Those mid eighties mountain bikes are my favourite platform on which to build as many are basically what i would call touring bikes on steroids as they share similar, if not identical geometry and many of them were exceptionally well made frames. Trek 9x series, Specialized, and Kuwahara are among many that built some exceptional bikes in this era and many were hand built.
Mine... and I do like drop bars so much that my modern mtb will probablly be getting some.
This is a 1988 Kuwahara Shasta that has a handbuilt lugged frame made with Ishiwata triple butted tubes, I have converted to a fixed drive for all weather and winter use.
My 1987 Cascade was Kuwahara's top of the line model and was handbuit with Ishiwata quad butted tubes and has lived life as an mtb and seen her share of off road, as an SS and fixed gear, and I just restored her to her former geared glory and have set her up for expedition touring and commuting.
