Our favorite posts each week come from you, the readers of this website! Back in 2011 we launched our Readers’ Rides feature and every year, we like to look back at twelve months of submissions and see what resonated with people the most. Well, this year we saw a huge uptick in vintage restomods being submitted and it says something that the number one entry on this list was just posted a few weeks ago! Let’s get to it…
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Radar
An Original MTB Saddle Gets Reissued: A Review of the Brooks B72
When Brooks England decided to resurrect the legendary B72 saddle ($190), the brand reached out to John to use his 1980 Ritchey as a model to showcase the saddle’s history of being mounted to some of the first mountain bikes. Then, to offer a modern comparison, they built up a stunning Stooge Cycles Speedbomb. The resulting builds are eerily similar in some ways and worlds apart in others, yet the Brooks B72 looks right at home on both bikes. Let’s check out the new B72, including John’s quick review, below.
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Thomas’ 1995 Kona Cinder Cone Restoration
When it comes to vintage mountain bikes of the mid-1990s, it’s hard to not mention the 1995 Kona Cinder Cone. It had one of the most unique stances at the time and the painted to match fork and stem were straight from the playbook of something small time framebuilders were and are still doing today. Thomas sent in his Cinder Cone and the final product included some clever metalwork. Read on to find out and for some of Thomas’ delicious photos!
Reportage
Losing Our Heads at the Onguza Loskop Local Cycling Festival in Namibia
Held in Omaruru, Namibia this past July, the Onguza Loskop Local is a weekend festival with “great food, drinks & friends, with a wee bit of cycling thrown in for good measure.” After deciding the event looked really lekker Cape Town locals Stan Engelbrecht and Donnet Dumas made the trip out and each rode the event in divergent fashions—Donnet on a borrowed too-small Giant, and Stan on his ill-advised fixed-gear with skinny tires—and share a joint account of their adventure…
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Alessandro’s Nevi Italian Titanium Vintage MTB
Today’s Readers’ Rides features a wonderful example of an Italian mountain bike brand called Nevi and was sent in by Alessandro who shared a bit about himself, his journey through cycling, and this sick build. Let’s check it out!
Radar
Radar Roundup: Old Man Mountain Basket/Ponderosa Panniers/Juniper Trunk in Stock, Brompton and Bear Grylls, Moosepacks Frame Bags, Industry Nine Fatbike Hubs Return, Temple Cycles Road Bike, John Tomac and the Yeti C-26, and The Best and Worst Bikepacking Set Ups
Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Barry Wicks Underbiking World Championships Raleigh Super Course
Underbiking World Championships is precisely what it sounds like: a mixed-terrain race on classic road bikes. Think Rough Stuff Collective meets Single Speed Worlds. Today’s Readers’ Rides comes from Barry Wicks, a legendary multi-surface master, who shares his Underbiking Worlds Raleigh Super Course…
Reportage
Greg Herbold’s 1991 Miyata Ridge Runner Team
Nothing screams early-90s louder than a tension disc and a pile of anodized parts and the colorful World Champ, Greg Herbold. Of all the pro riders who made a name for themselves in the early 90s, few played as important a role in pushing new technology forward as Greg Herbold. Although best known for winning the inaugural UCI Downhill World Championship title in 1990, Herbold was already a celebrated champion having previously won the NORBA National Downhill title three-times…
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Matt’s 1996 Trek Multitrack
When someone says “hybrid bike,” chances are, old department store ATBs and comfort bikes with super high-rise stems come to mind. Yet, as Matt from St. Paul, Minnesota, shares with us in this edition of Readers’ Rides, they can be a lot more! Let’s check out his beautiful 1996 Trek Multitrack below…
Radar
1983: A Film About a Ritchey MountainBike
1983 was a pivotal year in the beginning of the almighty MountainBike. Shimano introduced Deer Head M700, MKS, the XCii sealed cartridge bearing pedal, and just a year prior, Ritchey debuted the Everest. Shown here in its vernacular: NorCal fire roads and singletrack…
Reportage
Seeking Origins in Italy: Vaughn’s 1985 Airone x Cinelli Rampichino
In one of the most creative trip reports to grace this site, Vaughn Dice shares the story of acquiring a 1985 Airone x Cinelli Rampichino, the first Italian mountain bike, then taking the bike back to Italy for a tour on its original proving grounds. Read on for Vaughn’s lively retelling of his time retracing this bike’s origin story through the Piemonte Alps.
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Mark’s Vintage Centurion Lemans 650B Conversion
650b Conversions are a great way to swap out those skinny race tires on bigger 700c wheels for some extra supple cushioning. They are very popular in the randonneuring crowd and today, we’re featuring Mark‘s exceptional example, so let’s get to it!
Reportage
Rigid, Vintage, Ready: Lachlan Sillitoe’s Anonymous Beach Bruiser
You won’t find many fully rigid, bi-plane forked, singlespeed mtbs on the trails of Kamloops—or anywhere else for that matter. But Lachlan Sillitoe, an Aussie transplant in the Loops and owner of the Bicycle Cafe, breaks the mold of the typical British Columbia Interior ride, with style and flow to spare. After hanging on his wheel during a few rides earlier this year, Dylan Sherrard writes about his friend’s unconventional bike choices and eagerness to embrace the entire spectrum of the riding experience—comfort be damned. Read on for Lachy’s thoughts about why easier isn’t always better and for a closer look at his anonymous vintage rigid SS mtb “beach bruiser.”
Reportage
Timeless Bikes and Travails at Eroica South Africa 2023
As an ode to the artistry of vintage bikes and simple adventure, Eroica events present riders the opportunity to embrace personal challenge on world class routes. Nick McIntyre traveled to Cape Town to ride the Eroica South Africa on a Hansom Track frame where is 25c rubber and single speed setup certainly made for a memorable day…
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Harrison’s ‘Mostly Garbage’ Centurion
We love to see people re-using vintage bikes for modern exploits. It’s one of our absolute favorites. So when Harrison sent this into our Readers’ Rides inbox, we spent a good amount of time frothing over it. Let’s take a look!
Reportage
Vintage Bicycles: 1988 Mountain Goat Dinoflage Deluxe
We’ve looked back at the early works of Jeff Lindsay’s brand Mountain Goat before with John’s Whiskeytown Racer profile but today our focus is a wild creation from 1988; the Mountain Goat Dinoflage Deluxe. Writer Zap Espinoza shares the Mountain Goat origin story and an interview with Lindsay about his work at Mountain Goat—let’s get to it!
Reportage
Vintage Bicycles: Otis Guy’s 1978 Breezer Series I
Today we’re elated to present to you a most unique bicycle; Otis Guy’s 1978 Breezer Series I, in all its period-correct glory. This one is a very special installment of our Vintage Bicycles series, so let’s get to it!
Radar
Readers’ Rides: Hoj Art’s DIY Custom Cannondale CAAD4
Is there a frameset with a bigger cult following than the Cannondale CAAD? Hoj Art says no and we agree. For this week’s Readers’ Rides, we get a look at an amazing DIY project that turned a bummer CAAD4 into a stunner track-inspired CAAD4. Let’s get to it…