mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Giant Bicycles =====

Giant Bicycles is by far today's largest bicycle manufacturer.  It was founded in 1972 in Dajia, Taiwan by
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Liu|King Liu]], a former eel farmer.  In 1977 Giant began making bikes for Schwinn, soon making more than two-thirds of all Schwinn bikes by the mid-1980s.  Giant didn't start to brand its own bikes until 1981, in addition to making bikes for most major brands.  The first Giant MTB showed up in Europe and Asia in 1984 and later sold Giant branded in US by 1987 when their Schwinn relationship ended.  Giant first made MTBs for Schwinn by at least by 1983 for their [[schwinn:start#s1983|Sierra]] model.  In 2021, Giant's revenue topped $2.9B.
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Sources:
[[https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us|Giant]],
[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Bicycles|wikipedia]],
[[https://www.proteanpaper.com/scart_results.cgi?comp=howiebik&part=Beacon%20Cycle|proteanpaper]],
[[https://bikebiz.com/giants-founding-execs-to-retire/amp/|bikebiz]],
[[https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/8910/size-matters-how-giant-became-the-biggest-bike-maker-in-the-world|cyclist.co.uk]],
[[https://www-klassiekeracefiets-info.translate.goog/fietsmerken/giant/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp|klassiekeracefiets]],
[[https://www.bicycleretailer.com/international/2022/03/25/giant-group-annual-revenues-17-29-billion|bicycleretailer]]
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<div column 45%>
{{king.jpg?440|King Liui, 2013}}
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The King, showing them how its done at age 79.
\\ King Liui, 2013
[[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/world/asia/a-maker-of-bikes-now-makes-a-point-of-riding-them.html|nytimes]]
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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Escaper =====
Shimano XT M700 rear derailleur (1982-84), unusual cable stop bridge and fastback seat stays.
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1984 sales receipt along with 83/84 date codes.
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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Escaper }}
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1984 Escaper
[[https://www.bikeboosting.nl/index.php?giant_escaper|bikeboosting]]
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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 High Sierra  =====
Identical to Schwinn's [[schwinn:start#s1984|1984 High Sierra]] except for slightly newer components.  Same odd rear brake bridge and pine trees on the top tube.  SunTour MounTech 4900 (1982-1984), Dia Compe 980 brakes, Sugino GT crankset, bullmoose handlebars.
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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 High Sierra  }}
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1985 High Sierra
[[https://store.bicycleczar.com/Vintage-Giant-High-Sierra-p/06120078.htm|bicycleczar]]
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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Mesa Runner =====
SunTour AG Tech GTL (1985-87), bullmoose handlebars, no rear cable stop.
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<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Mesa Runner }}
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1986 Mesa Runner
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1231767-1980-s-giant-mesa-runner.html#&gid=1&pid=1|bikeforums]]
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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Super Sierra =====
SunTour XC 9000 (1987-88).

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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Super Sierra }}
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1987 Super Sierra
[[ https://www.flickr.com/photos/46672334@N04/8458440090/|flickr]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 Super Sierra =====
XT M730 (1987-88).  Same frame as the 1987 Super Sierra?
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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 Super Sierra }}
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1988 Super Sierra
[[https://www.marktplaats.nl/v/fietsen-en-brommers/fietsen-mountainbikes-en-atb/m1872330674-giant-super-sierra-retro-atb-uit-1988-shimano-xt|marktplaasts.nl]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Escaper =====
RD-MT62 rear (1989-90),  FD-MT62 (1989) front.
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<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Escaper }}
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1989 Escaper
[[ https://www.mtbminded.com/en/product-page/giant-escaper-1989|mtbminded]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Hurricane =====
Unknown derailleur - but all sources show 1990 as the only date for the Hurricane.
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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Hurricane }}
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1990 Hurricane
[[https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/i/XRo6zn-ZCkxcc32m/giant-hurricane-atb|shpock]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Terrago =====
Full Shimano Deore DX gruppo (1991-1993)
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<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Terrago }}
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1991 Terrago
[[https://bikejan.com/3055/giant-terrago/giant-terrago-01/|bikejan]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 CFM-1 =====
Carbon fiber bonded with aluminum lugs.  Full XTR gruppo - the first year where XTR was available and one of the only large brands to use XTR.  ((mtbtimeline bought one in 1992 for $1600 new from the LBS (after much bargaining,) and it came with both forks.))  Obviously incorrect tires.  The rigid fork is original - and it also came with an optional RockShox Mag-20 fork. ((The Mag-21 version of the CFM-1 was sometimes sold as a CFM-1S in different markets.))
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<div column 45%>
{{1992.jpg?300|1992 CFM-1 }}
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1992 CFM-1
[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/giant-cadex-%E2%80%9990-890i-and-%E2%80%9992-cfm1.364778/|retrobike]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 ALM-1 =====
1993 ALM-1
All aluminum, reusing the CFM lugs with aluminum tubing.
SunTour XC Expert group.  This example looks like it still has an original Giant Zorbers elastomer front fork - and if so, they were all [[https://www.cpsc.gov/manufacturer/giant-zorbers|recalled]] in 1996 due to the legs separating from the crown.
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<div column 45%>
{{1993.jpg?300|1993 ALM-1 }}
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1993 ALM-1
[[https://bicyclecollective.org/products/giant-cadex-alm1-vintage-mtb-pre-owned|bicyclecollective]]
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