.  What started most of us was a rigid steel bike!  My first bike was a 1994 Giant Iguana.  I paid $400 for it from a bike shop in Northern Virginia.  The bike was totally rigid with a steel frame…the thing was a tank!  I still have it today as I just can’t part with it.  I did some minor upgrades like brakes and levers, handlebars, and saddle, but kept it rigid.  Although I loved this bike and rode plenty of miles on it, I purchased my next bike in 1998, a Specialized StumpJumper Comp.  I rode this bike until recently when I finally upgraded to a full suspension Specialized Camber 29.

      Thanks for posing the question.  Ride on!

    • #203737

      My first mountain bike was actually a Schwinn Typhoon that I fitted the biggest knobbies that would mount on those old Schwinn rims, a BMX seat, stem, handle bars and grips. This was around ’82 so I guess it was actually a klunker with the coaster brake and no front brake. It was a blast. My first real mountain bike was a Trek Mountain Track 800. I still have it and its set up as a SS. I wish I still had that old Schwinn.

      • #229441

        I still have my Trek Mt Track 820 that i bought new in 1995 but by the color (forest green) i now think it was a 1994. I am keeping it for sentimental reasons of the journeys and places shared with it but do have a modern HT and FS.

      • #229525

        Bought a Specialized Rockhopper back in 2000 or so in UT, I believe it never touched dirt, finally sold it after a few years.

    • #203746

      My First mountain bike was Kent Truster . because I love Dual Suspension Mountain bike . I think This was awesome experience with this bike . Thank you for remembering me . 

    • #203747

      My first mountain bike was 1999 Schwinn 4banger. Black and red with the first gen Hayes hydro brakes for xc. I secretly envied my cousin with his Kona stab primo but I couldn’t afford/wait that long to buy one. I tried my hardest to make that Schwinn into a DH bike. I still have the frame mounted on my garage wall. I still use some of the original parts from the Schwinn, now on a 2003 KHS hardtail. Now I ride a 2016 YT Capra and I love it.

    • #203748

      Ross Mount Hood with biopace. Early 1980’s

       

    • #203749

      My first bike was a Voodoo Zeebop full suspension 1997. Rode it and bobbed everywhere. As my enthusiasm for MTB riding increased and the realisation of the non upgrade ability of the Zeebop I got a Scott Strike Pro. This allowed to go further easier and stop better when I fitted Hope disk brakes. Had a spectacular crash which wrapped the bars into to top tube. The ‘S’ was scratched off Strike lol. Next a 1st generation Scott Genius Limited which I still have all original spec with flappy dual gear brake levers (got on ok with them but do not miss them). 6 South Downs Way 106mile and a TransRockies race 2010.  I retired it then. Started running two bikes earlier one for good weather (genius) and a whyteE5 fitted with Rohloff 14speed internal gear hub for Bedfordshire bridleways and mud! Clay! Ride 10 yards collect 10lbs.  WhyteE5 frame cracked so under guarantee got a replacement WhyteE120 carbon frame. Bike still riding today. Now I  build my own bikes.  One built around Pivot5.7 Mach carbon and last year Salsa Bucksaw carbon. See here 2wks old first maiden ride https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJW-ynclNXc&sns=em

      Would have liked to put a Rohloff on the fatbike but my budget did not go that far. Plus my aim for the Bucksaw build was a weight under 30lb. The bike as seen in the video less the mud guards came in at 29.6lb, less than my WhyteE120!

      Also along the way I had a Brompton and an OnOne456 carbon built from bits I’ve been keeping for ‘spares’/just in case 😉 in garage. Both for riding to work.

    • #203755

      <p style=”text-align: left;”>~1984 Cycle pro Millenium!  Then Trek 7000, then Bridgestone MB-1, then Trek 970, then Litespeed Tanasi, then Rocky Mountain Vertex, then Lynskey Pro 29…  Who knew that Cycle pro would be the gateway to so much fun?  Thanks to Jim Twigg and what was Bob’s bike shop in Palm Bay, now Revolutions in Melbourne Fl for getting me addicted to the MTB thing.</p>

    • #203759

      Since I’m only 22, I don’t have a great first mountain bike story. But my first “bike” was a Target Schwinn Ranger. My girlfriend (now soon to be wife) wanted me to learn how to ride when I was 18 because she couldn’t believe I didn’t know how to ride. I got right up on that bike and rode it without any lessons. I rode it for a couple years and eventually found my obsession with dirt growing. When I finally felt comfortable enough with the prospect of spending some serious money on a bike I sprung for a Last Years Special. I got a 2014 Trek Stache 7 for a steal and it has been an absolute treat to hone my skills on.

       

      Trek Stache

    • #203819

      My first was a rigid, steel Giant Iguana… and I still have a photo!

    • #204236

      A 1986 Norco Bigfoot that I bought new at the age of 16 w. my hard-earned money mowing the lawn, painting fences, deliver papers. I found another one about a yr ago in my neighborhood, an exact copy of mine, same size, all original  from the grips down to the tires, but for the saddle. I found an original replacement recently, in a burgundy Vetta, from another Bigfoot of the same year and also bought a set of Panaracer Timbuk II tires to match my ride of the time. Had always regretted to have sold it at the time and real glad to have found another one of the same size and all original. This one’s my daily commuter. Don’t know why, maybe it’s me but I can’t add a pic. Sorry.

       

    • #204475

      haha don’t hate but, I’m still on a department store bike with the plan to upgrade at my LBS some time this year… it is a Roadmaster of all things but, I have a blast on it. lol

    • #204549

      1991 miyata elevation 200.  I still have it, my son uses it occasionally and I use it when pulling baby trailer.  Its like a pickup truck, heavy and tough!

    • #204827

      my first mountain bike was a trek 920 i think . it was a fun bike i was in nyc at the time i rode that thing all through central park. friend was suppose to ship it to me and he never did man was i pissed.

    • #207493

      ’99 VooDoo HooDoo from Supergo Bikes was my first, a 2005 Giant Trance2 was my second and there’s my new arrival, a 2016 KHS650 7200.

      I still have all 3…

    • #207499

      2000 Rocky Mountain Oxygen Race.  I still have, and ride, it to this day:

      Riding the ol’ 26er: An Ode to the Mountain Bike that Started it All

       

       

    • #207532

      A 1985 Ross Mt. Hood. I still have it. In fact, I never rode it much and became a bit of a roadie. Last fall I decided to tag along with a friend on some trails and found out how much fun I was missing. Pretty soon it became obvious that my underdeveloped skills were in fact only part of the problem, so a month ago I upgraded to a Specialize Fuse Comp6 Fattie. I’ll never sell the Ross though. It was the first bike I ever bought new. My wife calls it “Rosebud”.

    • #207674

      mine was a purple Hooger booger blaster
      Sold it to my brother in law who still has it

    • #209275

      Like many of you my first mountain biking was not  on a mountain bike. I spent months trying to get my dad’s Schwinn Varsity( road bike 30+ lbs) up the path through the woods behind my parents house without touching down once. This was probably about the same time that the sport was being “invented” on Mt. Tam in the Seventies.  First mountain bike was an REI Novara Aspen(still steel 30+lbs). Second was a  1991 Bridgestone MB-1 hardtail which I’m still riding.

    • #209277

      Schwinn Highplains fully rigid bicycle.  Loved every minute of it and I still have it today.

    • #209287

      had an old specialized rockhopper, one of the original ones, was a hammy-down from my big bro. Went to conondale from there, then now back to specialized! cant get away from it! Stumpy all the way!

    • #209292

      My first MTB was some Repco Gemini or something.

       

      My first real MTB was a GT Rebound made from cro-mo and a set of Rockshox. That thing was mint, I went everywhere with that thing.

       

    • #209294

      My first real mountain bike was a POS peugeot “black rock mountain”.  total garbage.

      But what I will never forget, is the time (probably 11 years earlier) when my Dad brought home a black MX handlebar, and without a word, took the chrome apehanger off my 20″ kent  boys bike and bolted on the first hop up upgrade in a long line of upgrades that exist to this day. I am not sure what compelled him to buy  parts un-needed for my bicycle (unheard of in my Father’s day) but he kindled an interest in mechanics and upgrading any vehicle I have owned since.

    • #209502

      VPJ

      1995 Ultimax Goshawk 300.  Bought because it was cheap and my car was broken.  Kept it until just a few years ago.

    • #209503

      1991 Specialized HardRock-no sus ;  Moved to CO from MI in 1993 and realized “mountain biking” was a less figurative and more 3D.  Still have that bike and added street tires, fenders and a rear rack that handily works with a kid seat. It’s kind of urban commuter looking.    I also have an 03 Kona  h.t. with 2.4 hardpack tires.

    • #225705

      Huffy Stone Mountain 18 speed (1992)

      How I managed anything on that tank of a bicycle I don’t know. I used to ride stuff on that thing that I would second guess myself on now. Maybe its just because I’m 25 years older and don’t bounce like I used to…..now its more of a thud…..lol

    • #225828

      First real mountain bike ridden was my dad’s sekai in the early 80’s. Heavy but so much better than my bmx for hammering what few trails were in small town Montana.

      First bike I bought myself was a Bridgestone mb-4. Rad two tone fade paint. Didn’t last long. Forks folded on a steep transition and led to cartwheel to bent top tube. The shame lasted longer than the trail rash

    • #225857

      My first real mountain bike was an ’87 Rock Hopper in powder blue with pink decals, BB mounted U-brake and Farmer John tires. Poached many trails in DC at the time and I have ridden ever since.

    • #225950

      My first mountain bike was a ’01 specialized hardrock. Bought it from a friend.

    • #225989

      1992 Raleigh Chill. My wife still rides it on the rails to trails in town.

    • #226064

      My first off road bike was a Huffy mono-shock, back in the mid seventies. The bike was built like a tank, and weighed like one too. I replaced the oversized seat with a ten speed style seat and changed the high rise bars and stripped off the stupid looking fenders. That bike took me to paths in the woods and power line trails that stretched on forever–what a world of fun! For some reason, perhaps after discovering girls and drinking beer, the fun of riding bikes in the woods disappeared.  Though some thirty years later, I rediscovered all that off road fun on a GT Karakoram hardtail twenty-miner–the start of a mountain biking obsession.

    • #226125

      The first bike I took off road and on a “mini bike” trail as we called them in the 70s was a yellow K mart 10 speed. Then I got a BMX bike. Remember this was before mountain biking existed. My first real mountain bike was an orange 1980s Scott Canyon Mountain Bike.

    • #226128

      1997 GT Backwoods (steel is.real)  Center pull brakes, 3 x 7 accera/stx drivetrain, and of course a ridged fork.  Good times…….

      • #228770

        I had a GT Backwoods. I think 1998. It was black with gold decals. I turned my Backwoods into a urban bike in 2005 by putting on 2 inch slicks and a Bomber suspension fork. I had it and rode it until 2013 when i bought a GT Zaskar. Then i gave it a funeral 😉

    • #226529

      1981 Nishiki Cascade,
      Moose bars and thumb friction shifting for 10 speeds!

    • #228682

      My first bike is the one I am still currently riding. It is a Specialized Hardrock 26. I bought it from my friend and riding partner who bought it used. It is a nice bike but is about due for some new grips, pedals, and seat.

    • #228867

      I had a Peugot City Express in 1986 in Germany . I know its not really a mt bike. However, at the time the Army PX did not have my small size in a men’s Peugot more knobby tire real rigid mt bike.  Nevertheless it eas .y intro to riding dirt trails. I rode it all over the Fuerth and Munich, Germany dirt trails in the Stadt Parks and had a great time.

    • #228875

      Cut my teeth on a GT Palomar for a few years.  Was more of a hybrid than a mountain bike. My body took a beating on that bike, i.e. fully rigid steel frame.  Broke the rear axle twice clearing obstacles before finally buying a Kona Hei Hei DL.   It was like going from an old 70’s Chevy Nova to a new mid sized luxury sedan… a world of difference in quality of ride.  But that Palomar probably made me a better rider since it forced me to compensate in ways that better bike geometry, suspension, etc does automatically with today’s MTBs.  Amazing what you can do when you don’t know any better.

    • #228897

      I bought a 1992 Raleigh Chill after getting my first job out of college. I moved from Connecticut to West Virginia shortly after that and rode the steep rocky climbs and descents of the Appalachians. Completely rigid! I took some years off as we continued to move around and finally bought a 29er in 2012. My wife still rides it on the rails to trails with the kids on the Michelin Wild Grip’R  tires I bought in 1996!Raleigh Chill

    • #228928

      Wow… my first “mountain”bike? Gonna show my age. I remember replacing my ram horn handle bars on my 10 speed with a flat bar (literally a pipe from the hardware store) in middle school so I could handle the bike while riding on dirt before there were trails, much less single tracks. Rides usually lasted only as long as those skinny tires held up back then, sometimes just a hour or so.  Yup, that was before the likes of Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Tom Ritchey, Charlie Kelly, John Frey showed up in the late 70’s.   Good times… 🙂

    • #228947

      1996 Gary Fischer Tassajara.  Was still riding it up until last October, when I was rear-ended while carrying the bike on my rack, and the chainstays were bent.

    • #228960

      1994 Iron Horse AT250…still have it…still ride it sometimes…awfully uncomfortable compared to my 2017 Trek Fuel Ex 8.

    • #229138

      2002 Jamis Dakar Sport full suspension. Borrowed it from my boss a bunch of years back and he didn’t ask for it back. Maybe road it 1/2 dozen times over the years. Mainly collected dust for years. Finally truly got into mountain biking this year and upgraded to a 2016 Giant Trance 2 Ltd.

    • #231636

      My first mountain bike was BEIOU Carbon Fiber 650B Mountain Bike. I really love this bike.

      • #233062

        1992 Specialized pink and purple Hard Rock. It was the only mountain bike for sale at my local dealer so had to go with it. At the time I didn’t know it was a POS and thought it was the greatest thing ever, it opened a whole new world to me! Heavy, rigid and fun as hell to ride. Put saddle bags on it and rode around the big island of Hawaii…ah memories

         

        Image result for 1992 specialized rockhopper purple

    • #231679

      Cannondale AL1 lefty. Tried to kill me but made me a good rider pretty quick! Was either get good or die trying.

    • #231724

      Schwinn Typhoon with replacement fork. I beat the hell out of it untill it couldn’t take anymore. This ws in 1979 – pre suspension. I saw an article in Bicycling about some carzy guys in Marin county Ca bombing down Mt Tamilpias. Sounded so fun , I thought I’d try it too.

    • #232166

      <h1 class=”entry-title”>Best Hybrid Bikes Under 500 Dollars in 2018</h1>

    • #232167

      thanks

    • #232284

      A 1987 Jamis Explorer that my Dad passed down to me in about 1994 when I was 13. I still have it. It’s survived my middle school, high school, and college years (including two years in the dormitory bike room, which was a glorified maintenance storage room, getting crushed by other bikes). I’m in the process of fixing it up to become a neighborhood cruiser / campground bike. It has a steel frame, 26-inch tires, a gel saddle, cantilever brakes, one aluminum rim, one steel rim, rear rack, bar ends, a kick stand, and a bell.

      It probably doesn’t make sense to be fixing it up, but it has some sentimental value to me.

    • #233003

      I don’t think I would even count my first mountain bike as a REAL mountain bike (Huffy whocareswhatmodelitwas). I consider my first bike as the one I currently ride, a 2013 Trek 4700 hardtail. I take that bike everywhere, from xc to all mountain trails and it hasn’t broken yet. Although I love this bike, in the near future I plan to take the big plunge and hopefully get a carbon s bronson or 5010.

    • #233220

      A diamond back ascent with no suspension! (what do people even call MTBs with no suspension nowadays?), it was bullet proof with a super comfy gel seat I recall! I reckon approx 25 years ago – way before digital cameras hence I don’t have a photo to share 🙁 !!

    • #233259

      First MTB was a 2005 Norco Bush Pilot with 100mm Suntour Fork and “V” Brakes.  Then I got a Rocky Mountain Flare with mechanical disc’s.  Both were hard tails both were very entry level.  I finally outgrew the limitation of my Flare and my skills are developing further than what I had hoped so I bit the bullet and bought a Trek Fuel EX 8 this week!!!  Common spring!!!

    • #233333

      1994 Specialized Hardrock.  I was in the military and stationed in Scotland at the time, purchased it in Aberdeen.  Logged many good miles in the scenic glens and hills.  When I came up on orders I sold it to a newly-arrived service member, I kinda hope it stayed over there and brought people some enjoyment.  Miss that bike.

    • #233445

      1992 Mongoose Rockadile. Upgraded in 1994 with a Rock shox quad 5 rubber bumper fork.

    • #233450

      First bike I bought was a 1996 Velosport Banff in green.  21 speed, grip shift, bar ends, etc.  First ride I headed out with my siblings to the snowmobile/ATV trails that run through the bush a few miles from home.  Was bombing down a hill and ran over a fallen branch.  It flipped up and went right through spokes on my rear wheel.  Stopped the bike dead, I went over the bars.  Broke three spokes on the rear wheel, had to walk home.

      I put untold miles on that bike, took it everywhere with me.  Took it to Toronto with me last August.  10 minutes into my ride along the waterfront the grip shift housing for the front gears exploded.  I popped the spring off, set it on the middle ring, and rode with 7 gears.  Decided that it was time to stop putting money into the old bike and upgrade.

      In September I bought a 2017 Rocky Mountain Fusion 910 in blue.  Haven’t had to fix it yet, but it has taken a chunk out of me.

    • #233508

      When I was about 13 my dad bought some farmland that had a barn.  The barn had the remains of about 20 bikes, all different sizes, colors, brands, etc but they were all old single speeds.   My friend and I started creating bikes out of all the parts and riding them on the dirt roads and trails on our hill.  Not a big deal when you broke something – just go back to the barn and replace the part or start over if you totaled it.

      My first official mountain bike was a 2006 Trek 6500 SLR I bought on craigslist from a guy who had only used it on the street.  I rode that until I destroyed the stock front fork and decided to get put my $ into a 29er instead of an expensive replacement for for the Trek.  I gave the bike to my son, who uses it around town

    • #234731

      A Scimitar Slalom. A british made bike with 531C butted tubes and Biopace chainrings. Only 3 ever made as far as I know (1985).

    • #234732

      Probably a Mongoose for Walmart. But lets go with my first worthy MTB Specialized Fuse. Very pleased with hardtail fat tire set up. love that you can lockout the fork while cruising down the road to the next trail. what an invention the kick seat adjustment on the fly makes.

      • #234738

        Mine was a 1992 Raleigh Heat, bought at the local bike shop. It was completely rigid when I bought it, I later put a Rockshox Quadra on it.  I also upgraded the bike to clipless pedals back in the day and that was a total game changer. Both in the way I rode and how I wrecked. LOL..

        I sold the bike about 15 years ago, I know the owner still. I have tried to buy it back but he won’t sell it… I just want it for sentimental reasons.

        My dream bike that I would go by and look at every other week was a Raleigh John Tomac. That thing was baaad!

      • #234776

        My first was a Raleigh that I found abandoned in a ditch alongside the road. I tweaked on that thing all the time before I eventually gave it away. Easy come easy go. I found an old Schwin a few years back and after tweaking on it for a while I gave it away too. The last one I fixed up and gave away just last summer was an old 26″ steel frame, no suspension Huffy. I actually liked that one and it fit me good for thrashing on the trails. It weighed more than 50# and never gave me a lick of trouble. The guy who got that one was a wildland fire fighter that I worked with and he was tickled beyond belief that he was getting a bike for nothing. I only have room for one bike or I’d end up with a poor boy’s bike shop.

    • #234768

      My first was a Miele mtb but I never really could ride that thing off road. I got my hands on an M800 C’dale in 87 ish and that was the first off road bike purpose built for the job.  It sucked at speed but climbed like a goat over the rocks and crap I had for trails back then. Prior to that I was a kid screaming around the Back river woods in Montreal on a succession of Peugeot road bikes since 72.

    • #235275

      First “mountain-ish bike” was a Schwinn Stingray. I converted it over to full BMX from Sears catalog ordered parts! It was a BMX bike, not really MTB.

      My next bike was a Raleigh C30 hybrid, rigid with twist grip shifter. I changed out the tires to full knobby for better off-road trail capability. Also replaced the cushie spring seat with a much better seat, and also swapped out the crazy long stem. Rode that mostly on fire access roads and multi-use trails in New England. I also rode some crazy trails with it that I should of not been able to with that bike. Great learning experience.Raleigh C30

      My first real dedicated  MTB bike was a Airborne Zeppelin Elite. I upgraded the tires, rear shock, front shock, seat, seatpost, seat clamp, handlebars, grips, and stem. I still have it, and still use it sometimes.

      Airborne Zeppelin Elite

    • #236039

      1992 GT Police bike with rear rack and huge, weak lights compared to LEDs.  Great bike, but they have definitely come a long way in suspension and brakes.  It also had 26” steel rims, and the cheapest deraileur you could find……thinking about it, they have made leaps and bounds in MTB design.

    • #237046

      First MTB was a Huffy I did my first race on it at 14 and managed a mid-pack finish in spite of its boat anchor-like qualities.

      First non-dept. store bike was a ‘93 Jamis Durango. I think I upgraded every component on that bike: went from Alivio to LX drivetrain (aka, the level below XT for the younger readers), upgraded wheels from Weinman to STX/RC hubs with Sun rims, and rigid 1” treaded headset RIGID fork (yeah kids, that was a thing!) to a threadless 1” first-gen Judy XC fork. Raced that bike all over PA till ‘97 ( including Jr-Ex at the first NORBA National at Seven Springs outside Pittsburgh.

    • #237145

      1989 Bridgestone MB-5, followed shortly by a fully rigid 1991 Spectialized Stumpjumer.  I still have the Stumpjumper but it is relegated to gravel and pavement.

    • #237279

      1986 Peugeot City Express I bought in Germany. In the States it was called US Express.

    • #237464

      My mom’s old 1980s Gary Fisher Excalibur. Rode it down Rough Go (Annadel, CA) and broke the suspension, so now it’s a fully rigid bike, and I still enjoy riding it from time to time. I now have a 2008 specialized epic full suspension

    • #240029

      1987 Diamondback I bought used in 1993 for $85. Six months later I had dumped the Diamondback and gone thru a Mongoose Rockadile hardtail before getting a FS AMP Research B2. Three bikes in six months…progress!

    • #244948

      My first true mountain bike was a specialized hardrock that I found in a dumpster. Was the best bike I had owned growing up in a trailer park.

    • #244956

      Aww. The Trek 4300 with Rockshox Jett fork. Was so excited about it took it up to Whistler in 2000. Wore thru the v-brake pads and had a blast – no jumps, just fun through the trails off the lift. Should’ve seen the natives’ look at me. The love of riding outweighs the snobbery and elitism and common sense. The 4300 met a sad end with the chain side chain stay separating from the bottom bracket while climbing. Ugh, we had just started our ride too.

      Since then . . .
      Trek 8500 – actually didn’t break frame but Goodwilled it before that happened
      3 GT -Idrives – they were a lot of fun
      3 Foes Flys – they were fun but a little pricey
      Soma Juice 29’r – sweet hardtail but frame cracked too
      2md Soma Juice – she’s gonna last a few more (ahh but when will the bad news come?)

      Cheers and see you on the trails.

    • #245526

      Someone else mentioned one of these, but my first Mountain Bike was a 1993 Giant Yukon – black & purple.  Rode many hills, streams and trains with it and it served well riding the entire C&O canal (~200 miles) several times.

      I still have it but it’s hanging in my pole barn and mostly used as a loaner rail trail bike.

    • #245554

      My first MTB was a gift from my then-wife after being stationed in Korea for a year. A Specialized Hardrock Pro. I love this bike. I still own it but it no longer prowls the singletrack but has been out-fitted with bags and is used as an in-town commuter.

    • #245577

      My first MTB was/is a 2018 KHS Alite 1000 hardtail. Great gateway bike into this hobby.

    • #246392

      Lol this is so great. I bought a 2012 Giant Boulder – steel frame hardtail. I very affectionately called it “The Tank” and replaced it with a KHS XC-Team.

    • #246947

      I accidentally had a gravel bike in 1989.  I had a 10 year old Schwinn Varsity10 speed. Green metal Flake. I put flat bars on it, left the shifters on the head set. Even back then I remember it was hard to find knobby tires (27 x 1 1/4″) I cant believe someone would steal that Frankenstein off my 2nd story balcony, but they did.

      First real store-bought bike was in 1998. I used my bonus to buy a pair of Diamond Back Outlooks. One each for me & wife. Super Cool flat black paint scheme. They were quite nice looking,but the twist shifters were always out of whack & the brakes sucked. Rigid front fork & super steep head angle. No wonder she hated that thing.

      I cant believe she still rides with me every Sunday. (Specialized Hard Rock w/dropper post & 2.8 WTB Rangers)

    • #249622

      It was a 2004 or 05 Giant AC. Bought when I was stationed at Fort Richardson. Up until that point I was big into riding street and dirt jumps with 20″ wheels.

    • #252624

      My first mountain bike was a 2000 Trek 4500. Now it is hanging on my wall.

    • #252634

      Motobecane Outcast 29er….converted it to a 2×9.  Best hardtail and I learned alot about choosing the right line.  Rode the hell out of it for four years and did a lot of upgrades.  Eventually sold it to a family friend after buying a dually.  Miss that bike….I would have been happy to keep it, but my collection of two-wheeled sleds was getting a bit large.

    • #259751

      In 1988 I purchased a Peugeot Orient Express from a guy leaving Mare Island. When my boat was done with her refit, we left for Pearl Harbor, so I sold it off to someone else that wasn’t leaving.

    • #264877

      My first mountain bike was a Specialized Hard Rock. I think it was 1985 (or so)
      I had two friends who bought Rock Hoppers, but they were going for around $500 and I remember thinking there’s no way I’m paying $500 for a bike. Haha
      The Hard Rock was in the $350 range and seemed like a stretch.

    • #268208

      Trek 830 somewhere in the 94-96 year range.  Fully rigid of course.  I dragged that thing through so much mud.

      My friends dad used to round a bunch of kids up every weekend and take us riding in a beat up pick up.  We all had helmets but probably not seat belts.  25 years later and I’m still obsessed.  I’ll forever be thankful for those rides.

    • #268216

      Still have it….here it is! 1993 Gary Fisher AQUILA in mint. Road on trails throughout Westchester County NY and the Bronx. Vetta “Flight” titanium seat, “Control” post, and original “FatTraxx” tires.. 

    • #270033

      This was my first mtn. bike before this many years before this i rode BMX . I picked this up off a private seller in Grand Junction CO. Loved this bike ! 

    • #270051

      1992 Raleigh Chill. My wife now rides it on the rails to trails.

    • #270139

      I still have my first mountain bike, it’s still in good shape to go to my son. At the time when Schwinn was made in America, I bought Schwinn Traxion Mountain Bike, found a trail, so I couldn’t step on the side brakes to stop it, so I turned on the vid Arch brakes and Marzocci shock on it. Continue to ride.

      I still have this bike at home. I love to ride this bike in my free time.

    • #270160

      I was surprised when my Dad gifted me a mountain bicycle on my birthday.  I was much excited for Huffy Fortress Bike which was easy to ride and control. It was easier to handle hills and tough terrain. Less work. More fun. Still, have in my Home.

    • #270864

      What I thought my first bike was:

      What my bike actually was:


      20″ wheels, 1×6 drivetrain, gripshift! (I was 7)
      Mine was way more purple though, and I had the post higher and the bars lower but you get it.  I rocked a green ninja turtle helmet.

    • #270940

      Schwinn High Sierra… I had eccentric chain rings and a Hite-Rite dropper.

    • #288727

      While trying to buy my first bike the main problem I have is sizing. I am 5’9”. Reading online, taking my measurements, and using a calculator puts me squarely in the medium frame category.

      I’ve been on the Salsa Timberjack, Specialized Fuse and REI DRT 2.1. The LBS said the L TJ looked to fit pretty well but according to their site I’m definitely not tall enough. I test rode the medium DRT up a pretty big hill and hopped on and off curbs for about 15-20 min. I thought it felt like I could really throw it around and put it where I wanted it but the handle bars did seem a little close when I was just riding it down the street. Two guys at REI today both said the medium looked too small and put me on a large. It felt right while sitting there in a normal riding position but I ran out of time and didn’t get a chance to take it out. Hopefully they’ll still have both sizes when I go back next week.

      From what I’ve read online everyone says if you’re in between make sure to go smaller. Right now I’m not so sure. If a large will be good on the trails I have a few more options on bikes but the mediums are mostly gone for on sale 2018 bikes. I just don’t want to end up with a bike I don’t feel comfortable with on the trails.

    • #288744

      I’m still using it, a really old v break iron horse, 8 speed (I think?)Acera.

    • #289466

      An old rigid frame Specialized that was 2 sizes too big, and my friends found in a dumpster. I used it to ride around the trails in Durango, Phil’s world in Cortez, and the trails in Bishop CA. I took many a crotch shot on that bike, but it was always fun, and I learned how to use my body to be efficient.

    • #289842

      Kona Lava Dome and I ‘steel’ own it!!

       

    • #289849

      1) Haro Extreme with elevated stays and a first gen. Rock Shox RS-1 XT build

      2) Titan 1/2 Trac with elevated stays and a first gen. Mountain Cycles Suspender with Pro Stop disc brake XT build

      3)Trek 8700/8900 carbon/alum. frame built up with mostly XT and another set of Mountain Cycle Suspenders

      I count all of these as my “first” mountainbikes as far as riding. I was given all of them within a month – my first month offroad riding and racing. (I had established myself as a competitive and results oriented bi/triathlete and a Cat 2 racer with decent self marketing skills)

      All 3 bike excelled at something and all were a blast – decent rides back then. Used to thrash them on a huge trail network outside Stillwater that was groomed by outdoor MX multi champ Guy Cooper.

      Gave the Haro and the Titan to friends that wanted to try mtb ( he still has and regularly rides the Titan… with my name still painted on the top tube!)

      The Trek was stolen from a bike rack it was locked to from the OSU campus while I was in class never to be seen again even though carbon mtbr with big inverted forks and disc brakes were pretty rare in Oklahoma at the time.

      Immediately after the Trek was stolen I packed up a UHaul and took a job working in a world famous boutique mtb shop on the Cali coast and rode and raced some of the most exotic bikes and equipment around…Merlin, Yeti, Fat Chance, Fischer, Mantis, Litespeed, Slingshot, Salsa, Mountain Goat, Klien, American,etc…a different bike every day for years!

      It was years later that I actually BOUGHT my first mtb – a custom 1 of 30 “tribute” titanium Fat Chance Yo’ Eddy! fabbed for us on special order by Litespeed with Chris Chance’s blessing as he said he had no intention of ever offering a ti frame! Full 1st gen. XTR 8spd and full Grafton/Ringle in the requisite 3DV. Heavily massaged pre Answer Manitou by Elite/DGI incl. Ti legs, carbon steerer and custom 3DV anodized lowers. Everything on bike was carbon, alum, or ti. Tension Disc Pro rear wheel. I wish I had never let that one go – one of my best buds from in the day bought it from me in a moment of confusion many years ago and to this day it is his everyday main ride with the only change being the retirement of the tension disc rear.

      Guess I was spoiled! Lol!

    • #291095

      My First mountain bike was Kent Truster . He was cool!

    • #291306

      1st bike was a Scott Canyon-all white with black decals, all metal suspension 3×5 gearing, and big knobby “fat tires” that gripped dirt like no other 10 speed road bike would.  Somehow bent the frame’s top bar and had to replace it with a neon orange frame.  That bike was replaced with the beauty pictured-a 1995 Research Dynamics Coyote with about 60mm of front fork suspension, 26 in knobby tires, 3×7 Shimano XT gearing, and a rock solid steel frame.  Still works and reminds me of old times-it rode a couple Colorado trails once this summer!!!

    • #291768

      My First mountain bike was Kent Truster.

    • #292564

      I can’t even remember the brand. It was a dept. store Taiwanese rigid MTB with 80’s highlighter green and pink with black splatter paint. I still have the frame bag on a road bike somewhere. I road it for years on old train trails and dirt bike paths through the woods growing up in NY. It was a terrible bike but I didn’t know better. I soon replaced it with a French Motobecane road bike that I rode the hell out of on the street and the newly paved rail trails.

      When I moved out west, I got a Peugeot US Express that I took to the trails a few times before quickly finding a low end Gary Fisher hardtail bike.

    • #293638

      VooDoo Canzo 29er

    • #293675

      Bought a 2000 Specialized Rockhopper, it never touched dirt, maybe put 5 miles on pavement. Took me years to sell it.

    • #293676

      I still have my first, real MTB. It is a Gary Fisher Piranha from 2009. I have replaced most components but, the frame and the wheels. I still love the bike. It is quick and solid. Probably will have it until I hang up my Five Tens.

    • #303270

      Nishiki… sometime in the late 80’s.

    • #303585

      Fuji Discovery 3, that thing was bulletproof.

    • #306247

      My first mountain bike was a Walmart-brand Roadmaster that I got in college when my brother’s roommate moved out and left it behind. He was cleaning out and gave it to me. I didn’t realize how cheap it really was, but the name Roadmaster should have been a dead giveaway. I fixed it up and made it rideable – learned some bike maintenance along the way, which was good – and rode it on one or two local trails I could find. Then I went on a trip to Moab with some friends to ride Slickrock Trail. The thing would fall apart. Friends riding behind me would pick up pieces of plastic that had broken off of it. One of the guys in the group had just gotten himself a Gary Fisher and told me I’d be doing better on the climbs if I had a better bike. I didn’t believe him and just thought I was too out of shape. After that ride, I gave it away to a friend who could ride it to work. I then kept wanting to get a better bike, but was turned off by the price. About 13 or so years later I finally got a real bike in a Specialized Stumpjumper and I’m back out riding trails. And the friend with the Gary Fisher back in the day was right, a real bike is a HUGE improvement over that Roadmaster. That being said, for anyone riding a Walmart MTB, keep on keepin’ on – you can still ride it most places, you may just need to give it some extra love to keep it running right.

    • #306507

      1985 Jamis Dakota. 4130 frame, big ol’ chrome bullmoose bars, Dia-Compe cantilever brakes with gigantic levers 3×5 drivetrain (not indexed). I think it weighed 35 lbs.

       

    • #339903

      When i was 10 years old i got my first bike. I Really love cycling. Its my hobby. I was forget my first bike model. But right now i like hybrid bike for riding more fun.

      • #340003

        I started as a kid on a 90’s Bianchi BMX race bike.  Friends and I would spend hours in the forest hitting jumps and bombing hills with no brakes.  Road a bunch of cheap box store bikes in high school that never lasted.  Then a family friend loaned me his Norco Bigfoot for a summer and got me hooked on wanting a ‘real’ bike.  I ended up buying a used 2001 Devinci Desperado in college as my first real bike and road that thing until it wasn’t worth repairing anymore.

    • #348143

      I think it was 1990 and I got a yellow and black 18 speed Huffy mountain bike.  It was awesome for a teenager.  I kept that caliper brake, 40 lbs, made with “hi-tensile steel” pile of junk until I went to college and started seeing guys on real bikes.  I tried to add bar ends to look cool, but I still couldn’t climb anything serious, couldn’t keep up on the meager trails we had, and eventually cracked the frame in two places at what should have been a weld where the chainstay attached, but looked more like a braze when we cleaned it up to try and fix it.  RIP

    • #422882

      My First mountain bike was Mongoose Impasse  because I love Dual Suspension Mountain bike . I think This was awesome experience with this bike . Thank you for remembering me .

    • #505475

      Hi,
      My first mountain bike was Gravity FSX 2.0 Dual Full Suspension Mountain Bike. I received the bike as a gift from my elder brother on my 15th birthday. It was a great off-road bike. The bike was strong and durable. It comes with easy to use shifters, adjustable suspension, and quick-release wheels.

    • #589707

      <p style=”text-align: right;”></p>
      My 1998 GT aggressor just recently updated it. Useing it until I get my GT sensor project finished.

    • #589903

      I have had multiple bikes in the past but i have never had a real mtb. I used a hybrid as a mtb but i dont count that. I have since gotten a real mtb- a GIANT Talon 1 29in hardtail. I am in love with it and have spent 2000$ on a 800$ bike.

    • #589905

      My first real mtb was and is the 2020 Talon 1. I just got into mtb but im addicted to it so ive spent like 2000$ upgrading a 800$ bike. Since the picture i have installed a dropper and a marzzochi z2 fork

    • #590397

      My first mtb was a 98’ Mongoose DX. It was fine for light flat trail riding but once I progressed to riding more challenging trails the bike literally fell apart. It was heavy and clunky. My first ‘real’ mtb is the 04’ Gary Fisher Tassajara hardtail with rim brakes and 3x drivetrain. I’m still riding it in 2021 with a few upgrades. Once in a while I would get bewildered looks from riders with this old beast. Having an outdated 26” old school bike just keeps me motivated.

    • #590424

      My first ‘real’ mountain bike is a 04’ Gary Fisher Tassajara with rim breaks. Still riding it in 2021 and I’m happy with it. An oldie but a goodie.

    • #591265

      My first mountain bike was Trek but I am going to buy an upgraded version of a mountain bike. I have researched some of them. I am quite clear about what kind of mountain bike should I buy. Now, I am actually confused about the mountain bike helmet which should I buy. Kindly Recommend.

    • #592174
    • #594146

      Finally, I have found a good open face bike helmet for myself.

    • #594199

      My first mtb was a velosport. Yellow/green paint on a medium weight steel frame. It was from 87 I remember. Great on the downs just a little hard on the ups some days.

    • #595427

      2003 Trek. I don’t know what model, but it was about $400 back then. I mostly rode it on the streets, but did a couple of off-road rides through the woods with my son. I recently started riding again.

    • #610313

      Many Schwinn paper boy specials that were sourced from garage sales. Later would be a ’79 Cook Bros. Now I find myself desiring a klunker again!

      Was amazing what was the adventure of a lifetime on the 26″ Stingray style bikes. A 3 speed was enough gears, 2.125’s of the era were fatter than some of today’s “2.4’s”! The Cook Bro’s was a delight in the day and I certainly miss that bike more than any other.

      Meanwhile, the RSD Middlechild is doing a delightful job in the role of one speed automatic with an attitude!

    • #620966

      1988 Schwinn Impact. It was about $550 and the best gift imaginable from my parents. It was quite durable and thrashed around the fire trails and occasional single track in the Black Hills. Single track in the 80’s and early 90’s was primarily poorly maintained rock gardens for hikers. In 1994 I replaced it with a Marin Nail Trail which now serves as my gravel grinder.

    • #621745

      When I was a child, I had SPECIALIZED RockHopper ’92 orange, the most beautiful bike

    • #627696

      After seeing cool videos about mountain riding,I built my first MTB bike pure for fun,i am road bike rider,don’t where to start using this bike.

    • #627806

      1995 Trek 930. Mostly used as a commuter and only rode trails a handful of times. It was stolen in 2005 out of an apartment storage unit. Didn’t buy another bike until 2020 (Marin Rift Zone)

    • #629452

      Mine was a 1990 Trek 5000 or 6000 I forget which. One was aluminum and the other had carbon tubes.

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