It is often said that the gravel bike is nothing new, just the industry repeating history. To put this theory to the test, we headed to a charity bike shop to pick up three vintage 90s mountain bikes. Si, Ollie, and GMBN’s James Pickering take these retro rigs on a 70km winter gravel adventure to see if old-school steel and cantilever brakes might actually be the ultimate gravel setup.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
02:21 – The Charity Bike Shop
05:26 – The Bike Reveal
08:42 – Ollie’s Wheel Disaster
09:36 – The Ride Begins
12:24 – A History of Off-Road
15:05 – Mechanicals & Mud
17:48 – 90s Geometry vs Modern Gravel
21:51 – Final Thoughts
24:20 – Crash & Outro
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Do you still have a retro mountain bike in your collection, or have you converted one into a gravel commuter? Let us know in the comments below! 👇🚵
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27 Comments
Do you still have a retro mountain bike in your collection, or have you converted one into a gravel commuter? Let us know in the comments below! 👇🚵
Got myself my 1st MTB ever last October, a 26" fully, 3×9 Shimano Deore, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, air-pressure suspension, aluminium frame, in mint condition (just the rear tyre a bit worn)… new price back then must have been at least 1500€… for 40€ at a garage sale!! The perfect ride for me as a MTB beginner – and it's so much fun riding! 😃
The only MTB episode and you ride retro mountain bikes. That is cycling snobbery, if you want to know. There are millions of people that ride mountain bikes. Gravel bikes don't work in the Canadian wilderness, no matter how many of your sponsors claim that they would.
Mon premier vtt ,un MERIDA ALTUS 1989.
génial !
I have too many bikes to list one for each type but i also have a £35 gt agressor in all original spec an its my "ride to town bike " so im not scared of it being knicked i also have a couple more retro bike which i enjoy to look at as its the things i couldnt afford as a kid are now pennies 😂 apart from now everyones doing the same 😅
Just bought a Dawes Ranger made in the 80s. Absolutely wonderful bike to pedal.
A few years ago I turned my ‘97 Trek 850 into a gravel bike. Exactly as you said, with the right upgrades it is a really enjoyable bike to ride on gravel trails.
I bombed around on a 2001 Norco nitro for a few years and it was great fun. I found a crack in the frame a couple of weeks ago, so I upgraded to an 06 Kona Caledra. Not as old as those, but still a lot of fun for very very cheap.
LOL! Yes, you young Gen-Z wankers know little about history of true dirt and trail riding. It was us the greatest generation, the Gen-X'ers who invented the mountain bike in California. Guys with big damn bullocks, and no suspension. First venturing and experimenting with balloon tires off of cruisers. I live out in the desert, and have converted many gravel grinders from 26" and 700C bikes of steel cromoly DB tubes and no suspension. With road bars to everything in between for comfort.
This was an awesome watch! I have a bit of a passion for older bikes, having recently restored a Trek 6700. 26” bikes feel small and awkward by today’s standards, but they certainly have a place.
Best content you've done in ages, love it!
It only further underlines how much people should disregard the bike industry and its constant corporate reinventions disguised as innovation. Its only about having fun on a bike that suits your needs at the end if the day
I have a Miyata Runner 22.5" from 1990, triple butted splined chromoly steel frame with tubes made by Miyata themselves, used as expedition-adventure bike with 15000 km in Norway and Sweden last year.
This is so beautifully made! Wow
Is it me or does Ollie sound like Richard Ayoede 😂
Ah takes me back. In 87 I had a muddy fox and loved it rarely seeing other mountain bikers. I came from a cyclo cross back ground. In the 90's I bought my Specialised which I still own but rarely ride now I am 74. Now I roam the South Downs with my wife on our EMTB's hers a Trek Firefly and me a Canyon Spectre full sus. I might dust the Specialised this year. Thanks lads for a great video.
Impeccable banter from the lads here 😂
STILL ROCKING THE TREK 820 ✌️💥💪🌶
One of the best GCN videos. Just shows anyone can get a bike and go for a ride away from all the cars. Current inexpensive mtbs are basically still these bikes.
Great bikes.
If you're using cantilever brakes make sure there's something (like a front reflector mount) under the straddle wire. If the front brake cable fails, the straddle wire will catch on the front tyre with bad results.
Where is Hank?
What kind of steel are these bikes made from, (Reynold's 725, for example?)
Sy Attenborough!
HI. it would be very intresting to see if you take the retro mtb and put modern gravel bike parts on.
When I worked in a bike shop in the early 90s, my boss ordered som bikes that were kitted out like MTBs, but had 700c wheels & a slim tube Columbus tubing frame. I was tempted. I think it was almost what gravel bikes are now
Good job on this one…
Please can you share a link for this route?