Private Repress

Looks great, but most importantly… how does it ride? Enjoying the disc brakes?

Sorry to hear that, wishing you a speedy recovery!

This is a lovely build! Looks brilliant! How are you getting on with it?

Really digging the retro rides at the moment. So here’s a few I’ve built / been building recently: Cannondale F700 retro mod. Rides great, took it for a spin around Sherwood pines on Friday and it handled it surprisingly well: Alpinestars CR400. Got the frame and fork super cheap, welded some disc mounts to it, building it up with some shiny parts. I’ve had it built up already and it’s a great ride for winter off roading. No fuss, BB7s and wide tyres on a 1x. Thinking a dropper post would be fun: Sunn Tonic: the French rival to Kona. The super thin shiny silver tubes drew me in on this 1998 MTB. Naturally I’ve changed a lot, including upgrading the brakes to avid arch rivals. The wheels are Mavic / Hope ti-glide, more modern bar and stem, and some Billy bonkers to aid the gravel / road riding I have in mind for the summer:

A couple more ‘under bikes‘ I’ve been working on: 1995 Alpinestars CR400 Built as a low maintenance mud machine for winter riding. A few finishing bits to add. and this is a 1998 Sunn Tonic: This is my street ripper. It will be a 1x soon

I couldn’t get my head around that, how the guy that front flipped the gap only ended up in 8th! Had to be the riskiest move, and he nailed it. Having said that I don’t see his second run

I’ve been really getting into ‘underbiking’ recently, which for those not familiar with the term basically means using a bike that is not all that well equipped for the ride you take it on. I’ve built a fair few 90s mountain bikes, even welded disc mounts to one. If you haven’t tried underbiking, you absolutely should - it’s incredibly good fun and relatively cheap- you can get a 90s or early 2000s MTB for peanuts. I’ve done a fair few rides on my local trails on fully rigid old skool bikes with v brakes and it really does make a mundane route (when ridden on on a full susser) come to life with new challenges to overcome. But it did get me thinking about a hardtail with front suspension for something in-between. A Cannondale in blue and yellow with a headshok was a bit of a dream bike when I was starting trials biking in the late 90s. Having been to see Martyn Ashton a month back do a talk about his career, it reignited my want for an old Cannondale. I was lucky enough to have an ashton beast of the east way back when which I massively regret letting go. We’ve all been there eh! A bit of eBaying and I found a seemingly good example in XL that looked fairly original from the photos: The main issue was it was in London, I live in Nottingham and posting wasn’t an option. So after work one night I decided a road trip was in order. I knew immediately that stem was going to feel awful for the more upright riding position I’ve become used to. The stars kind of aligned as I managed to find a 90mm more modern version in the relatively rare 1.56 inch steerer tube clamp size. To top it off, it was also in London, 15 minutes from where I would collect the bike. The stem is a bit high on rise but needs must until something lower becomes available. Upon collecting the bike, it was immediately obvious it was completely original. Even down to the Hutchison mosquito tyres. I was blown away by how good condition it was in. Even the Julie brakes were sharp, surprisingly so! That said my intention was always to tweak the bike with components that were up for a bit more ‘abuse’. I still like the odd bit of trials when out on the trails. Fast forward to today…. I’ve changed almost every part 🤦🏻‍♂️ It’s almost in its final form. As mentioned, I’d love a lower stem, possibly shorter. Bits I’ve changed: Wheels: WTB i23 rims, built onto hope pro 2 hubs. Relatively light weight and super reliable. Tyres: originally I had billy bonkers, but they were awful on mud. These are made by baldys. A budget brand but my goodness are they an improvement. Really impressed with them. And they have a little bit of a retro look. Thanks to Alex Shovlin for the recommendation. Brakes: keeping the magura theme going, I used a set MT Trails, running them the opposite way around though, 2 pot on front and 4 pot at the rear (once a trials biker… always a trials biker). Running gear: Shimano deore 10 speed shifter, clutch mech and cassette: 42-11t. Chain is a KMC. Cranks: RaceFace turbine LP cranks, with a blackspire snaggle tooth 36t NW ring. I did run some polished middleburns with a beautiful Medium chainring, but they are far too ‘blingy’ for this build and looked so out of place. I do have an another project they should work well on though. Pedals: some cheap but cheerful plastic ones from Ali express. They are temporary whilst I rebuild some DMR vaults (Brendog signatures) Bars: my least favourite bit, nuke proof bars, they feel okay, but I’d like some thing with a bit more rise (2.5inch), preferably a glossy black finish for when I replace the stem…again. Seat: coda 700 (selle italia) to replace the cannondale saddle that came on it. The yellow logos were much needed, it’s also a very similar profile to to a flyte saddle, which I like. Having been out on a few local rides, I’ve fallen in love with it. The long top tube and shorter stem makes for a modern feeling bike with your weight planted quite centrally. I’ve been riding it on routes that I would have previously ridden a 2015 cannondale trigger full susser. It’s nailed them, and made it much more fun in the process. I also left my mates behind on this… which I haven’t done for a while on the trigger. The perfect bike for such rides. The headshok has really taken me by surprise, this one has 80mm travel, works well and exceptional over small bumps due to the no stiction design with needle bearings. I’m sure my view will change when it comes to servicing it though 😂

For what it’s worth I ran 180 rotors with magura MT5s and mine was fine too.

Yes mate, Retro Anonymous (RA) groups should be formed across the country to help people like us. “My name is Gavin, and I have have retroitis”

Retroitis is worse, the parts are often worse and cost more. I’ve got an appointment booked with the GP, but I’m worried there will be no cure 😂

@AdamR28 I was worried this would happen… 🤦🏻‍♂️

@AdamR28 what a coincidence we were sat next to each other! Really good to see you and catch up Adam. Dan and I have loads of footage of the old Notts rides, the Tech 04 comp and some of the Mansfield rides - so I’ll do what I can to get it digitised - would be great to see it again. The show was superb, far deeper topics discussed than simply trials. An amazing insight into Martyn’s world.

😂😂😂 Took me over 9 months to get my mine delivered post order 🤦🏻‍♂️

@Paperclip dude thanks for posting this! Wow that Spanish bb choice has a lot to answer for 😂 This frame is the one with the single gusset beneath the chain stay. Great to know the age of the frame, I’m surprised it’s as old as that, lasted relatively well! That makes sense about the gearing for the chainstay length, as I can’t run it slammed. The bb is indeed cut out. And yes @Ross McArthur mentioned the feedback he and @LEON gave to Marino to get the mounts sorted, I have the newer style ones on my 24. I have to say I think you did a great job with the geo, it is by far the nicest 26inch I’ve ridden. Kudos looking to get a bit my riding on it now it’s fixed. Had a few hours on it at the weekend at the local skate park and loved every minute.

On the bb side of things I can’t remember, the bb in the yellow giant has been there since I bought it new in the early 2000s. The black one came with one which I didn’t take out. A bb that can be used on both 68 and 73mm shells with an axel length of 118 would fit though.