[jfkbike2]

Anybody remember this beauty?

 

[vdubbusrider]

Anybody remember this beauty?

come on, give us something harder to figure out

nice bike. what else do you have?

 

[shiggy]

Looks like a Monolith. The matching fork may have been the first "stable platform" shock.

 

[vdubbusrider]

here is a thread on the first production Monolith (it's at Pacific Coast Cycles in Oceanside Ca): http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=8119&highlight=monolith

 

[Fillet-brazed]

Anybody remember this beauty?

Wow, those are really neat bikes. Monolith by Spencer Owyang right?

 

[jfkbike2]

Thanks for the thread. That looks just like mine... I was one of the first few, I want to say #3 but my memory is bad....

 

[Fillet-brazed]

Looks like a Monolith. The matching fork may have been the first "stable platform" shock.

stable platform? Wasnt it just a straight air spring?

 

[jfkbike2]

Monolith & Rebound fork

Wow, those are really neat bikes. Monolith by Spencer Owyang right?

You are correct. The rear suspension (and the front to an extent) were like light switches. On/Off if you know what I mean. They have a lot of stiction and took a fair amount to get moving but once moving they actually feel great. The bike is extremely rigid and had some promise that was really never fully realized.

 

[shiggy]

stable platform? Wasnt it just a straight air spring?

The Rebound fork would not compress if you bounced on the bars but moved when it hit a bump. A precursor to the SPV and Specialized Brain shocks.

 

[jfkbike2]

You guys are good. Nothing else too exotic in the vintage department. I do have a old Ibis tandem with the uptube deign and red to green 5 color fade paint job with the silver soldered fork/steerer tube so that the stem mounts like a Aheadset style but with a threaded headset. WTB hubs, Cook Bros tandem cranks, etc... I also have a rather poorly designed Columbine MTB that is a real handsome filet brazed frame but horrible geometry with this huge (Columbine) stem and IRD brakes, etc.... I did not know what I was doing back then and neither did Columbine (MTB wise)...

 

[Fillet-brazed]

You are correct. The rear suspension (and the front to an extent) were like light switches. On/Off if you know what I mean. They have a lot of stiction and took a fair amount to get moving but once moving they actually feel great. The bike is extremely rigid and had some promise that was really never fully realized.

ya, typical early air sprung suspension. The Rock Shox RS-1 was similar, it wouldnt react much on small bumps. all the new air shocks and forks have negative springs to combat that initial sticking point; allows the air spring to act just like a coil.

Thats a really neat bike though in many ways. Maybe someday Chuck at PCC will sell me his. (along with all the other ones Im in love with there)