Bike Filth

Tim Portlock
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The raw ride through cycling’s wildest stories. BMX, MTB & madness.

  1. 1d ago

    10 Mountain Bike Inventions That Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

    Mountain biking has produced some incredible inventions over the years. But for every revolutionary piece of technology, there were plenty of weird, wonderful and downright bizarre ideas that seemed brilliant at the time!In this episode of Bike Filth, we're taking a nostalgic look at 10 mountain bike inventions that pushed the boundaries of bicycle design. From Dave's Chain Device (DCD) and beautifully CNC-machined X-Lite components to the legendary Tioga Disc Drive, Cannondale's unusual suspension designs and Shimano's incredible pneumatic Airlines shifting system.We're heading back to the golden age of mountain biking, when purple anodised aluminium was everywhere, manufacturers weren't afraid to experiment, and some bikes looked like they'd been designed by NASA.Were these forgotten MTB inventions engineering masterpieces, unnecessary complications or simply ahead of their time?Featuring classic mountain bike technology from Shimano, Cannondale, Kona, X-Lite, Tioga and more, this is a celebration of the weird and wonderful innovations that helped shape modern mountain biking.**SUPPORT MTB MANAGER – PLAY ALPHA 4 FOR FREE**I'm also developing MTB Manager, a mountain bike team management game inspired by classic sports management games. Build and manage your own downhill mountain bike racing team, with the game currently in development.Alpha 4 is available to try for FREE, including downloadable versions for Windows and Mac.Play or download MTB Manager Alpha 4 here:https://bikefilth.itch.io/mtbmanagerI'd really appreciate your feedback to help improve the game!**JOIN THE BIKE FILTH COMMUNITY**Subscribe for weekly videos covering mountain bike history, legendary riders, forgotten MTB brands, retro mountain bike technology and plenty of cycling nostalgia.Bike Filth merchandise:https://bikefilth.comInstagram: @bikefilthMTB Manager Instagram: @mtbmanagergame**LET'S HEAR FROM YOU**What was the strangest mountain bike invention you ever owned? Did you have a noisy DCD, a collection of purple X-Lite parts or something even more unusual?Let me know in the comments!Thanks for watching, and stay filthy!#MountainBiking #RetroMTB #BikeFilth #MountainBikeHistory #MTB #VintageMTB #MTBManager

  2. Oct 24

    When Mountain Bikes Had PERSONALITY… What Happened?

    When Mountain Bikes Had PERSONALITY… What Happened? Remember when mountain bikes looked completely different from one another? GT had its iconic triple triangle, Klein had outrageous paint jobs, Cannondale was experimenting with wild frame designs, and Mountain Cycle was building bikes that looked like they'd come straight out of a science fiction film. Mountain biking in the 1990s and early 2000s was full of strange ideas, colourful components, unusual suspension systems and manufacturers willing to try just about anything. But somewhere along the way, things changed. Modern mountain bikes are faster, more capable and more technologically advanced than ever before. So why do so many of them seem to look alike? In this episode of Bike Filth, we're taking a nostalgic trip through some of the most distinctive mountain bikes ever made, including legendary designs from GT, Klein, Cannondale, Yeti, Mountain Cycle, Trek and more. We'll explore the golden age of experimental mountain bike design, the obsession with colourful anodised components, and why modern MTB manufacturers have gradually moved towards similar frame shapes and geometry. But have mountain bikes really lost their individuality, or are we just remembering the best bits of the past? Let me know in the comments: Which mountain bike had the most personality? And do you think modern mountain bikes have become too similar? I'd love to hear which bikes you dreamed of owning, which ones you actually rode, and which designs you think deserve to make a comeback. Subscribe to Bike Filth for more mountain bike history, forgotten brands, retro MTB technology and general cycling nonsense. New videos every Saturday at 8am. Stay Filthy. IMAGE CREDITS This video features historical and reference images sourced from various websites and online image searches. All third-party photographs and images remain the property of their respective copyright holders. Where possible, original creators and photographers are credited. If you own an image featured in this video and would like credit added, corrected or the image removed, please contact Bike Filth. #MountainBiking #RetroMTB #MTBHistory #BikeFilth #MountainBikeHistory

  3. Oct 17

    10 Things Mountain Bikers Used to Believe (That Sound Crazy Today)

    Remember when mountain bikes had ridiculously narrow handlebars, enormous stems, 27 gears and everyone was obsessed with making their bike as light as possible? There was a time when mountain bikers believed all sorts of things that seem completely ridiculous today. But were we actually wrong, or were mountain bikes simply very different back then? In this episode of Bike Filth, we're looking back at 10 things mountain bikers used to believe, from the glory days of 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets to the great flat pedals versus clipless debate. We'll explore why narrow handlebars were once considered better, why longer stems were so popular, why everyone wanted more gears, and how our attitudes towards suspension, wheel sizes, weight and expensive upgrades have changed over the years. Some of these ideas have been completely overtaken by modern technology. Others still make plenty of sense, and a few might even deserve a comeback. Mountain bikes have evolved enormously over the last 30 years, but does newer always mean better? And here's the really interesting question: what do we believe about mountain bikes today that we'll be laughing about in another 20 years? Let me know in the comments: What mountain biking advice were you given when you first started riding? Do you still believe it, or has modern technology changed your mind? And if you're still riding 26-inch wheels, running a triple chainset or refusing to give up your flat pedals, I'd love to hear why. Subscribe to Bike Filth for more mountain bike history, forgotten technology, legendary brands, retro bikes and stories from the weird and wonderful world of cycling. New Bike Filth videos every Saturday at 8am. Stay Filthy. IMAGE CREDITS Some historical photographs and reference images featured in this video were sourced through online image searches. Bike Filth does not claim ownership of third-party images. Every effort is made to acknowledge original creators where known. If you are the copyright holder of an image featured and would like to request a credit, correction or removal, please get in touch. #MountainBiking #MTB #RetroMTB #MTBHistory #BikeFilth

  4. Oct 10

    10 Mountain Bike Things That Just DISAPPEARED

    Mountain biking has a habit of making things disappear. One minute every bike has bar ends, three chainrings, V-brakes, brake boosters and a stem long enough to reach the next postcode. Then suddenly they're gone and nobody seems to mention them again. In this episode of Bike Filth, we're looking back at 10 mountain bike components and trends that were once absolutely everywhere, but have largely disappeared from modern MTBs. We're talking bar ends, triple chainsets, ridiculously long stems, V-brakes, brake boosters, quick-release skewers, old-school mudguards, enormous chain devices, ceramic rims and, of course, the mighty dork disc. But were these things actually bad? In most cases, probably not. Mountain bikes simply changed around them. New drivetrains, disc brakes, wider handlebars, modern geometry and better chain retention gradually made many of these once-essential components unnecessary. And that raises another interesting question: what are we using on mountain bikes today that we'll look back at in 20 years and wonder what on earth we were thinking? Let me know in the comments which forgotten MTB component you remember, which one you actually miss, and what deserves to make a comeback. If we uncover enough forgotten mountain bike weirdness, we'll make Part Two. Subscribe to Bike Filth for more mountain bike history, forgotten technology, legendary bikes, brands and stories from MTB's past. New Bike Filth episodes every Saturday at 8am. Stay Filthy. IMAGE CREDIT / COPYRIGHT NOTICE A number of historical and reference images shown in this video were located through online image searches and are included for the purposes of illustrating and discussing the bikes, components and technology featured. Bike Filth does not claim ownership of third-party photographs or images. Where the original photographer, creator or copyright holder is known, credit should be given to them. If you are the copyright holder of an image featured in this video and would like a credit added, corrected, or the image removed, please contact Bike Filth. #MountainBiking #MTB #RetroMTB #MTBHistory #BikeFilth

  5. Oct 3

    Why Has Nobody Made THIS Mountain Bike Game?

    Mountain biking has riders, teams, sponsors, mechanics, contracts, race weekends, injuries and budgets... so why has nobody made a proper mountain bike management game?Well, I decided to try.https://play.unity.com/en/games/79ad9e8d-c91d-439f-84f0-26a83dcadda2/downhillmanagerwebbuildMTB Manager started as a very basic idea inspired by my love of mountain biking and games like Football Manager. I had no game development or coding experience, but after months of working on it, it's finally starting to resemble an actual computer game.In this video, I'll show you how far MTB Manager has come, take you through building and managing a downhill team, and explain where I want to take the game next.But I also need your help.I'm currently looking for people to test MTB Manager and give me genuine feedback. Windows testers are particularly needed at the moment, although Mac users are very welcome too.You don't need any game-testing experience. I want people to play it normally, try different things, find bugs, tell me what's confusing and, most importantly, tell me whether it's actually fun.I want MTB Manager to be shaped by people who genuinely understand and love mountain biking, so suggestions for features, riders, teams, sponsors, race weekends and the management side of the sport are all welcome.There's also a Crowdfunder running to help support the continued development of MTB Manager. Depending on the reward, supporters can even become part of the game, including having their name included as a rider.https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/mtbmangerYou absolutely don't need to contribute financially to help. Testing the game, reporting bugs, suggesting features and sharing the project are all hugely valuable.So have a go, try to break it, and let me know what you think.Could MTB Manager eventually become the mountain bike equivalent of Football Manager?There's only one way to find out.Stay Filthy.#MTBManager #MountainBiking #MTB #DownhillMTB #BikeFilth

  6. Sep 26

    Mountain Biking Before YouTube... You Had To Be There

    Mountain biking before YouTube was a completely different world.No Instagram. No Trailforks. No endless bike reviews. No race clips appearing seconds after the finish. If you wanted your mountain bike fix, you had magazines, VHS tapes, catalogues, bike shops and whatever information your mates could give you.In this episode of Bike Filth, we're going back to the days before mountain biking lived permanently in our pockets.We're talking MBUK and Dirt magazine, staring at bike catalogues until they fell apart, discovering trails through badly drawn maps, hanging around local bike shops, MTB posters covering bedroom walls and watching films like Sprung, Kranked and New World Disorder over and over again.We'll also look at how the arrival of forums, broadband, YouTube and eventually social media completely changed mountain bike culture.Modern MTB media is incredible. We can watch racing live, learn how to repair almost anything, discover trails, follow professional riders and see new bikes the moment they're announced.But when mountain bike content was harder to find, did it somehow mean more to us?Maybe mountain biking wasn't better before YouTube.Maybe it was just different.Let me know in the comments what you remember about mountain biking before the internet took over.What magazine did you buy?Which MTB film did you wear out?Which bike catalogue did you stare at knowing full well you couldn't afford anything in it?And if you could bring one thing back from pre-internet mountain biking, what would it be?Subscribe to Bike Filth for more mountain bike history, nostalgia, forgotten bikes, legendary brands and stories from MTB's past.Stay Filthy.You Can Watch Sprung  @SprungVid  and lots of other videos made by the legendary  @alexrankinfilms  on his own channel. He's also got loads of really awesome stuff for sale on his website https://alexrankinfilms.com#MountainBiking #MTB #RetroMTB #MTBHistory #BikeFilth

  7. Sep 19

    Mountain Bike Tech We Were Told Was The FUTURE… What Happened?

    Mountain bike technology is constantly changing. But what happens to all those innovations that were supposed to be the future... and then disappeared?In this episode of Bike Filth, we're heading back through mountain bike history to look at some of the weirdest, cleverest and most forgotten MTB technology ever created.From suspension stems and Girvin linkage forks to Shimano Rapid Rise, Dual Control, HammerSchmidt, Plus tyres and gearbox bikes, mountain biking has spent decades trying to reinvent itself.Some of these ideas were terrible.Some were genuinely brilliant.And some might simply have arrived too early.We'll look at the problems these technologies were trying to solve, why riders and manufacturers moved away from them, and whether any of these supposedly dead ideas actually deserve another chance.Featuring:Flexstem suspension stems Girvin Vector linkage forks Elastomer suspension Elevated chainstays Unified Rear Triangle suspension Shimano Rapid Rise Shimano Dual Control Truvativ HammerSchmidt Plus-size tyres Fat bikes The disappearance of the front derailleur Gearbox mountain bikesThe really interesting thing is that mountain bike technology doesn't always disappear because it was bad. Sometimes another technology solves the same problem better. Sometimes the market simply isn't ready for it. And sometimes an old idea comes back decades later with a new name.So now I want to hear from you:What forgotten mountain bike technology did you actually love?And which supposedly dead MTB technology deserves another chance?Let me know in the comments.Subscribe to Bike Filth for more mountain bike history, forgotten bikes, legendary brands, riders and stories from MTB's past.Stay Filthy.#MountainBiking #MTB #RetroMTB #BikeTech #BikeFilth

  8. Sep 12

    Mountain Biking Used to Be INSANE… What Happened to Freeride?

    **Mountain biking used to be absolutely INSANE… so what happened to freeride? 🤘🚵**Before perfectly sculpted bike parks, social media clips and modern enduro bikes, there was a generation of riders building terrifying wooden structures in Canadian forests, launching off cliffs and pushing mountain bikes far beyond what they were ever designed to do.This was **freeride**.In this episode of Bike Filth, we're heading back to the late 1990s and early 2000s to look at the rise of freeride mountain biking — from the legendary North Shore scene and the Rocky Mountain Froriders to Kranked, New World Disorder, Josh Bender, slopestyle and the birth of Red Bull Rampage.And then we're asking the big question:### **What happened to freeride?**Did it disappear?Did enduro and bike parks replace it?Or did freeride actually **win**, with its influence now built into almost every modern mountain bike?We'll look at:🌲 The birth of North Shore freeride 🤘 Wade Simmons, Richie Schley & Brett Tippie 📼 How MTB films helped spread freeride around the world 😳 The madness of Josh Bender 🚲 The monster freeride bikes of the 2000s 🏜️ The birth and evolution of Red Bull Rampage 🤸 The rise of slopestyle 📱 How YouTube and social media changed MTB films 🚵 How freeride influenced modern trail and enduro bikes 🔥 And why freeride might not actually be dead at all---### 📼 A LITTLE LOVE FOR THE CLASSICSThis video includes short clips from some of the legendary MTB films that helped inspire this episode, including:**Kranked** https://youtu.be/IGCEnlgzNNY?si=3DWWQw0UeC9pTpIj**New World Disorder 1** https://youtu.be/Rq5G2z4-CuA?si=qZvXcKIvKatNddKG**New World Disorder 10**https://youtu.be/d2NWxjcQ8WY?si=ZAiYLsyN3Fgzk2g3If you've never watched these films — or haven't seen them for years — they're well worth hunting down.Several of these classic MTB films can be found on YouTube, so please go and watch the originals and show some love to the riders, filmmakers and crews who documented an incredible period in mountain-bike history.Without films like **Kranked** and **New World Disorder**, freeride mountain biking simply wouldn't have reached so many of us.They deserve the views. 🤘---👇 **NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU**What was the greatest era of freeride?**North Shore? Kranked? New World Disorder? Early Rampage? Or is modern freeride actually better?**And what is the **ultimate freeride bike**?Kona Stinky? Specialized BigHit? Norco Shore? Something else entirely?Get arguing below. 😂👇👍 Like the video if you enjoyed it 🔔 Subscribe for more mountain bike history, forgotten brands, legendary riders, nostalgia and general Bike Filth.**Stay Filthy. 🤘**#FreerideMTB #MountainBiking #MTB #RetroMTB #BikeFilth

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About

The raw ride through cycling’s wildest stories. BMX, MTB & madness.

Information

  • Creator
    Tim Portlock
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tim Portlock
  • Show Website
    Bike Filth