Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Ivan Reimers in Maryland, who shares a little about his love of old 26-inch mountain bikes and a detailed look at his 1990 Bridgestone MB-1. Check it out here…

Words and photos by Ivan Reimers, photos by Seyi Ariyo

Hi, I’m Ivan Reimers. I’m a bike mechanic from Silver Spring, Maryland. My love of cycling came from wrenching on bikes with my dad when I was a kid, and it snowballed into what some might call an obsession. I consider my specialty to be 90s mountain bikes, so it’s fitting that the flagship of my fleet is a 1990 Bridgestone MB-1.

Bridgestone MB-1

In college, my friends and I tinkered on whatever bikes we could get our hands on. It didn’t matter if it was old, rusty, and broken. We found ways to make them run. Getting other people into bikes was the best part, a passion that spilled over into my career at a bike shop, where I love nothing more than helping someone fall in love with riding. One of my favorite sub-genres of cycling is the xbiking community, the 26-inch-aint-dead diehards who build crazy adventure bikes out of old MTBs and hybrids. I think it’s a really fun and welcoming community with a strong energy that has opened the door for many people.

  • Bridgestone MB-1
  • Bridgestone MB-1

I’d been wanting to build a really cool drop bar 26″ MTB for a while when this frame fell into my lap. After a couple of iterations, I found the perfect mix of cool 90s mountain bike bits with the comfort and utility I wanted. I opted for a traditional 3×8 drivetrain because they’re super cheap and bombproof: smaller gaps, tried and tested, and I get to use some of the original equipment. As cool as this bike looks, it only really captures the attention of people who know what they’re looking at. Most of the customers at my shop like it, but every now and again, someone will ask, “Whose Bridgestone is that?”

  • Bridgestone MB-1
  • Bridgestone MB-1
  • Frame/Fork 1990 Bridgestone MB-1
  • Wheels Shimano LX laced to Alex DH19 (stock Surly LHT 26″ wheelset)
  • Tires Panaracer Gravelking SK 26″ x 2.1
  • Handlebars Salsa Bell Lap 46cm
  • Headset Tange
  • Crankset Shimano XT M730
  • Pedals VP
  • Cassette Parts bin Shimano 11-32
  • Derailleur Shimano XTR M950
  • Brakes Shimano MT60 with KoolStop pads
  • Shifter(s) Shimano 8 speed bar-ends
  • Saddle Brooks B17 Special
  • Seatpost Shimano XT M730
  • Stem Nitto Technomic
  • Front bags Sunlite rack with the highest quality milk crate
  • Frame bags Sunlite
  • Rear bags Velo Orange
  • Other accessories Campy seat binder, Onza Chill Pill cable hangers, Salsa skewers, way too many stickers

Oh, and I own two other Bridgestones, but this one, by far, gets to most use. Also, although I appreciate Grant Peterson and his contributions, I’m not as “obsessed” with him as other Bridgestone aficionados are.

Bridgestone MB-1

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