Silverfish 1996 Mantis Screaming V
- Thread starter Silverfish
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Just gonna pop these here…
baron von greenback
Senior Retro Guru
Stunning looking forward to this i though the mantis bikes were steel and not made for a long time is this the same firm have to give us some background info mate well i was miles out thought it was a greeny bianchi haha
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Certainly steel and aluminium models around - very few thermoplastic ones as these were very late in the Mantis timeline and post the sale.
The attraction for me personally was that it was a little ad in the back of MBi or MBA that listed the elusive Screaming V - but I have never seen one in the flesh. Gotta say it is absolutely stunning up close. The big tyres I've specced are a little tight in the back - I might run these or might also try a set of Michelin Wildgrippers - it's about the only bike in my collection where the timeframe mostly works for the Wildgrippers
The attraction for me personally was that it was a little ad in the back of MBi or MBA that listed the elusive Screaming V - but I have never seen one in the flesh. Gotta say it is absolutely stunning up close. The big tyres I've specced are a little tight in the back - I might run these or might also try a set of Michelin Wildgrippers - it's about the only bike in my collection where the timeframe mostly works for the Wildgrippers
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@baron von greenback one of their catalogues here for you to browse through, a few other nice frames on the site too.
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/archive/1996-mantis-catalogue.158/download
baron von greenback
Senior Retro Guru
Them wheels really suit it so do the tyre they look stunning if it turns keep them i dont think green would suit (if tan walls would ) but there magic lot cooler and if your going the way i think it will suit the overall bike just a suggestion what about the stickers in yellow on wheels etc is the mantis sign on frame cut into it or is that just an affect if it is it one seriously cool effect
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Apparently the Screaming V was a joint project between GT and Mantis which is why the thermoplastic construction will look very similar to the GT STS bikes.
There was another thermoplastic bike that I'm aware of that pre-dated both the Mantis and GT and that was the Yeti built for Paul Tracy which is rumoured to be in Switzerland - another bike I tried hard to track down but it always remained elusive
That never went into production however so there's only 1 (or 3) of those available. I'm not sure anyone remembers for sure 
After the GT STS bikes and the Mantis Screaming V there was a Pro Flex (or K2?) thermo bike and also a Cannondale Super V and then they all kind of disappeared. Apparently this was because they couldn't get the weight of the thermo bikes down to the same light weights that they could achieve with epoxy resin based carbon bikes.
More info available on Mombat http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1996_Mantis_ScreamingV.html
More info here http://www.blackbirdsf.org/xframe/ and here http://www.blackbirdsf.org/xframe/screamingv.html
1996 Mantis catalogue here https://www.retrobike.co.uk/archive/1996-mantis-catalogue.158/download
This Screaming V is 1996 so first big decision is whether to go down the canti route or V?!
There was another thermoplastic bike that I'm aware of that pre-dated both the Mantis and GT and that was the Yeti built for Paul Tracy which is rumoured to be in Switzerland - another bike I tried hard to track down but it always remained elusive
That never went into production however so there's only 1 (or 3) of those available. I'm not sure anyone remembers for sure After the GT STS bikes and the Mantis Screaming V there was a Pro Flex (or K2?) thermo bike and also a Cannondale Super V and then they all kind of disappeared. Apparently this was because they couldn't get the weight of the thermo bikes down to the same light weights that they could achieve with epoxy resin based carbon bikes.
More info available on Mombat http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1996_Mantis_ScreamingV.html
More info here http://www.blackbirdsf.org/xframe/ and here http://www.blackbirdsf.org/xframe/screamingv.html
1996 Mantis catalogue here https://www.retrobike.co.uk/archive/1996-mantis-catalogue.158/download
This Screaming V is 1996 so first big decision is whether to go down the canti route or V?!
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baron von greenback
Senior Retro Guru
I have read was going to say it must be an early thermoplastic got to canti deserves grafton
