MTB Exotica. Post your niche/unusual MTB's here.

[MingtheMerciless]

I'll get the ball rolling, this just popped up on my instagram feed. Perfect South Downs Singletrack tool.

[weeksy]

It's not necessarily niche, but it's exotica and for me it's one of them bikes that never leave my upgrade thoughts.



I know Beanie has an irrational hatred of them, but i do love a Santa Cruz, the 5010 in particular, but even a Bronson CC.

I also have to admit i've been semi-wanting this

https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/bikes ... on__329827



The problem being, i absolutely love how the G-160 rides and can't fault it (apart from the odd shock issue), so i've been unable to bring myself to press the button.

[Mr Moofo]

I would love a Geometron - not sure why, as I would definitely be way over biked ...
I could see me ending up with a BTR at some stage - I just love the steel and the welding..., so it would have to be raw with some sort of clear coat.
And as posted - the Curtis's look lovely ...

Weeksy - I have only ridden one Santa Cruz - I'm with Beany , it was "meh" - but I also feel that about Specialized ...

I am still of the view that carbon frames don't really have place in day to day MTB...

[weeksy]

I am still of the view that carbon frames don't really have place in day to day MTB...

Once upon a time i'd have agreed with you. But seeing the stuff my lad and his mate ride, jump, attack without any issues, well, my concerns are a lot less than they used to be.

[matt]

Definitely not exotic but I had this cheap calibre fatbike for a few years. Had some good fun on it ,great on the natural off piste stuff. Cracked the frame last year and as most of the parts were about worn out I sent it to the bike cemetery.

[Beancounter]

Can't explain what it is about Santa Cruz. There are so many of them at Peaslake (but then Pedal & Spoke are main SC dealers). They look lovely but don't look particularly special for the price tag and generally look to be uninteresting bikes. Never ridden one so am not speaking from a position of knowledge.

[lostboy]

Can't explain what it is about Santa Cruz. There are so many of them at Peaslake (but then Pedal & Spoke are main SC dealers). They look lovely but don't look particularly special for the price tag and generally look to be uninteresting bikes. Never ridden one so am not speaking from a position of knowledge.

Amen!

I have ridden a couple and found them average at best. Didn't get the whole "test winning", "ride of your life" type nonsense that the mags push out - but then Jungle spent a LOT of money on advertising.............. (obviously they were taken over by SC a couple of years ago but the presence of the ads remains the same!)

[Asian Boss]

Here's one of my old Charge Cooker (or is it a Cooker Charge), out last weekend.

It's far from exotic, it's an old cheapie. But it is probably quite unusual. And I think I bought it because Weeksy said it'd be reet. And it was!

CC.jpg (411.48 KiB) Viewed 904 times

[Beancounter]

Here's one of my old Charge Cooker (or is it a Cooker Charge), out last weekend.

It's far from exotic, it's an old cheapie. But it is probably quite unusual. And I think I bought it because Weeksy said it'd be reet. And it was!


CC.jpg

Whatever happened to Charge Bikes? You don't hear from them any more.

[lostboy]

Here's one of my old Charge Cooker (or is it a Cooker Charge), out last weekend.

It's far from exotic, it's an old cheapie. But it is probably quite unusual. And I think I bought it because Weeksy said it'd be reet. And it was!


CC.jpg

Whatever happened to Charge Bikes? You don't hear from them any more.

Stopped producing bikes about 2 years ago.*

*EDIT - stopped producing "ordinary" bikes after the takeover by a huge US outfit. The Charge brand still exists but, unsurprisingly, it's very much electric bikes. The head guy had already set up Fabric to be the "accessories" business - which was doing very nicely indeed and can now be found under the same ownership!

[weeksy]

Here's one of my old Charge Cooker (or is it a Cooker Charge), out last weekend.

It's far from exotic, it's an old cheapie. But it is probably quite unusual. And I think I bought it because Weeksy said it'd be reet. And it was!


CC.jpg

Was it mine?

[Asian Boss]

Here's one of my old Charge Cooker (or is it a Cooker Charge), out last weekend.

It's far from exotic, it's an old cheapie. But it is probably quite unusual. And I think I bought it because Weeksy said it'd be reet. And it was!


CC.jpg

Was it mine?

No, I got it from a shop in Sawtry.

[Gedge]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

[Beancounter]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

[Beancounter]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

[millemille]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

A cro-mega with pace rigid forks. I bet that had a "robust" ride?

[Beancounter]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

I like those colours. Why were the chain stays so high above the BB?

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Apologies for that, my laptop went on the fritz.

[millemille]

I like those colours. Why were the chain stays so high above the BB?

Elevated chain stays, or E-stays, were a thing back in the 80's and 90's.

They were a way of making the back end of the bike as short as possible to improve climbing - in line with the frame geometry of the time - and to also improve mud clearance around the back of the bottom bracket and around the tyre. Alpinestars were one of the few mass production manufacturers to make e-stay bikes, a fair few custom builders and niche manufacturers (Yeti, Titan, Funk to name but a few) produced limited numbers of them but they were a fad really.

The disadvantages - weight and frame flex - outweighed the supposed advantages and as bike geometry lengthened the front of the bike the chainstays didn't need to be as short and steeper seat angles/bent seat tubes/improvements in tube profiling all improved mud clearance so they died a death.

[Gedge]

From the days when they would try anything to be different ..

Mine was built around a bare frame by a local bike shop ..the shell suit colours were part and parcel of the image ..


https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/files/b ... 2db01b.jpg

A cro-mega with pace rigid forks. I bet that had a "robust" ride?

It’s a stock photo ..luckily mine had an early pair of rockshox fitted .. mine was in the same colour scheme though..I got rid of it as the frame always felt too tall for me ..

[Beancounter]

I'll get the ball rolling, this just popped up on my instagram feed. Perfect South Downs Singletrack tool.

Steel frames look best IMO. Smooth, clean almost minimalist lines compared aluminium and carbon.