Skip to main content

DBR

If you've known me for any length of time, then you've likely heard me talk about DBR bikes and how awesome they were.  For anyone who hasn't heard, here's a quick lesson: DBR stands for Diamond Back Racing.  The bikes were made in the mid-late 90's, the golden age for mountain biking.  This was before there was XC or trail, enduro or free ride.  This is when you just bought a mountain bike.  And when you did, you got an aggressive bike.  A quick handling, scary-to-ride-down-a-hill bike.  Sure, they were uncomfortable, but the were fast.  And fun.
Like anything that etches ones memory, these bikes more than define the top of the market, they define the time.  This is when Ned Overend and John Tomac were battling it out every weekend.  When Cadel  Evans was tearing it up on the world mountain bike circuit.  When Tinker Juarez was...well, he's always been awesome.  Anodized colors were the rage and suspension was just gaining acceptance.  
This is also when road trips with friends to far-off trails for epic rides began.   And that, more than anything else, defined those bikes for us.  The good times we had on and off these bikes during those road trips made memories that we still talk about.  This was the time of our lives, some of the most memorable moments ever.  Moments we had on our DBR mountain bikes.  To us, that made these bikes the best ever made.
We're all older now and we've all switched to newer full suspension bikes.  Comfort is the rule of the day.  Every one of us still has the DBR bikes that we used to ride and still ride them occasionally.  I still love riding my yellow Team Issue.  I can't ride it as long as I used to, or as fast.  But it sure brings back the memories.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is Kashima Coating?

Kashima coating is a feature currently only found on Fox forks and shocks*.  It's easy to spot from it's distinctive dark brown color.  What is it and why do they use it?  First, a quick definition: Anodizing is a process by which a metal part (normally aluminum) is electrically charged and submerged in a chemical bath.  This creates an oxide layer that penetrates the metal and changes the microscopic texture and the crystal structure of the metal near the surface.  After a part is treated, it can be dyed to give it color before it is sealed to increase durability. Hard anodizing is a similar procedure that penetrates further into the metal. This increases the surface hardness of the material making the surface even more durable and corrosion resistant.  It does not make the metal part stronger, it affects the durability of the surface of the metal. Kashima coating is a type of hard anodizing that involves a lubricating treatment as well.  This not only substantially dec
1 comment
Read more

1986 Fuji Restoration

I just picked up this 1986 Fuji Sagres to restore.  This has been one of my all time favorite bikes and one I've been searching for a long time.  It's gonna be a long term project since it doesn't have the original gunmetal grey Ukai rims and gunmetal grey handlebar tape.  I'd like to pick up some original 27" SCCR Fuji tires too, but that may be asking a bit much. I'm not sure why I've always like this so much.  Maybe the color, maybe it was a good seller for us at the shop back then.  It would have been the year before I started working at the shop so it could have been old inventory or that we just worked on a few of them the following years.  I remember always wanting one, probably has a lot to do with the color.  It's one of the last to have been made in Japan and features quad-butted Valite tubing.  These were decent riding bikes and reasonably priced at about $325 if I remember correctly. So why the big deal about a mid 80's Fuji?  The s
2 comments
Read more

Disc Brake Pad Differences

This is kind of an oversimplification of a complex subject, but I tried to make it easy to understand. There are two main types of disc brake pads:  Organic and Metallic. Organic pads (sometimes called resin pads) are the most common on new bikes.  They are made of an organic material (ground cashew shells on some pads) mixed with an epoxy.  They work well because they have a good 'grippy' feel when braking and they create less noise.  They are also less expensive than a metallic pad.  However, they don't deal well with extreme heat generated by the brake system and they wear faster. Metallic pads (sometimes called sintered or semi-metallic) are designed for heavy duty use and are less common on new bikes.   They are made of copper, brass, and/or steel mixed with epoxy.  They work well in messy conditions - mud, sand, and rain and last much longer than organic pads.  The downside is that they make much more noise and will wear rotors faster. Manufacturers may offer
Post a Comment
Read more