Bridgestone Blast from the Past
Another early 90's throwbacks - Bridgestone bicycles. I made a trip to One on One Bicycle Shop and Studio, and was expecting the basement bike junkyard to be the mecca experience. It was, but when I spotted this near-pristine MB-1 from 1992 for sale, well I found religion all over again. Not that I had lost it. I still ride my 1993 MB-3, accurately quoted in the '93 catalog as perhaps all the mountain bike anyone would ever need.
I have the purple, now beat up. Kath rides the silver. 1993, the last good year of Bridgestones before they pulled the plug on North American sales. In the new age of click shifters, suspension forks, neon and gimmicks, their retro-grouch principles caught up with them. Too bad, because I've found the Bridgestones to have the best geometry I've ever ridden. Not stretched out like a Trek, never twitchy like a Specialized... I passed on a pristine fire engine red MB-2 frame for $400 after grad school in 1997 - no money. So I never thought I'd see another high-end MB not completely beat up. Not so with the MB-1. You can't see it in the picture, but its an amazing pearl-white. Very little wear and a lot of original equipment. The partial MB-1 (missing the seat) is a 1993. Its not yet for sale, as the owner is tuning up to make for a better overall bike and sale. But I think it could be the better deal. The 1993 has a hand-made custom fork. Same pearl-white. There are a lot of great bike shops in the twin cities, but nothing like One on One.
