My First mountain bike, a Sturmey-Archer hub 3-speed. My Dad put this together, I recall he built the back wheel with the new hub and the old rim. Probably 1982-ish. A few years later I had a 5-speed Euro-star mountain bike. The gears were external with derailleur, a huge improvement. It had the triangle in the handle bars, it had significant flaws too, the forks were weak and bent a few times, I recall, and the brakes were terrible.
Then there was the Emmelle ~1989, I don't recall the model, but it was the first bike I ever bought with my own money. It was a 3x6, had center pull brakes and quick release wheels.
I took it to France on a week long mountain bike vacation with some firemen I had met while Mountain Biking at Col de Forclaz. I recall braking the rear axle, but continuing to ride on the skewer. It ruined the hub, and the chainset wasn't too long behind. My Dad fixed it up but then it got stolen from the locked Garage a few years later.
Then there was the Claude Butler 1992 ? - same kind of bike but much better quality. I still have pieces of this bike. If it hadn't cost more to fix than a new bike I would have done it. I turned it into a few novelty bottle openers in 2018 after riding it as a commute bike for 6 years in California, and that's after 6 years of muddy mountain biking in the west Midlands, Chilterns, and a tour to the south of France. Many many miles on this bike.
Arriving in California 1997 I was ready for a new stead. Full suspension was worth the upgrade and v-brakes were brand new.
I broke the rear triangle, and while it was covered under the lifetime (3 year) warranty, the geometry changed and the bike never rode the same again. Which was too bad in its day it was one of the best mountain bike money could buy. The front suspension collapsed in Texas 2011 and the bike was stolen from the front door shortly after. Being low on cash it was 20 months before I got another bike and I was riding the Claude-Butler again.
The KHS204 has been a great bike and has plenty of life left in it. Disc brakes, tubeless tires and 120mm travel front and back. This bike made the Texas hill country swiss cheese limestone fun again. And it has been a great workhorse pulling Maddys tag along trailer over some significant terrain! -I still use it for that. However Colorados rocky Rockys are too much for its 26" wheels. I demo'ed a bunch of bikes, Santa Cruz - Hightower, Rock Mountain - Instinct, didn't much care for those, and I really wanted to like the Santa Cruz. I also tried the Yeti SB140 and the Pivot Firebird 29". The Firebird seemed in a league of its own, I was sold. Look at the side by side, notice the wheel size, the fork angle, the 1x12 drivetrain, and the dropper post. It's really amazing how differently the two bikes ride. The 180mm of travel is a significant upgrade along with the stiffness due to the frame and through axles. Giddy-up!
My First mountain bike, a Sturmey-Archer hub 3-speed. My Dad put this together, I recall he built the back wheel with the new hub and the old rim. Probably 1982-ish. A few years later I had a 5-speed Euro-star mountain bike. The gears were external with derailleur, a huge improvement. It had the triangle in the handle bars, it had significant flaws too, the forks were weak and bent a few times, I recall, and the brakes were terrible. 
Then there was the Emmelle ~1989, I don't recall the model, but it was the first bike I ever bought with my own money. It was a 3x6, had center pull brakes and quick release wheels. 
I took it to France on a week long mountain bike vacation with some firemen I had met while Mountain Biking at Col de Forclaz. I recall braking the rear axle, but continuing to ride on the skewer. It ruined the hub, and the chainset wasn't too long behind. My Dad fixed it up but then it got stolen from the locked Garage a few years later.
Then there was the Claude Butler 1992 ? - same kind of bike but much better quality. I still have pieces of this bike. If it hadn't cost more to fix than a new bike I would have done it. I turned it into a few novelty bottle openers in 2018 after riding it as a commute bike for 6 years in California, and that's after 6 years of muddy mountain biking in the west Midlands, Chilterns, and a tour to the south of France. Many many miles on this bike.
Arriving in California 1997 I was ready for a new stead. Full suspension was worth the upgrade and v-brakes were brand new.
I broke the rear triangle, and while it was covered under the lifetime (3 year) warranty, the geometry changed and the bike never rode the same again. Which was too bad in its day it was one of the best mountain bike money could buy. The front suspension collapsed in Texas 2011 and the bike was stolen from the front door shortly after. Being low on cash it was 20 months before I got another bike and I was riding the Claude-Butler again.
The KHS204 has been a great bike and has plenty of life left in it. Disc brakes, tubeless tires and 120mm travel front and back. This bike made the Texas hill country swiss cheese limestone fun again. And it has been a great workhorse pulling Maddys tag along trailer over some significant terrain! -I still use it for that. However Colorados rocky Rockys are too much for its 26" wheels. I demo'ed a bunch of bikes, Santa Cruz - Hightower, Rock Mountain - Instinct, didn't much care for those, and I really wanted to like the Santa Cruz. I also tried the Yeti SB140 and the Pivot Firebird 29". The Firebird seemed in a league of its own, I was sold. Look at the side by side, notice the wheel size, the fork angle, the 1x12 drivetrain, and the dropper post. It's really amazing how differently the two bikes ride. The 180mm of travel is a significant upgrade along with the stiffness due to the frame and through axles. Giddy-up!
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