Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Another goodie up in QLD

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SHOGUN-Prair ... 1c33f522c9

easybeatle wrote:1999 Trek VRX 300

I remember seeing these in a bike shop window in europe back in '99. Quite possibly the most awesome thing I'd seen, although I was riding an 80's Shogun Trailbreaker at the time which was a recent upgrade from a Repco Tracer

My Mongoose and I when it was new and I had colour in my hair Amber Psycho K tyres were so awesome!



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Now on commuting duties. This thread is tempting me to return it to original spec!

Just picked up an old Rockhopper Comp off Gumtree. Triple butted frame, Deore cantis and gears. Ruined a bit by the heavy steel wheels with bolt-up axles, but I've banished those to under the house.

pentlandexile, I'll show you mine if you show me yours
I picked up an '86 Rockhopper frame from Slow6 a few weeks ago, it's riding, but not quite photo ready.

Also, steel wheels? You sure? Mine was the first year made and it came with Aluminium Saturae rims.

OK will post photos tomorrow. Checked the rims with a magnet and they stuck, hard. Will investigate though.

Speaking of Repco Tracer!
Picked this up for the couple of weeks I'm working away. Already managed to bust a spoke on some sneaky singletrack! Oh well

Here is the Rockhopper frame. 1989?

It got a fair amount of chips and surface rust so it'll take a bit of cleaning up. Nice frame though, and light as well. The wheels are definitely not the originals, weigh a ton and feature a screw-on 5-speed freewheel. The seatpost and saddle were pretty crappy as well. Going to be a bit of a project.


Rockhopper Comp - late 80s? by benatherton71, on Flickr

Were gripshifts good or !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! BITD.

Looking to buy some for a retro build but would like them to shift gears too...

Good for weight wennies, but the 3 sets I had all died in the end. However all my thumb shifter and Sti shifting MTB's are all still working.

Cadel used gripshift IIRC, they must have been good! .

I still have my trek y-11. It was my only bike until a couple of years ago. It is on light duties now due to the shock mou t starting to come away as was common with that model. Has now been converted to SS and disc brakes. I realise that I don't have a current pic so I'll have to sort one out.
Original spec.

Updated to what it was just before the frame cracking in 2010.

I still have most of the original parts, although there aren't many left on it!

bychosis wrote:I still have my trek y-11.

Cool, love the frame paint. Looks like it had a full life judging from the upgrades.

I just got back from an overnight tour on my Specialized Rockhopper, and snapped a few pictures along the way, complete with red vinyl 'fetish tape' .
I hope Slow6 approves of the build, it's getting plenty of love at it's new home. It's certainly the most comfortable and enjoyable bicycle I have ever owned.



And a scenery shot, alongside my girlfriend's late 90s Marin Bear Valley SE.



The build list:
Frame
1986 Specialized Rockhopper
"cockpit"
Nitto Noodle Drops
Fizik Vinyl Tape
80s Specialized Stem (Nitto?)
Brakes
Sram Single Speed brake levers
Deore XT M732 Canti brakes
Drivetrain
Ultegra 8 Speed bar cons
Deore XT M737 8 Speed Rear Derailleur
Shimano 600 8 Speed Ultegra FD
Specialized 175mm Touring Triple Crankset (Sugino)
Wheels
Deore LX Hubs to Double Walled 26" Rims
Resist Nomad 2.25 Tyres, gum wall (excellent 26 inch tyres).
Saddle bits:
Brooks B17 Special
Minnehaha saddle bag
And a nasty seatpost shimmed out with a coke can.

LugNut wrote:

bychosis wrote:I still have my trek y-11.

Cool, love the frame paint. Looks like it had a full life judging from the upgrades.

Flame bits are stickers. Certainly had a full life, it would still be my main bike except for the breaking shock mount. You might guess I'm not a purist in terms of staying retro.

Nice Rockhopper, I love those drop bar conversions. What diameter do you think your seat post is? Mine came with a POS post and I need a new one ... interweb seems to suggest it'l take 26.4mm.

Yes I measured it at 26.4, I've had no success finding anything that is long enough, even on international eBay. Plenty of Nuovo/Super Record in that size, but they're all short. I will probably order a Kalloy cheapie in silver from my LBS, I'm not too fussed.

LugNut wrote:Yes I measured it at 26.4, I've had no success finding anything that is long enough, even on international eBay. Plenty of Nuovo/Super Record in that size, but they're all short. I will probably order a Kalloy cheapie in silver from my LBS, I'm not too fussed.

Good idea. Also, after seeing your build, I went to a local swap meet today and ended up coming away with some WTB drop bars, bar-end shifters, and Paul's cantis. And so it begins....

pentlandexile wrote:

LugNut wrote:Yes I measured it at 26.4, I've had no success finding anything that is long enough, even on international eBay. Plenty of Nuovo/Super Record in that size, but they're all short. I will probably order a Kalloy cheapie in silver from my LBS, I'm not too fussed.

Good idea. Also, after seeing your build, I went to a local swap meet today and ended up coming away with some WTB drop bars, bar-end shifters, and Paul's cantis. And so it begins....

Score!
Was that at Pushies Galore?

Yes! I went there to get road stuff but ended up with a load of MTB stuff as well - XTR crankset, Ritchey quill stem, and an old Cool Tool still in its pouch among them. Did you go?

Was there but didnt find anything that got my pulse running.

Lugnut - did you cold set the frame out to 135mm to fit the 8-speed hub in there?

Sounds like you cleaned up, nice stuff. Paul canti's look fantastic and I've only heard good things about them. I haven't cold set the frame yet, I just sprung it apart 9mm. I would have re spaced it but I was putting it together at night to ride the next morning Look forward to seeing it.

I was cleaning up tonight and found a 1984 copy of National Cycling Magazine, which I purchased from an op shop a few years ago. I flicked through, and discovered this ride report from the very first Mountain bike race held in Australia. In the interest of historical preservation, and for the mild amusement of the 4 or so other people who care about this sort of thing, here it is! Along with a few super sized photos.

Cool, thanks for posting a slice of history. Interesting that its an enduro course and distance.