Before answering your questions, I also found this one. One of my first projects. Please don't laugh... The only Cadex with Grafton Re-entry's I think.
The Foes was indeed deadweight (Even though it had some nice light TNT bolts on it). But it was a nice 4" full suspension bike for the time.
To bad I haven't got a picture of a other bike I was allowed to ridea few times at that time; a Crosstrac Sonoma. Apart from the leaking air suspension it was one of the first cool trail bikes with 4" front and rear suspension. Great bike. Way ahead before it's time together with a San Andreas.
The Mantis' size is 18" I also found the old brochure I got with it. Payed only 913 GBP for it in 1995! The name is apropriate for the bike; it just floats.
Ha! No 3D racing bikes here Melvin. I haven't got a pic of my 1994 3D Rover XC any more and the other ones I still have and aren't exactly old school so I hesitated to post them here. PS. Mel; Nice Dean stem on the M16 eh!
The cranks on the Funk are indeed Magic Motorcycle ones. One of the best and most beautifull cranks I have even seen. Anybody still got them lying around??
Personally I haven't got a real favourite. I liked them all. The Yeti ARC and the two 3D rover XC's (not pictured here)and both Intenses were great bikes. And the M16 climed like hell with it short chainstays.
The Tomac was a super xc bike. A friend of mine still has it (and both Ventana's) and races on it now and then. (Mel; he had the green Ventana for sale some time ago but eventually didn't want to sell it. That was the one you saw).
The Pro Floater is actually the only bike I would consider to buy back even though I haven't got any more room for more bikes now.
A other friend of mine still has it (with a load of good old school parts on it) as a pice of art in his showroom. I persuaded him to sell it back to me. Within a few weeks I know if he is willing to sell it. Luckily the guy doesn't know about Retrobike because otherwise I would have to pay more then 5 times then what I would have to pay now
But than again, all these great bikes (and most of the time the parts) also had their drawbacks like a lot of old school high end frames and parts from that time.
Paul derailleurs (all four of them) were the worst investment ever, considering I changed a pair of good shifting XTR's for them. No matter how beautifull these thing are. They shift badly compared to Shimano.
Early White Industry rearhubs developed play only after a few rides. Actually, the new ones also..
Some of the rearpivots of the Ventana fully had play right out of the box.
The Ventana road bike had a rear end that wasn't straight. You had to respoke your rear wheel to keep it centered.
Both Grafton and Hershey Cranks had haircracks on them after a few seasons of use.
The Fat Chance Yo Eddy (not pictured here) had a bad case of rust. Comes with living on a island, I guess.
First generation manitou's were imho not suspension fork but just bumpers. Rock ShoX SL Ti's only had their beautifull translucent gold paint on them until you fastened your front quickrelease. After that it started chipping as hell from the drop outs up.
Rock shox Judy's leaked (a lot) and when you took them apart some cartridges just blew apart in your hands. Thank you White Bros for your hardbody cartridges.
The Fox Vanilla shock on the last Intense was drooling (not dripping) oil after a month. Also it's headtube wasn't reamed straight so the headsets wouldn't fit properly.
The TNT Rearhubs had breaking flanges.
The American M16 had such nice short chainsays (16", hence the name) that you could only use a 1.9" or narrower rear tire otherwise it wouldn't fit or would grap the front derailleur when you shifted to the granny.
Oh yes, and last but not least. Why had my first Giant frame stickers that were nicely clear coated and almost all my other much more expensive frame came with lousy stickers which got scruffy after one season?
Oh yeah, one small story about the green Ventana Marble Peak. After I purchased the frame in jan 1994 I had to get my headset pressed in. Not having a headsetpres I thought; If I go to the bike shop tomorrow morning before work and have my headset pressed I can build up my bike this weekend. Not having a car, I went next morning (with my work suit and tie) on on my townbike with the frame in one hand and steering with the other. In the old days januari still brought some cold weather. But I was so happy with my new frame that I didn't mention the ice on the road. Just as I went around the first corner from our house my front wheel slipped and in one surreal movement I threw my shiny new Ventana frame in the air as I was trying to keep balance on the bike. From the corner of my eye I saw the frame circling through the air and landing on the pavement. After that everything went in a blur because my head hit the pavement hard. Result; head scrachted, suit ruined but worst of all; frame scrachted even before I has even ridden one mile on it!! Afterwards, every time I took the bike for a ride the scratches were the first thing I saw..
Anyway, considering all the drawbacks and after all the swearing, cursing, wrenching, etc I still love ridin' US made mountainbikes
