<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Hinault =====

Bernard "The Badger" Hinault, winner of 10 grand tours, one of the greatest cyclists of all time, and arguably cycling's most ferociously competitive champion, retired in 1986 and immediately lent his good name out to a French Supermarché brand.  To be fair, the B. Hinault road bikes, which he also sponsored and started racing upon in 1985, were generally top-spec and worthy of Bernard's stickers.  The MTBs were not.

It's likely Bernard partnered with [[gitane:start|Gitane]] to produce these VTTs, as they often shared the unique seat collar construction.  Hinault MTBs were all outfitted with Shimano components, while Gitane's were not ((It's likely that Hinault road bikes were produced by [[https://www.cyfac.fr/|Cyfac]].)).  They were only distributed in France.

The Hinault badge is nearly identical to the [[fisher:start|Gary Fisher]] twin mt. peak logo((Compare the Montexel logo with a 1983-ish Gary Fisher water bottle: {{fisher:bottle1.jpg?100}}.)).

There are no online Hinault catalogs, despite there being dozens of books (and movies) about Bernard.  His branded mountain bicycles never became noteworthy.  The bicycles he rode in competition, manufactured by Look, Gitane and Cyfac, are all high quality, collectible and well documented.

The late 80's were flooded with cheap, forgettable shop re-branded MTBs of unknown origin.  It's not worth documenting them all.  Unfortunately, the trend continues today.


{{cyclo.jpg?200|Bernard Hinault, cyclocross}}
{{mtb.jpg?290|Bernard Hinault, Look MTB}}
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Left: Bernard Hinault going off-road in cyclocross.
[[https://www.reddit.com/r/cyclocross/comments/1tq58t/bernard_hinault/|reddit]]
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Right:
Hinault on a Look AV 86 MTB, ca. 1988.
[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/bernard-hinault-look-mtb.482230/|retrobike]]
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The 1988 Look AV 86 is perhaps the very first aluminum lugged carbon tubed MTB.  It's contemporaneous with the Kestrel MX-Z, which was fully carbon.  More research is needed.
See also: [[https://generationmountainbike.com/project/1988-look-av86/]], where it quotes Look in 1988, "[Bernard Hinault] was the one who introduced the mountain bike to France." (?!)
Note that this simple shot of Bernard on an MTB is already more interesting than all of the MTBs with his name on them.  
 
resources:
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Hinault]]
</div>

<div column 45%>
{{bern.jpg?500|Bernard Hinault, ca. 1985}}
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Bernard Hinault, ca. 1985
[[https://www.balkanweb.com/en/Cycling-40-years-of-waiting--the-curse-of-the-Tour-de-France-is-upon-us/#gsc.tab=0|balkanweb]]

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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Montexel =====
1986 Montexel
Tourney TY10, 1986, thus.  3x5 drivetrain.  Bullmoose bars.  Single piece cranks.


</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Montexel }}
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1986 Montexel
[[ https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t28095-quel-age-pour-ce-hinault-montexel?highlight=montexel|velovintageagogo]]
</div>


<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Montexel =====
Tourney RD-TY10, 1986->1993, 1986 thus.
3x5 drivetrain.  Bullmoose bars.  Front cantilever straddle cable catcher, which remains for the next few years.
"This mountain bike was sold (as you can imagine) in a supermarket."
Almost the same as the 1986 model, but with an improved crankset.


</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Montexel }}
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1987 Montexel
[[ https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t6038-vtt-b-hinault-montexel-homme-1985-87|velovintageagogo]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Montexel =====
Shimano Tourney TY-10 (1987-1993, thus), 3x6 gearing.  Delicate looking front fork.
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<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Montexel }}
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1989 Montexel
[[ https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t3263-vtt-b-hinault-mountain-bike-18-v-1989|velovintageagogo]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Montexel =====
Shimano Tourney TY-10 (1987-1993, thus), 3x6 gearing.
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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Montexel }}
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1990 Montexel
[[ https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/2829885718|leboncoin]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Montexel =====
Date is mere guesswork.  Shimano Tourney TY-20-GS rear derailleur (1989-1995) Straight-V solid brake bridge.  Blinged out with a huge 2 pound chain guard, derailleur guard, shoulder strap/bag and a matching green spoke protector.
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<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Montexel }}
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1991 Montexel
[[ https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/3077712319|leboncoin]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 Montexel =====
Shimano STX RD-MC32 rear derailleur (1993-?).
[[gt:start|GT]] triple triangle design but with better cable routing.
Ad states that this is a 1992.

</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1993.jpg?300|1993 Montexel }}
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1993 Montexel
[[ https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/velos/3069129096|leboncoin]]
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