1991 Off-Road Toad
The famed Off-Road Toad was the creation of Rodd Kirkham, the owner and operator of Mountain and Beach Specialty Cycles in Vancouver, Canada. The first Toads were custom, fillet-brazed frames made by Derek Bailey, with fender mounts, pump peg, Hite-Rite, and funky camo paint jobs. One of these early bikes was reviewed in Mountain Bike Action (February, 1989), with small ads for these bikes consistently appearing in the monthly magazine. In the early 1990's, the frame was redesigned with lightweight tubing, Accu-Trax fork, and TIG-welded construction. The frame was offered in just two sizes and produced in small batches of 150 each year, with one bike reviewed in the April of 1991 issue of Mountain Bike Action.
In recent years, the bikes have become something of a holy grail for many Canadian mountain bike collectors. The popularity may be driven by the small number made combined with past media and advertising exposure, resulting in a bike few people owned but most knew about. On the trail, the bike fully lives up to the hype: the harder and faster one pushes it, the better it seems to handle without losing control. This is a rare trait. A look at the geometry numbers finds everything to be typical of the time, with a 71 degree head angle and just less than 17 inch chainstays. The one number out of the ordinary is the 12" high bottom bracket, which is about a half inch higher than typical. One would expect the cornering to suffer, but the bike simply rails.
In recent years, the bikes have become something of a holy grail for many Canadian mountain bike collectors. The popularity may be driven by the small number made combined with past media and advertising exposure, resulting in a bike few people owned but most knew about. On the trail, the bike fully lives up to the hype: the harder and faster one pushes it, the better it seems to handle without losing control. This is a rare trait. A look at the geometry numbers finds everything to be typical of the time, with a 71 degree head angle and just less than 17 inch chainstays. The one number out of the ordinary is the 12" high bottom bracket, which is about a half inch higher than typical. One would expect the cornering to suffer, but the bike simply rails.
The Build
Year: 1991
S/N: 172 Frame: Off-Road Toad Fork: Answer Accu-Trax Stem: IRD Macaroni Headset: Chris King Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN-72 Handlebar: Answer Hyperlite Shifters: Shimano Deore XT M732 Thumbshifters Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M735 Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT M735 Brake Levers: Shimano Deore XT M733 Front Brake: Shimano Deore XT M734 SLR Rear Brake: Shimano Deore XT M734 SLR Crankset: Cook Brothers RSR Chainrings: Shimano SG 24-36-46 Pedals: Shimano M737 Hubs: Shimano Deore XT M732 Rims: Mavic MA 40 MB Tires: Onza Porcupine Classic 1.95 Wheel QR: Shimano Deore XT Seatpost: IRD Saddle: Selle Italia Turbo Seatpost QR: Shimano Deore XT Grips: ODI Attack Cogs: Shimano Hyperglide Chain: SRAM PC 830 |
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