feat.jpg

Hey Neighbour – Steve Mitchell’s Bike Collection

Video Matt Dennison

Steve Mitchell isn’t a luddite. He doesn’t long for the days of cantilever brakes and bar ends. His collection isn’t about being able to ride a bike from his youth – and you won’t hear him moaning about simpler days. Steve likes modern bikes. He’ll ride a steel hard tail, but it’ll be a Chromag with progressive geometry and components, but most of the time you’ll probably find him on a carbon fibre duallie.

Collectors can often strike things off the list when you ask them why. They can tell you what it isn’t about but generally they can’t tell you what it is about. Some collections start by accident when something is stumbled upon or inherited. Some people begin collecting before they know they are doing it, but it seems that all collections eventually take on a life of their own.

This collection isn’t about perfection. Some collectors return items to original condition, or better, but Steve is content to leave the last owner’s dirt on the down tube. Items aren’t polished or displayed to reveal their beauty; they are there to be examined. This isn’t to say things are disorganized. Parts and frames have a chronological display order and there’s a room dedicated entirely to downhill. Maybe collectors are hoarders with mild OCD?

Whatever the reason, the beauty of Steve’s hoard is clear. He’s drawn to oddities and missteps. He calls them the ‘so bad it’s good’ category; suspension designs that failed, frames that broke, ideas that should have stayed on the drawing table. Many of Steve’s bikes and parts are high water marks as well. Bikes like the Mountain Cycle San Andreas, a tough and effective suspension design that was ahead of its time, not to mention the most elegant early 80s hard tails by Brodie, Dekerf, Ritchey and Yeti.

It’s a mountain bike nerd’s paradise and without Steve many of these treasures would have ended up in a landfill.

And by the way, Steve’s looking for a Trimble in original condition (he found a Slingshot so that is sorted).


Any favourites?

Trending on NSMB

Comments

emersonfn
0

Top man.

Reply

paul-brodie
0

Steve, you have an amazing collection! Glad to be a small part of it..

Reply

john-delosada
0

Nice work to you Steve love to check that collection out one day

Reply

mark-karlstrand
0

How about an Mantis?

Reply

marco-primo
0

there was one under the brodie FS at 3:00

Reply

rivers-mitchell
0

Yeah, I used to want a Mantis…was stoked to see one in his collection. For me the bike that is highest on my want list is an old original Yo Eddy….I used to lust after that bike so hard…

Reply

mdub
0

I had one! I worked two summers to buy the frame. Gave it away in the mid 90's to buy a GT LTSDH Just like the one he had in the video, such a regret. I just fount the receipt. #608 in 1989 paid $800 for a frame. I was only 16 and that was crazy $ back then ( still is now)

Reply

craw
0

This is so awesome. I remember all of those bikes! Though I didn't see an Ibis Szazbo or Bow Ti…

Reply

cam@nsmb.com
0

A Bow Ti would be a nice addition.

Reply

Jerry-Rig
0

Awesome!

Reply

Please log in to leave a comment.