Westfailure's 1990 Marin Team Titanium.

This 1990 Marin Team Titanium was built by Mike Cookson Cycles in Manchester.

Cookson's ran a Marin race team throughout the 90s and this was one of two bikes built for an MBUK article on how light can they go? All the components were the lightest, or close to it, available at the time.

The bike was loaned to MBUK for the article but never actually ridden. Soon after, it was bought by a Manchester business man and stored in his workshop. When I found it, it was still in its red felt dealer's cover.

In all these years the bike has not been ridden. As you see it here, it is as it was built in 1990. I have all the original receipts showing their 1990 prices.

There are down sides to owning this: I dare not ride it and I'm am paranoid of it getting hit. I know, I know, I know......get out and ride it. But I just can't bring myself to ride it.

http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/Daspo ... 20Titanium

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Woah ... this is something I'd love to see.

But your photobucket links say the pages can't be found.

Hey, if you can't bring yourself to ride it, I'm sure there are many here who will be only too happy to give it a good thrashing for you.

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Thanks for that. I have now changed the link so it should show all the pics

Cheers

Mark

Ooooh ... that's lovely!

I have a couple of decent NOS bikes from 1991, but nothing as precious as titanium.

You said it was built for an article about how light a bike can be - at the risk of sounding like a weight weenie, what does it weigh in at?

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Yep, that's a belter.

Glad you've put more pics up - it's a real beaut! Saw this mentioned in your other thread, and these stories of NOS never-ridden bikes keep amazing me. (I have one myself that's a very expensive ornament, dare not be ridden!)

I'm sure it'd ride fabulously given the quality of components for the era, but you can never restore its original unridden look if you do ride it, so I get it if you won't!

A great find, a great story and a great bike

Great find! Very lovely bike, I would't ride it

I've got to respectfully disagree.

This has to be ridden. Bikes were not meant to be investments or collectables or museum pieces. They were designed and - in the case of this one lovingly - built for one purpose. And that is move.

Don't thrash it, but it deserves to reach its potential. I say ride!

^What he said.
Now for god's sake will somebody please buy, build and ride my Alpinestars!

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That is great, always fancied one of those!