Bssc said:
Don't rely on what was painted on the tubes to tell you what the rider rode. Look closely and you will see the the distinctive frames and forks before suspension came into play. Johnny T rode Fat's frames for over 5 years that paint may have been different but I assure you the frames were Fats. With out so many pros riding the frames with others paint on them there would never have bee a Wicked.
Hmmm. Ok, 1986, JT's first full year on the scene. For the first half he rode a chrome Mongoose, certainly not a Fat. It was visually a stock Mongoose frame. At the end of the year he broke a black version of the Mongoose at the Durango National. At that point he commisions Chris C to make him two bikes which he puts Mongoose stickers on for the 87 season. In 88, JT designed his own bike for Mongoose. It was not Fat geometry and you could tell by the features on the frame it was not a Fat unlike the previous year. It had a thread in BB, different dropouts, different seat collar, etc. In 1989, he rode a ti Mongoose made by Merlin. In 1990, he rode for Yeti. So, Im not sure where you got the 5 year thing when its clear it was only one.
I cant think of any other pro riders that had Chris make them frames although it could have happened. Team Specialized had their bikes made by Ibis, Ritcheys of course were made by Ritchey, Yeti of course made by yeti, etc. I guess there could have been a few Fats with different stickers but it definitely wasnt 80% like was mentioned. Anyway... just some info...