Have we passed peak MTB a long time ago?

[Air-cooled]

I picked this up recently. I also have 2000 and 2001 Cannondales, I have a 2023 Carbon Gravel bike and a new Specialized. I have owned a fair few bikes over the years.

I just put a new headset, BB, cassette, chain, brake pads on this and it’s just wonderful.

The canti brakes are great and work evenly, they are easy to service.

The rapid fire shifters work perfectly with a satisfying shift up and down.

The head set is solid with zero play, the bike just feels rock solid.

I’d like the bike a touch lighter but it’s so good I can overlook this.

Anyone else think that 90’s bikes may have been peak?

Some pics.

 

[Air-cooled]

I wanted to add: I have enjoyed riding this so much I have put my carbon Cannondale on eBay and am going to buy a steel gravel bike instead….

 

[hamster]

100% in agreement - modern MTBs are too niched and sub-specialised. The go-anywhere-do-anything allrounders have gone.

That said, I'm puzzled why you then want a Gravel Bike. The geometry is almost identical to a mid-90s MTB so why not just buy one? You will also save a wad of cash.

 

[Tsundere]

Rigid 90s mtb with quality steel tubing is peak bike, period. On every metric you care to examine, value, availability, comfort, practicality, versatility, durability there is no other genre of bike that can compete.

Never going to be as fast on a track as a modern Time trial bike, never going to be as agile down a rocky slope as a modern full suspension MTB, but if you do those activities then you already have that bike.

For EVERYTHING ELSE, commuting, shopping, cross country, gravel, touring, adventuring, bike-packing, urban exploring, you can do it all in comfort at a great price on a decent 90s mtb. (Includes 80s ATB)

 

[Air-cooled]

@hamster you make a good point. I have had a gravel bike of sorts for years. Built a couple of drop bar Cannondale f800’s. Then had a Canyon Grizl, that didn’t last long.

Currently have a Cannondale Topstone and I really enjoy riding drop bars for off road fitness rides.

I have decided I want to buy an Orro or similar which is steel, but I could pick a cool 90s frame and build something….

 

[widowmaker]

I've just bought a new gravel bike

 

[greencat]

OP, not a chance.

For all round mtb stuff, a modern moderately priced hard tail MTB is still hard to beat. Better riding position, better geometry, discs offer better brakes when the going gets wet, dropper post, the simplicity of today's bottom brackets & stems, better tyre patterns and compounds. True there are a lot of fads, but by the time they trickle down to a middle of the range hardtail, they are generally well proven.

That was just as true back in the mid 90s (although the fully rigids were probably a better option than hardtails value wise). Hence why you are justifiably enjoying your new steed. It represents the peak of a good value bike at the time.

I love the retrobikes in my shed, but I wouldn't choose them above my recent Whyte 801 when I'm heading out to the hills for a bit of a play. I might use them for commuting, short bimbles etc (aged back permitting) - or if friends/family come over and want to go out for a ride.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Those mid 90s bikes were great all rounders. At the time, most city cyclists in Bristol were riding mtbs. A lot of city dwellers only have room for a single bike,
and like the SUV offers you the dream that you're about to drive across an Icelandic glacier,
the mtb means you can choose to ride through the woods in low sunshine on your way home.

Modern mtbs, though far better off road, are pretty awful around town, whereas an Adventure Gravel bike... might even tempt some "im not a cyclist" types to ride for fun as well as function