Top 10 Weirdest Mountain Bikes Ever

[@Wenthouse692]

What about the wooden mountain bike. It had wooden wheels, a wooden frame even a wooden chain. The only problem it had is that it wooden work.

[@AV-zh6tq]

William Osman built a cool one that's not a joke lol

[@khalilrazak6486]

Hahaha.

[@mahiru20ten]

@@AV-zh6tq I only knew about Planckaert's wooden bike before knowing about Osman's.

[@dlrss1v274]

unfunny

[@keirfarnum6811]

Awwwww dad! Did you have to? 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@MattButlerAL]

how about getting a few of those bikes and giving then a ride. I think it would be interesting to her your take on how they ride.

[@fullerra980207]

Having ridden mountain bikes for over 20 years, I can say that a lot of these "flaws" were an attempt by companies to address the same problem... that was the bob in the rear suspension under pedal load. That's specifically why Gary Klein used the URT approach. It was specifically supposed to not allow any suspension travel with standing to sprint or go up hills. This was the same concept behind the Softride bike. These were days when guys liked pedaling up hills and picking through technical trails finding the best line, rather than just bombing down their nearest ski trail and posting a video about it.

[@ForbinColossus]

Time is better spent seeing the bikes instead of two guys on a couch

[@jensongroff]

ForbinColossus 69th like

[@Baskl757]

@@jensongroff and it only took 3 years

[@keirfarnum6811]

But they’re so cute together!

[@bicyclist2]

I love the look of the Cannondale Super V. Brooklyn Machine Works makes some of the coolest DH bikes ever made. The Slingshots may be weird but are still being made, and made in Michigan. The Klein Mantra looks cool and I'm a big fan of Unified Rear Triangle design.

[@oscarmoloneydaly8205]

I wonder if in another 25 years people would be disgusted by nowadays bikes as we are with bikes 25 years ago

[@gmbn]

+Oscar moloney daly Great point Oscar, I'm sure that we will be saying how over built and ugly are bikes are that we love to ride so much now. Cheers Marc

[@carguy466]

+Oscar moloney daly propably not as much

[@username6135]

We already are. Might as well attach bricks to them instead of gizmos.

[@relucorbul6617]

Realy good question

[@danb37]

25 years from now they will be saying, how did they ride these things all day without pedal assist electric motors. They will be like laughing, " lol just pedals lol!! no motors lol!!"

[@stephenstewart8398]

I had the Mantra and loved. It performed great.

[@mariabridger5074]

I thought these two are the weirdest people

[@sameryounis909]

1. Honda RN 01 - Greg Minaar 2. Zerode DH bike 3. Superco DH bike with weird chain set up !! 4. Lahar

[@ProfGoodlife]

+samer younis Can't go without: Richi - "The Hulk"

[@BKKgrind]

+samer younis Honda RN01 would probably need a whole episode for it because of the ammount of myths and rumors that sorround it.

[@sameryounis909]

+ProfGoodlife you are absolutely 100% right my friend, i completely forgot about that beast with the 300 mm fork if i remember correctly !!!

[@sameryounis909]

+BKKgrind that's why i was surprised it was not mentioned at all :) though it might need over 10 min alone lol

[@TheOfficialKC]

+samer younis They had Brooklyn and the Superco is the same guy. Good list though.

[@bicyclist2]

I Love the look of a Brooklyn Machine works DH bike. I always wanted to ride one. I always liked the Klein Mantra as it is a URT. I ride a Schwinn homegrown carbon and love the dual personality of the URT.

[@robertheller4583]

the Brooklyn Machine Works and the Karpiel Bender bike looks badass

[@AlexeiPavlov]

You guys should show less of yourself and more of the bikes.. Like when you talking about a bicycle show the bicycle you talking about instead of your faces , so listening to you we look at the bicycle

[@jpoRS]

This. It bothered me the whole video that they'd show you a bike for three seconds then cut back to two guys on a couch while they tell you what you're supposed to be looking at. Super unhelpful.

[@newhuman9]

yah seriously. think their heads are a bit filled with air

[@warmonkey8529]

Alex Pavlov man you're right I found my self pressing Paw's to see the bike 🐒

[@johnathanfarquhar1981]

I love my Klien Mantra Comp. I have aCane Creek air shock in the rear and a Noleen Cross Link Elite on the front, it also has a custom mounted disc brakes.

[@3Gjonathan]

Where did you get the work done?

[@TheOrangefd3s]

here`s a good one - both presenters discuss their best and worse bikes from time as sponsored racers

[@gmbn]

+Max Muffin That might upset some people!

[@TheOrangefd3s]

let me start you off - Orange 222, suffered from rear sus stiffening under braking. GT - too short and not slack enough, that Azonic bike looked quite good - like an Intense M1

[@ellismccoy]

Compared to the GCN presenters I can't help but feel these guys are a bit robotty.

[@MyDjmatt]

Awesome video guys! I would be scared to ride any off these bikes😂

[@kaasopjepannekoek]

Thanks a lot for all the vids you guys make! I really enjoy watching them! Very useful and entertaining! 😊

[@SansP3ur]

The Klein Mantra had a similar problem with my Schwinn S30 (sporting the 'Epicenter' rear suspension system) which also had the BB mounted on the rear triangle. Anyway, the S30 also weighed a metric ton, but I still road it for over 10 years before getting a new Spec Stumpy ... which is now 8 years old and still the only MTB I currently ride.

[@tubularmonkeymaniac]

Regarding the Klein suspension; you do get some suspension when standing. Weight over the pedals pulls on the pivot causing the top tube to dip. Definitely not a great design, but not as bad as the softride.

[@keelangerken5154]

That awkward moment when I can ride and jump circles around brand new carbon FS 29ers on my Klein mantra.

[@theintensegamer178]

I work in a bike shop and have seen one of those whyte bikes. the guy that owns it uses out allot and it doesn't need much maintenance.

[@mtbsweep8420]

Gwillan cycleman pro gmr 117 my dad has a 500w electic one really rare bikes brought it off the owner of mule bar

[@VincentJGoh]

1) Next time you should show the pictures of the bike FIRST so we know what you're talking about before you start critiquing the bike. 2) The Klein Mantra was so cool for the time. And the paint jobs were amazing. (Still performed terribly, though.) 3) The Cannondale Gemini, with the two rear shock design was super awesome and crazy.

[@joegatrill6634]

another interesting segment, cheers! I used to ride (and still have hung up) a coyote f2, it had a carbon swingarm and a super long shock that went through the frame with a pushrod. was super fexi at the rear but i loved it! could have mentioned the cannondale fulcrum too, it had a totally insane drive train that went all over the place!

[@silvervanmanfly]

Definitely is definitely the word of the day for definite.

[@zackt1480]

?

[@archie_-zv8xc]

The demo is slightly over engineered but it definitely looks cool imo

[@dukey_1337]

and the demo 9 did not win any medals. do these kids know what they are talking about?

[@gramnylen5961]

Surprised there no cannon dale lefty

[@fleaz4984]

Leftys are sick

[@gramnylen5961]

yeah

[@alexandresilva8233]

Best suspension out there

[@noahmccormack1665]

Traction productions I

[@gladius69]

I actually liked the look of the Whyte...

[@alexj4842]

+Bellwhacker I agree. It looks great.

[@ChrisKiller]

I own one and its awesome (unless going down really steep technical stuff). Easier than a normal fork to set up too, despite what they say.

[@gladius69]

+Chris Killer That's cool man. I bet it turns heads.

[@ChrisKiller]

Sure does. I love wowing the kids who think i'm from the future or something!

[@theadventurebiker]

+Bellwhacker I've always wondered how well the front suspension on these bikes work.

[@tj29er]

i absolutely loved my 2006 slingshot. it only weighed 19lbs with my world cup carbon SID fork. more ppl stopped me to admire it, than to ridicule it. great video guys!!

[@EnduroMike]

Been waiting for this!

[@mangtube]

So many funky bikes over the years... here are several to add to the list Ibis Bow Ti Kestrel Rubicon Nicolai Nucleon DH Grove Innovations X Trek 9000 Suspension Track Evil Imperial

[@Emilio0587]

I seen that Klein frame at a local bike shop, the owner put cruiser style handle bars and just used it for commuting and liked its unique appearance.

[@fraforgt-350r2]

nice vid guys! the bikes were super weird. but i agree with Alex Pavlov, i think u should show more of the bike and just talk in the background

[@jasoncross6151]

Loved the Girven Flex Stem reference, had one of these and thought it was awesome at the time, scary stuff when you think back....The Whyte bike rode well and did what it said it would but damn it was well deserved to be on this list 😏

[@mikem1925]

You guys rock! I am just a little chagrined. I owned a Klein Mantra Pro back in the day. The brake jack on that bike was insane. It was my first foray into full suspension,, and I took a massive OTB on my very first ride. The unsuspected brake jack got me upon landing a rock jump. Sold that piece of sh*t and graduated quickly to an Santa Cruz Bullit. Never missed that bike. Love my Santa Cruz Nomads now. Cheers

[@xtwosnakesx]

Weird but still great looking while also greatly loved by many: the Balfa BB7. Check out Xprezo for their current made by hand in Canada lineup.

[@julesunger3014]

I'm a huge fan of Klein and knew that the mantra would make the list

[@gmbn]

+jules unger Hey Jules, It will make a list this was about the Weirdest bikes of all time so we didn't think they fitted with this edit. Cheers MARC

[@julesunger3014]

I think you guys nailed it. The last bike on the video is a mantra and I was please to see it did make the cut.

[@jimlimbach6629]

+jules unger I own 10 bikes including a Ridley road machine and a custom Rodriguez tandem but if I was forced to own only one it would be my '86 Klein mentioned above. Today it would be classified a ''trail/hybrid'' but I could tour on it or ride a century with narrow slicks. Might be the most versatile bicycle ever.

[@julesunger3014]

That's awesome! I have a klien hard tale bike and just love the ingenuity behind the mantis.

[@jimlimbach6629]

+jules unger Gary Klein must have suffered from ''brain strain'' and lost a lot of sleep trying to lighten his bikes. I smile a lot showing folks all the little oddities. Mine rides like a comfortable road bike but his road bikes? No Way. They were akin to operating a jackhammer. And I know how long I can handle one of those before every inch of skin begins to seriously itch. I still own the first carbon bike: Exxon Graphtek. That was just the opposite. It smoothed out every bump.

[@traviscampbell7885]

The specialized demo in that vid is beautiful

[@TheOfficialKC]

I would say the new Demo looks way worse than the one in this video.

[@Alfgunnarp]

Love these videos :)

[@thebodrukus6593]

Hey guys, great video! and I've still got a Demo 8 from 2005 don't use it anymore, it's hung on my wall lol

[@MrAlexbotvinko]

These guys are outrageously interesting to listen! (Sarcasm)

[@kianmatthews2821]

Good video 😄

[@jujurock64]

I love my Brooklyn RaceLink. She's a bit heavy 53lbs but when going down the mountain nothing can stop here

[@camwallcar1210]

GMBN on the GCN sofa!!

[@xfaegx1741]

the karpiel bender and the specialized demo looks great for me

[@TheGuyWho3415]

Dislikes, then pedals away on my 2007 Demo 7.

[@edparry8515]

Do a top ten worst mountain bikes a Carrera Banshee must be in the list! I have one if you want test it as I don't live to far away.

[@TheShred89]

I remember a lot of these from reading MBUK when I was just a boy!

[@ganimed1976]

I once had a green/white Breezer Beamer that based on the Allsop design. The bike looks cool in my opinion but that carbon fiber seat swing was like a catapult. But it was fun to ride and an eyecatcher ;)

[@Romin.777]

Crosstrack Sonoma! Road one once, from stairs in a mall, didn"t even notice they were there. Weird bike with massive black rubber air balls for dampeners. :))

[@Yigituckelbeckz]

Specialized demo actually looked pretty cool. It looks like the batmobile.

[@damsonpirate]

The Polygon Collosus N9 is definitely a weird bike you could say but sure is one of my favourites and I think it looks sweet

[@finnnewcombe7780]

Hahah I think the weirdest bike in there was the Klein mantra. HAHAHA LOL

[@Zomby1Woof]

I have a 2000 Cannondale SuperV700SX. That was my introduction to mountain biking. I still have it. I do have a 2015 Scalpel 29 which is my main bike now, but I rode the hell out of the SuperV last year. I had to replace the rear swing arm on it because it cracked. That's how I got the Scalpel 29 Carbon 3. I got it for 40% off on the Cannondale warranty. But I fixed the SuperV too so I can ride it again. Anyway both my bikes have the Lefty "fork". That gives a bike a weird look but I love my Lefties. They work great.

[@skibikeride2000]

I like these types of videos

[@towedarray7217]

If the Klein Mantra is so bad, then I wish someone would give me one. And a Trimble carbon. Because as an 80's and 90's rider I coveted both of those so much it's dizzying. I am actually very actively shopping for a Trimble frame right now to build up as my hardtail retro cruiser. There's a Mantra on eBay right now for 550 and I will admit that as a Klein guy.... tempting.

[@williamrobinson2452]

I put a FOX air shock on the back and ordered one intentionally too short so it added length to the wheelbase making it much more stable, then a dropper post and a 150mm fork, makes it a real rider!

[@coopernugent5949]

guys running Brooklyn dh bikes swore by them and how surefooted they were on the steep stuff. i still want one

[@simonespadaro9219]

I think I know that couch....

[@paradox963]

You forgot about the Trimble, not only one of the first Carbon frames if I remember right but a unique design and who could forget the rainbow tiger stripe paint jobs.

on the clip you guys showed of Bender from rampage he's not actually riding a karpiel but banshee I believe

[@karlish8799]

That black Ellsworth was really really nice. looks kinda like a kona stinky albeit with a massive linkage. Thumb up like!

[@corbingun5471]

K2 proflex series, a great cross country bike for it's time, rare nowadays, and cool forks

[@c3dwin5412]

i have a klein mantra and i love it.

[@suryaharris007]

Do a video on best tyres out for different purposes! Please! Was thinking of getting the new onza ibex instead of the high roller 2 exo, but I've heard the ibex isn't as good as the high roller 2 for mud! Thanks

[@alternator7893]

They're all beautiful!

[@Pmckean4115]

The slingshot had a really nice ride feel on single track.

[@nomadscorpio]

I had a Klein Mantra when they came out and I loved that bike. 😅

[@robbchastain3036]

It all evolves and I can see fellas on a couch twenty years from now chuckling at today's bikes, especially e-bikes. "Look at that box hanging from a frame. I wouldn't take that out of the garage." But for now, it is all part of an amazing era of mountain bike research and development, an era begun in--chuckles and giggles--the '70s.

[@alanmason3078]

You forgot the Manitou 3! It had the same elastomer suspension in the seat stays as the fork. It was quite a beautiful piece of CNC art and a pretty good descender. It was an ABSOLUTE PIG to climb however. Horribly demoralizing to feel fifty or so percent of your energy going into compressing the suspension!

[@elderraven8804]

Lol. Loved the first bike. I had a Super V back 20 years ago. My first full suspension ride... It was also the worst for pedal performance. Like riding a trampoline. I ended up refitting it with a bomber and custom parts and for a while it drew a few looks. Then it got outdated and I sold it. Thanks for memories.

[@dalemcdermott9840]

what about the orange x1 or the trek y bikes, showing my age now.

[@jeremyatkinson4976]

You didn't have to maintain the Whyte as nothing ever wore out, well not after the weather proofing spherical bearing kit came along. Used sealed aileron rocker bearings which I've never replaced. Still got mine. Much loved by endurance event riders and designed by a Formula One suspension engineer of the same name.

[@olivierhacking]

Interesting video to watch! But try avoid using the same word (definitely) over and over again (from 1:30)

[@executionerbunny1]

Shut up man that doesn't matter at all just chill out haha

[@chriswitek9455]

+executionerbunny1 it does come across as more professional by far when someone refrains from the same word consistently. just the same a public speaker saying uhm or like between every thought.

[@jakebraun6376]

RockyMountain RMX? That's certainly an odd bike

[@cup_and_cone]

Missing the Proflex 856 and Ibis BowTi (which I actually thought was gorgeous).

[@28celsius42]

Thank You, gotta be Proflex in there...

[@stgirat]

How about the SBIKE? Unique frames, which nobody else has ever build. I dearly loved my purple 503; very good acceleration and mobility.

[@hpkiunzy]

haha i rode the Klein Mantra, my step father had one in almost perfect shape. It felt good riding it it was ok maybe not for the price he paid, but it was fun

[@williamrobinson2452]

I have a '98 Bumblebee Mantra like the one pictured but with a black rear triangle and I installed a slightly too short FOX air shock, pumped the sh!t out of it, and basically ended up with a hard tail that climbs awesomely but when dropping in big it does activate, actually made it an amazing bike to ride, excellent handling - and after adding a dropper post, letting some air out and adding a Fox 34 x 150mm - it gets it

[@MrWIWARD]

Great Video as always but maybe you could leave the images of the bikes onscreen for a little bit longer. You guys look fantastic of course but maybe you'd give us a little bit more time to take a look at the characteristics that you're mentioning

[@edwardrubin834]

As an aside, Whyte's front suspension is a variation on BMW's Telelever motorcycle front end and BMW actually sold rebranded Whytes for a while. The suspension on the Ellsworth is commonly called a walking beam and Kona used the same design on the Stinky for many years as well as variations for shorter or longer travel bikes.

[@ChrisKiller]

+Edward Rubin the fork on the BMW mtb was a bit different to the Whyte one, and a lot shitter.

[@crsxbike2164]

The Rocky Mountain pipeline has the bottom bracket in the rear triangle also. And even though it came stick with disc is still has canti mounts

[@WickedGravityVideo]

Why did you neglect to include the Conejo with rubber band suspension?

[@eLJaybud]

The Whyte PRST is a brilliant design. It should be reworked with modern components and reinforced carbon fibre then we would see it's true genius.

[@Skooteh]

I wonder what you guys think of the maverick monolink geometry. I've heard its very polarizing.

[@mihaellazar9645]

awesome vid ps. before 2 weeks a got cross grx8

[@ronillodusaban5429]

how about tbolt proton bikes? what do you think i have this on for my weekend rides

[@Essentialfitdenver]

My input from the 80's- The Trimble X- it had the largest aluminum tubes ever made for a bike. One tube went from the headset to the rear dropout, the other was seat to bb. How about the Nishiki Alien with "elevated chainstays" that were designed to eliminate chain slap (and apparently stiffness from the rear triangle.) Talking about suspending the rider instead of the bike, remember Girvin Flexstems?...

[@Essentialfitdenver]

+Neil Cestra Edit on my comment- the Trimble was actually carbon fiber, not aluminum, and it was designed by the guy who went on to help design Kestrel bikes. I remember seeing a guy at a race with one back in the 80's and thinking he was so cool.

[@Trimble55]

+Neil Cestra The Trimble "Gizbag" was probably the oddest mountain bike of all time. (No relation)

[@maxx-er3fj]

I have got Trek Liquid 25 with buffer like on 2:00 ,it's great.

[@haydenshaw2250]

I've got a Mountain Cycle 9.5 that looks like a bit of a freak. Definitely turns heads on the trail, plus it's still going strong.

[@skinheadjc]

What about the muddy fox interactive - mid 90's full sus, monocoque frame mixed with a suspension system that linked the fork and rear sus together. Add this to a 3.5k (think 8k in today's money) price tag fir the base model ment that it was a commercial disaster.

[@roryotoole6837]

The brooklyn bike looks pretty cool

[@crsxbike2164]

That moment when you have a soft ride and a Rocky Mountain pipeline that has the same problem as the Klein

[@dylaneagleton3090]

The demo looks sickkk

[@treyblakeandrew]

I had a Klein Palomino. Absolute garbage when descending

[@jamiecox2506]

A lot of nostalgia for me in those old photos. It's easy for these guys to rubbish these old bikes. The bikes shown were considered by most to be the cutting edge of MTB tech at the time.

[@johndavidson4120]

another shout for the ellsworth, nice

[@Kero_81]

From wich Year is this Demo? It looks Sweet!

[@mallowpufft9468]

What about the Christini all wheel drive bikes? They're some interesting bits of machinery.

[@jaybay1215]

There was a hard tail Nishiki Ariel made (I think) in the early 90's - and the chain stays extended at an upward angle, and then leveled off before connecting to the seat mast about half-way between the bottom bracket the top tube junction. Weird.

[@devinchi42]

+Jay Bayfield For many years lots of manufacturers were using the elevated chainstays to get the effective chainstay length down for better climbing. Mantis, Nishiki, Gary Fisher, and lots of others have had an e-stay bike in their past.

[@nickacelvn]

Try the Avanti Tuatara from NZ or the San Andreas mountain machine? AMP B5?

[@mtv1422]

SuperV is the best looking bike ever.

[@bobpotts73]

Mikko V cannondale made some really innovative stuff and still do, super v was gorgeous in dh form the fulcrum

[@rcfriscoflyer]

I love my super v, was in a high end bike shop recently with it, some guy asked me what it was I told him i paid 3600 usd for it and it kicks ass he said wow man looks cool.