July Giveaway - Chris King Headset and Tshirt

[DirtyDog]

Thanks to Chris King for making this possible! (http://www.chrisking.com)


This month we will be giving away a Chris King headset of your choice (excluding titanium), and a Chris King Tshirt (also excluding titanium). Description from Chris King's website:

At Chris King Precision Components, we manufacture each headset in our own facility to exacting standards, using quality-at-the-source methods to minimize waste. Even the sealed, cartridge style bearings are made in-house and are hand-checked. Post-anodization laser-etching ensures crisp detail and durability of external marks.

We believe this component so well represents us that we offer a 10-year warranty on all models.

The drawing will be on Monday, August 4th. To be eligible for this drawing you must be a Ridemonkey member in good standing with at least 15 posts as of today, July 8th. Members obviously padding their post count will be disqualified and publicly ridiculed. As always, we are the deciders* on all matters of RM policy.

To enter the drawing, simply post in this thread ONE TIME describing your first mountain bike, including what year you got it. Everyone that posts in this thread will be entered in a random drawing to determine the winner.

Only post in this thread one time! If you post more than once, you are disqualified.

Note: by entering this contest, you are agreeing that if you are the winner of the prize, a permanent record will be added to your user profile describing the prize you have received with a link to the prize page.

Now that we have adequately restricted your civil liberties with an array of draconian rules, let's get to it.

Good luck!

http://ridemonkey.com/giveaway/CK700.jpg

*TM GW Bush

[iandude94]

my first bike was an ironhorse sachem 4.0, and i got it from santa clause

[BadDNA]

That's an easy one. My first mountain bike was a 1994 Mongoose Rockadile SX. Had "Special Edition" SXT components and was a trendy purple color (ugly as sin if I had to say today). I bought it in '95 as a leftover with cash saved up from my after school job. I still have that thing hanging on the wall in my basement.

[Westy]

Ross Mt. Washington circa 1986?

10 speed
40lbs of awesome
The stem on that thing was a solid chunk of aluminum that had to weigh 3lbs

Looked something like this

http://i5.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/e7/25/3fe6_1.JPG

[Zark]

My first MTB was a 1994 Gary Fisher Aquila. awesome forest green paint.
It was rigid, canti brakes, 7speed, bar ends.
It beat me up, taught me I had no muscle and was a complete weakling, then reformed me into a 2 wheel singletrack junkie.
When I sold that bike, it had mostly XTR on it and a Manitou 3 suspension fork (yeah, elastomers!)

[Konabumm]

1998 Klien Mantra Comp - It was my roommates, he didn't ride mountain bike so I traded him some Ping golf clubs for it. I haven't played golf since!

[BlackAthlete]

My first bike was an 88 Diamondback. I can't recall the model but it served me well in the East Burke singletrack back then. Bought it new in VT when I was a drunken freshmen up there. Needless to say, I never made it class that fall.

Good times.

[JohnE]

My first bike was a Nishiki Colorado, circa. 1986 or so. I built it up with parts scavenged from a road bike (Puegot Course) and my friends shop. No QRs, friction shifting, bull bars, anf Farmer John tires (I think...)

Only bike I never regretted getting rid of. Thnig was a tank, and soon traded up to a Diamond Back Ascent Comp.

[yesimaddicted]

my first.... was a 2001 Gary FIsher Tass disc. orginaly made for XC rideing but i used it more for Urban and DJ, which broke many things and now means i should build it back up

[Total Heckler]

My first mountain bike was actually my Dad's old 1990 Specialized Rockhopper. He said I could have it once I was big enough to ride it. I first rode it in 1996.

Back to the bike...

This thing was SO wicked rad. With sweet day glow colored decals and paint, there was no way to not look cool on this thing. The base color was a bright teal with orange, yellow, black, and blue splatter paint and bright yellow Specialized logos and Rockhopper stickers. Fully rigid and ready to rock.

I really wish I had a picture of this bad boy. I miss it. If anyone has a photo of a bike similar to it please post it. =] I would really like to share its beauty.

[Arkayne]

I've been an avid bmx'er since childhood and never liked MTB's because they just felt wrong. Then I walked into my local shop in 2000 and saw a Specialized P3 on the rack. It was a big kids bmx bike! I pulled it off, gave it a test ride and there began my journey into the 26" world.

[sanjuro]

My first mountain bike was a Independent Fabrications Deluxe hardtail which I purchased in 1997 from Bicycle Michael's in New Orleans.

I actually chose a rigid fork so I could tour on it. By the next year, I rode it from Washington to California.

[ZHendo]

My first real mtb was a '92 Specialized Stumpjumper Comp. It was my dad's old hardtail, and when he bought an Iron Horse in '99 I started riding it. The bike was superb, it had glitter blue paint and nice components for the time including one of the old Rockshox Judy TTs up front. I barely fit on the bike when I first bought it, I had to run the seat slammed to fit on it, and dismounts were always interesting. I slowly upgraded parts on the bike so that it could keep growing with my experience level, but I still have it in the garage at my dad's, though it doesn't see dirt too often anymore.

[r464]

I had a fully rigid steel Nishiki Pueblo. It was a minty-green color with friction shifters. We're talking 1992, and I sold it in Indiana and bought a ProFlex. I should have stuck with the rigid steel bike...

[JewBagel]

My first mtb was a 1995 gary fisher 24" wheeled rigid 18 speed. When I was 9 or 10 I rode the Waldo Lake Loop in Oregon (22 miles) and was thrashed by the end. Switched back to primarily BMX after that and now I'm back riding a rigid SS 29er and I love it.

[skinny mike]

my first mountain bike was a 2004 kona cinder cone, which is still in my basement. it remained stock for the most part until i ended up cracking the arch on the mz race that came on it.

[hbracca]

Raleigh M80. either 99 or 00. It was on sale and way to big for me. Over the next 6 months I broke everything on that bike, but the headset. Wow, the good ol days when my Judy XC was a good fork for jumps. :crazy:

[reptilezs]

first bike was a gary fisher tarpon. got it in 2001, freshman year of highschool. it was a steel framed rigid bike. the components were not top of the line but i paid for it myself. all 230 dollars worth.

[CraShRyDer7]

my first mountain bike was a 05 khs dj200 that i got in 06. 8 speed. 26" front wheel. 24" rear wheel. 3 piece bmc crank.
later built up with waterever i had left of it in late 07

Mod edit: Congrats on padding your postcount for the contest. Ineligible!

[Timekiller]

My first 'real' mtb(besides huffy) was a zeigler lam "DH" 3.5" travel frame, it was a straight up ebay buils of new/used parts. It had a set of maxxis 1.9 high rollers, 6" shimano deore disks, and a MZ comp 100mm fork. I took it to Diablo and had a blast!

[duck]

My first mountain bike was a 1999 Bonelli Kootenay FS. It was a 17.75" hardtail with an SR Suntour 80mm fork with a 1" threaded sterior. Grip shift, bar ends, 3 rings upfront.

It was I think around $300, and I bought it at Bert and Macs, in Lethbridge, AB (Canada).

[ulockjustice]

my first 'real' bike was a '96 specialized rockhopper A1 comp FS. rode it into the ground until i outgrew it, then built it up as a slalom/DJ bike for a few years until it finally cracked. i think i still have the rockshox quad 5 from it in my basement somewhere....

[I Are Baboon]

Thanks Chris King!!!

My first MTB was a 2000 Rocky Mountain Spice. It was (and still is) too small for me, but the guy at the bike shop sold it to me anyway...that nutsock. I got it on sale for $1100 which I thought was way too much to be spending on a bike. :D I have a picture of it somewhere but can't seem to find it, so here is a picture of my dog:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/mtbbaboon/IMG_0463.jpg

[Evil4bc]

My first real mountain bike was purchased way back in 1988-89 !
It was a Reflex AXL89 steel frame bonded to red anodized Easton tubes .
Bought the bike in 8th grade from the local shop ad had the stock fork traded out for a TANGE switchblade fork . The part group was Shimano Deore , with a Tioga T-bone stem and Tioga Farmer john and Farmer John cousin tires . I was a big fan of JT back in the day and the Reflex was as close as I could get to his signiture Raligh
I still have the bike to this day and if I win I'm planing t replace the only part on that bike that continually failed the headset with a red anodized 1" King gripnut headset !

[caputo1989]

The first Mountain bike I got was a 13" 1997 Gary Fisher Wahoo that I found under the Christmas tree. Rode it till i out grew it and hacked it up into a tall bike a few years back.

[cannondalejunky]

my first bike was in 1999 and it was a gt saddle back...that was a very confused bike...i pust clipless pedals on it and swore up and down that i was going to do cross country racing, and then i realized i sucked at cc riding so i started jumping it off of things with the clipless pedals...i don't know how i didn't kill myself...flatted the first set of rims, ruined the sr suntour fork that was on there, and popped a tire almost every ride...now the bike parts that weren't destroyed and the frame are donated to the local bike recycle place

[lachy_mtb]

my first bike was bought in 1996, it was a repco. it was rigid and had gears, which was amazing at the time and everyone was fasinated since they were running bmxs, i could beat everyone up the hills (for once). the bike got used for near 4 years until going to a bigger bike. the bike is still being used as a hand-me-down by one of my brothers, so it has definently lasted the test of time

Mod edit: Congrats on padding your post count for the contest. Ineligible!

[Echo]

My first mountain bike was a green Trek 850. It cost like $350 and I swore I would never pay that much for a bicycle again. Turns out it was the most inexpensive bike I ever bought :D

[Mtnbiker245]

A Schwinn Mesa! 02

Mod edit: ineligible.

[disasterarea]

Thanks to CK and RM :cheers:. My first mtb was a self built '03.5 sc chameleon - even laced my first pair of wheels for it too! Man did it take a long time for the frame to arrive though. Looks like sc frame waiting time hasn't changed much from posts everywhere too.

[gonefirefightin]

I had a couple old school nishiki and schwinn MT bikes when I was younger but I remember the first real bike I actually lost sleep over, (in more way than one)

It was a first run Gary fisher J4 (joshua) 1996

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i171/gonefirefighting/scan0002.jpg

I was on the waiting list to buy it for 3 months and got delivery of the 34th in the nation.
i rode that thing up smith rock every day and bombed down the roads like a mad man, tossing myself over the handle bars with the elastomer rear shock and pogo rock shox fork.

it was the pride and joy until I found a turner DHR

[Toshi]

my first mountain bike was a 1993 Proflex 550, purchased that same year. Girvin Flexstem, a rigid fork, and all of maybe 1.5" of elastomer non-damped travel out back. i raced that thing in washington and colorado, and even rode it at blackcomb before whistler got wise and built their bike park.

[mantispf2000]

Yellow Specialized Hard Rock, 1988 I believe, with the under-chainstay u-brake. Just moved to Washington state, and wanted to buy a bike for commuting. Had a ticker of a time the first few months with the crank bolts coming lose a lot. Also had the combo brake/shift levers of the day, which I thought I'd be cool and flip-flop them so the shifters where under the bars. After re-training my shift thinking, it was great. Served its purpose, then was glad to see it go.................

[Quo Fan]

My first mountain bike was a 1998 Marin Bolinas Ridge. 7 speed rear, fully rigid, cantilever brakes, even had a kick stand on it. I rode the heck out of it, and upgraded it with a Rock Shox Indy XC, 8 speed drive train, v-brakes and threadless stem. I retired it several years later, and resurrected it a couple of years ago as a single speed. I sold the frame last year.

[Guitar Ted]

My first mountain bike would have been a 1989 Mongoose Sycamore. I had it about two years before it was totally trashed. I used to go through mud, water, snow, and dirt with that thing with no reason to believe it wouldn't last. Hey, it was an "all terrain bike", right?

[vinnycactus]

In 1997 this girl I was dating thought it would be a good idea for me to get a mountain bike. WTF?! Her previous boyfriend rode. So what was she trying to do, turn me into her ex? Me, always looking to get some poon, caved in. I got a 97 lime green gt rebound. Didn't even like riding at first. Where did wanting to get some action get me? 10 years later it got me a garage with about $10k in bikes, a wife(who i love), and horrible memories of riding that ugly ass lime green bike thinking I was the sh!t.

[pinkshirtphotos]

first mountain bike was september 5, 2001. Giant Boulder. I saved all summer to buy it. I still have it sitting apart in my shed. fun times on that bike. it was a steel frame, and fork. ah mesmories.

[Broken_Spoke]

Everyone keeps talking about the bike shop bikes that they had for their first bike, well I wasn't that lucky for my first bike. For my 10th birthday in 1995 I received a Murray Mt. Climber. It had 24 inch wheels and 10 speeds. It probably weighed close to 50 pounds which for a 10 year old is stupid heavy.

[jimmydean]

1992 Diamondback Topanga purchased from a shop in Los Angeles. I met a girl in Mexico and we hooked up. A month into the relationship she talked me into buying a bike from her dad's shop.

A year later it was stolen off my 2nd story balcony while I was home in the middle of the day. I would have caught the bastard had he not been on my bike.

[daway]

My first mountain bike was a Toys R Us Pacifica with front shocks...and 18 gears...it was amazing. This was when I was 10 probably back in 1998 or so.

[valve bouncer]

1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur. The frame lay slowly returning to the elements until I built it up again a couple of years ago. Considering what I paid for that bike and what that same money can get you now it makes me shake my head. Still you never regret the first time, do you?

[erikkellison]

First real mountain bike I owned (that actually was ridden on dirt) was a Trek 9900 with a full race kit - I bought it off a college buddy in fall of 1999 for $350 for the complete because he wanted a new snowboard. A pretty nice way to get into mountain biking! Ended up racing XC with it until I found that freeride and DH are way more fun. There was a period when I was using that bike for purposes it wasn't intended for, and I must say that I it held up like a freaking champ. It had a Mag 21 threaded steerer for on it that I swapped for a Marzocchi Z.2 Atom Bomb threadless, and bought my first new bike part along with that used fork: a navy blue 1-1/8" Chris King NoThreadSet. Awesome.

[Mtnman]

1st rig.

1991, Diamond Back Acsent. Rigid fork, 7 spd, mean blue machine. About a year later I upgraded to one of the first ever front shocks. A Trek DS1 or something like that. I remember thinking, wow, Big Bear seems so smooth now!

Now look where we are....

[Pau11y]

My first bike was a Trek 7000 circa 1988 rigid. Held on to it for 6 years before upgrading to a steel Haro Extreme.

[Nagaredama]

1997 Mongoose SX. 7 speed with a Judy XC fork and it was chrome. Still got as a commuter.

[theOtherMrT]

1998 Raleigh M8 rigid w/ cantis

[zahgurim]

My first real cool mtn bike was a raw Rocky Mountain Cirrus.
I bought the frame used back in '95, and built it up w/ a Girvin Vector 2, anodized cantilever bits, SPDs, and XT hubs/derailleurs.

It kicked the crap out of my previous steel Home-Hardwear Vagabond, and Raleigh Portage; I turned both into pretzels.

It should still be kicking around somewhere in my mom's basement, I want to build it up again.

[bpatterson6]

My first mountain bike must have been around 1984 or '85. I was 12 or 13yrs old. It came from From my BMX sponsor Fresh off of the Inter-Bike Show Floor. A 26" GT Backwoods 21spd Ridgid. I was so stoked! It had the old school GT Tires with GT in the tread.
I wish I still had that bike just for the Nostalgia of the deal. Those were the days!

[carbuncle]

My first mountain bike was a Shogun with Scott Aero bars on it. Got it from Play It Again Sports in Seattle in '94 for less than $200.

[Slugman]

Introduced to mountain bikes in '92... Kona Cinder cone. Fully rigid, rim brakes, grip shift... ahh those were the days. I believe that even today back in New England there are still stories of my stupidity on that thing!

Destroyed that frame in about a year... got a replacement and destroyed that one too. Eventually I learned the difference between XC, FR and DH. Somewhere I have pictures of me DHing at Plattekill on it. Anyone remember the ladder at the bottom of one of the trails that was actually a wooden ladder... yeah- got a pic of me on that when I had my 'judy DH' fork with 3" of suspension.

[Pat...]

My first mountain bike, I got for christmas when I was probably 7 or 8 - '97/'98. I had been riding a 20" Schwinn before that. The new bike was a Gary Fisher Tyro, a rigid with 24" wheels. I was living in LA (la canada) at the time and my parents got it at Velo Pro when they were up in Santa Barbara. I somehow bent the steertube doing little ghetto jumps with plywood and cinder blocks. The shop replaced it with a chrome one!

Almost every day after school i'd ride it at Cherry Canyon, up the road from my house (in the Foothills below the mountains that Angeles Crest HWY goes up. I'd ride up the fireroad just for the ride down. I'd either Kamikaze the fireroad back down or ride some singletrack that led to pretty tech ridge trail.

[Spunger]

My first mountain bike, in which I still own to this day was a 1994/95 Balance AL150 purple/silver bike. When I got it it was super low end component wise. I remember the first thing I bought for it was a new set of shimano LX V-brakes. After that a fork upgrade was needed. I had a Rockshox Judy C put on, King silver headset, and Kore stem. I remember just telling the mechanic at Bicycle Bob's to just put these parts on :) I was 15 at the time so it was nice to have some bling on the bike.

I use to ride that bike up from our house to the top of Jesusita every day and down. I learned on that bike how to ride a hardtail, and how to climb hills really well. It's gone from me to my dad and then to my brother and back to me. So it's hard to get rid of, even though now I'd be scared to do anything with it short of riding on the bike path (just such an old frame).

[tgreathead]

Technically my first mountain bike was when I was a kid, I don't remember the brand but I didn't ride for many years. After picking up the sport again in 2004 I got an '03 Specialized Enduro Comp. I abused the hell out of it until a car accident on the way to Sea Otter prematurely ended its career :(

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y213/tgreathead/enduroatkenter-1.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y213/tgreathead/crash.jpg

[DaveW]

Thanks Chris king, you Rock! :D

My first bike was a Raleigh Terrain buster I brought it back in 1991 to go riding in the Waitakeres with some mates....... Amazingly It's mighty 18spd canti braked fully rigid frame failed to put me off riding.
So here I am 17 years later as hooked on Mountain biking as a very very hooked thing! :cupidarrow:

[.Pit Steelers.]

My very first mountain bike was a blue 99 or 2000 GT I dont remember the name but i do remember that it had WTB velociraptor tires. I was fearless! I was unstopable!

[Internal14]

My first mtb was a 1989 Stumpjumper Comp I baught from my hero at the bike shop, used, so that he could in turn get the Stumpy Team he was lusting after. he still has that bike....my Stump Comp got ganked from a buddy's front yard when I was in high school, but I did the frame and most of the other parts back after a year and a half of busting this little bike theft ring of kids.

[Tully]

I got my first mountain bike (actually, my first bike without training wheels) in 1996, when I was 8. It was a dark purple Specialized--I think it was called the Rockhopper Jr. or something like that--and had 20" wheels. My first full-sized mountain bike, though, was my 2000 Gary Fisher Tassajara. That was a really solid bike--it withstood way more than Fisher intended!

[ewiccami]

my first "mountain" bike was a Huffy Rampage that I got in fourth grade... I think (a completely gross estimate, but it should be close). Either way it was a Huffy, and I used that thing to go everywhere on-road and OFF until I was through senior year in high school. My first "real" mountain bike was a Specialized Enduro, I got from Mission Cyclery as a high school graduation gift from my folks. And then, it all started....

[Hans]

My first mtb was a giant atx 860, yellow/gray, with magura julie brakes, it was awesome, but sadly got stolen.

[pigboy]

1989 Specialized Rock Hopper black with the tiny purple metal flake in the paint.

three days after getting said mountain bike I hit a car head on as I leapt off the sidewalk into said car that was turning right on red. Luckily I tucked my chin, rolled and only broke my collarbone. I also folded the front tire and fork on my new bike. I didn't bother to file a claim against the driver as I was riding on the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street. The jerk police officer on the scene decided that I needed a ticket for riding my bike on the wrong side of the street. I hope his wife stopped giving him sweet lovin as he was obviously a total loser.

[DirtMcGirk]

My Diamond Back Topanga. My folks got it for me to go to Moab with. It was pure sex.

I think it was 1985 and I was 8. That bike was with me until I was 19.

[WonderBoy]

My first Mountainbike was a 1988 Rolle (a back then, and still for that matter, completly unknown brand). It was fire engine red, the frame was really tall, it had huge brakelevers form the manufacturer Chang Star and was a joy to ride

[RJM]

I remember my first mountain bike, it was when i had a mongoose that was white with tiny black splatter paint lines all over it. It must have been a 14" frame. I was about 11 or 12. Neighborhood thrashers we were....

Of course it was a rigid rig with some mean tioga tires, havnt stopped riding since.

It must have been a birthday gift from my Dad. cool dad!

[snoopz666]

Mine was a 2005 norco aline. im still riding it now and its holding up really well.

[freeridefool]

My first mountain bike was some one off xc type rig that my uncle had designed. It was one of the first "floating" bb designs. He designes for an unnamed bike company. But I think I was like 11, so that was in 97. I was rocking judy tt's and some killer xtr vee brakes. I was raw aluminum and I spent days polishing that bad boy. I pounded that thing to a pulp and it always kept trucking along. Its in my garage now awaiting a someday new xc build. If I knew how to post pics I would post one up.

[freakrock]

My first MTB was a 97-98 "Juanito Mena". I had saved "lots of money" (for a 12- 13 year old kid) to buy a nice MTB, and one day my father told me he would double the amount i could save, and buy me a good bike.
I gave him my hard earned money, he didn't put a penny over it, and got me that piece of sh*t. I was so disappointed, that after the bike auto destroyed within a few weeks, i left mountainbikes until 2001, when my grand father bought me and my brothers new bikes. (i went with a trek 4300)

[1453]

my first real bike was a GT XCR4000 I-drive that I bought in 2000 with money I saved from my first job. I rode that thing in the santa cruz mountains quite a bit. Good times

[Daner]

My first ride on a 26" MTB was on an original Stumpjumper during the summer of 1985. Oddly enough, it was in the hills above Soquel, close to the Demo forest.

A couple of years later I bought a 1987 Fisher (before the lawsuit from Fischer that forced the name change) Hoo Koo e Koo (first year production). Sent the frame back to the factory for straightening and a repaint in 1994 and rebuilt it using better components. It has been repainted and rebuilt again since then and now serves as my rainy day, dare to lock it up in town bike. The frame, front derailleur, seatpost and crankset are original. Everything else has been replaced at least once. Wheels are from 1990, rebuilt with new spokes and nips in 2002.

It stands proudly in the garage alongside a Moots, a steel Ibis, a Kestrel roadie, a new Slingshot and several others, but it still gets used.

[Potroast88]

I just got my first REAL mountain bike this year. Soul Cycles Dillinger 29er.

[recidivist]

Ah, yes. The 96 Diamondback Sorrento DX. Sweet!

MTB to commuter to subway station bike, then on to a mate for his commuter...

[haggis]

...that was back in, eh '88 - My eyes rested upon a Charlie Cunningham 'ATB' and I knew my life would never be the same - My lunch money bought me a used, insanely yellow, '88 Specialized Rockhopper replete with larger than life Kraton brake 'handles', foam grips (early suspension) and Hutchison tires so bald I had to run up the hills of the early races, one of which was ludicrously held on a sandy motocross track. That's Scotland for ya. £180 WELL SPENT :-):cheers:

[v6 4.3]

year was 1999, I had a Trek fuel 90 size small, set it up for dj with a marizocchi dj and mechanical disc bracks. I raced it in beginner DH at the Big Bear, CA Norba... Back when big bear hosted Norba championships.

[spacoli]

A purple Mongoose Iboc, not sure of the year, maybe 94 or 95. Came with Rock shox Mag 21 that went bad. I replaced with state of the art Manitou EFC.:rockout:

[Ridge_Rider]

My first real Mountain Bike was a 1993 Cannodale Killer V 900, before that I bought I Skyomish (Costco Special) in 1990 which I flogged for years before getting serious about the sport.

[johnbryanpeters]

My first mountain bike (based on use) was a Puegot UO-8 purchased sometime in the 1970s.

[MtnBikerChk]

My first mountain bike was and still is a 1995 Specialized Rockhopper purchased at a spring of 96 clearance sale. I bought it because of a boyfriend :rolleyes: But then I dumped him and met IAB :)

[Del]

My first pride and joy was a 1991 Rockhopper, purchased when I was 15. I wish I still had that bike :(

[Jorgen]

I got my first so-called MTB in 1986, a Norwegian brand called Diamant(Diamond), the model was a Rocky. 5 speed single front chainring. Fenders and a rack.
I got this as a suprise from my parents. Only problem being 11 and getting this bike was that NOONE had this bike. Not a good thing when your 11 :D

Everyone else had a bike from the other, bigger and better, norwegian brand, DBS. A DBS 500.

I kept the Diamant for 4 years, until I got a REAL mountainbike. A Miyata Ridge Runner, 18 speed, bio-pace rings, below-the-chainstays u-brake and full Shimano XT.

Those where the days :)

[Gleeke]

1994 Diamond Sorrento Sport. Bought a bike because my then girlfriend..now my wife suggested we get bikes. Boy is she regreting that decision. I'v been hook on MTB's ever since. Probably 20 bikes later...Thanks K!!

[SquadraCorse]

Deep blue/purple and neon green Trek 220. Must have been circa 1997-1998. I actually rode that thing at Sunday River once haha. Yikes.

Still have it though!

[Tex Mex]

My first bike was a Balance. Rigid fork which I replaced with an AntiGravity front suspension fork. This was in
1993. I crashed that bike in the woods in 1996 and had a concussion which to this day have no memory of what happened. It was blue, aluminum, with Shimano STX parts.

[Kleinrider123]

My first MTB was an old Pacific with 20 inch wheels and a 5 speed tranny made around 1991. Got this bike when i was 5 or 6 years old and it was still too big for me. Rode through more sets of tubes and tires on that thing than any other bike. Best thing was the huge knobbies that came on the bike! Since then many, many bikes have come along.

[erastusboy]

Bianchi Nyala in Maroon, that would have been in 1999.

[andym]

Excluding department store bikes, my first bike was a 1994 Schwinn Moab SS. Everyone I rode with thought it was the greatest thing ever since it had a suspension fork. Currently it is living as a rigid SS.

[KPicha]

My first mountain bike was one of the first DW link Hollowpoints in 2002? I got it from Supergo and boy was that fun waiting for the big, brown Santa. Aside from frame quality, I still think that was one the best riding bikes out there!

[radair]

i don't think i have 15 posts, but my first mtb was a schwinn sierra, bought in 1986. i was hooked instantly.

[Trainwreck]

First mountain bike was a 2003 Specialized Rock Hopper which still is hanging out in the garage. A month after purchase there was a Specialized Epic Comp to replace it.

[hardtales]

My first MTB was a Diamondback of some sort. It was '91, and Daddy-o was outfitting me for college. It got stolen from the fraternity house.

[stosh]

My first bike was a Trek 4500 in all it's gold splendor. I bought it in 2000 I think.

[J-Dubs]

My first mtn bike was a Huffy Stalker, purchased by myself circa 1989-90.
I rode the crap out of that 12 speed, 1pc crancked, steel rimmed, plastic levered hunk of gas-pipe steel framed beast.
It made me love riding in the woods, and I owe it respect. After all, it did manage to take one of my front teeth with its handlebar.


"If Huffy made an airplane, would you fly in it?"

[rec]

My first mnt bike was a Diamond back ridgid. It had the oval chain rings that supposedly made it easier to pedal on rough terrain......lol. It was also way too big for me but evedently the salesmen didnt care and sold a noob a bike that did not fit. (tall top tube....ouch!!!)

[ssk]

Thanks Ridemonkey and Chris King

First MTB: Haro Extreme in 1991

What a tank, u-brakes, Haro Wing bar/Strut stem, Tange Big Fork. It was fun until I cracked the frame a year or two later.

[ctavel]

A Raleigh M-40-- which I proceeded to ride all over the southeast. I remember buying it and also buying a smoking 1" rock shox (judy I think) and thinking I was the cool kid on the block

[triumphbc]

My first mountain bike in adulthood was a blue 2003 Rocky Mountain Trailhead. It got me back into bikes and is still in use today as a spare bike living the good life in Durango, CO.

[tartosuc]

My first MTB was a 1982 norco bigfoot. with bullmose bars that i bought from a local bike shop were i worked years later. back then we were saying ATB(all terrain bicycle).

Bernard

[MTB_Rob_NC]

My first "real" mountain bike was circa 1992/3 a Diamond Back Topanga.

[Lifer]

My 1st MTB was a Specialized Rockhopper, bought new in San Marcos, TX for about $350.00, vintage 1983:cupidarrow:-full rigid, of course:brow: Still have a warranty frame I built up when a drop out cracked @ year 15. Wish I'd have kept it and had it welded...

[MikeStanfill]

My first mountain bike was a 2004 K2 ZED 2.0. Within the first week, I threw a set of disk brakes on it, bigger tires, bars, seat, headset, and shifters/brake levers on it. It was an awesome bike. Unfortunately, it got stolen out in front of a local grocery store a couple months back. :(

[Smelly]

Mine first mountain bike was a Ross Mt. Rushmore that I got in 1995. I used it for my first season of mountain biking then bought a Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo to step it up a level.

[Mr Tiles]

first mtb was a '91 diamond back IBOC. Still got it!

[DIRTWRKS]

TREK 7000 with a RS Judy XC fork

[moff_quigley]

1994 Diamond Back Response Sport (SE I think?) purchased in the spring of '95. Steel frame, Quadra 10 fork and STX 7-speed drivetrain. Probably weighed more than my current MTB and roadie combined. The only cool thing about it other than it's what got me loving bikes again was that my wife, fiance at the time, surprised me by paying about $500 of my layaway on it. For some reason or another I still have the broken Quadra 10.

[dc2wheel]

Mine was a 1987 Diamond Back Ascent - full Deore & very bright lime green. I mowed lawns all summer to buy it. Thinking back - it was the wrong size, but it got me through my first few races before I got a job at a shop and bought my dream bike: a Bridgestone MB-1

[Brian HCM#1]

My first bike was a 1991 Bridgestone MB-1, one of the best climbing bikes I ever owned.

[splat]

MY first Mt Bike was a 1983 Specialiazed StumpJumper which I got as a frame set in 1987 and was the first bike I built up from scratch buying all the parts.

[wizardB]

My first mountain bike was a three speed raleigh that I rode on fromme in about 1968 not really a mountain bike but dammit we rode the shore on them:)

[urbaindk]

My first bike was a 1991 Marin Bear Valley. I had saved $250 of lawn mowing money and my Mom threw in the other $250. It's still sitting in the backyard collecting rust. :)

[powderboy]

Trek 970 hard tail in 1992. It was purple metallic and fully-rigid chromoly frame and fork.

[Nanda]

My first mountain bike was a "Buffalo" --> ~40lbs of solid steel goodness. My parents purchased a pair of these Buffalos from the now defunct Ethier Sports in Sudbury, Ontario circa 1984 for my brother and I to ride from home to the grandparents cottage (which involved ~5 miles of really rough road). Little did they know what that would lead to!

[Yanick]

My first moutain bike was a 1993 Norco SASQUATCH. Rigid fork, canti-brake and tioga tire. it last few year until It got stolen. I put quite a lot of upgrade on it over the time.

[dorfonbikes]

It was a little black bike with 12" wheels. I got it when I was 2 years old. My dad set it up for me the night before Santa was bringing it for xmas and that's the last time I ever let him work on my bike...... it's amazing that the bike didn't fall apart!

[sugarNspice]

My first MTB was a big, red, heavy, Giant which I purchased at Sun & Ski Sports for under $400 in 2002.

[SpK]

Mine was a 1999 Gary Fisher Kaitai with a 80mm RS Judy up front and a flat bar. My freeriding days started on that bike. Maybe that is why I have back and knee problems now. Hmmm...

[drumbum540]

My first REAL mountain bike I just purchased. It is a 2007 Scott Reflex 20. I absolutely love this bike. (according to the odometer) I have ridden about 75 miles and I just got it less than 3 weeks ago. Theres nothing I don't like about this bike, but there is always room for improvement!

[Gl3N]

My first Mountain bike was a 1994 Pacific from Target. My first real mountain bike was a 1999 DBR X2

[RHARPER]

1st real Mountain bike was a 1994 cannondale Killer V. XT/Coda components with an awesome 60mm of travel headshock!

[BigRichXXL]

Ok...so there's a story. I play football and I have (except for a short hiatus) since I was in the 7th grade. I went from boy's club, to Jr's, to High School, to intramural flag in college to full contact adult men's league flag. Long story short....people hear flag football and they think touch, blah, blah. I play with ex-college and ex-pro players in the Pro division of a national flag league. The contact, especially among lineman is very intense. It's full on, no equipment, you just can't block below the waist. So...in 1997...my doctor told me that "I wasn't getting paid and that I needed to take up something less impactful...like biking". Hmmft! I grumbled for awhile.

Well I used to race BMX until I picked up football....so I said "ok, whatever!". I bought a GREEN, FULLY RIGID, STEEL, TREK 820 from Performance for $289 and started riding. My buddy bought a fully rigid Stumpjumper same year and started riding (LLCoolKeg, he posts on here too). Yeah well fast forward to 2001....Several years, and several bikes later, I'm racing downhill AND playing football (went back after 3 seasons off) and I was seeing the same doctor, twice as often.

I've ridden and played football ever since. I don't race anymore since I can pay for an entire season of football league fees, plus ref fees, athletic tape, mouthpiece, Gatorade and a uniform for the price of 1 race (license, race entry fee, GAS!, hotel, food). Plus, I don't have that angry feeling all the way home from Plattekill, Snowshoe, etc, anymore, because my awesome weekend of riding ended with a less than stellar, race run. Now I actually ride more than I ever did.....and it's more fun. Plus I'm 50+lbs lighter than when I used to race, so I'm faster. I might do an XC race this summer. Maybe. haha!

Peace, thanks for reading all this...if you made it to the end.

-BigRich (Medium Rich now!!)
Team XXL Emeritus

[Wumpus]

Looked mostly like this one except it was black...

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/Aydynj/Stump88Side.jpg

XT cantis, indexed thumbshifters, Biopace, 150mm quill stem.

[mtakahas]

My first mtb was in 87, it was a piece of junk peugeot bike that weighed about 35 lbs! steel, and had a rack on the back to carry books to school... I think I ended up giving the bike away 2 years later in 89' when i got a Gary Fisher Paragon with XT parts, and later swapped the rigid fork for a rock shox mag 20!

[mark_kendrick]

My first was a Ross 'DuneRider' back in '82 or '83. It was an iron frame 10 speed with no suspension but it had big knobbies.

After that I didn't get a mountain bike again until the 90's. That one was a Cannondale dual suspension.

FWIW,
Mark

[OrthoPT]

1986 Fat Chance. It came with (I still have it) cantilever front brakes and a seatstay mounted shimano U-brake, and was Battleship Grey (how fitting.)

[ChrisKring]

1994 GT Richote SE with spin wheels. Someone stole it from me. Before that I had a 5 speed cruiser road bike that I rode offroad.

[EastCoaster]

1994 Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo. Gray. (Not the Grateful Dead edition.) Bought it WAY too small for me as I came from a BMX background and was looking to get back into bikes. It was SO flickable though. Wishing that I'd have never sold it. I "stepped up" a little later to an alu. GF Paragon. Big mistake. Man I miss that bike.....

[greenchris]

my first real mountain bike was a cannondale m1000. Polished and beautiful I rode the hell outta that bike. I'm thinking about 1995ish was the year. I do remember being young and always at the bike shop staring at all the dope GT's and Cannondales.

[fortenndu]

I got a 2003 Kona Scrap for X-mas in 2003. I stopped BMXing that day and hadn't touched a bmx bike until this year. I still ride the frame because I can't bring myself to sell it.

[gsweet]

my rock solid 1993 trek 820. and after saving money for a year or so, i coughed up and paid in excess of 200 bucks to put a rock shox quad4 on it. booya!

[sadie]

was a diamondback topanga
white with orange highlights
had to buy an orange handlebar almost immediately ya know
a taperlite
must a been round 1990 or so
loved that bike
it was heavy and basic components
but got me on the trails
best thing i ever did buying that machine
peace

[peter6061]

Wow, been a while...

First mountain bike was a Motiv Groundpounder from Costco. It was full Cromo (not Hi-ten) with a rigid cro-mo fork. Had a full Shimano Exage group. This was ~1992. Before that it was all about road or BMX for me.

The bike satisfied me until I got a job at a shop a couple months later and started purchasing stuff I could get a deal on.

Later the paint was stripped with aircraft stripper and we printed out some custom decals and clear-coated it. It was a smooth commuter with slicks that no one wanted to steal on campus.

Last I saw it, it had been powder-coated a soft shade of blue and left at a 'friends' house. He later told me he sold it to get some money for rent. Never saw it again.

[RideND]

I got my first "mountain bike" for my 17th birthday. It was a red, white, and gray Trek 4300. I also got my first Camelbak, a Mule, a helmet, and a few tools for the trail.

I still ride my Trek as a commuter bike when I need to run an errand or just want a quick ride. It was an awesome first bike.

[kosho]

my first mountain bike was a Ritchey Mt. Tam.

[Bikerpunk241]

My first mountain bike was a schwinn pixie 16". Had mustache bars, fenders, and was really more of a cruiser until we pulled the fenders and put on knobbies on it. It was really my first bike, though I had my first mountain biking and dirt jumping experiences on it. I'm pretty sure I got it in 1987, and it was still around until 2002.

[DH biker]

Back in 2000 was when I bought my first mountain bike. I decided to go to a state park shortly after that with some friends to try it out. The riding was pretty tough for my ability but I still was able to handle it. Overall it was a fun day. I've been hooked on biking ever since.

[laura]

My first MTB was a specialized hardrock. I got it for my 20th birthday in 2002. TN helped me pick it out, then he taught me how to ride it. It helped me quit smoking, doing drugs and helped me lose 80 pounds. It was a good bike.

[DamienC]

My first mountain bike was a circa 1995 Trek 9500 Suspension Track. The rear suspension was paramount to mounting a wheel on a pogo stick.

Not mine, but something like this...
http://images36.fotki.com/v1179/photos/1/1018328/6074686/Img_1927-vi.jpg

[biker_dude13]

My first real mountain bike was a Giant Iguana with a Rock Shox Indy C, the bike was Yellow and black, and I even had a matching Bell Helmet with the same design.

[rzims]

My first mt bike was actually when in 1984 I put BMX bars on my schwinn varsity.
In 85 after trashing the 10 speed pretty badly, I bought a "real" mt bike - a 1985 schwinn high sierra. What a tank! but I loved that thing.

[SylentK]

Although my first mtn bike was from Costco, my first REAL mtn bike was in 1994 and was a '94 GT Karakoram with Rock Shox mag 10. Full LX and Panaracer Smoke/Dart tires. Niiiiiice.....

[VooDoo]

My first "real" mountain bike, was a 1998 VooDoo Erzulie that i bought for $700 back in August 1999... i loved that bike...

[Bldr_DH]

The first rig was an old trek with 24" wheels, purchased not two hours after flying home from Japan... Man, I wanted that bike badly!

[Da Peach]

1988 - 18" GT Outpost with Exage Trail everything. It was waaaaaaaaaaaay too big for me. If my nads could talk...

Some of it's components are still in service on my 16" Trek. Biopace 4 eva!

[Mudd]

Bought my first mountain bike in 1994.
GT Backwoods.
Loved it!
Upgraded it as I broke the Alivo parts.
Ended up with XT and XTR componentry.

[mandown]

my first mountain bike (which never saw the mountains) was a schwinn of some sort that my mom bought for me in 1989.

[SGF2]

Dang, don't have 15 posts yet, oh well, here's one more for me for the next contest.

The classic 1983 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport - orangish color. My folks still have it in their garage and I hear mom still rides it from time to time. My pops got this for me (and my mom) when I was in middle school at that time, I was too embarassed to be seen riding it. I had a pimped out Diamond Back Viper to be seen on :o) my how things have changed...

[paulbug]

When you don't know anything about bikes, you just listen to the guy in the shop and look at the shiny paint jobs.
I bought a 1989 Bridgestone MB-4, green and blue, because that's what I could afford. Sweet rigid steel, Mountain LX components. Mmmmmm.
It got stolen later. Bummer.
Paul

[FRzealot]

First mountain bike? Oh YEah!

Specialized Rockhopper with Suntour XC-1!

It was black- and black rims that looked like the coolest thing ever. (Until they were used as braking surfaces)

Must have been... 1989? 90?

[THRILLSEEKA]

Geez, wish I still had mine! I don't remember the year, but it was an Azonic DS-1, with an RST elstomer dual crown, 24" Arrow FRXs, 180mm cranks, and street tires! Pretty much the most useless bike I've ever owned! Be nice to have it back now that I know how to build a bike! I got that back in 1999!

[in the trees]

My first MTB was a Trek 970 (1991). I loved that thing! I earned money painting a house to pay for it and then rode the hell out of it. It was my first bike ever with gears. Brought it home, rode up my driveway onto the grass, lost my balance and fell over off the bike - it was in a much harder gear than I had expected. I upgrade the parts over the years including a Mag 20, Pulstar rear hub, Control Tech Stem, etc. My father-in-law still has/rides the bike and it's in decent condition.

toby

[singletrack pig]

Got a Giant ATX something with a sweet red and black speckled/splatter paint job way back in 1989.

[PinchFlat]

Gezzzz... It was a Giant Boulder. Bright orange in color & it had 21 speeds. I think it was around '91 when I bought it. It was freeking sweet! But not sweeter than that '68 international Scout I traded it for a few years later. hehehe :biggrin::brows:

[syadasti]

The first mountain bike I owned was a neon yellow w/black splatter 1991 Trek 830 Antelope (see frameset photo) but I first tried mountain biking about a year or so prior in 1989 or 1990 on a borrowed Cannondale M500 (or M400?)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b398/syadasti/bicycling/trek830neon.jpg

[martylane]

My first mountain bike was a '95 Trek 6500. I'd moved to rural Western Massachusetts where I had a new job. I'd previously lived in the city. I figured a mountain bike would be a good way to enjoy the outdoors. The bike totally changed my life -- I rode it everywhere, made new friends, and have been riding ever since.

[xy9ine]

1983 diamondback mean streak (ridge runner in the us). back when men were men & luxuries such as suspension & brakes that stopped were nonexistent. check the sweet moto-inspired brake levers, classic suntour (back when they were a leading component manufacturer) beartrap pedals and lugged frame. had some great times on that bike. gave it to my dad & it still sees occasional use. not mine, but identical:

http://www.trek4fun.com/images/my_bikes/diamond_back_ridge_runner/diamondback_ridge_runner.jpg

[Bicyclist]

2004 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR. Before that, all kids bikes.

[el-cid]

My first mountain bike was a '94 GT RTS-3; purple, silver Rock Shox Quadra 10, full STX RC gruppo, Panaracer Dart/Smoke tires, sweet ride. Actually, I still have it. I was into BMX my whole life and had a friend that bought a mountain bike around senior year of high school as my drinking career was beginning to blossom. He finally convinced me to buy a mountain bike in '93 so I loaded up all my BMX stuff and went driving around to find a shop that might take it all in on trade. I found the Bicycle Hangar in Missoula and traded off a bunch of stuff that's currently worth more than the car I drove there (old school BMX stuff, you know) and bought the bike and a bike for my then fiancee. I'll love that bike forever.

[nitrox]

My first bike was Bianchi Peregrine (1989), with it I learn to rode hills on a real mtb - rigid fork - and enjoy the mountains trails.

Great adventures, I loved that thing!!!

[sikocycles]

My first bike was a 1994 Cannondale beast of the east. What a fun bike.

[H8R]

My first mountain bike was a tore up Specialized Rockhopper I bought used in 1992. I mostly commuted on it and did the occasional fire road excursion.

While I was away in Europe my (now ex) wife loaned it to the woman who lived across the hall from us. She left it unlocked behind our apartment in Oakland. Believe it or not, it was stolen!

[Squeak]

My first Mountain bike was a cheap Yokota. I had just graduated high school and purchased it in the summer of 1990. It was a steel frame with a rear U brake.

I was going to be going to school in Durango and was not going to have a car so I needed a bike. I took all my graduation money and on the shops recomendation, bought this bike. What a mistake. By the end of my first semester I had trashed it to the point that I could not afford to replace parts every week.

I got a KHS montana later that same year, and was much happier!

[Ian F]

My first mtn bike was a Univega which I bought brand new for about $300 back in 1991. I only had the back for a couple of months since the first time I took off-road it creaked and flexed so bad I thought I was going to break it... and the lower stays packed with mud badly... so I "sold" it to my mother and upgraded to the strongest looking bike the shop had at the time: a Head (yes, the tennis racket company...) that featured ovalized/oversized steel tubing, elevated stays and tons of mud clearance. It was so stiff that when I upgraded to a Cannondale a year later, I marveled at how much smoother the C-dale rode... :twitch:

My mother still has the old Univega, although I did buy her a new and better bike a few years ago for her birthday. :)

[day42]

My first mountain bike was a used Cannondale, probably a late 80s model (I can't, for the life of me, remember which model it was). I got it from a friend in November of 1991. I rode the bajeezus out of that thing. It had a hideous black with green splatter-effect paint job that, I guess, was semi-popular when new.

[Lowlight7]

My first mountain bike was a '90 Specialized Hard Rock. I was pretty big for a 10-year old and has outgrown my '86 Mongoose Californian.

I rode that bike every day. To/From school, paper route, pleasure rides, C&O Canal and a few other touring rides with the Boy Scouts...

Around '95 or so I had a Rock Shox Judy (the original) installed. The only component that ever wore out was the headset. I was too young to care about the components, all I cared about was riding.

It was stolen from my shed, spring of '97, along with that Mongoose and my father's Canondale.

[TreeSaw]

My first mountain bike was a green Trek 850. It cost like $350 and I swore I would never pay that much for a bicycle again. Turns out it was the most inexpensive bike I ever bought :D

LOL!!! My first MTB was the fraternal twin of Echo's and I bought it from his sister!!! Green Trek 850 -- rigid and I got a RockShox Quadra 10 for it as a wedding present from my brother-in-law in 1998. I actually still had it up until a year ago when we gave it to a friend for his son :D

Thanks Chris King!!!

[NSAID]

*** Not Eligible ***

Mine was a Raleigh Technium Chill from the late 80's that I bought at a Police auction for $130. It had a bonded aluminum frame with full Shimano Deore (before LX, XT, XTR). That bike was stiff and used to rattle my fillings on the Barton Creek Green Belt.

[Radarr]

My first mountain bike was a red Murray 10-speed, circa 1994. I remember when my dad brought it home. I was so excited. I finally had a real mountain bike. To me, the fact that it had a front shock made it just like the bikes I would salivate over in all of the mountain biking magazines I would spend my $10-a-month allowance on. I really thought it was the coolest thing in the world because it had that front shock. I would spend hours riding up and down the block just to ride over the cracks so I could hear the shock and not feel the crack. I rode that bike to and from school every day in elementary school. I rode it to the local dirt jumps to watch the older kids jump. I rode it to the park. I rode it to my friend's houses. Rain, snow, sun - it didn't matter. Those 24" wheels and me were on a mission.

One day, I decided that I wanted to go to the gas station a couple blocks away from my house - I had a hankerin' for some candy. As I crossed the street, some guy ran a red light and hit me. I remember watching the hood coming at me, then being pulled out of the street by somebody. I sat on the corner of the street for a second, then got up. Other than a fat lip and a couple scrapes, I was fine. My beloved Murray was not so lucky. It had taken a trip underneath the GMC Jimmy that hit me.

I still miss that bike. The jerk that hit me decided to leave, so I had to start salivating again until I saved up enough money to buy my next bike.

[HippieKai]

I didn't have a real mountain bike until I started working in a bike shop. Until then it was all BMX for me. Then in 1999 I was introduced into the wonderful world of freeride/DH (ahh dreamy)
and quickly saved up as much $crila as i could. Even with the discount from the shop a dual suspention was not in reach, but i did end up with one heck of a bike...the specialized P3. It had big heavy alex tripple walls and rim brakes! I quickly traded for some lighter cheeper wheels and was donated a set of shimano xt discs (what a bleeding nightmare those were) anyway it was a great ride and got me past my first few DH races and into the love i now have for this great sport. Thank you P3, may you rest in peace.

[stinkyboy]

My first "blinged out" bike was bought new in 1973 for $125 after lusting after my older brother's Orange Krate. I was a lucky kid. I'd be a lucky man if I still had my Apple Krate.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/stinkyboy/Biking%20Photos/2005_0524_190007AA.jpg

[Lucky7]

First rig was a Pro-Flex 855 in 1996. Rode that with the Girvin linkage fork and yellow elastomers!

[ghostrider]

Mine was a spanking new fully rigid Schwinn for about $350. I wish I still had it.

[merrrrjig]

I think i had a little 16" mtn bike when i was like 5, so that would make it in 93'

[fortfun19]

My first mtb was a hardtail Trek of some sort back in 1991, I was a little upset cuz it was black with purple letters and I wasn't into the purple being a young boy. HA!

[RhinofromWA]

DiamondBack Ascent circa 1988-89 I think. That would have made me about 13-14ish. My first MTB, my father bought it for me.

*snicker* "Ascent" *giggle* If you know me I didn't really climb much with it. A steal framed fully rigid ride with thumb shifters and a U-brake mounted below the chainstay.

It had Shimano "Exage Mountain" components with biopace chainrings. What a study in biomechanics that was. lol. I had that through highschool, but didn't ride it much after getting my license. Used it a ton my first year in college to explore the ridges around Central WA University with my new MTB friends.

Went to the bicycle Expo in the Spring of 94 in Seattle. Bought an overstock SR Duotrac suspension fork. 1.8" of bump eating travel that was. :) It was coil sprung with elastomer bottom out bumpers inside the springs. No oil and it was very plush for the small trail impacts but quickly blew through its travel. haha especially with my on it. The suspension fork raked out the steering on the MTB and made it steer real slow and heavy...but I had "suspension," all 1.8 inches of it. :D

Biopace chainrings. It is funny how the body adapts. I didn't really notice it but when I would jump on my buddies round ringed MTB I would bounce uncontrolably in the saddle while road riding because my muscles were trained to spin with the pace of the ovalized rings. Cracked me up, yet was a messed up sensation.

Worked all summer to save up and buy my 2nd bike...GT RTS-3 I think that would have been a '94. A high pivot rig and my first full suspension bike. It "biopaced" in its own way...good grief. I loved that bike so.

[dirtmover]

My first mt. bike was a Kona Cinder Cone. Bought it in 98' and completly rigid. It was blue and it's where I got my first taste for trials riding.

[SBDHrida]

I've had mountain bikes thorughout my life. However the first mountain bike that I got to actually mountain bike with was a Specialized Hardrock Uno (the one with a barely active and pretty much unecessary rear shock). I'm not sure what year it was, probably around 2000 though. I actually still have the bike and have been using it for road rides lately even though it weighs almost as much as my DH bike. Considering all the abuse it took, including plenty of hucks to flat before I knew those were bad, I'm surprised its still in one peice. However, it is and still running surprisingly well.

[goin' medium]

My first "mountain bike" was my sister's Schwinn girls bike. It was baby blue with a banana seat and a basket. My many attempts to build ramps and jump it in the back yard were all resounding failures. It's surprising I survived childhood.

[Streamline]

My first Mountain bike was given to me a little less than two years ago. It's name is lightening, it is a '98 GT hardtail in a pewter grey with blue GT grips. I love this bike and still play on it when trying to figure out tricks.

[f0ggy]

2000 diamondback response sport, good little bike for getting into mtb

[Jeremy R]

My first mountain bike was a 1995 GT Ricochet.
It was annodized purple and had a Rock Shox Quadra fork
Bullhorn handlebars and toe clips.

[SuboptimusPrime]

My first "mountain bike" was a Fuji Thrill that I got back in 1991. I rode it tons until I found a 1994 mongoose team sx that prompted me to save my pennies...On that bike I really fell in love with riding. Ahhh, the memories...

[TN]

My mtn. first bike was a '95 Fuji Sun-something-or-other. I got it from my girlfriend at the time. Thankfully the bike out lasted the relationship. Even though she was a nympho, the bike is about the only good memory of her.

[ohio]

1991 or 92 Giant Butte (a.k.a. Giant Butt) 16" in white speckle (a.k.a. sperm). I don't remember the groupset but i eventually had it pimped out with toeclips, Zoom stem and handlebars, Kalloy Uno seatpost, Vetta (maybe?) Lite perf saddle, Deore XT wheelset, Onza barends, and original Panaracer Smokes. That **** was hot.

I used to don my hiking boots and leather work gloves and go ride the deer paths in the local woods.

Traded up in 98 to an S-works M2 hardtail with XTR. Hell of a leap.

[Christiaan]

My first mountainbike was a 1995 TREK 970, which I worked my ass of to buy. I rode it about 300km a week, mostly off road, good times, man I miss that bike.

[Roachmeister]

Wow, my first Mountain bike was a Velocycle, cromo frame, heavy as a mother. I was about 12 i think...If my memory serves me right, it was back in 1984...Crap! that makes me 36!! hehehe

[hooples3]

My first bike was a Giant at400 Hardtail.. probably bought in 1990 and i paid $400 for it. It was totally rigid. I fell in love with Mountain Biking instantly. Within a year i added XTR hubs, a Judy front fork, and other accessories all totalling close to $1000 more. It was a great year for riding and a lot of fun was had!!

[haromtnbiker]

My first real mountain bike was a 2001 Trek 4300. Got it Christmas 2001.

[NuMexJoe]

For me, it was a Speshy Hardrock Comp. Of course, I upgraded it with a FlexStem and Scott AT-3(?) bars. I don't miss it, but I still had fun on my first trip to Moab. That was a loooong time ago. In fact, it was 1988 - yikes!
- Joe

[UiUiUiUi]

my first real Mountain bike was a Fat Chance Yo Eddy, black with pink decals, complete with the Yo Eddy fork.

bought it used in 1993 and loved it, still have it. great bike but i grew out of it :(

[narlus]

my first bike was a Cannondale Chameleon, so-named due to its horrific paint job; neon green splatters on solid black, with a rigid fork (called the 'pepperoni'). i think that the paint scheme probably lured me to it, but a friend of mine (seasoned rider) also assured me that c-dale was a respected brand. i got for xmas in '89, and though it was tad too large (18" frame), i rode the thing all over the place until it finally cracked (c-dale did replace it under warranty).

[spam16v]

1995 Gt Tequesta in black with a Quadra 21r elastomer fork. modified it to get 3" of LONG travel out of the poor thing.

[Yeti]

my first mountain bike was a crappy baby blue no name bike...got it when I was 4, so around 1989. Still have some memories of me riding it down the road and crashing because something would break off...good times. nothing about the bling just about trying to stay on the bike and ride in a straight line.

[ThePriceSeliger]

My first bike was a Specilized P.1 that I bought myself after cleaning a local bike shop for nearly two months. Year 2001 I think?

[C.P.]

My first Mountain Bike was a 1983 DiamondBack Trail Streak, purchased new in 1983. It cost me $326.00, which I purchased with paper-route money (a purchase that was much to my Fathers objection). It had 15 speeds, bullmoose handlebars, Sugino cranks (26/36/46), Suntour Mountech Deraileurs, and a 5 speed freewheel (no cassette here). It came with "snakebite" tread tires, which I quickly upgraded to Specialized TriCross (a nice three sided knobby mtn bike tire popular back then -(it's now a cyclocross tire in their line-up).
That summer, I entered my first race with the bike, and by 1984 was slowly gaining the approval back from my Dad. I broke three frames, and one fork, all which were warrantied by DiamondBack. Also broke a bunch of axles, something I changed when freehub wheels appeared on Stumpjumpers etc. I still see it occasionally, and will likely get it back someday, just for memories sake...thanks for letting me share...

[Bike Shaman]

My first mountain bike was a 1966 Trek 6000, white with florescent green lettering.


.

[Castle]

I had a raleigh m300 or something of that nature growing up through my early teen years, but my first real mountain bike came in '94 I believe it was; when I was lucky enough to get a Trek 930, steel, rigid, canti's all the fun stuff. It also took me on my first real mountain bike ride at our local trail system that I still ride today. I used that bike to do everything, it was not only my mountain bike but my mode of transportation for a few years.

[w00dy]

GT Palomar. What a turd. The only stock complete bike I ever bought.

[dogdude]

My first bike was a rigid 1994 cannondale killer v 2000, and i still have it

[Bushwhacker]

Mine was a 2001 or 2 Raleigh M-80. I bought it used from a friend in 2003 because I was porking up from quitting smoking. I still have it also.

[SK6]

Well after not riding a bike for 20 years, I bought a Raleigh M50 Rigid bike. I started to ride the local trails and thought I was something, or at least thought I was doing something cool. I was snubbed by the "elite" MTB'ers.

A couple of years later, I got a great bike, great group of friends to ride and drink beer with.

MTB friendships transcends MTB'ing, and many of these friends I love dearly. So, My M50 holds a special place in my heart.

[?????]

Neon green 'Trendz' 20" mountain bike circa 1991. Most parts were eventually swapped over to Shimano XT and LX as my dad upgraded his own bike.

I remember my dad telling me that he was going to get me a new bike so while he was gone to the store I proceeded to stick about a hundred thumb tacks into each tire of my old bike and then got yelled at as soon as he got back home.

[jaffro]

My first bike was a Schwinn Homegrown. We got it used from a local guy back in Colorado. Best paint job ever, Bass Boat gold!!

[HenryTheHammer]

1994 GT Zaskar Anno Blue with a RS Mag 21 bought new in '94.

[Polandspring88]

My first mountain bike was a bike I got at Toys R Us for my 12th birthday. That was what really got me hooked, had some good times on that.

[aktallguy]

Got a Blue Diamond Back in 1995. I'd beg my parents to get to ride it to school and Libor Karas was my hero.

[bikerpunk98199]

2001 fuji thrill se, cracked the chainstay a year later....

[CreeP]

hmm first mountain bike, excluding the supercycle i rode for way long (on which i cracked the headset) would have to be the grey Mongoose, i got in 1998. I worked for someone at my school doing a heavy yard cleanup after our 'ice storm' that year to pay for it. Chro-moly tubes and v-brakes with rapidfire shifters and altus bits was not bad for the price. After bending the fork, and then replacing it again and bending that i moved into the newschool with a 3" travel RST fork, whose steerer i promptly snapped more than an hour's walk from home.

[fuzzynutz]

1st mtn. bike was a trek 830. The year was 1993. I was the first of my friends to switch from BMX bikes to mtn. bikes.

[jodysbike]

AAAAA! The first MTB bike. I migrated into mountain bikes as many from BMX. The rain or the north west helped me go that way.
In 1996 I was working at a bicycle wheel assembly company in knt building wheels for Specialized among others.
I wanted to commute to work and the BMX bike wasn't cutting it for the ride back up the hill from Kent to DesMoines.
I got a Diamond Back Accent frame at Bikesmith (long live Val!!!!) and made a trip to J&B Importers and Seattle Bike Supply as the boss (Geoff Winkel) had accounts as well as trading wheel building work for the guys at Norco and Control Tech on top of parts sitting around the shop.
So here is the list.

Frame 1995 Diamond Back Accent
Stem Control Tech 80x5*
Bars Race Face Air Alloy Risers
Shifters XTR
Brake Levers Machine Tech
Fork, Rock Shox Judy XC
Seat Sele Italia Flite
Seatpost Raceface XO
BB Raceface Ti
Cranks Raceface LP
Rings Shimano XT
Pedals Shimano SPD (XT Level for the day)
F Der XTR
Rear Der XTR
Cassette XTR
Brakes XTR V brakes (These were some pr release samples I got from a guy at Norco)
Wheels XTR Hubs, Mavic 217 Sunsets (one of the few pair with Gold Purple and green ano) DT revolution Spokes, Red and Silver alternating nipples
Panaracer smoke and dart tires
And the usual generic cables, tubes etc...

You may be wondering why the hell I had all these parts on such a crappy frame. So was I when I didn't place any higher than 15th out of 30 my first MTB race. Six weeks after building this I got a newer KSH Decent frame.

[oz]

Old school 1999 GT Agressor 4.0 with SR Suntour fork baby!!!

[azonicbruce]

Oooh, count me in:monkeydance:

First REAL mountain bike was a Trek 930, back in 1993. Before that it was Huffy, baby! Luckily, I got hit by a car a few months after owning the Trek, and got a sweet insurance check, which combined with my trade-in Trek got me a sweet Cannondale M400. Beauty.

[Todd Cannatelli]

My first mountain bike was a Univega DS 950, back in 1995 with bushings in the pivot that wore out in the first 6 minutes. There was so much play in that pivot that the rear end would move side-to-side about 1 inch in either direction.

Even though that bike ended up being a bit of a load, it got me into riding and I've been stoked every day since then. So I can't really fault the bike. It served its purpose and for that I am most grateful.

[CRoss]

I can't remember what year my first bike was, mid 90s. It was a Nishiki rigid bike 21 speeds. I rode that thing all over the place. I just remember how much the canti brakes sucked with the gigantic plastic coated levers.

[rumor]

My first bike was a '98 norco nitro :)

[Lucee]

My first mountain bike was a 19" motive. I was 22. It was all downhill after that...

[BJ-]

My first 'real' mountain bike was a 2004 GT Ruckus i-Drive. I rode it into the ground and eventually snapped the bolts and destoryed the shock mounting hardware when i over cleared a big 15-20fter. The bolts snapped, the mounts bent and my shock seperated from my frame...

lol

It was a gnarly stack that i wish i got on camera. Such a fun bike, it pedaled soo well.

[spocomptonrider]

My first mountain bike was a 1998 Giant World Cup edition hardtail, I thought it was hot shiss especially once I got the 70mm of plush elastomer goodness that was a RockShox Indy S... Looking back it was kind of cool since it was a europe only edition so no one else really had one wish I wasn't so dumb because I miss the ol' girl.

[X3pilot]

It was a Nishiki with elevated chainstays and deep purple and neon pink highlights. Even had the neon pink handlebar tape. It was 1987 and i loved that bike. It was high end at that time at $350.

[awholelota]

My first mountain bike was a 13" specialized rockhopper that I got as a loaner. I'm 5'8". It was way too small for me, but I rode it every weekend because I wanted to ride. For a whole summer I rode that tiny bike and my legs would burn. I still have that bike today, but for now my girlfriend is riding it.

[Pegboy]

My first "real" MTB was a 95' Jamis Diablo. I bought it as a fully rigid bike with full XT componentry and immediately put a Manitou 3 fork on it. Later upgrades included Cook Brothers blue anodized cranks, a Core stem, C4 pedals and an Englander air cartridge system for the fork that increased travel by about 1/2". I soon discovered that I enjoyed DH much more than climbing and turned the bike into a DH machine by adding a larger chain ring, riser bars, a bullet bros chain tensioner and dropping the seat!...Sssick.

[***MTB***]

My first mountain bike was a 2003 Specialized P2.

[Spudzie]

My first Mountain bike was a 1996 GT Timberline, at the time i thought i was the king of the world.

Its such a good bike that i still have it...

[MC peepants]

the first bike i bought with my hard earned subway sandwiches/mc donalds money was a (1995)Treck 900, which was about 580 on sale because it was a previous years model, guess it was a 94 then. lol a sweet bike for me at the time.

[RideRMB]

My first... Hmm thats kinda hard. But I'm gonna say my old GT rigid. I always was jumping it across the street with my friend. My first big airs were over there...

[HAB]

My first real MTB was a 2003 Jamis Cross County 2.0. I got it new in the spring of 2003. It was a basic aluminum hardtail, bottom end Shimano drivetrain, with a crappy suspension fork, generic wheels and cockpit components. I loved it.

[auntesther]

The first real MTB I purchased myself was a 1993 GT RTS. I had a couple of other bikes before then though. Some lower end Trek I got for Christmas one year and I had possession of my friends 1988 Specialzied Team Stump Jumper...that was the bike that I got thr bug bad on. He eventually asked for it back though...and still has it to this day.

[BMXman]

my first bike was a sparkle green and chrome Schwinn 3 speed with a banana seat...man I loved that bike!...D

[Nick]

My first mountain bike:

A Univega something or other which I bought around 1988. Aluminum, rigid, centerpull brakes, 3x7 drivetrain. Red and silver. I rode the hell out of that bike for a 2-3 years and when I upgraded she went into storage in the basement.

Fast forward to last month, a friend of mine who needs to adopt a more healthy lifestyle mentioned that he wants to try riding. I dug the old Univega out of storage, replaced a broken shifter and tuned up the bike, and gave it to him. He has been out riding and loves it.

Cheers!

[scottjustscott]

Cannondale I got from graduation in 1992

[j.les]

I got my first mountain bike back in 1987. Bought it from my Dad's boss. It was a big ol' chrome plated Raleigh.

[4xBoy]

Muddy Fox courier comp back in 1990 was a bright green heavy machine.

[mogulskr]

First bike was a 1990 Giant Sedona. Which I got in 1990 go figure? I still have the frame and fork hanging in my basement.

[MarsB]

My first mountain bike-like device was a Team Murray circa 1986. Pretty sure it outweighed my current DH bike by about 10 lbs.

[ape]

1985 Fire engine red Nishiki Barbarian from Caps in Burnaby, BC. I was 12 and it was it was my first non bmx and it felt like it could travel over anything with its big tires and crazy high BB. It's hanging in the garage at my parents place and my moms till rides it every now and again.

[donkeyWC]

1st mtb was a rigid 3x8 1988 schwinn with biopace chainrings.

[buildyourown]

1990 Trek 990
Black with white splash and pink letters. Yes, that was the stock color in 1990.
Tru-temper cro-mo, mix of XT and Suntour XC 9000.

[ScarredOne]

Back in '96, I got my first real bike after trashing a $100 Murray "bike" in a few months time. *sigh* To go back to the days of the Diamond Back Axis TR.

[ultraNoob]

My first mountain bike was a "Street Machine". The commericals showed some kid flying down a dirt road, shift gears, and disappear down a hill. It was white with black grips, freewheel, and a belt/drum rear brake. I got that for my 10th birthday back in 1986. First thing I did with it was take to the canyon and hit the dirt jumps the "big kids" made. I used to hit them with my BMX and got just a little bit of air.

This being my first multi speed bike (2 speeds high and low), I was unaware of how much faster I was going. Hit the first jump, got a bunch of air (over the heads of the "big kids", and landed to flat. That was the first time I met the top tube without any of the spiffy top tube padding that my bmx had. Flat spot on both wheels, bent the saddle, bent the bars, and got a spanking from my dad for almost destroying my new bike. It all worked out though... I got respect from the Big Kids.

[bullcrew]

Wow! This takes me back!!!!
Foes weasel (sub yellow)
Zyzzx bullit front fork
magura hs22 hydraulic rim brakes (bubbled a few tires :D)
king headset
xtr cranks

[brado1]

My first Real mtn bike was a beautiful polished '89 GT Zaskar

similar to this....
http://blog1729102.123-reg-blogs.co.uk/_photos/Zaskar-reissue-red.jpg

My wife & i lived in Spain for 3 years (early 90's) and i rode this bike everywhere, it was an awesome bike...
well in 3 years living in Spain was an experience like no other, our house was broken into 9 times, car once, in one of the nine times they got my bike, we'd gone out to dinner, came back, and the front door of the house was laying on the floor (fuggin' gypsies) and i was pissed.......

so i hopped into the car and started drivin' around, i was gonna beat someone's ass! so went and filed a local policia report they laughed... then i went to the naval base, and filed a report....i had some pictures of the bike for their report. On the way back home, driving thru the naval base i see this Spanish Navy guy in uniform riding my bike.....Ahh Here we go...so i pulled a Uturn in the middle of the road (happened to be in front of a base police patrol, so they proceed turn on their lights and siren to pull me over.... well i kept goin' till i got to the dude on my bike.

i hop out and stop him, and then tell the Base police that this dude has got my bike....." here's the reports and pictures blah blah"... so i grab the bike and start putting the bike into the car...and the spanish dude's like " hey you owe me 20Mil pasetas (~20bucks at the time) "Sorry dude you knew it was stolen, it's mine! - start walkin' b!tch "

then about 6 months later we were getting ready to leave Spain, and the Local movers came to pack our household goods... one of the movers was eyein' my bike..."nice bike" He says...

well all of our stuff was packed and sealed into bigass wooden crates to be shipped back to the states.... Yeah we were still there about 3 weeks after our houshold goods were packed & shipped, and one day we had gone to the beach, and i could have sworn i saw a dude riding my Zaskar..."No way i saw it being packed!" We Get back to the states - get our household goods - unpacked NO BIKE - they also got my porn, music and levis Bastards

in retrospect..... yep, i should've chased that dude and beat his ass , Fuggin Gypsies!!! i loved that bike

[TrekBro]

my First Mountain bike was a 6700 from Trek.

[toonces]

1995 Mongoose Zero G Tange steel rigid in matte silver with purple decals. Dirt Rag published a positive review of the Zero G SX (front suspension version of the same bike) in one of their 1995 issues and i had to have it. i put that thing on layaway then bummed the rest of the money from my brother to take it home. he was pissed that i bought a bike with the money. i laughed when he tried to ride it off the ramp of a Uhaul truck and ended up going straight off the back of the truck over the bars. put an original Judy XC on it later. put some riser bars on it and got laughed at. my coworkers called me a 'downhiller'. i claimed i was ahead of our time, on the cutting edge. i showed them. i would ride from my apartment to the local park on Sunday mornings and learned how to ride on twisty, rooty singletrack. everything seemed so steep and scary, but is nothing now. i'd take that thing apart obsessively to clean it so my parents told me i clean it more than i ride it. eh. after sitting unused as a frame for a decade, i donated it to a coworker. good times.

[Certified Drunk]

First mountain bike, K2 Beast. 1998

[brokeONE]

My first mtn. bike was a raliegh m20. I got it new around 1996 for about 200 bucks. The bike only lasted about 3 months it didn't even have 3 piece cranks. I ended getting a kona muni mula after that. Since then I don't even know how bikes I've owned.

[Steven]

My first mountain bike was a Nishiki Hillrazor, I got it for christmas in 1994. It was a pretty sweet ride and is still hanging up in my basement!

[Kanter]

My first bike was a Raleigh 7100 in 1998. It did have a Z1 Bam.

[kylelind]

It was back in 2003 and I bought a K2 Flying Monkey from Supergo...sold it a month later and bought a Kona Stinky.

[vtjim]

My first real mountain bike was a used, purple GT Zaskar. I got it back in '95 and had saved alot of my money from working during the summer to get it. I think it cost me around $400, but I'm not sure.

It's been a running joke between a friend and I that I always swore I would never get a purple bike, but when I found this one I loved it.

I don't remember the components very well on it, but I think the fork was a Rockshox mag 10. It had GT's signature bar ends handlebar though, I remember that. Not the bolt on ones but the bar that curved up in to bar ends.

Later that summer the bike was stolen from me. My fault for leaving it where I did but it still sucked. Short lived but I loved that bike.

[skiplie]

my first mtb was a k2 something from REI i have replaced every part twice atleast from

[Big J]

'95 Klien Pro Comp.....still have it.

J

[jtdcg]

My first mountain bike was a Sterling. White with red lettering, bull moose style bars and semi knob tires. It was around '91.

[Monkeybidnezz]

First mtb bike was a men's Huffy mt bike. 81'

[mangler]

got my first mtb a few weeks ago. its a 2008 kona unit 2-9. i'm mostly a bmxer but this bike is just fun. and thats all that matters.