Rob Warner rebuilds his 1996 World Cup winning Giant ATX 990

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I think Warner’s public persona has always been as a bit of a malcontent and moaner. His YouTube stuff is all like that, but it’s pretty funny and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Naturally any comment against retro bikes tends to raise my hackles.. but let’s be fair here, chaps, Mr Warner has more credibility than any of us to pour scorn on old MTBs. Makes you wonder, if the guys that won world cups on the bikes we now covet, consider those bikes to be junk.. well, maybe we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously either.

Those ATXs always were ugly as sin though. Maybe if Warner had the chops to get a GT or Volvo Cannondale factory ride, he would be a bit less critical of the kit today. But probably not.
 
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He is correct though. Retro bikes ride terribly compared to new bikes. Still like them loads though.


He’s fairly funny and I like Warner. But he does remind me of a poor mans Guy Martin.
 
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Wouldn’t say terribly.. would just say different.

I won’t rehash the classic / modern car debate, but it is relevant. A high quality hard tail stills gives you an exciting experience on the trail - granted, not as fast as some 10k e-bike..

One thing I do agree with you on is that Giant. One of my buddies at uni had one. Even back in the mid-90s, that was a dog.

The same couldn’t be said for a same era LTS. Still a good ride.
 
Lot of talk on here the past few days about prices getting hiked up and interest for retro builds increasing...

Boy do I wish I'd thought about building my early teens dream bike a few years earlier into this midlife crisis!

I've well and truly missed the good old-new days, haven't I?

Oh well.

My wallet already hates me and the mrs will soon enough...

How bad can it really get anyway?

(Edited to add: I'm gutted I missed that 3DV DCD auction!)
 
There is no analogy for cars and bikes.

The only differences in bike regulations has been the EN standards coming in some 10 years+ ago whereas cars have regulation after regulation heaped upon manufacturers

and repeated many many times now, modern bikes are made for bike parks and bike parks are made for bikes, its like watching two duelling snakes tie each other in knots as the bikes/ parks get more extreme

Oh and it is very easy to pass a 10k e-bike, just make sure you're fit and its not been derestricted!

Now just go play nicely on your bicycles, you over there and you, yes you, over there and play nicely
 
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I mean.. I didn't.. Regulation!? Where on earth did you get that one from?

The obvious analogy was classic cars to modern (electrified) options. I don't think all retro bikes are rubbish to ride, even at a trail centre. They just give the rider a different experience to the latest e-bike.

In the same way as an old air cooled 911 is a different experience to a new Taycan.

Objectively the new object is technologically superior in every way - but that doesn't make, say an LTS DH or a 993 a bad steer.

Maybe history has been less kind to an ATX. I'm sure it wouldn't provide the most gratifying characteristics around a trail centre today.
 
trail centres are set up for long swishy travel bikes, trying to ride round on a raleigh shopper with some BMX tyres is just awful

AWFUL!!!

<just starts on 3rd can of Scrumpy Jack on a Tuesday, questions life, again>
 
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