4 Custom Bikes from Core Bike 2020

Jan 26, 2020
by Ed Spratt  
Darren Mabbott's Yeti SB100
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When a conversation at Silverfish's 20th birthday led to Managing Director Darren Mabbott signing up for the BC Bike Race, the pressure was on to get ready for one of the toughest test in mountain biking. After trying out an SB130 at first he decided that the SB100 would be the better race bike allowing him to go faster without too many compromises. To help keep him motivated, Silverfish made him this faithful recreation of a Yeti ARC hardtail.

Firstly they had both the frame and fork custom painted by FatCreations in the style of the 1992 bike then he went out and found a whole collection of purple parts to complete the look. With Sram AXS, Chris King and Race Face kit, they haven't cut any corners in putting this bike together. No pressure Darren!

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This 1992 bike was the inspiration for Darren's custom build. Strangely, the Tioga Disk Drive was left off his modern build.

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This is not a sticker but painted in incredible detail.

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No expense has been spared for this dream build

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Darren makes the most of the newly expanded range of colours from RaceFace
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This is one of the original Ringle bottle cages taken off the 1992 Yeti ARC

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How do you recreate an early 90s bike? Make everything purple, of course. Even the Fox Transfer dropper post has been anodised to match the original.



Nukeproof Reactor
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When Nukeproof announced the new Reactor trail bike, it was only going to be a matter of time before we saw a throwback homage to the 1995 original. Nothing has been spared for the spec with Rockshox providing the suspension duties and the latest DH tires from Michelin fitted to add to the retro look.

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The retro graphics look so good against the red paintwork.

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Not only is this a throwback to the original reactor but 2020 marks 30 years of Nukeproof.

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Thanks to the latest products in the Rockshox range it wasn't hard to get a matching red coil.

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Ben Deakin's DMR Sled
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Apparently there's a bike in this picture... let us know if you spot it.

Next up is the camouflaged DMR Sled which doesn't do a great job of hiding itself amongst the halls of the Core Bike Show. The bike is an homage to Ben's days in the Royal Marines and is complete with a dog tag headtube badge. Ben now has a complete fleet of custom bikes after being reunited with his Miami Vice bike that got stolen in December.

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'The Deakinator' gets his own custom head badge which is hidden among a sea of camo

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TRP brakes front and rear and a custom mudguard, with camo of course

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Does anybody know Ben's catchphrase?



Magura's UK/German Collaboration
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Hidden away on the Magura stand was this custom painted Ibis Mojo with a mix of German and UK parts. Although mostly acting as a model for the latest parts from the German brand it's definitely one of the more unique looking bikes at the show and it's great to see them handpicking some quality kit from some smaller UK manufacturers to complete the build.

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Mounted to the Ride Works stem are the titanium Rust Components bars, with added Magura logos

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The bike is fitted with Magura's electronic dropper post and suspension.

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Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,006 articles

101 Comments
  • 187 2
 "the original Ringle bottle cages taken off the 1992 Yeti ARC" ...this is a very strong message to the industry that they have forgotten to introduce a new bottle cage mounting standard in almost 30 years!! Come on, add it on the to do list! You can make it! There is like only a few things left! I can only think of Derailleur thread, pedal thread,grip inside diameter and nipple sizes.
  • 19 2
 Have most disc brake mounts been the same since their inception? Probably time to boost those up as well...
  • 6 0
 Well, we have the "anything mounts" which are just a third hole at the same spacing. But since it's backwards compatible (must be black magic, since that's supposed to be impossible on bikes), there is no one to bitch about it...
  • 5 5
 How soon you are to forget about this standard that never became standard... fabric.cc/products/hydration/cageless-bottle-525ml-insulated
  • 54 10
 Metric chain size... that would be a game changer!
  • 4 0
 @blum585: I actually use those bottles. I mostly like how clean the bike looks when you don't have a bottle with you... They are hard to put on and come off whenever tho...
  • 6 0
 @WAKIdesigns: that actually happened. Shimano Dura Ace 10(mm) pitch track group.
  • 2 0
 @blum585: this standard is the actual standard. Fail.
  • 7 0
 @ryan83: no. First real standard was the Hayes flat mount, then came I.S. mounts, then came post mounts (now of various lengths), and we also have the current flat mount road/gravel spec.
  • 3 1
 @blum585: Umm, still uses the same bosses on the frame...
  • 2 1
 @blum585: doesnt really apply here as those just mount to standard bottle cage mounts.
  • 2 0
 @blum585: I bought those Fabric bottles. Super hard to put them back so I just use them for having my warm-up water bottle and then chuck it in my bag before a race.
  • 1 0
 @blum585: problems with that design demonstrates how well aligned the mounts need to be to make that system work, as a custom maker brazing them on can afford to be sloppy with slotted bottle cages.
  • 2 0
 @LaurensVR: Haha....this almost reads like a joke....a water bottle that you can hardly put on and then falls off...what a world...
  • 2 0
 Correct,

I’m still waiting for my Kashima coated water bottle cage, I’m sick of these “cheap” carbon/aluminium ones that peasants can buy.
  • 7 0
 @Allmost: I am so posh I have people carrying water for me. They ride a Pole and an Optic I so I can shout at them that their bikes are stupid.
  • 3 0
 @blum585: I have used Fabric cageless bottles for years and like them a lot. Mine snap in every time, and have never fallen off. Hardly a new standard though...
  • 1 0
 @just6979: Right-O!
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: With a Trust Shout Fork?
  • 1 0
 Actually new grip ID for kids bikes makes sense. They need smaller diameter bars and grips to hang onto.
  • 1 0
 @EstebanPablo: actually it’s about time some bigger company makes lightweight bars with smaller diameter For kids hands. They got us into this 35mm clamp bullshit so they could give something back.

I wouldn’t mind kids cranksets either Sram! They made DUB, they can make Lightweight spiderless 145 cranks.
  • 1 0
 @ryan83: no there was an old mount before I.S. in the 90's that Formula and i think others used.
then there was I.S. side mount which is still common.
then there was post mount 160mm
then there has been post mounts that take up to 203mm rotors without adapter
and now there is also flat mount, which is mostly used in road bikes for aerodynamics and looks it might make its way over to some mountain bikes most likely.
  • 24 0
 For anyone interested, Gee Milner did a build video for that 1992 Yeti ARC on YouTube. That Nukeproof looks amazing.
  • 9 1
 youtu.be/V9sycJOo0fo

Saw that a few minutes ago. Award-winning porn.
  • 21 0
 The big news is that Deaks got his Pivot back, best news of the year so far.
  • 10 0
 That Yeti.....boom! I had one of those Ringle water bottle cages back in the day (yes I am old). It looked cook, but not the most convenient cage getting bottle in and out of without looking. The Reactor looks good with that coil, I just ordered a new Reactor frame, should be here this week. I may get a coil shock as well and see how it rides on that bike.
  • 10 0
 ** Looked Cool** not 'cook'. haha..oops.
  • 27 0
 @bman33: I thought 'cook' was some phrase the cool kids were using back in 92'. Wink
  • 5 0
 Had one too. It was the only Ringle part I could afford at 16 and matched my Tioga suspension fork that my dad bought off the one and only Steve Larsen. Good times but terrible bikes in comparison.
  • 4 0
 @JockoJones: Every time I see one of those cages, I'm amazed one survived this long and conclude it must never have been used. It was the only Ringle part I could afford back then, and mine lasted 3-4 hours; failed on the second ride.
  • 2 0
 @bman33: maybe a Freudian slip, think Cook Brothers 3D violet anno cranks perhaps...
  • 2 0
 @bman33 "I just ordered a new Reactor frame, should be here this week." Busted!
  • 2 0
 Had one of these Ringle Mojo Peace Sign cantilever cable-pullers, on my Speciaized Stumpjumper back in the days. Found it one month ago...
  • 1 0
 @mtbikemccoy: not hiding it now it's ordered
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie: dude! That’s what I thought when he said cook. Haha!
  • 2 0
 @Weens: I've been running a pair on my HT that's 24 years old now.
  • 2 0
 My bro still uses his original Ringlé cage. I brought it for him in 1992. I still have a Ringlé Moby post on one of my road bikes. The pin that retained the seat clamp failed in 2004, I machined a new one from stainless instead of aluminum, has been fine since.
  • 12 1
 If you want to recreate a 90s bike it needs to have 26" wheels.
  • 1 0
 At least get as close as possible (it's a bit of a pain to get top-end 26" gear nowadays), and do the retro build on a 27.5 trail bike. Because that first ARC had what was at the time a "modern geo" and was definitely used for more than just XC racing (I mean, basically all early 90's bikes were all-mountain bikes!)
  • 11 3
 Please do away with those nasty Michelin labels. YIKES! Otherwise the reactor ticks a lot of the boxes.
  • 2 2
 Those Michelin labels make my eyes bleed. How did they dare doing something that ugly? 100% repulsive.
  • 4 0
 That Reactor looks way better looking than the Mega because of its clean lines, shock being mounted parallel to the top tube freeing up space in the middle for who knows what. If Nukeproof does the same design on the Mega, they might sell a bit more.
  • 1 0
 My mega was delivered and then they dropped the reactor. A space for a water bottle!
  • 4 0
 Anyone knows what happened to the PB article about the new Nukeproof components at Core Bike??
  • 12 0
 We weren't given all the details on the new pedal today so we thought it was fairer to wait until the product manager comes to the show tomorrow to give us a full run down. It should be back up by mid-morning tomorrow with more info.
  • 2 0
 @jamessmurthwaite: thanks for the heads-up. Agree that the original text was a bit shallow on details
  • 6 3
 The Magura suspension better deliver some great performance with those dated looks. And the color choice on that bike really pales in comparison to the other ones shown here.
  • 9 2
 So if the shock had gold on it, it could perform like shit and be considered good?
  • 2 0
 @just6979: not my point. But if it lacks both in performance and looks compared to other products, there’s no reason to get it.
  • 2 3
 @Upduro: You made the same point again.

If it lacks in performance, but looks awesome, there is NO reason to get it. Looks don't make you or your bike better.*

If it has the performance, but looks "dated", there IS a great reason to get it: the performance. If you're boosting everything or passing everyone, no one will care what your stupid shock looks like.

What does "dated looks" mean anyway? No kashima or fast black? Hard-ano can be many colors, and that silver-gray is probably the least expensive. RS used to use it on most shocks. Is it because it's not full of stickers reminding everyone else that you spent money on features you don't even know how to use? Because it's all black, like every RockShox shock and most OEM Fox shocks (Performance Series)?

* (Except a bright red frame or purple hubs, that's 10% more enduro-ness for free!)
  • 3 0
 @just6979: you still don’t get it lmao

If it has neither the looks nor the performance there’s no reason to get it. I did not make ANY assumptions about its performance. If it performs exactly the same I’d rather get the one that looks better.

And you pretty much said what dated means yourself: „RS used to use it on most shocks“, pronounciation on used. I can’t think of any other fork manufacturer besides Intend which is an outlier anyways that still uses grey hard ano for suspension shafts. Couldn’t give less of a shit about stickers or kashima, but that oversized compression dial and exposed air valve make it look more like someone’s personal engineering project than a well thought out product (then again there might be reason for that, but who gives a shit on the internet where everyone is free to make assumptions and facts don’t count anyways).

I work in architecture and design so I do care about how stuff looks. Opinions may vary.
  • 2 0
 Actually, make that Intend and EXT.
  • 2 1
 "The bike is fitted with Magura's electronic dropper post and suspension."

PB exclusive! The Big M has electronic suspension!

(Or, please don't use such ambiguous grammar. Put suspension first: "Magura's suspension and electronic dropper." Especially since the captioned pic is of suspension.
  • 2 0
 Magura has had electronic (e-lect) suspension well before they released their first dropper post. That's why the remote has three buttons. Surprised to see the TS8 fork back though. I thought they quit doing suspension after no one wanted their Boltron fork because it happened to have the wrong axle standard (original 20x110 when everyone suddenly wanted boost).
  • 1 0
 @vinay: they have discontinued making suspension. I can't get a replacement damper and the elect battery is not serviceable
  • 1 0
 Love the retro inspired SB130, but I doubt you can get a bottle in or out of the Ringle cage (I had a blue one back in the day!), as the shock is in the way. I have to use a side entry cage on mine. Looks cool though.
  • 4 0
 Goddamn, absolutely drool-worthy SB100, right down to those CK axles.
  • 4 0
 Showing a 92 Yeti without drops is a shame. Come on!
  • 3 0
 The Ibis is NOT a Mojo HDR. It is an HD3 (or an HD4).
  • 1 0
 Not an HD4, for sure. I think it may be a Mojo 3 (if is not a Mojo HD3, obviously)
  • 2 0
 @cebolla: only HD3 has the internal routing port on the top tube like that
  • 1 0
 The dh tyres on the Nukeproof are overkill.
Iv raced on standard wild enduro’s and they are plenty strong enough for aggressive use.
  • 3 0
 Can we get a review sometime of the Magura fork?
  • 1 0
 It’ll be garbage!!! I had a ts8, both returned under warranty because of their stupid grease in the lowers. They ate themselves and took off the hard coating in less than 3 months use
  • 2 0
 @HardtailZero:
Mine has been great,not a single issue in 3 years.
  • 2 0
 All those pics of the nuke proof bikes, but no closeups of that linkage fork on the hardtail. 'Wazup' with that?
  • 3 0
 The cable routing on the DMR... WTF?
  • 3 0
 FUCK ALL THESE BIKES an show us RUBENS NEW PROJECT
  • 2 0
 Rubens new project looks amazing!
  • 2 0
 yes, I second the motion
  • 1 0
 good to see magura making forks again....i loved my 2012 set of durins that yeti is stunning........i never did the purple think back in 94 but it looks so good now
  • 2 1
 I’ll take them all except for the Ibis, just doesn’t do it for me. The other three though.... delightful!
  • 1 0
 they are all ugly does anyone remember the 80's bmx's ? those where the benchmark to me
  • 1 0
 Is there something weird going on with head angles today? Everything looks steep.
  • 1 0
 Taco neck syndrome?
  • 1 0
 What's the mudguard on deaks rig??
  • 1 0
 Its says custom but is it fully custom or just the graphics. Yeah I much prefer the bolt on ones than the zip tie ones
  • 1 0
 Love seeing builds like these!
  • 1 0
 Bel Air 3 @SDG-COMPONENTS ??????
  • 1 0
 The fork label on the first yeti is doing my OCD in.
  • 1 0
 The DMR camo paint job looks sick
  • 2 2
 That Reactor.... Yummie!! Those Michelins make any bike look good actually...
  • 3 1
 I thought just the opposite..."That Nukeproof looks amazing...but those tires want all the attention!"(Was my thought) It's all eye of the beholder Wink
  • 1 0
 Now the thieves know ben deakin has new bike.
  • 1 0
 They already did when he posted it up on Instagram
  • 1 0
 That Yeti makes me simultaneously drool and throw up.
  • 1 0
 The Yeti comes with an obligation to ride really fast
  • 2 1
 How are you gunna have raceface parts on a dream build.
  • 1 0
 poor DMR got stuck with the orange fork
  • 1 0
 That Reactor looks Mega!
  • 2 1
 Oi Oi.. roll it!
  • 1 0
 Nuke proof - amaizing
  • 1 0
 That yeti is gorgeousBig Grin
  • 2 5
 Headset spacer on the Yeti not straight, minus 1 million cool points. Also, never noticed how stupid the headtube cable routing fiasco on that Yeti frame is.
  • 5 1
 Fiasco? Drama-queen.
  • 8 4
 @mgolder: That's King Drama Queen to you, bitch.
  • 5 7
 Nah dont like any of them aesthetically.
  • 1 0
 Agreed. Hard pass on all of those.
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