mtb-timeline

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


Sid and Ernst Star founded Lotus Bicycles in Syosset, New York in 1980, importing bikes made by Tsunoda Bicycle Corporation of Nagoya, Japan and later from Pacific Cycle of Taiwan.  ((History from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_(bicycles)|wikipedia]] and [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1207451-road-test-bike-review-1983-all-terrain-bicycles.html|Nov 1983 Bicycling magazine]])).  In 1990, Sid passed away and Ernst then sold the brand to International Design & License, which then sold the brand in 2000 to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Cars|Group Lotus]] at which point Lotus stopped branding and selling bicycles.



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<div column 45%>
{{ernst.png?300|Ernst Star with daughter}}
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Ernst Star with daughter
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[[https://classicjapanesebicycles.com/lotus/]]
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<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Pegasus =====

The steel shoulder strap welded into the frame is unique amongst mountain bikes.  See further discussion in: [[lotus:start#shoulder]].  The quick release sliding seatpost is almost unique, but was also found on the 1983 [[trek:start#s1983|Trek 850]].
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The 1983 Pegasus had a lugged frame, Suntour Mountech derailleurs front and rear, and a 5 speed Suntour freewheel paired with a Sugino triple.  29.75 pounds.
((Thanks to the Internet Wayback Machine for caching dead sites, as Lotus fans are a dying breed.  See Pegasus specs at: [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200611123609/http://vintagelotusbicycles.com/Pegasus_ATB.html|vintagelotusbicycles]]))
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Lotus also sold an Explorer model in 1983 with SunTour AG Tech derailleurs and dodgy build quality, according to [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1207451-road-test-bike-review-1983-all-terrain-bicycles.html|Nov 1983 Bicycling magazine.]].

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<div column 45%>
{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Pegasus}}
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1983 Pegasus
[[https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=205370|thepaceline]]

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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Pegasus =====

Components nicely upgraded to Shimano [[http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=2EDA0B89-6B14-4308-875B-21AD8F25CEED&Enum=108&AbsPos=45|Deore XT]].


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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Pegasus}}
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1984 Pegasus
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-bicycles-whats-worth-appraisals/1150633-early-80-s-lotus-pegasus-atb.html|bikeforums]]

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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Pegasus =====

Identical to the 1984 in every way.  Later Lotus mountain bikes dropped the built in shoulder strap.

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<div column 45%>
{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Pegasus}}
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1985 Pegasus
[[https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/1985-lotus-pegasus.38181/|electricbikereview]]

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<div column 50% #steel>
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===== Steel Shoulder Straps =====

Modern cyclocross bikes have oval top tubes, which works well for most shoulders, but mountain bikes borrowed from older cyclocross and embraced nylon shoulder straps starting around 1980.  Modifying the frame was rarely done - but is not unique to the Lotus Pegasus.
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{{alan.jpg?300|ALAN Cyclocross}}
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1980's ALAN Cyclocross  [[https://www.classicsteelbikes.com/product/alan-cyclocross-frame-size-58cc/|classicsteelbikes]]
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Strapless works better when the bike is very light.
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{{kobe.jpg?300|1983 Kobe Cascade}}
1983 Kobe Cascade [[https://www.reddit.com/r/xbiking/comments/hs3eq3/who_says_you_cant_teach_an_old_dog_new_tricks/|reddit]]

The 1983 [[kobe:start|Kobe]] Cascade, which looks **exactly** like a Lotus Pegasus (components are all new) has the same frame "quirk."


Many early frames had holes drilled for bolt on shoulder straps.  This was true of at least the following collected in this timeline:

  * 1980 [[chrisking:start#s1980|Chris King]]
  * 1981 [[moots:start#s1981|Moots Mountaineer]]
  * 1983 [[ibis:start#s1983|Ibis]]
  * 1983 [[jamis:start#s1983|Jamis]]
  * 1982 [[salsa:start#s1982|Salsa]]
  * 1984 [[raleigh:start#s1984|Raleigh]]
  * 1984 [[ross:start#s1984|Ross]]

And many more.  Even Ritchey used them on later models.

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<div column 45%>
{{gitane.jpg?300|1974 Gitane}}
1974 Gitane Country 
[[https://forum.tontonvelo.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=11948|tontonvelo]]

Gitane welded these onto frames as far back as 1974 on their //Country// cyclocross bike.  ((Gitane maintains complete catalogs at: [[http://www.gitaneusa.com/catalogues01.asp|gitaneusa]]))

{{raleigh.jpg?300|1984 Raleigh Elkhorn}}
1984 Raleigh Elkhorn [[http://classiccycleus.com/home/1984-raleigh-elkhorn-mountain-bike/|classiccyclesus]]

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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 1987 Cherokee =====
SunTour alpha-5000 (1987-8)

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<div column 45%>
{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Cherokee}}
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1987 Cherokee
[[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-sales/1198462-1980-s-lotus-cherokee.html#&gid=1&pid=1|bikeforums]]

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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 3000M =====
"Pro Series", SunTour XCE (1989+)

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<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 3000M}}
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1989 3000M
[[https://offerup.com/item/detail/824039333|offerup]]

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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 4000M =====
1990 4000M

Deore LX.
Likely the last model year for Lotus ATBs.((The vintagelotusbicycles serial # project only lists a single road bike post 1990, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20190502202128/http://www.vintagelotusbicycles.com/serial_number_chart.php]].))

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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 4000M}}
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1990 4000M
[[https://web.archive.org/web/20190912235634/http://www.vintagelotusbicycles.com/Pro_Series_4000M.html|vintagelotusbicycles]]

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