The MTB Introduce Yourself Here Thread IV

Kia ora, my name is Mark and I am a (MTB) junkie from way back. I now live in Wellington, New Zealand (for the last 9 years) but originally hail from a village in Somerset.

Luckily my parents didn't live on the 'Somerset levels' and had some fairly decent hills near by for me to acquire my love of mountain biking. In 1988/89 I started on a Raleigh Lizard (don't hate me) and then progressed to my Raleigh Dyna Tech Sentinel which I still (kind of) own. 'Kind of' because I sold it to my brother when I left, who has never used it and I have offered him some pennies to buy it back....

When I move to NZ (a working holiday in 199 I bought a 1997 Proflex Attack, which I bought back to NZ and sold to buy another ticket back to NZ to see my girlfriend (it was all worth it - she became my wife!!).

When we moved back to NZ in 2002, I has massively overweight (108kgs) and needed 'something' to get me active. I bought a KHS Montana off a mate and rode it once in 2 years! in 2006 I lost 30kgs and treated myself to a new Kona Blast. Sold it one year later and am now riding a 2006 Kona Kula Primo which I love.

Last week, I bought a 1996 Kona Fire Mountain to have at the in laws (Hamilton, NZ) so when we go up for holidays etc, I have a bike to ride (and do up!!). I have't seen the bike yet, but it looks close to mint and it will hopefully be a project I can have to play with.

Dream bikes... never owned a Stumpy (would love a vintage one from circa 1992-95), always wanted a Cannondale Full Sus (brother in law owns 3 bike shops and stocks Cannondales... so I am working on it, but it won't be retro!) and I have a massive love of Dyna Tech's still.

Anyway... great site, hopefully you guys can help me out with advice and opinion in posts to come.

Chur Mark

Hi guys

My name is Mark, I am the owner or a '92 Kona Lava Dome with Rock Shox which I have owned from new.

It's the only bike I've had during this time, but with a change of tyre we've done just about everything together, road, trail, downhill, xc and touring with our daughter in a trailer.

Currently spending some time and money rebuilding with a new paintjob and components to bring it up to date a little. A much better option than a new bike, for me anyway.

Came across this site whilst trying to get some answers about components about a bike older than most of the people you find in your local bike shop.

Regards, Mark

Hello all, I have been visiting this site for a couple of years now but recently joined.

I live in the North East and the NY Moors has been my stomping ground for the last 25 years. Back then I couldn't afford a Saracen Tufftrax like my mate so found an old Ridgeback in the back room at Colin Armstrong's bike shop in Middlesbrough. It was equipped with non-indexed suntour gears and bullmoose bars. Sadly later sold without permission by my Dad at a car boot sale. :evil: If anyone has one for sale, let me know.

I currently have an 11 year old Cannondale hardtail with Headshok, an almost new 'Dale RZ120 2, and a Delta V which I rescued from the tip and am currently turning into a white version of a Bad Boy.

Recently I nearly sold the 1987 Muddy Fox Courier which has been in the rafters of my garage for a few years, but Epic1400's excellent thread inspired me to do a full resto on it. I've bought a few bits and pieces and the frame and forks go for refinishing next week, but I still need to source a few things including wheels, chainset and decals. I will photograph the pile of bits before the frame goes away and start a thread to document the elementry mistakes I will no doubt make.

I really appreciate the help given by this site so far and I'm sure there will be more to come. Cheers.

.

Just realised that when I first started using this site I registered and gained help ID'ing the Courier, so not as much of a newbie as my addled brain thought I was.

Hi all, just moved out of my IT Support position in Aberdeen down to Edinburgh a couple weeks ago, just happened to be browsing this site today and realised I had never registered here.
Have always enjoyed looking at the readers bikes section or the bike restoration threads on this forum, figured I'd better sign up.

Hoping to get some work done on the bike this Summer, it's been without (proper) maintenance for a long time and was only really used for going back and forth to work in the last 2 years.
Bike is an old Giant Box One, not the greatest commuter.

Rear shock is in need of replacement and I would imagine pretty much every part is "past it" also.
Will be sure to get a thread up if/when work starts on it. Need to find a job first!

Emlyn_Dewar":4nuivfbi said:

Hi all, just moved out of my IT Support position in Aberdeen down to Edinburgh a couple weeks ago, just happened to be browsing this site today and realised I had never registered here.
Have always enjoyed looking at the readers bikes section or the bike restoration threads on this forum, figured I'd better sign up.

Hoping to get some work done on the bike this Summer, it's been without (proper) maintenance for a long time and was only really used for going back and forth to work in the last 2 years.
Bike is an old Giant Box One, not the greatest commuter.

Rear shock is in need of replacement and I would imagine pretty much every part is "past it" also.
Will be sure to get a thread up if/when work starts on it. Need to find a job first!

Click to expand...

hey hey

welcome to rb , if your gona stick around , get yourself in here > http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=29 and get some pic's of the giant up

Will do, unfortunately the bike is banished to the shed since this move, I'd get some pics up just now otherwise.

Will stick around, need to get out on the bike at some point soon. It's been an age since it's seen anything like off road. Unacceptable.

Would be good to see you some time, we are a friendly old bunch and the macretro rides are pretty laid back affairs, check out the rides section and see you soon. Have you been perfecting the "salt and sauce" and "you'll have had yer tea" to help you blend in with the locals?

Can't say I've been perfecting those 2 lines, looks like I've got some work to do.
Here I was thinking I could cruise up with my accent-less ways and just not have anyone notice.

Only kidding the edinburgh punters are no that bad really quite a strong contingent of east coasters so i might just get my coat before they go all rebus on me!