Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- ridgeback:start [2021/08/21 21:21] – created gchandler
+++ ridgeback:start [2022/05/20 14:31] (current) – mtbtimeline
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-asdfasdf
+<div column 50% #intro>
+----
+===== Ridgeback =====
+Ridgeback was founded in London by South African Errol Drew in 1983 who, after spotting his first mountain bike in New York in 1982, stated: //"This is the future of cycling".//  Prior to this Drew owned London's Beta Bike Shop and the Madison Distribution Company which published the [[https://www.freewheel.co.uk/about-us|Freewheel]] Catalogue.  Ridgeback was created in 1983 to bring mountain bikes produced in Japan((Or Taiwan?  Early models seem to be made in various locations - with TIG welding or lugs and various country stamps)) into the UK.  ((Info from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridgeback_(brand)|wikipedia]], [[https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/about|Ridgeback]], [[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/first-uk-production-mtb-a-ridgeback.260739/|retrobike]]))  Today Drew runs [[https://designbydelta.com/|Delta Cycles]], a bike parts distribution company in Massachusetts.
+\\
+Ridgeback was the first mass produced mountain bike sold in the UK, predating the [[sng:start#s1983|S&G Muddy Fox]].  Their claim that they are //Europe's// first mass produced mountain bike may only be correct in that earlier European mountain bikes didn't sell as well: [[schauff:start|Schauff]], [[centurion:start|Centurion]], [[bianchi:start|Bianchi]] or [[puch:start|Puch]].   [[raleigh:start|Raleigh]] produced mountain bikes starting in 1982, but sold them only in the US ((US Raleighs in 1982+ were made by [[huffy:start|Huffy]])).
+\\
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{rb.jpg?440|Ridgeback}}
+\\
+Ridgeback today
+[[https://www.facebook.com/RidgebackBikes|facebook]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1983>
+----
+===== 1983 Ridgeback =====
+The picture of their first mountain bike to the right, supplied by Ridgeback, appears to match their 1984 Ridgeback XT catalog.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1983.png?300|1983 Ridgeback XT}}
+\\
+Ridgeback XT
+[[https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/media/catalogues/ridgeback/2012_catalogue.pdf|ridgeback]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1984>
+----
+===== 1984 Ridgeback XT =====
+**XT** to advertise Shimano's deer head gracing the Ridgeback's derailleurs.  The next model down was the STD, shown below. **//STD//** should already have been marketing anathema by 1983, but perhaps in this early pre-AIDS awareness age, "std" simply meant "standard", which Ridgeback thought was a solid, dependable image to attract people dissuaded by mountain biking's unconventional hippy reputation.
+{{1984cat.jpg?200|1984 Ridgeback STD}}
+Ridgeback STD [[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/first-uk-production-mtb-a-ridgeback.260739/page-6|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Ridgeback XT}}
+\\
+Ridgeback XT
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/first-uk-production-mtb-a-ridgeback.260739/page-10|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1985>
+----
+===== 1985 Ridgeback 501/531 =====
+Presumably Shimano told Ridgeback to cease and desist appropriating their XT brand reputation.  In 1985, after discovering that STD wasn't the best association, they tried transferring some of [[https://www.reynoldstechnology.biz/|Reynolds]] credibility into their lineup with the introduction of the 501 and 531 model numbers, using Reynolds 501 & 531 tubing.  Funny, none of their bikes from this time bore the Reynolds [[https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/collections/reynolds|decals]].  Ridgeback dropped Reynolds ((Or the other way around - hey, it's just numbers?)) a couple of years later.  ((To be fair, Ridgeback restarted using Reynolds a decade later and proudly put their stickers on their downtubes.  See: [[https://www.facebook.com/RidgebackBikes/photos/915572898466415/]]))
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Ridgeback 531}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 531
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/wanted-ridgeback-catalogues-upgrade-or-original.370228/|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1986>
+----
+===== 1986 Ridgeback S =====
+Budget, half-price version of standard Ridgeback.
+\\
+[[https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/dnp_derailleurs.html|DNP]] Climber derailleur.  Impossible to date.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Ridgeback S}}
+\\
+Ridgeback S
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1986-ridgeback-s.421933/|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1987>
+----
+===== 1987 Ridgeback 531 =====
+Freewheel Catalog shot.  £389.50 in 1987 == £940 in 2022, or $1174 in today dollars.  Not cheap.  However, they saved money by using out of date parts.  Full Shimano Deore 700, which was **three** years out of production by this point
+and already superseded by two groupset iterations.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Ridgeback 531}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 531
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1986-ridgeback-s.421933/|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1989>
+----
+===== 1989 Ridgeback 601 SIS =====
+Low end Shimano Exage Country derailleurs.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Ridgeback 601 SIS}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 601 SIS
+[[https://deadrats.co.uk/2019/11/13/1989-ridgeback-601-sis/|deadrats]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1990>
+----
+===== 1990 Ridgeback 703DX =====
+Catalog shot.
+Full Shimano Deore DX groupset.  Tange Prestige tubing.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Ridgeback 703DX}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 703DX
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/ridgeback-1990-catalogue.203313/|retrobike]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1991>
+----
+===== 1991 Ridgeback 700LX =====
+Exage 400LX and 300LX front and rear derailleurs.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Ridgeback 700LX}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 700LX
+[[https://www.shpock.com/en-gb/i/XrKaTUHSg0iiNjjx/retro-1991-ridgeback-700-mtb|shpok]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1992>
+----
+===== 1992 Ridgeback 707RS =====
+Catalog shot.
+Al frame, full XTR, unknown PowerFork RS3 shocks ((No internet evidence of an RS3 fork existing.  Perhaps relabeled for Ridgeback?))
+.5 pounds.
+£1595 ($3700 in 2022 dollars)
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1992.jpg?300|1992 Ridgeback 707RS}}
+\\
+Ridgeback 707RS
+[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1992-ridgeback-catalogue.221780/|retrobike]]
+</div>