BoTM Jan 2011 Pre' 90 Special - The Poll

I agree with Dr S - if it's pre-90 it needs to be really, really 80s

In a normal month I'd go Cunningham, but it's so ahead of its time that it doesn't really represent the 80s somehow.

You are not going to vote for a bike designed and built by one of the pioneers of the sport 'Mountain Biking', that shows a startling forward thinking level of innovation and helped introduce ideas that are still being used today and were adopted by many of the other designers and manufacturers of other bikes in this 'contest' on the grounds that its 'too ahead of its time so it doesnt represent the 80s'?

No, I'm not. And I hope you're not implying that I'm not doing so from a position of ignorance

It's not a vote for most innovative bike, or best-riding bike, or bike with the cobbiest welds, or even shiniest bike or most outlandish paintjob. It's a vote for whatever the voter wants it to be for. I'll be voting for a fine example of a typical 80s bike. Not decided which one, though

Two people, I mean three people voted for my comedy 80's entry....


Respect.

MikeD":36ijzw0d said:

I agree with Dr S - if it's pre-90 it needs to be really, really 80s

In a normal month I'd go Cunningham, but it's so ahead of its time that it doesn't really represent the 80s somehow.

Click to expand...

I think there is more to it than that. Even in 1988 it was still so advanced, but that for me is the rub. If Bushpig had presented that bike but said it was from 1981 or 1982 then it would be beyond a doubt a clear winner for me. It is afterall the ultimate grail bike for me personally and i would do anything to own it. The innovation and craftsmanship is astounding and to me it is the highest form of bicycle art. But because it is a late example, in my heart I feel that it loses some of the mystique- its like a late Jag E-Type V12. Probably a much better car than the spindly early series one E-Type, but somehow does not have the same charm.
In a regular BoTM it would walk it, probably even take BoTY, but for me, being a special month, it needs to be a bike that would not stand a chance in a straight fight, something that your regular RetroBike member (who understandably prefers the 90's bikes that they grew up with) would not normally go for.

I have narrowed my choice down to a few bikes that fit that criteria, but i'm really struggling to pick 'the one'.

i just thought lgf's green monster was the most interesting bike
amongst loads of other interesting bikes
so i voted for it

Undecided for a while 'tween the Ku, the Bonty and the Cunningham! Finally landed the vote on Bushpig's aluminium wonder.

MikeD":28pc36h9 said:

No, I'm not. And I hope you're not implying that I'm not doing so from a position of ignorance

It's not a vote for most innovative bike, or best-riding bike, or bike with the cobbiest welds, or even shiniest bike or most outlandish paintjob. It's a vote for whatever the voter wants it to be for. I'll be voting for a fine example of a typical 80s bike. Not decided which one, though

Click to expand...

I take no umbrage with anyones reasons for voting for anything, I do however find it odd that you chose to share your reason for not voting for something on the grounds that in essence it was sufficiently 'ahead of its time' to perpetrate actually being from the future and therefore not be suitable for a pre-90s competition. It was just a bit Hollywood thats all.

Good E type analogy though.

Just thinking aloud, really. Was trying to clarify my thoughts, I find it helps to type them out

It's not that it's "not suitable" or that it should be disqualified for futuristicness. But for me, it doesn't typify what the 80s was all about in the way that, say, the Mt Tam does. Clearly it is of the 80s, but because it's so atypical it doesn't say EIGHTIES to me, and that's (my interpretation of) the theme of the month.

I'm not making myself any clearer, am I?

Perfectly opaque.

For what its worth (very little) I have seen Bushpig's CunnyHam in the flesh and it really is amazing, just inconceivably well-designed.