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WHAT KIND OF BIKE DO I PREFER? THE HARDTAIL OF COURSE. IT HAS TAKEN YEARS FOR A DUELIE TO FINALLY CATCH UP TO THE HARDTAIL IN CLIMBING,WEIGHT AND SPEED WITHOUT BOBBING.THE GOOD THING IS,THE PRICES FOR THE NEW DUELIES ARE COMING DOWN.
THE EARLY OFFROAD BIKES WERE CONVERTED BALLOON TIRE CRUISERS. IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT DOWNHILLING ON THESE BIKES RATTLED THE BIKE AND RIDER TO PIECES AND EARLY FRAME DESIGNS EVOLVED INTO THE MODERN CROSS COUNTRY DUELIE. DIAMOND STYLE FRAMES GAVE WAY TO THE ELEVATED CHAINSTAY BIKES THAT ELIMINATED CHAINSLAP AND INCREASED TIRE CLEARANCE AND THEN BACK TO THE DIAMOND FRAMES. WISHBONE SEATSTAYS STIFFENED UP THE REAR GIVING BIKES LIKE THE MONGOOSE IBOC PRO AND THE RALEIGH TECHNIUM ROCKET LIKE ACCELERATION UP THE HILLS FOR US HAMMERHEADS.SUSPENSION STEMS ARRIVED AND FINALLY FRONT SUSPENSION FORKS OF DIFFERENT DESIGNS.REAR SUSPENSION REPLACED THE TRADITIONAL SEAT STAYS LIKE THE SCOTT UNITRACK FSR AND FINALLY THE DUELIES CAME INTO THE SCENE.EARLY FS BIKES WERE FAST ON THE DOWNHILL BUT SUFFERED BOBBING WHILE SPRINTING AND CLIMBING.THE RIGID AND HARDTAILS WON MOST OF THE RACES UNTIL RECENTLY.TODAY'S FULL SUSPENSION BIKES ARE TRUE TRAIL BIKES ABLE TO GOE ANYWHERE COMFORTABLY AND QUICKLY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE OF MOUNTAIN BIKING.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF FRAME DESIGNS AND MATERIALS USED TO HELP US MOVE FASTER DOWN THE TRAIL. AFTER ALL,THE REWARD FOR CLIMBING THOSE HILLS IS ALWAYS THE RIDE DOWNHILL.
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| SLACK HEAD ANGLES,LONG WHEELBASE & LARGE FRAME. |
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| 1990 CANNONDALE |
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| ALUMINUM DIAMOND STYLE FRAME WITH CURVED FORK. |
| MY FIRST RACE BIKE; 1989 MONGOOSE IBOC PRO |
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| CROMOLY FRAME,WISHBONE REAR STAY,STRAIGHT FORK BLADES COMMON IN 1989/90. |
| 1991 GT ALL TERRA |
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| TRIPLE TRIANGLE FRAME,MULTI-POSITION FRONT DROP OUTS & THE 1ST FLIPFLOP STEM. |
| 1991 HARO EXTREME COMP |
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| ALUMINUM MAIN FRAME WITH BOLTED CROMOLY REAR STAYS |
| 1990 SLINGSHOT TEAM |
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| CONSIDERED THE FASTEST MTB. PIANO WIRE SPRUNG IT FORWARD WITH EVERY PEDAL.GREAT CLIMBER. |
| 1990 KIRK MAGNESIUM |
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| ONE PIECE FRAME.RIDERS JOKED ABOUT NOT SMOKING AROUND IT.LIGHTWEIGHT FRAME. |
| SOFTRIDE,YEAR UNKNOWN |
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| AN EARLY ATTEMPT IN FULL SUSPENSION.AKA THE POGOBOARD. |
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| 1990 SCHWINN KOM (KING OF THE MOUNTAIN) |
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| LUGGED,STEEL DIAMOND STYLE FRAME WITH CURVED FORK. |
| 1990 KLEIN ATTITUDE. |
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| COMPACT ALUMINUM FRAME,STRAIGHT FORK,INTEGRATED STEM & HANDLE BAR. |
| 1989 RALEIGH TECHNIUM |
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| BONDED ALUMINUM TUBING & LUGS. |
| MY 1991 HARO EXTREME,ORANGE CRUSH. |
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| ALL CROMOLY FRAME WITH HEADTUBE GUSSETS,1 1/8 HEADSET. |
| 1993 SCOTT UNTRACK FSR |
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| ONE OF THE FIRST DOWNHILL DESIGNS.ALSO A GREAT CLIMBER. |
| 1989 TRIMBLE COMPOSITE |
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| A TIMELESS DESIGN.I SAW THIS BIKE AT A RACE IN 1989. |
| 1991 UNIVEGA SHOCK BLOK 8.9 |
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