Saying good-bye to old old bikes

[ski_adk]

Ever since 1996, this bike has been with me all over the place. When I was in college, I'd ride that bike all over the place...down the stairs on campus, to primitive logging roads and countryside tractor trails to sandy single track. It got me through an ACL rehab and hundreds of miles of paved paths. It was even stolen once by a homeless guy who wrapped it 3 roles of transparent packing tape. Then I got out West, 7 years ago where we rode Bobsled regularly, Klondike Bluffs, Wasatch Crest, Mid Mountain and even Slickrock twice.

But then after I got my new full-suspension bike, things just went downhill from there. Sure, it became a great commuter bike, however, even commuter bikes get replaced from time to time. Then, it just got too sad to see an old warrior sitting in the corner, neglected and gathering dust.

So, I said goodbye to my trusty old steed last night and donated it to the bike collective.

Good-bye 1996 Mongoose Maneuver. You were a rascally, scary, trusty and loyal ride. Sure hope to see you out on the streets some time, with someone who appreciates you at the handlebars.

[Burt4x4]

1996 turned into a 2006 ?

My first MTB is just hanging on the shed wall...dead!

1988 timeframe..but I can't recall what year or even what make/model it was...1994 I got married and started a family so it's been hanging around eversence...front hub is frozen but the rest "still works" LOL

[ski_adk]

1996 turned into a 2006 ?

Doh! FTFY. Anyways, I love the idea of a wall bike. It'd be a great decoration in the living room!

[Burt4x4]

LOL my wife won't let me bring it in the house! LOL

[Awshucks]

Anyone else who contributes to this thread think about converting your old mtb to SS before getting rid of it. Best thing I ever did!

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[teleguy03]

I *almost* made my 1993 stumpjumper M2 into wall art at one point. Was right after I got my first full sus. Plan was to saw it in half (I worked at a place with a shop) and mount it on canvas. instead, i turned it into a SS. kept mtn bike tires on it for a while and rode it now and then. Then put some schwalbe fat franks on and a kid seat. thinking about monkey bars next. its a while since its seen any dirt. i rode it in a short track race series in 2005 or so - was actually great for that. its partially disassembled right now but only a quick trip to the bike shop to make it rideable again (swapped the stem and need a shim). be very tough to part with.

[DudeNudem]

Acquire a small wooden boat, insert bike and set it on fire while adrift in a body of water.

A warrior's end for a warrior.

[crewjones]

I said goodbye to old bikes while counting the cash that the new owners gave me. Haha..
But seriously there is always a small part of me that wishes I still had those old bikes. I had some great bikes when I was younger, not necessarily mtn bikes all kinds of two wheelers

[cyclelicious]

Other than my road bike, I don't have any "old" bikes. I like new stuff. When I am ready to upgrade, I keep the good parts and sell (or donate) the rest.
My husband does the same, although he seems to "upgrade" more frequently.
We have created pieces of artwork from old parts.

[brianW.]

My '91 Trek 830 Antelope I still have. Rode it hard during my college days as a campus commuter during the week and trails after class and on the weekends. After some slow riding years when we first had kids I started riding it hard again. In '07 broke the original shifter and got a new bike. Three years ago converted it into a single speed.

The last two years I got a Civilian Luddite and a Salsa El Mar. The Antelope is now resting again in the shed. Refuse to get rid of it. Some day I may mount it on the wall. Then again I may resurrect it again as a commuter.

[Centurion_]

Neat thread. Our older bikes bring back memories.

I sold my last road bike (a really nice litespeed) a couple of weeks ago after it sat unused for the past 5 years. Hurt to to see it go, but it paid for some upgrades to my new fs ride. My old crit bike frame with headset, stem and fork remains mounted on the wall in my converted spare bedroom/home gym.

[WA-CO]

Oh..nice. My first mountain bike was a rigid KHS I bought out in the Valley. I think the shop was located in Thousand Oaks. It was highly rated in Bicycling Magazine. Those guys and Velo News were the only to rag mags back then. It was 550 bucks, but the shop gave me 50 bucks off since I drove from the other side of the moon to get it.



Years later, it ended up in the back of the great bicycle stack, I fendered it, and make it my commuter bike for several years. I then gave it to a friend, and he commuted on it for probably twice as long as I did.

I saw him years ago, and he said someone had stolen it. I was kinda bummed cause in a weird sort of way, I thought it might come home again.

Ride on old KHS.

[BigVaz]

just sold my old bike last night... Was a little sad to see her go. Ahhh well, new parts.

[gravitylover]

I wouldn't mind having my first mtb still in the collection but I think the memories (and lifestyle) it helped to create are probably better than the physical item. It took me places and showed me things I'd never have seen otherwise. It was part of a larger whole that transformed a suburban kid into a more well rounded man. When I ruined it in a car accident it still traveled the rest of the way across the country with me and when I finally decided to trash it there was very little emotion shown because I had made peace with what it had done for me.

There is one bike I'd kind of like to have back though. That bike taught me things about how to ride, how to handle myself on the trail that no other bike has. There was a purity to it that I thought was gone until I got my Fatboy.

Now I have a (another?) bike that will take me places and show me new things again. It will make me a better rider, it will be a mechanically simple machine that will allow me to go into the woods with a higher level of confidence. Soon enough though it will be an old bike that I will say goodbye to and there will be another bike to continue the adventure on.

[tductape]

Then there are the goofs who collect your old bikes. Don't ask how many, but here are three of the older ones. In the house.

Technology rolls- 79/80, 81/82, 83/84:

[tductape]

1996 turned into a 2006 ?

My first MTB is just hanging on the shed wall...dead!

1988 timeframe..but I can't recall what year or even what make/model it was...1994 I got married and started a family so it's been hanging around eversence...front hub is frozen but the rest "still works" LOL

Cool bike, with that roller cam in the back I would guess more like 86/87 with a major overhaul around 93/94.