1991 Bridgestone MB Zip

Would be a shame to let this one go cheap!

Is there now Bridgestone fascination in the UK!?

Hi Mr Zero,

I do not know how it is for UK, but were I life we never had those kind of Bridgestones. In NL we have had the stainless steel tourers for example, but no MB1, MB0 etc.

They are nice bikes sure, but as not widely known, not much following overhere.

Sounds like mostly only the Bridgestone Japan bikes made it to Europe. The Bridgestone US bikes had a huge following for the short time the operation was open. In case you don't know Grant Peterson, of Rivendell, was the head of Bridgestone US where he refined his bicycle philosophies that later were the foundation for Rivendell bicycle works ( http://www.rivbike.com/ ). The bikes were most clearly function over fashion, though the fashion was clearly "retrogrouch".

More info one Bridgestone US here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/.

Also worth mentioning that I've not seen much reference to Sheldon Brown's site on our forum ( http://sheldonbrown.com/ ) which is a monstrous wealth of bicycle knowledge both retro and modern.

Interesting what brands/styles catch on in different parts of the world due to availability. I think this is worth discussion in the general forum.

Personally I do know Bridgstone pretty well, as the brand lays in my field of interest. I know that especially the later models were more tailered to how Mr Peterson decided a bike should look like, than to the needs of the market. An approach I absolutely like, but in a world were making profits, ROI etc counts, it is not working. Together with the expensive Yen it must have been the reason why Bridgestone left the US mid nineties.

Their brochures are a joy for the eye and offer an interesting piece of information => http://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/1991/index.htm

I regularly vist the Sheldon Brown site. Indeed a great source for information.

"Interesting what brands/styles catch on in different parts of the world due to availability. "

Yes, for example the Konas in UK.

Overhere in NL, I can't really think of a particular bike with huge following. Marins were popular at some point back than, but probably no one is wanting them now. Maybe the elevated Koga RidgeRunner will make many somewhat older cyclists smile. Klein is a brand also well known under younger cyclists (from Trek). Many don't really know what it is or what it once stood for, but they know it is expensive. I haven't dicovered a serious amount of enthousiasts so far though.

Maybe this desinterest has something to do with that cycling is not really left wing or that is not really a life style thing in the Netherlands. It is mean to go from A to B. Probably Dutch are less critical when it comes on irrational factors ...and when a bicycle becomes old they simply move on.