Classic & Vintage - What to do with 83' StumpJumper?

I have my old stumpjumper that I rode in college. I bought it in the fall of 85', but I'm convinced that it's an 83 based on the rims and other components.

I have been looking to perhaps buy a comfort bike for rides with the family, but when I test rode them, they felt odd.

It's all original except for the tires. The problem I have with it is it's a beast - at least 30lbs... and the shifting is pretty poor..

What should I do with it. Upgrade the shifters and perhaps the derailleurs? Or leave it all alone and either sell it off or keep it until it's a real antique??

Thanks for the advice.

R

83 would be right around the first year of production. I had a college roomate who had one of that vintage. Big ole motorcycle levers and the top mounted thumbshifters. They were heavy bikes but started a craze.

I don't know but a complete Stumpjumper might have some collectability. You might ask the people on the Mtn Bike board. If you do modify it keep the original parts just in case.

As a part of MTB history it has a amount of collectability. It was one of the first mass produced MTB besides the Univega Alpina. Here is a cool site with pics of first run MTB's.
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/rigid.htm

If you are looking at comfort bikes, why are you concerned at all about weight? Replace the chain and all cables, clean up and adjust the derailleurs, and enjoy a far better, classier, more efficient ride than any contemporary comfort bike. My Schwinn, though a bit newer, is probably not that much better than your StumpJumper, and I have no current plans to replace or seriously update it.

When I ride with my wife and daughter, we all ride vintage steel mountain bikes. They can be made at least as comfortable as any comfort bike with the right choice of components.

For better or worse, I date from the thumbie era. They will not shift well after the cables and housings get crudded up - you need to throw away the cables and housings, replace with new, and lube the thumbies. Or grow gorilla thumbs (no, wait, the thumbs have to be opposable...) If you have shifter accuracy issues after the levers are working, change the chain.

They really did work well when set up rignt. The cool guys reversed and turned 'em over, so that they were mounted under the bars. Kinda like pre-rapid-fire.

If you decide to sell it, there are a few people here who'd like to know (including me!).

I smell a single speed conversion! Let that bike live on...

Does it have a TA crankset and Mafac cantilevers???

No -
The crank is Sugina AT
The Brakes are Shimano - triangular shaped that bolt to side of the fork.

Since the initial posting I have figured that it's probably an 84 model.
Still sitting in the garage.