Don't shoot me down in flames but.....

[M-Power]

My Great Grandfather had a bicycle shop selling single speeds in Claremorris Ireland way back in the late 19th C. He had the first motor car there too bitd and first minicab service One fact that I always liked about cycling is that it single handedly improved the gene pool of local and regional populations. Before the bicycle became affordable people were limited to finding a mate by how far they could usually walk in a day or so, or further if they were wealthy enough to have a horse. There were many asylums about due to inbreeding/genetic/mental illness. Cycling allowed 25mile + journeys to be undertaken on those bad roads with relative ease and that was all it took to widen the gene pool sufficiently.

Cycling fads are good...agreed

 

[racer x]

These are nice pics

 

[M-Power]

Read a lot of stories and blame games about the demise of FCC. To dis the workmanship of FCC at Somerville and I-ROBOT's workmanship, not to mention Gary Helfrich earlier ( first ever Ti ATB at FCC ) seems rather crass IMO.

Its sad FCC is no more but it's even sadder to see the junk that a lot of FCC contemporary bicycle and component companies produce these days, using cheap labour. It's the same in the golf industry. I'm sure the next generation after us will be lusting over Lapierre's that they couldn't afford bitd....but will they still be rideable in 20yrs, that's the question

 

[ridevintagemtb]

I'm sure the next generation after us will be lusting over Lapierre's that they couldn't afford bitd....but will they still be rideable in 20yrs, that's the question

A bold statement considering 1 out of 3 Fats currently needs a seattube replacement or has already had one.

The old, "don't make them like they used to" just doesn't apply here.

 

[M-Power]

Ohhh yeeeeahhhhh ! That's what I'm talkin bout Who says Manitou forks look cr@p on a Yo and don't work ? Fkuc it, I can't wait to finally build my bikes like those last two Fats. 1997 Fat Ti same as ridden by Chris Chance and a 94 Somerville Yo. The BEST of the breed, including the sacred 89 Team Comp.

 

[M-Power]

I'm sure the next generation after us will be lusting over Lapierre's that they couldn't afford bitd....but will they still be rideable in 20yrs, that's the question

A bold statement considering 1 out of 3 Fats currently needs a seattube replacement or has already had one.

The old, "don't make them like they used to" just doesn't apply here.

There are cars well over 100yrs old still being repaired and driveable today. Its a bit like Trigger's broom Some 'used' fancy overly complex carbon Lapierre's will be long consigned to the scrap heap in 20yrs and as for the bespoke components...can't see the demand being like some Ringle Ti Stix

Eulogising coming to an end :shock: ... The properly hand made bikes and CNC machined parts from that era will probably be phased out forever soon, in favour of a 3D printer. They were halcyon days, when the staff loved what they did, had fun and made works of art...but never got rich doing it. The question is, do they now regret their time a FCC ? I doubt it and hope not...

 

[fattiman]

I still think Dave hemmings was the best looking yo eddy I have ever seen. Although the harlequin scheme was available in any colour I believe that the green and blue version was reserved for the UK evolution imports race team bikes!

 

[dirttorpedo]

As far as I'm concerned if a bike came spec'ed with a suspension fork or if the frame was "suspension corrected" then a suspension fork is a legitimate choice for a build. Of course that begs the question of what era of suspension fork is proper. As noted the early forks were crap (I still have nighmares about braking into corners on my first generation Stumpjumper Future Shock) and I wouldn't go to the effort to rebuild or acquire a NOS one for a build.

 

[jonnyboy666]

first and foremost it's your bike build how you want, i have a 96 buckshaver with a 2000(?) sid on it and it rides lovely and looks good. more recently i got a Yo, frame only, the chances of finding a matching fork (even if i could afford to buy it) were so low that i decided to look for other options, i looked at various rock shox judy's, bought 2, both were utterly beyond repair so i decided i'd just find a nice rigid fork and get riding. the fork i got was an rc31 pace carbon. some people seemed to be really offended by that!

it rides nice and i think looks nice, job done.

 

[NeilM]

I don't own a Fat Chance and have never lusted after one, but for me this thread kind of encompasses a whole section of retrobiking; where memories, backed by old magazines and a hint of rose tinted wrap arounds creates a certain aura around a brand that somehow makes it sacrosanct, where as in reality they were, and are, just bikes.

It fascinates me that certain brands are held in such high regard, when others are ignored or in some cases almost unknown, despite the fact that all turned out good quality hand made frames. It also amazes me that certain brands are labelled 'zeniths' and 'legends', which, unless the person making such high claim has recently ridden all the competitors available at the time, can only be a subjective opinion at best.

I'll keep watching this thread, as it's one of the most interesting that I have seen on the forum in a fair while.