# Who rides the oldest carbon bike?



## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

Seeing the wide range of old, steel bikes around town, it made me wonder how old the oldest carbons bikes are that folks here are riding. I know carbon hasn't been around all that long, but do people keep their carbon bikes as long as metal bikes, or do the carbon ones get retired/traded sooner. What say you?


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I have a 1988 LOOK KG86..... To be fair, it's been hanging in the rafters for the last year but it is very much ridable


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## kbilly (Nov 12, 2004)

*I rode a 96 Kestrel 200 SC......*

until about 2 months ago. What a great ride!., and it held up remarkably well I just gave it to my son and it will probably be used for several more years.

Bill S


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## Arginine (Nov 14, 2007)

Until I sold it last year, I had a Specialized Epic Comp that must have been from the early 90's. I bought it used and rode it for about three years, before buying a new bike. It certainly seemed old, judging by the look of the Ultegra components, but it was sturdy and solid and rode well. The guy I sold it to is still riding it.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Old carbon*


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## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

One of the really good things about the whole hipster/fixie thing is that lots of old steel bikes are being "recycled" into bikes that taking up space in the bike lane rather than the landfill.

Old carbon bikes are newer than old steel bikes, and so the are more expensive, have verticle dropouts, and are less adaptable (no cold setting, etc.) than steel, so you don't see as many around.

I singleated a Kestrel 200EMS that was 14-16 years old, but it got in a fight with a SUV and lost.


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## funknuggets (Feb 4, 2004)

I say... Giant Cadex (same as that Specialized ... Epic?) are pretty freaking old. Then... what about those old Vitus frames. My friend back in the day had one, it was noodly as hell. Ive not seen a rear wheel wag like that when climibing for some time... its hard to forget. Needless to say, Im not riding either one.


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## zipp2001 (Feb 24, 2007)

I ride 3 Zipp2001's from the early 90's. One has over 40,000 miles, one at just under 17,000, and the third has just over 500 miles. I just build the third one up this year after digging it out of storage. The one with over 40,000 miles is being lent out to a friend of mine who is trying some tri's this year.


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

I had a Giant Cadex 980c back in 1991. It was one of the first more affordable carbon bikes at the time. 

I hadn't even ridden it much before it was put in storage for a good 14 years. I sold it two years ago


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

I recently was forced to sell my beloved 1986 Kestrel 4000 due to a nasty and expensive divorce. It was full Campy C record w/Delta brakes, Specialized tri spoke wheels painted to match the custom cycleart paint job and classic selle san marco regal saddle. Now look what you've done... I'm starting to cry...THAT *****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## spu2261 (Aug 26, 2004)

I have a 1991 Kestrel 200 SC that is my primary ride. I commute 28 miles round trip every day, and the folks in my office think I'm a nutcase. It still rides as good as when I purchased it.


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## solorider (Aug 16, 2004)

*I still ride at 1993 Trek OCLV Mountainbike*

The title says it all. I'm riding a hardtail Trek OCLV Mountain Bike.

I bought the bike in 1993 and have ridden it hard on many many occasions. I've only ridden it 5-6 times in the last 3 years. I've got kids (see the very popular kid excuse thread for more).

Bike still looks and rides great.


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## nor_cal_rider (Dec 18, 2006)

I still ride my '93 Trek 8700 all the time. While it's not a road bike, I think that's what makes it even better, because it has seen some really HARD trail miles as well as being used as a road "trainer" for the past few years.


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## cwg_at_opc (Oct 20, 2005)

1990 Kestrel 200ems. just had it fixed in '06 for
chainstay damage from a gnarly chain-suck.
did the '07 malibu triathlon bike leg, and upgraded
almost everything to ultegra sl this year(only have
the FD left.)


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

JCavilia said:


>


Yeah smartass, let’s see you ride it. Ride it like a schoolgirl!


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## venus (Apr 27, 2006)

I have a pristine Trek 2300”Composite”. Full Ultegra & a beautiful bike w/ purple accents.


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## HSalas (Sep 23, 2005)

I have a 1992 Trek 5200 that I rode regularly until three years ago when I got a Madone. Nowadays, it draws indoor roller duty mostly, but it does touch pavement every so often...


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## Suzie Green (May 16, 2008)

John Howard on the old Exxon Graftek, circa 1977.....


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## Lifelover (Jul 8, 2004)

93 (ish) Aegis Aro Svelte. First year they were their own company.

Going strong under my Lard A$$!


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## Chainstay (Mar 13, 2004)

*Does this Epic Pro count?*

It's all that I saved after going over top of another bike in a pile up. I think this was one of the last years, but I had a 1990 before it came unglued at the chain stay. They did that


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

i have a 95 5500 in my closet. rode it for about 15000 miles.


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## dclee (Nov 16, 2004)

I have a 1993 giant cadex that I still frequently ride - my good weather commuter now. Still rides nicely. Though it is amazing how much lighter and stiffer my new carbon bikes are compared to this one.


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## tornado (Nov 26, 2004)

1994 Kestrel 200 SCI that I've ridden 2-3000 miles each year since it was new. Still a great ride. No damage despite being involved in 2 accidents that hurt me significantly.


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## Visitor302 (Aug 6, 2005)

I had a late 70's or early 80's,,, ummm whatever it is, that I ran untill bout 3 years ago. The only reason I retired it is 'cause they wheels gave out, and I happened upon a deal on an Allez that was to good to pass. I still have it ,a nd ti'a mounted to the trainer.

Oh yea, and the reason I don't know what year make and model it is, is because it was given to me as a basket case and it had no stickers on it


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## mark4501 (Jul 27, 2007)

I"ve got a 92 Trek 2100 Composite. had it overhauled in June 07 (new cables, rear cassette, brakes, tape, stem) when it was my primary ride, and in July 07 bought a new Pinarello and moved the Trek to secondary status.

the Trek bike is still in very good condition but after 15 years was ready for a new ride.


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## lordbyter (Feb 19, 2012)

I have a 1991 Trek 8700 Pro I got from a friend of mine. I'm in the process of restoring it. It appears impossible to find the stickers for it, so I'm gonna have to try to fabricate some look-a-likes on my computer and print them on some clear plastic and see how it goes from there. This is my first composite bike, so I'm kinda excited about it.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

If it was really old and you didn't know how old maybe you could use "carbon dating" to find out?


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## 251 (Nov 2, 2009)

This old thread needs more old carbon. I regularly ride my old '94 Trek 2120. I've put 560km on it so far this year and recently upgraded it to 10 speed.


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## zipp2001 (Feb 24, 2007)

Both from 1993, I had a third but sold it 2 years ago. My youngest son now has the black one and I'll be turning it into a belt driven fixie for him later this year. These have been daily driver's since i've had them, and I rotate them every 3 to 4 years. The flamed one in the photo is built up and I have been riding it for the last year.


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## krustyone (Apr 13, 2010)

Kenacycle said:


> I had a Giant Cadex 980c back in 1991. It was one of the first more affordable carbon bikes at the time.
> 
> I hadn't even ridden it much before it was put in storage for a good 14 years. I sold it two years ago


That is really neat, now I want one


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

251 said:


> This old thread needs more old carbon.


just put 65 more miles this week on the '94 Specialized Allez Epic that I bought new in 1996...so, it's either 18 or 16 years old, depending on when you want to start counting.

all original DA-8 STI. only changes are a Flite saddle, newer DA pedals, and some Mavic OPs.

please excuse the uber-crappy pic taken with my dumbphone.


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## Kodi Crescent (Aug 3, 2011)

Arginine said:


> Until I sold it last year, I had a Specialized Epic Comp that must have been from the early 90's. I bought it used and rode it for about three years, before buying a new bike. It certainly seemed old, judging by the look of the Ultegra components, but it was sturdy and solid and rode well. The guy I sold it to is still riding it.


Umm, unless I'm mistaken, isn't the Epic Specialized MTB full suspension race model? Ultegra is a road group. Not saying they couldn't be mixed, just clarifying.


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## sandiegosteve (Mar 29, 2004)

Cool bike - I just retired by 1997 Trek 5200 for a new bike. Very rideable, but wheels and saddle went to new bike. Only original parts were fork, frame and headset.


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## Bridgestone (Sep 6, 2007)

*1989 200sc*

This one is a low mileage bike that had been hanging in my neighbors garage for years. 
<a href="https://s726.photobucket.com/albums/ww261/tomslawns/?action=view&current=SAM_0484.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww261/tomslawns/SAM_0484.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="https://s726.photobucket.com/albums/ww261/tomslawns/?action=view&current=SAM_0483.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww261/tomslawns/SAM_0483.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


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## EWT (Jul 3, 2011)

Chainstay said:


> It's all that I saved after going over top of another bike in a pile up. I think this was one of the last years, but I had a 1990 before it came unglued at the chain stay. They did that


I'm still riding an early 90s Epic Pro Comp as well that was upgraded to 9 speed Ultegra along the way. I'm not sure of the year (somebody gave it to me), but the lugs are painted purple like the rest of the bike (rather than silver like the picture above), and it came with a set of Specialized bars that turn in toward the head tube at the bottom (like the Scott bars LeMond used at one time). Not state of the art, but it still gets the job done for the kind of riding I do.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Bridgestone said:


> This one is a low mileage bike that had been hanging in my neighbors garage for years.


Good looking frame!


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## Red Owl (May 9, 2008)

That bike is the cat's ass


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## Chombi (Jun 23, 2012)

This might qualify as the winner once I get it finished and on the road again....








It's a 1972 Line Seeker CF race bike. Bought the bike mainly on a hunch late last year, as I did not have any idea what it was and what it was all about. All I knew was, it kinda looked like an Exxon Graftek but maybe an earlier or later version of the bike. After buying it and some research I found out the this bike was actually the precursor to the Exxon Graftek before the engineer who designed and built it (a Mr. Larry Blake who also supposedly worked for Alan later to help design their Carbonio in the mid 80's) sold the design to Exxon for larger scale production. Per my discussion with an Exxon Graftek enthusiast, this one is #22 of the maybe 300 total built by Larry Blake (supposedly built right in his residence) under the "Line Seeker" brand name. The bike being a 72 even pre-dates the Mossberg (1974?) which some say was the first CF bike to be produced, but it looks like the Line Seekers were around before the Mossbergs, but maybe in much lesser numbers.
I might have it on the road before the end of the year if I can find the few period correct components I'm still looking for to install on it. Otherwise, all you see on the bike presently is original from 1972, except for the pedals and clips. The dark anodized Mavic MA40 rims were also a much later add on by the original owner, most likely to replace period tubular rims..

Chombi


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## orbeamike (Nov 20, 2004)

^^Wow! That is a piece of cycling history.


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## farva (Jun 24, 2005)

Early 90's Specialized Epic (yellow lettering). Cool looking but by far the worst frame I have ever ridden. Noodly ride w/super twitchy steering. Apparently the aluminum bottom bracket lugs frequently come unglued from carbon chainstays. Best left hanging in the garage


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## GeneB (Jul 19, 2013)

I also ride a (late 80's can anyone help with dates?) Trek 2300 'Composite'. It has the aluminum parts in purple, and is my onl;y road bike at the moment. I ride it 120-150 miles per week.


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## dexetr30 (May 6, 2010)

I just finished this. I converted it to SS. Early to mid 90's Specialized Epic. Lugged carbon with aluminum fork. Came with 105. Rides super smooth.

View attachment 284640


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## Chombi (Jun 23, 2012)

I finished the restoration/build of my 1972 Line Seeker CF bike a few months ago.....
So if you have not seen it in the C&V forum, here it is:








It could be the oldest road-worthy CF bike posted in this thread so far, and I do ride it occasionally on short weekend rides to keep things in adjustment and the tubular tires inflated......

Chombi


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## Mr645 (Jun 14, 2013)

I also have a 1988 Specialized Epic carbon road bike. It ride perfect. A bit rough riding compared to todays bike but 100% ready to ride


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## Data_God (Oct 9, 2012)

Vintage early 80's Vitus "glued and screwed" bike. All campy SR.

Bill


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## WaynefromOrlando (Mar 3, 2010)

Great looking bike!


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## Chombi (Jun 23, 2012)

Data_God said:


> Vintage early 80's Vitus "glued and screwed" bike. All campy SR.
> 
> Bill


Here's my own 1985 Vitus Plus Carbone 7.....








The Vitus Carbone CF bikes were *not* "glued and screwed"......Just glued.
It was the Italian ALAN bikes that featured 'glued and screwed" construction, where the frame tube ends are actually are screwed into threads on the lug extensions after application of glue on them.
Here's a recent pic of my 1986 Alan Record Carbonio...


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Chombi said:


> I finished the restoration/build of my 1972 Line Seeker CF bike a few months ago.....
> So if you have not seen it in the C&V forum, here it is:
> 
> 
> ...


You know it's legit, it has drillium components.


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

I still have a Kestrel 200SC from 88".. pat pending.. back in the trimble days.


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## Wheelman55 (Jul 10, 2009)

I've got a pretty virginal Cadex from the mid 80's. Somebody make me an offer. 105 with STI shifters on the down tube.


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