Comments on: The ‘Naughties’ in bikes

By: BigAde

BigAde — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:53:23 +0000

I started off about 5 years ago getting back on a bike by getting a Giant Yukon to cycle to the train station and back on. I then progressed to a bit of road cycling at the weekends on it until I discovered bridleways and then further off road. A Giant NRS1 turned up next which was kept for about 6 months until I sold it and bought a Stumpjumper. This was a very capable bike which saw me join Sussex MTB before buying an old-stock Giant VT frame and swapping most of the bits over, selling what was left of the spesh (mainly the frame and forks), buying an adjustable seatpost and Manitou Nixon forks and still being in profit!!
The VT has recently made way for the Blur LT, which is still my favorite of the lot and far more capable than me…… I still have the Yukon which started it all, still going to the station every day…..

By: Big Daddy

Big Daddy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:47:58 +0000

I started the decade with a Massi hardtail and a Sunn Duall downhill bike that I’d replaced my 1st wife with. It was my introduction to downhilling, mainly at Penshurst. I loved it and I rode it till it broke. That got replaced with a Spesh Enduro Mk2 in black, broke that jumping of Judges seat and got a warranty replacement white one. Sold that and got my 1st Ellsworth Joker (that I raced both xc and downhill on) and added my first road bike too (a Spesh allez Elite). I was then lucky with some inheritance cash and got my 1st Ellsworth Truth which was by far the sexiest bike I’d ever owned, and changed the Joker frame for the newer 7″ model.

That takes me to now, when I have a second Truth (for sale…) the Joker and a loverly new Spesh Tarmas roady.

Doing this has made me realise I’ve loved all the bikes I’ve had, and I’ve been lucky to have not had any duffers. But, my three current bikes are probably all my favourites, for different reasons…

By: Tommo

Tommo — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:45:23 +0000

GT Tequesta – 96-99
GT LTS – 99-2006
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR – 2006-2007
Dialled Bikes Morning Glory – 2007-2009
Ellsworth Truth – 2007-2009
Cove Handjob – 2009 – present

By: Hoopoid

Hoopoid — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:17:54 +0000

For the majority of the first half of the decade I was firmly planted on my Snott (Scott Racing Expert – 1998 vintage I think). It took a kicking and I got through front rims quicker than rear tyres!

In 2003 I took up the dirty, filthy Single Speed habit, getting hold of a Dawes Edge One for ‘alf a monkey. Pervert.

Also in 2003 I acquired a green BMX – which can now be seen underneath Trawler.

In 2004 the Banshee landed… with a resounding thump and leaving a fairly hefty dent in the ground. The Scott breathed a sigh of relief.

In 2005 I got a Dialled Bikes Prince Albert. Mainly to take out to Freeride Spain. Transplant all kit from the Banshee (Which was too heavy to consider riding up them Spanish hills) and off I went.

The kit was switched from PA to Banshee and back at regular intervals for the next year and a bit, until around the end of 2006 when I had enough bits and bobs to build up both – happy days.

These days the PA and SS get the lions share of the abuse, but the others do come out to play from time to time.

And that’s it bike-wise for me in the last 10. A modest collection of fairly cheap bikes that I have wrung every last pennies worth out of.

Pics of them all on my flickr pages if you need some visual assistance!

By: Bobster

Bobster — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 19:07:31 +0000

Faves – Cannondale F400 and 2009 Lynskey Hummer

Not so Fave – Hmm how about the 2008 Hummer with a tendency to snap?

By: Slim

Slim — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:53:22 +0000

Awesome collection dude.

Of mine I’m most grateful for the Scott Expert Racing that started it all, but typically it didn’t hang around for long! I regret selling the Nicolai the most – just wish I had one that could have run normal gears other than that heavy, draggy Rohloff! Although if that itself were lighter and less draggy it would have been perfection. The one that gave me the most enjoyment was the Chameleon, no question. Most interesting was the Kona A and the best looking probably the Surly 1×1, with the Yeti 575 being the most bling!

And then came the road bikes…!