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The December 2013 Bike of The Month contest was taken by CCMDoc's 1989 Merlin/Mongoose John Tomac Signature, from some excellent machines. The full result is as follows 1. CCMDoc's 1989 Merlin/Mongoose John Tomac Signature 2. Giom6's 1992 Zinn Z-Centaur 3. theproscloset's Missy Giove Yeti ARC ASLT Click here for more details and full results The December 2013 Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. CCMDoc's 1989 Merlin/Mongoose John Tomac Signature For full details check the build thread for CCMDoc's 1989 Merlin/Mongoose John Tomac Signature. 2. Giom6's 1992 Zinn Z-Centaur For full details check the build thread for Giom6's 1992 Zinn Z-Centaur. 3 theproscloset's Missy Giove Yeti ARC ASLT For full details check...

The Christmas 2013 Specials are now online, click here to see the Retrobike Xmas Specials. We are doing various bundle deals all of which represent a massive saving off normal price. Numbers are limited to stock so if you want a combo be quick :D

Barnoldswick. It just sounds like a Northern village name. I can’t hear it without thinking of a northern accent saying it. The kind of place you find in a rom-com where Cameron Diaz goes to find herself but finds Ewan McGregor instead. What you actually find in Barnoldswick is Hope. Pulling up at the house of Hope is quite different from most of the British bike industry I’ve visited. It’s, well, kind of American actually. At least in appearance. Kind of huge in presence and neat in display. You’d never think this gentrified modernised church of British bicycle family silver was actually made in this incredibly smart building, it’s just too nice, too neat, too, well, American. But this front of house is entirely appropriate. To the...

The November 2013 Bike of The Month contest was taken by girlonbike's 1990 Fat City Team Comp, from some very strong competition. The full result is as follows 1. girlonbike's 1990 Fat City Team Comp 2. mr_ship's Alpinestar's Ti-Mega 3. Stumpjumper1990 1991 Specialized Stumpjumper Epic Click here for more details and full results The November 2013 Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. girlonbike's 1990 Fat City Team Comp 2. mr_ship's Alpinestar's Ti-Mega 3 Stumpjumper1990 1991 Specialized Stumpjumper Epic

The October 2013 'Halloween Special' Bike of The Month contest was taken by Halaburt’s 1996 WTB Steel Phoenix. The full result is as follows 1. Halaburt’s 1996 WTB Steel Phoenix 2. Noka78's 1988 Fat Chance Wicked in pumpkin-orange 3. landsbee's 1992 Salsa A La Carte Click here for more details and full results The October 2013 'Halloween Special' Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. Halaburt’s 1996 WTB Steel Phoenix 2. Noka78's 1988 Fat Chance Wicked in pumpkin-orange 3. landsbee's 1992 Salsa A La Carte

The word legend is one which is used all to readily, especially in sporting endeavour. For a select few the titled is deserved, the sadly late Jason McRoy was surely one of those. In the days when MTBing was still a relatively young sport and many retrobikers still young men JMC took on the best in the world and in many cases won. His life was tragically cut short but the memory lives on. The McRoy family have been auctioning some of his bikes with proceeds going to charity. This FSR was the last bike Jason raced on and was sold earlier this year for a shade over £5K. The seller has relisted it, once again some proceeds are going to the JMC Foundation. Check the auction out here > JMC Specialized FSR and discuss in the forum here.

A big congratulations to wtb_rider for his clever entry into the October PotM competition, Ghosts and Ghoulies

We were extremely saddened to learn that forum regular Greenstiles aka Nigel Tillett has passed away following a motorcycle accident on Saturday 19th October There is a thread setup here in Nigel's memory, please post your thoughts there. The funeral is to take place on Friday 8th November, a collection is being made in Nigel's memory for ASPIE, an Asperger's charity in Worcester which was a cause close to Nigel. Details on both are contained here. Our thoughts go out to Nigel's widow Alison and young son Alexander in this difficult time. Greenstiles, wherever you are mate, RIP.

Why a retrobike? The coolest people of every generation have an icon. During the 1960s, among the rock n’ roll set on Chelsea’s Kings Road, it was the Jaguar E-Type. In the 2010s, the trendsetters are the 20-something media types of Shoreditch. They wear skinny jeans that stop above the ankle, and the coolest have meticulously manicured moustaches. Their preferred mode of transportation is a retrobike, specifically a fixed-wheel road bike from the 1970s or 80s, such as a Colnago or a Mercian. Less cool, but still way ahead of most of the population, is a slightly older male – mid 30s to mid 40s – typically a graphic designer with a penchant for classic trainers and vintage mountain bikes. On dry spring and summer days, they can be...

So, here we go again, another lame Edwards tale that will follow the usual format. I’d echo Micheal Gove with his “yadda, yadda, yadda” from Newsnight (I can’t believe I’ve just repped Gove) but I know that more is expected, desired even. They say never change a winning formula but when your formula ain’t winning you sure as hell make changes. So, if you’re after the usual hackneyed recounting of lack of physical and mechanical preparation, unfortunate bowel evacuation, shoehorned popular culture and your modest scribe bravely saving the day via scarcely creditable heroics then you will be disappointed. But somehow I doubt it. I've ridden l’eroica twice before, taking on the full 205km L'Erocia in 2010 and then the more modest 135km...

Hans Jörg Rey aka Hans “No Way” Rey will need no introduction to anyone who has ridden a Mountain Bike in the past twenty five years. The GT Bicycles veteran has multiple World and National championships under his belt but it his consistently high media profile many will know him for best. Images of Hans’ spectacular mountain bike trials shows and adventures are amongst the most iconic in the sport and have graced numerous magazine covers and posters. Hans kindly took the time to answer 20 questions for us… 1) Retrobike: How's life in 2012? Hans Rey: Life is good in 2013!!! I'm still living the dream, I'm as busy as ever riding bikes and having fun. I would have never dreamt that I would have such long and good career. I try to stay...

Ductape wins the September Photo of the Month with his picture Fire!

England has a historical north-south divide. But not these days surely? Not in the age of homogenised pursuits like Saturday shopping, the cinema the night before and the pub the morning after? Must be just the same up there as we are down here, must be. No. They are not. They are hard. Maybe it’s the relentless economic climate that nurtures the south and freezes out the north. Being overlooked and neglected has made them tough. And they laugh about it. Pride themselves on it. Shandy drinking soft southerners. Being British has always been built on an element of banter within, but there is truth in the soft south, hard north divide. Maybe it’s as simple as the bleak weather. Maybe it’s deeper. Whatever it is, I am most definitely a...

The September 2013 Bike of The Month contest was taken by Sebastian's 1991 MERLIN Titanium, from some really top rides, very little to chose between the top three on quality or votes. The full result is as follows 1. Sebastian's 1991 MERLIN Titanium 2. hollisters 1990 tropical jellybean salsa ala carte 3. SYN-CROSSIS 1992 GT XIZANG TITANIUM Click here for more details and full results The September 2013 Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. Sebastian's 1991 MERLIN Titanium 2. hollisters 1990 tropical jellybean salsa ala carte 3 SYN-CROSSIS 1992 GT XIZANG TITANIUM

Retrobike was lucky enough to attend the 2013 Cycleshow at the NEC on the Thursday Press / Trade day. Having not been to a mainstream bike show for a few years (not since the defunct 'Bike Show') it was good to see such a large show with a diverse number of exhibitors - it would certainly seem that cycling is indeed in the ascendancy. Our overall highlights of the show were as follows *Seeing Daley Thompson (legend!) *Plenty of manufacturers turning out high end steel race frames. Not because it's niche but because it's a fine material for the job. *Depth and breadth of stands, everything from the big corporate displays from the usual suspects down to much smaller companies with some interesting products. *The proliferation of utility...

The August 2013 Bike of The Month contest was taken by Sebastian's 1995 GLEISS MTB Monobox, from some very strong competition. The full result is as follows 1. Sebastian's 1995 GLEISS MTB Monobox 2. Rumpfy's 1990 Bontrager OR 3. Dossa's 1990 Ridgeback 704XT Click here for more details and full results The August 2013 Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. Sebastian's 1995 GLEISS MTB Monobox 2. Rumpfy's 1990 Bontrager OR 3 Dossa's 1990 Ridgeback 704XT

The July 2013 'Muddy Fox vs Orange vs Saracen Special' Bike of The Month contest was taken by nevadasmith's 1989 Orange Formula. The full result is as follows 1. nevadasmith's 1989 Orange Formula 2. Rodrigues' 1989 Saracen Kili Flyer Comp 3= Gravy Monster's 1989 Saracen Trekker Competition UU 3= The History Man's 1997 Muddy Fox Rock N Roll TEAM Click here for more details and full results The July 2013 'Muddy Fox vs Orange vs Saracen Special' Bike of The Month top three are as follows 1. nevadasmith's 1989 Orange Formula 2. Rodrigues' 1989 Saracen Kili Flyer Comp 3= Gravy Monster's 1989 Saracen Trekker Competition UU 3= The History Man's 1997 Muddy Fox Rock N Roll TEAM