Bike of The Month November 2025 "Amnesty Special" - now taking entries

[Uncle Grumpy]

Given I always seem to vote for the bike that ends up coming in second or third, this month is going to be even harder for me to make a selection.

How do I pick a maid of honour out of 20 bridesmaids that were my top picks in the first place?! This is gonna be tough.

 

[boy"O"boy]

Hi all.

The last 'amnesty special' saw my Pace RC100 finish a respectable 3rd!
Let's give the Ridgeback 704XT another outing.


It came 3rd in October 2018 BOTM and was entered again in Feb 2021 Steel Steeds special.
Still in the boy"O"boy collection, it's not as special as the prototypes but still a firm favorite from back in the day.

boy"O"boy's 1990 Ridgeback 704XT

Apart from the Unicorn 'Ridgeback Merlin Titanium' from the 1990 Freewheel Catalogue - this was top of the tree.
Full Tange Prestige with switchblade forks. Shimano XT group set with Mavic MA40 rims.
The colour was definitely the best in that years lineup. A capable understated race bike.

Here's the build thread -

Thread 'boy"O"boy's 1990 Ridgeback 704XT'

Jan 9, 2018

Hi All.

Way back when, my mate picked up one of these up from a Freewheel sell out day in Croydon.
Those that have been on here a while will know that I've always lusted after one of these.... but when they have come up, which is very rarely! - I've either been -
i) Selling not buying
ii) Time available but no cash
iii) Cash available but no time
iv) Moving house so no space.... ( I've moved 4 times in the last 6 years!)

So..... Last year, Just as we were packed up ready for house move number 4, and our youngest was 6 weeks old, Dossa PM's me out of the blue and asked if I'd be...

• boy"O"boy
• Replies: 37
• Forum: Reader's MTBs --> 1997

Cheers
boy"O"boy

 

[donk]

There has to be a brodie that qualifies, other than mine.....

 

[mtbkez]

Does this mean the Dyna-tech would be eligible?

 

[Swede]

Count me in! I came close (but no cigar) last time I entered this.

It's had a couple of tweaks since then but here's goes....

@Swede 's 1987 Cannondale SM800.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/87-cannondale-or-should-i-say-haringdale.249948/

 

[sinnerman]

Perhaps this one might qualify too...?

I think the last outing for me was around 2020.

Always the underdog, but It caught my imagination BITD from reading the review in MBA and learning all that went into it.



Apologies' again for the overload of images on the thread, I did try include as much detail of the companies venture and press releases of the time, and to finish with a considered and honest appraisal of the bike and its build, my choices, how it rides and how it compared to its contemporaries of the time, (and a brief comparison of others in my stable, for an unbiased opinion as much as possible 30 years later).



Sinnermans - Mammoth RC201

Thread 'MAMMOTH RC201 E-STAY.'

Nov 30, 2019

The first time I clapped eyes on this company, was nothing more than a snapshot picture in MBUK, the actual image shown below.
The second time was in MBA, this time a far more in depth review, on the bike, the company and the folk behind it.
Having always like the underdog, it was easy to see, why this piqued my interest. (the reviews make for very interesting reading.)

They said the aluminium was un-weldable, the folk behind the brand, didn't make mountain bikes before this venture, there were lots of features I loved, the seat tube, the cable run, the bottom bracket, the rear cable...

• sinnerman
• Replies: 32
• Forum: Reader's MTBs --> 1997

 

[pwebb]

...reviving an entry from March 2025:

PWebb's 1992 Diamond Back Axis original build thread https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/2025-time-warp-build-thread.488809/



not an exotic Canadian wizard's iconic creation perhaps, but one of the nicest paint finishes DB ever produced IMHO

 

[Scott-S]

Count me in! I came close (but no cigar) last time I entered this.

It's had a couple of tweaks since then but here's goes....

@Swede 's 1987 Cannondale SM800.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/87-cannondale-or-should-i-say-haringdale.249948/
View attachment 1015914View attachment 1015915

Not really into the look of white bikes but that looks fantastic, well done sir and very best of luck in the polls

 

[raidan73]

Does this mean the Dyna-tech would be eligible? View attachment 1015702

Have you entered it before?
Did it finish lower than 1st place?

If you can answer yes to both of those questions then it's eligible

 

[stocko]

I'll add this back in though need to get a better pic!