What's the late 90s steel frame of choice?

[Takingabreak]

Buried deep in the man cave, waiting very patiently for me to spring into build mode, I have a freshly powdercoated and decaled Dawes Edge frame from 1996.

Now I know Dawes mountain bikes are not lusted after but I'm expecting it to be an excellent 90's frame to ride given it is made from round section 853 tubing.

 

[Black_puma]

Though it is technically a mid 90' frame, but my Mongoose Pro SX (Ritchey tubing) was a great frame and rode nicely too.

Never been ridden.

I have a GT obsession but it's entirely ball burnished aluminium...

I ride both steel and aluminium GT bikes, but I prefer the way their steel bikes ride.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I agree that by the late 90's aluminum, full suspension and disc brakes were on the top end bikes. I bought my last new steel mountain bike in 97 or 98 and it was a Norco Sasquatch with STX RC groupset and a Marzocchi Z5. A nice bike, but completely outclassed by the local riding as freeriding was now the thing. My friend was riding a Rocky Mountain Spice which was a relatively low travel disc braked fully.

I think Voodoo kept making steel bikes (joe Murray) into the early 2000's if you want steel. I think the really quality metal bikes were made of ti by that point and I'd be looking for something from Kona, lightspeed, Dean, or Moots.

 

[Prodigal Son]

independent fabrications. ibis. ritchey. wtb phoenix.

 

[otherself]

Eldridge Grade from 1999 was a good bike. Columbus Thron tough steel frame, could be found quite cheap.

 

[LeeDevelopment]

Custom Arthur Caygill 853 built by Richard Kent.