Any interest in vintage MTB's here on RR? I love them personally, and although this is only a '93 it's considered pretty retro in the mountain bike world because technology moves so fast!
This is my first retro MTB resto, a '93 Rockhopper Expert that I picked up as a frame and forks off Ebay for £26
Although it was sold as a frame and fork, I ended up buying a lot of the origional components off it in seperate auctions and out of Ebay from the seller, so it's pretty much back together again how it used to be (I oppologise in advance for the pic quality!)
The frame was a little dented, dirty and scratched.....
.....but i've cleaned it up, built it up and gave it some love:
Suntour XC Expert cantis front and back as it would have left the factory with were cleaned up and fitted:
The front has a wierd Suntour toggle thing that works pretty good actually!
Chainset is only temporary- An old SR one that I drilled out to get the weight down a bit, and fitted with a profile 50T ring and purple chainring bolts. Also fitted with the pedals everyone loves to hate, Oddysey tripple traps! I really like these pedals, they were only £2 off Ebay aswell so I cant complain also has a NOS XT BB that i've had kicking around since about '94 :
Just on there until I sort out some chainrings for the origional Suntour XC Expert cranks:
XC Expert rear mech (appaling pic!)
An unknown vintage Ritchey stem on an Oddysey quill converter. You can also see the drilled out XC Expert brake levers. Using a Shimano 105 headset at the mo but soon to be replaced:
Deore thumbies, a design classic! And cheapo alloy bars, soon to be replaced:
And thats it really! Its a real budget build, but I love it! I've been riding it every day and it always puts a smile on my face. It rides really nice!
Its not finished yet, got some bits to do like trim down that stem converter, find a decent seat and bars, fir the new chainset and mech etc. Theres not a lot of money in it, i've been picking stuff up cheap for it- the pedals were £2, the Ritchey stem £3, the brake levers £2.50, the kevlar Onza porc 2's were only £12 the pair off Ebay, boxed and brand new!
Finding stuff for it is all part of the fun for me!
The other thing about the early 90's MTB scene for me was the drilling out of everything to save weight, something I got a bit obsessed with back in the day and something that i've carried on with my project Escort some 15 years later! So i've been drilling bits and bobs out, sourcing lighter (but period correct) parts in the name of getting it to a respectable weight
This is my first retro MTB resto, a '93 Rockhopper Expert that I picked up as a frame and forks off Ebay for £26
Although it was sold as a frame and fork, I ended up buying a lot of the origional components off it in seperate auctions and out of Ebay from the seller, so it's pretty much back together again how it used to be (I oppologise in advance for the pic quality!)
The frame was a little dented, dirty and scratched.....
.....but i've cleaned it up, built it up and gave it some love:
Suntour XC Expert cantis front and back as it would have left the factory with were cleaned up and fitted:
The front has a wierd Suntour toggle thing that works pretty good actually!
Chainset is only temporary- An old SR one that I drilled out to get the weight down a bit, and fitted with a profile 50T ring and purple chainring bolts. Also fitted with the pedals everyone loves to hate, Oddysey tripple traps! I really like these pedals, they were only £2 off Ebay aswell so I cant complain
also has a NOS XT BB that i've had kicking around since about '94 :Just on there until I sort out some chainrings for the origional Suntour XC Expert cranks:
XC Expert rear mech (appaling pic!)
An unknown vintage Ritchey stem on an Oddysey quill converter. You can also see the drilled out XC Expert brake levers. Using a Shimano 105 headset at the mo but soon to be replaced:
Deore thumbies, a design classic! And cheapo alloy bars, soon to be replaced:
And thats it really! Its a real budget build, but I love it! I've been riding it every day and it always puts a smile on my face. It rides really nice!
Its not finished yet, got some bits to do like trim down that stem converter, find a decent seat and bars, fir the new chainset and mech etc. Theres not a lot of money in it, i've been picking stuff up cheap for it- the pedals were £2, the Ritchey stem £3, the brake levers £2.50, the kevlar Onza porc 2's were only £12 the pair off Ebay, boxed and brand new!
Finding stuff for it is all part of the fun for me!
The other thing about the early 90's MTB scene for me was the drilling out of everything to save weight, something I got a bit obsessed with back in the day and something that i've carried on with my project Escort some 15 years later! So i've been drilling bits and bobs out, sourcing lighter (but period correct) parts in the name of getting it to a respectable weight
excellent build up.
, but if i get on my Bike now for more serious mud bashing or gooning i pop my 661 pads on and some grippy vans or shimanos. 