Fifty Plus (50+) - Tassahara, Almost NOS, but what year?

I like to go yard saleing. I must have been to over 300 the last 12 months. I've found and purchased a few bikes, but this Gary Fisher Tassahara is one of those special finds. It is incredibly clean having been ridden only a few miles. The chain shows almost no wear. I counted four scratch marks on the entire frame. The only real damage is a 1 inch cut in the original Gary Fisher seat, otherwise, this bike is nearly perfect.
Unfortunately, it has a rigid fork so taking it on a technical MTB trail is not an option. Besides, IMHO, this bike belongs in a museum.
What I don't know is, what year is this thing? It's an alloy frame, 21 speed with V brakes. The mix of components combined with the rigid front fork tells me this is an early to mid 90s bike. If anyone knows the year or has an educated guess please let me know. I know most posts like this are on the classic/vintage forum but I wanted to try the fifty plus forum first. Thanks for any input.

Don't know about the year. Maybe someone at Gary Fisher could help? if I can add my two cents--a bike won't get dinged up in a museum, but that's not what a bike is for. Unless maybe it was built by the Wright Brothers.

Great bike, but what did you pay for it at a garage sale?

Nosy Fox!

Don't know about the year. Maybe someone at Gary Fisher could help? if I can add my two cents--a bike won't get dinged up in a museum, but that's not what a bike is for. Unless maybe it was built by the Wright Brothers.


Can remember the frame from the mid 90's but that is as far as I can go. In its day it was a respectable bike so why not take off on a few offroad jaunts? As to the rigid forks? I only got suspension forks when I was 53 as after the bypass- I felt I had to have a bit of comfort for the chest- and no other reason. Still ride rigid offroad occasionally, and for a lightweight bike that handles- this is still the way to go. I never used to but perhaps the only limitation nowadays will be the downhill speed. In my group I always have been, still am and still will be the fastest downhill amongst us- and that includes when I had rigid forks. I have to be-- It makes up for my slow progress up hills.


Forgot to say it but nice buy but get the wheels checked over. After a long lay off they will need re-tensioning.

And get the reflectors off before going offroad and littering the trails with bits of them.

I like to go yard saleing. I must have been to over 300 the last 12 months. I've found and purchased a few bikes, but this Gary Fisher Tassahara is one of those special finds. It is incredibly clean having been ridden only a few miles. The chain shows almost no wear. I counted four scratch marks on the entire frame. The only real damage is a 1 inch cut in the original Gary Fisher seat, otherwise, this bike is nearly perfect.
Unfortunately, it has a rigid fork so taking it on a technical MTB trail is not an option. Besides, IMHO, this bike belongs in a museum.
What I don't know is, what year is this thing? It's an alloy frame, 21 speed with V brakes. The mix of components combined with the rigid front fork tells me this is an early to mid 90s bike. If anyone knows the year or has an educated guess please let me know. I know most posts like this are on the classic/vintage forum but I wanted to try the fifty plus forum first. Thanks for any input.

Rocco -
I've got 2 Fisher catalogues. One is 1992 and lists the Tassahara. Here are some of the specs
Frame: Fisher Design Evolution Cro-Mo tubing, Cro-Mo tapered stays, forged dropouts
Fork: Evolution True Temper steerer, Cro-Mo blades, forged dropouts
Crankset: Shimano Exage 400, Biopace chainrings 48/38/28
Derail: Exage 400
Shifters: Exage 400, Rapidfire
Wheels: Exage hubs on Araya rims
Saddle: Avocet racing
Colors: Jade w/ silver decals or Jet Black w/ Iris decals. The bike pictured is Jade.

The other catalogue is not dated (I believe it is 1991) and there is no Tassajara model.
I believe Tassajara was the entry level bike.

DFox, I paid $40 which is more than my usual $5-$20 for a garage sale bike, but considering the condition, I couldn't get the money out of my wallet fast enough. The front wheel was missing the tube, so I guess the real price was $46, still a bargain.

Stapham, Thanks for the comments, but with my neck problems, I want to stay on suspension bikes on the trail, especially since my neck is actually improving over time. But your comment about the bike being lite is right on. It weighed in at approximately 25 lbs., the lightest MTB in our family. For now, I'm just going to ride it around the neighborhood on short runs.

Wildwood, thanks so much for providing catalogue information. Now I know this is newer than 1992. It has an alloy frame with a Sugino Impel crank, STX rear deraileur and an Altus front deraileur. The rims are Weinmann 519 with presta valves with Accera hubs. The brakes are Dia-Compe vc737 V brakes.
I hate to replace the original tires, but they are out of round from the bike being stored with flat tires. They have no dry rot. Your comment about entry level lines up with the Altus deraileur, but the other components are more middle range. I'm guessing this may have been the entry level alloy bike and the GF was still making steel bikes when this was new. One nice decal on the bike says 'Made In USA' with a picture of the flag (sigh). Not too many of those around today.
Thanks for all the comments and feel free to add more.

Rocco -
I've got 2 Fisher catalogues. One is 1992 and lists the Tassahara. Here are some of the specs
Frame: Fisher Design Evolution Cro-Mo tubing, Cro-Mo tapered stays, forged dropouts
Fork: Evolution True Temper steerer, Cro-Mo blades, forged dropouts
Crankset: Shimano Exage 400, Biopace chainrings 48/38/28
Derail: Exage 400
Shifters: Exage 400, Rapidfire
Wheels: Exage hubs on Araya rims
Saddle: Avocet racing
Colors: Jade w/ silver decals or Jet Black w/ Iris decals. The bike pictured is Jade.

The other catalogue is not dated (I believe it is 1991) and there is no Tassajara model.
I believe Tassajara was the entry level bike.


If it was fitted as original- this bike has an STX rear derailler and crankset, and I believe the wheel hubs These are a good upgragde from exage, and would put it a bit higher than the base model in a line of bikes and nearer 95 than 91. It also has gripshift shifters and these were fitted to a lot of bikes around the early to mid 90's. Weineman rims by the way are pretty nigh indestructable, but Pray you don't have too many punctures. They are a bit tight on the tyres.

$40!!

Wow!

So, what part of NC are you finding the best deal on bikes these days??

So, what part of NC are you finding the best deal on bikes these days??
I usually search in Holly Springs, Apex and Cary (Containment Area for Relocated Yankees). Raleigh and Sanford have some good used bikes as well. I'm guessing you're from the western part of the state. No doubt about it, NC is great riding country, it doesn't matter what you ride, MTB, road or MUPS, the climate seems well suited for bikes.