My Old Bike ! Circa 1996 I think ?

[HumpTdumpty]

Hi All - as my other bike is stuck (like that tanker @ Suez) in the bike shop awaiting a new Fulcrum Hub - I’ve resorted to riding my blast from the past ! Am I right I’m thinking this is an old steel MTB - I had it mid 90s and until recently my 75yr old father has been riding and maintaining it - I love it ! Is it steel just put a new back wheel on it new pads and degreased the change post this pic - any info much appreciated - another pandemic positive! Rediscovering

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Use a magnet to tell if it's steel.

Nice bike though.

 

[Cycleops]

Skinny tubes suggest it could be steel. I've not heard of the brand before and a search for Explorer didn't turn anything up. It could be a mail order or catalogue special from that era. Good luck with it.

 

[HumpTdumpty]

Many thanks both completed 40+ Miles on the “old girl” this morning

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Less of the word "old" - I still ride bikes like that all the time!. I consider c.1996 to be pretty modern actually. I've got some considerably older ones.

There were loads and loads of different steel framed 26" rigid MTB's around 25-30 years ago, mostly fairly low end models built at a price youngsters could aspire to owning.
They were generally built to pretty much the same formula as regards frame proportions and geometry, and if you take the decals off them most people would struggle to identify what is what, given similar component quality. Keep riding it, they are good sturdy bikes with basic engineering in them.

 

[HumpTdumpty]

Thanks good info rest assured this is a “family heirloom”