What was Your teen bike dream? Is the reality as good?

I always dreamed about the Fats, Salsas, Paces, Bontragers, Litespeeds, Merlins, etc - but because I never ever thought I'd own one, I didn't give them as much attention as those that were just out of my grasp... of which the 1993 Kona (groan!) Kilauea was the top of the heap - it was something I could realistically aspire to! Never owned one, never even seen one in the metal, probably never will...

If anyone could scan the MBUK test it was reviewed in I'd be very grateful!

Having said that, now I own a Yo, it fully lives up to all the reviews I read of it...

Oh and still love a Xizang... but will I ever get one?
Still have a Zaskar eh.. frame, hanging on the wall.

Yeti ARC-AS -

I built up a Gary Fisher over a couple years with all turquoise Ringle, Cook's etc..., with it in mind that I'd get an ARC-AS frame at some point. The Fisher was stolen, and I abandoned the idea - then law school hit like a ton of bricks and I abandoned pretty much everything worth a damn for 3 years. About a month out of school, and 5 years since my bike was ripped off, I wandered into a shop in the neighborhood and - BAM - the owner had his old ARC-AS for sale.

Over the last 2 + years I've been trolling e-bay for the parts, and my lucks been decent, but not great, that is, until I sent the frame to Spectrum for a fresh powder coat last month and turquoise started blooming all over the place. After a couple weeks, I picked up a couple things that had eluded me and had everything lined up, except the E cranks, which I felt like getting a hold of in turquoise, never mind in great condition, was just too much wishful thinking. Then 2 weeks ago - BAM - and I win (or the seller does, as far as my wife is concerned).

Frame will be back and dressed by the end of the month. I was juiced even before the Cook's came into the picture, believe me. But now, with all the pieces in place, the only thing I can compare it to is that old, potent, 100 proof, X-mas Eve feeling that was more or less diluted a split second after the first time a girl made me feel a little bit funny on the inside.

So yeah, the reality is pretty sweet.

Show me, show me, show me.

Also wanted an RC100, just like retrobikeguys BOTY, but then who in the UK didnt..

Also wanted a red RC200.... but never got one, that desire has faded now anyway.

I saw an Ibis in whistler (prob 12+ years ago) with a dark brown and 'cappucino' cream paintjob, i dont know what model it was, or what components it was built with.... but whatever it was i still want it.

I would prob want a clockwork if i didnt own one, was never exactly a dream bike but always liked them ethos. NB I dont think clockworks should ever have xtr fitted. think it misses the point

Only dissapointment for me was a riding Klein, nowadays I admire the paint work but have no desire to own or ride one.

I still want a early 90s RM Attitude. and a Monster Fat in that murky sandy colour they used, and pretty much any rigid Ibis i could get my grimey mitts on...

EDIT: There are loads more, but we'd be here all day

Always been a GT lover, I lusted after a Psyclone in Team Scream paint, and a Xizang.

Maybe one day I will own both and hoping to own them in 10 years or so.

I´ve already had bought a Zaskar, Avalanche, STS DH and it will be some more bikes before I stop.

Lusted after an Amp B4, had to get a job in a bike shop to afford it though, still took twelve months to build :?

I always wanted a Fuquay aswell, ever since riding with a guy who had one.
It just looked RIGHT and had the nicest single-colour paintjob i've ever seen.
SWEET!

first bike i ever wanted was the first atb i saw, a 15speed, bull-bar peugeot, going for £180!

imagine my disgust when my dad got me a cheap-ass racer, (which i crashed into a car, outside the shop) then bought my brother a raleigh memphis!!

after my first proper mtb (ridgeback 602lx) & a muddyfox alu pro, i got my dream bike, (muddyfox got "stolen" ) a zinn z-centuar, decked out with a full campag groupo & an upgrade to 1st gen. pace RC35s. (bought with reduncy money from 1st bikeshop job)

i felt bloody lucky to have such nice bike, but then my ridding buddies were both on rocky mountains! theres got nicked, & i cracked mine after nailing it in a xc race.

alas, i have photos of the zinn, which soon i will post! (just for you, stu ) gota say, if i still had that bike, id swap it for a GT LTS DH anyday!

oh yeah, the zinn WAS great
but due to the 150mm control tech stem, it rode like a pig in a snow storm!