Retro MTB Tribe

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Slow6
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby Slow6 » Fri Jun 21, 2013 4:41 pm


Haakon
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby Haakon » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:49 pm

easybeatle wrote:1999 Trek VRX 300

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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 :lol:

Haakon
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby Haakon » Tue Jun 25, 2013 9:57 pm

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

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

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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Thu Jun 27, 2013 12:51 pm

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.
Long day's journey into alt-bars

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:48 pm

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

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:50 pm

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

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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:06 pm

OK will post photos tomorrow. Checked the rims with a magnet and they stuck, hard. Will investigate though.
Long day's journey into alt-bars

petie
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby petie » Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:21 pm

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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 :grin:

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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:27 am

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.

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Rockhopper Comp - late 80s? by benatherton71, on Flickr
Long day's journey into alt-bars

donny70
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby donny70 » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:38 am

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...

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singlespeedscott
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby singlespeedscott » Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:42 pm

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.
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ldrcycles
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:34 pm

Cadel used gripshift IIRC, they must have been good! :lol: .
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

Road Record Association of Australia

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bychosis
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby bychosis » Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:09 pm

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.
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Updated to what it was just before the frame cracking in 2010.
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I still have most of the original parts, although there aren't many left on it!
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:21 pm

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' 8) .
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.
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And a scenery shot, alongside my girlfriend's late 90s Marin Bear Valley SE.

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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. :D

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bychosis
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby bychosis » Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:56 pm

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.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Sun Jul 14, 2013 8:18 am

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.
Long day's journey into alt-bars

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:28 pm

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.

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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Sun Jul 14, 2013 5:53 pm

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....
Long day's journey into alt-bars

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singlespeedscott
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby singlespeedscott » Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:19 pm

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?
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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Mon Jul 15, 2013 4:25 pm

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?
Long day's journey into alt-bars

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singlespeedscott
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby singlespeedscott » Mon Jul 15, 2013 6:22 pm

Was there but didnt find anything that got my pulse running.
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pentlandexile
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby pentlandexile » Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:36 pm

Lugnut - did you cold set the frame out to 135mm to fit the 8-speed hub in there?
Long day's journey into alt-bars

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:18 pm

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 :lol: Look forward to seeing it.

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LugNut
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby LugNut » Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:03 pm

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.

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bychosis
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Re: Retro MTB Tribe

Postby bychosis » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:34 am

Cool, thanks for posting a slice of history. Interesting that its an enduro course and distance.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

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