Kestrel

Kestrel is one of the first companies to experiment with carbon fiber as a frame material. Mountain Bike recently named the CSX as one of the best mountain bikes ever, even though the geometry hasn't been changed since 1991. I don't know how that's possible, but I've never rode one...

CSX - Interesting stealth black color-scheme on this CSX. Interesting because the owner didn't follow through on it. How hard is it to get a black stem?

CSX - I don't know that I would choose yellow as an accessory color, but this bike is very nice; White Brothers forks, Race Face cranks, stem, and seatpost. And, I love that Selle Italia saddle.


CSX - One of far too many examples of riders willing to give up proper suspension in order to save weight. Sure those Indy's are light, but a set of Z.2s work so much better, I know they're worth the extra mass. [edit] I shouldn't have been so hard on those old Indy SLs - they were actually pretty good as long as you kept them lubed up. And they were damn light...


MX-Z - I think this is called the MX-Z, I could be wrong. I remember seeing the prototype in an MBA way back in 1992 or '93. Either way, it was one of Kestrel's first mountain bikes. I believe either Richard Cunningham (of Mantis and MBA fame) or Keith Bontrager had a hand in desiging this bike. Check out that sexy red seatpost, and I love those forks. Bring back white, Manitou.


MX-Z - This is an un-upgraded MX-Z. Check out the old-skool equipment; cantilever brakes, standard size chainrings, steel rigid fork, threaded headset, and the bull-horn handlebar which was killed by the rise of gripshift. You couldn't get those old gripshifts around the bends on the bars.


Rubicon - This bike looks exceptionally complicated. And kinda spindly, all those links and levers and such... You're just asking for flex and loose pivots. Such is the price of being different I guess.