Even though in today’s mountain bike world the bikes are better, the clothing more appropriate, and there are more trails to ride, there’s no denying the early 90s were the Golden Age of Mountain Biking. Just look at these fellas, and tell me I’m wrong.
Tomac knew what was up. You don’t get such a badass Rainbow Jersey by accident, and his year in the bands (’92) was probably the last time the jersey looked that good. Plain black shorts, white socks, back flat as a pancake. And who else would you expect to be the first to rock a Troy Lee paint job on their helmet?
Tinker, well he’s a man unto himself. Probably the crowd favourite on the strength of recognition, being the only dreadlocked Hispanic riding a fluoro green or purple bike at the time making him easy to spot. That and his cadence, crunching the big ring where others, even Tomac and Ned, feared to tread. Legend has it that Tinker would fill a backpack with the biggest rocks he could find then set off into the mountains for a six hour training ride. Even if it’s an urban myth, the fact that it’s an urban myth about Tinker makes it more than a bit plausible.
Gumwall tyres, polished silver rims, colour matched forks, Campa… Campa? Multicoloured Sidis, Tinker made it all work. Even the Etto helmet looked good on him. Tomac was arguably the most Rule Compliant mountain biker ever. Even with limited resources to work with, these guys set the bar. Not many have reached it since.
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Back in the day there was the "CSUN" ride, an afternoon road ride in Northridge that lasted about an hour, hairballing through the streets and foothills. Many big guns used to show up, like Thurlow Rogers. One week a young kid showed up on his MTB and got a chuckle until he put the hammer down and we were on the rivet single file behind him. That was Tomac. Still hard to believe. He would later show up on a road bike and we were really toast.
Some more old stuff. See Missy there? Casually Deliberate as FUCK.
We had dinner about ten years ago with Tinker and his Mother when they were in town promoting C-Dale. Really nice folks. I remember Tinker from the 1970's, when he was one of the first crop of professional BMX racers. Those skills transferred to the cross country world for him in much the same way that MTB/Trials skills transferred to the road for Sagan. Tinker told us that Cadel had told him that he would make a great road racer, but Tinker said that it just wasn't his thing, and that he thought Cadel was "the real deal".
The classic line: "How does he sit down with balls that big?" Heroic Era!!
@DavidI
My dad still has that group; he had it on a Cannondale Boinger (first gen rear sus with Rock Shox) and the combination performed so poorly it should have earned permanent residence on the Island of Misfit Bikes.
Beatiful to look at; I remember installing it for him the day it showed up at the house and I stripped the FD clamp screw just like that. Pulled out of there with that amazing Campa alu hugging every thread on the screw. I'll remember that moment for ever.
I remember Tomac just riding away from the field at Hunter mountain, NY in the the granniest of granny gears and he dropped them the first time up, right out of the gate with a spin that was "buttah". It was the same each lap after.
That was the first and last MTB race for me - there was no need to see another.
@frank
Right next to this:
Amazing thread. I've so much to learn...
When you flick through 90's cycling mags on all the innovations that were being made in that decade it's amazing what sticks around and what get thrown out.
Anyone for some Carbon-fiber wrapped aluminum?
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@ChrissyOne
Plus one to that lady!