Anyone Still Have Their '90's Steel Mountain Bike?

[ftimw]

ftimw - You should make sure that seatpost will come out before you put much money into it, they can make your life miserable if they get stuck...

So you think it's possible that the seatpost WILL NOT come out? I just thought I hadn't tried hard enough yet. Read a little on Sheldon Brown but no major research on how to do it. I was thinking heat, but it's aluminum I think. Still havn't tried any acids yet either. Any other suggestions?

[DVC45]

So you think it's possible that the seatpost WILL NOT come out? I just thought I hadn't tried hard enough yet. Read a little on Sheldon Brown but no major research on how to do it. I was thinking heat, but it's aluminum I think. Still havn't tried any acids yet either. Any other suggestions?

I have read that a can of soda poured on the seattube through the BB can loosen it. I haven't tried it, but I think it is worth a shot.

[ftimw]

I have read that a can of soda poured on the seattube through the BB can loosen it. I haven't tried it, but I think it is worth a shot.

I have read that too. Waiting for my crank tool so that I can remove the BB. Same reason I have not tried ammonia yet. But I'm doing the coke trick first. Good for a "myth busting" anyway. What's the worst that could happen?

[no motor?]

I've been riding a 2000 or so Hardrock for 7+ years, and it may outlive me.

[ivan_yulaev]

Wow, tons of replies to this thread. Glad to see that these bikes are being put to use! Here's my entry:



It's a 1997 Diamondback Sorrento, with a cheapy Shimano Acera drivetrain. Was my dad's, it was sitting in the attic for the longest time. Put on a new chain, slicks, fenders, lights, and a rack, and it made an excellent commuter through college. Now it lives at work as my around-town bicycle. The drivetrain is surprisingly adequate (compared to my 105 road bike) - sure it's not quite as slick but when adjusted shifts quickly and smoothly. The adjustment is much more finicky than my 105-equipped bike but it's certainly very serviceable.

[Chris_in_Miami]

So you think it's possible that the seatpost WILL NOT come out? I just thought I hadn't tried hard enough yet. Read a little on Sheldon Brown but no major research on how to do it. I was thinking heat, but it's aluminum I think. Still havn't tried any acids yet either. Any other suggestions?

It can be a real headache, but most stuck seatposts will eventually come out. I've had to resort to an air hammer in one tough case, and I have a friend who had to bore out two posts.

[chaadster]

I love the ascetics of these frames...they really stand out in the crowd. They made the chain stays higher to
eliminate 'chain-slap' over rock-garden type trails....am i wrong?

Not really wrong, because chain slap is an annoying, audible manifestation of what was a real and serious problem, namely chain suck, where the chain was jamming between the stay and chainrings.

Richard Cunningham was, of course, the guy who came up the EC (elevated chainstay) design on his Mantis bikes, and who brought the design to the mainstream with his collaboration with Nishiki on the Alien, whose success lead to many similar commercial designs, including Alpinestars, Yeti (famously started as an MBA magazine project), and the Haro pictured above.

One of the other practical advantages to ECs besides eliminating chainsuck was that the chain could be removed without breaking a link!

[Steely Dan]

i dearly WISH i still had my '90s steel moutnian bike, but it was killed by a bus last spring. i had a '96 Raleigh USA M-80 Cro-mo mountian bike. after my teeneaged interest in mountain biking had waned (i live in chicago ), it sat collecting dust in a garage for years until i turned it into one hell of an excellent, rock solid, commuter (upsized crank, rigid fork, bullhorns with reverse pulls). i technically still have it, but she sits wasting away out on my balcony. the frame is wrecked, but i can't let her go.

[DVC45]

One of the other practical advantages to ECs besides eliminating chainsuck was that the chain could be removed without breaking a link!

Wait, the chain still need to come off the FD, so a breaking a link is still required. No?

[CACycling]

Picked up these matching 1992 DB Ascent EXs NIB on eBay two years ago for my wife and me. The pics don't do justice to the deep purple color.

1992 Diamond Back Ascent EX 20 DS.jpg1992 Diamond Back Ascent EX 18 DS.jpg

These wre CL finds for my sons. The white DB Topanga for younger son and the black DB Sorrento for older son. I believe they are early '90s and they both have the cool platter paint jobs.

1991 Diamond Back Sorrento DS.jpg1991 Diamond Back Topanga DS.jpg

[osephjey]

Wait, the chain still need to come off the FD, so a breaking a link is still required. No?

the fd on my bike has a screw holding the chain guide together, and I can bend it apart enough to get the chain through. I found this out when I stripped it down for single speed useage (gunked up freewheel which has since been replaced). I don't know if any other fd's are like this as my bike is a 1988 Raleigh Technium "The Chill" with deore drive train which needs some services but still rides well enough.

[provisional]

My parents bought this Mongoose Hilltopper new around '94; it was my commuter in high school and I must've put 10,000 miles on it.



It was just too small for me in the end, and now I commute on a road bike of similar vintage, but boy did I love that bike.

[Trek_geek]

Not a great picture. It's a Performance M505 (5 series from 1995). I rode it in the dirt for years with my son until he went off the college in 2001. Since then it has been my ride for weekend rails-to-trails visits with my wife. I put some 26x1.5" city tires on it last fall and this photo was taken on my first bike overnight. I mounted a Topeak rack and the Topeak trunk bag with the fold out panniers. The chain rings and cluster are very worn but since I have a Trek 1000 and just bought a Trek 520 for commuting I won't be doing much more to this old stead.

DSCF5783.JPG

[tar wheels]

Yep, I've still got my 91 Diamond Back Apex, though it's at my folks' place in NC...

[rekmeyata]

So you think it's possible that the seatpost WILL NOT come out? I just thought I hadn't tried hard enough yet. Read a little on Sheldon Brown but no major research on how to do it. I was thinking heat, but it's aluminum I think. Still havn't tried any acids yet either. Any other suggestions?

I'm sorry I can't find your post on this, but is the seat post aluminum stuck inside a steel frame? If so soda will work but then you have to rinse it out with clear water afterwards to get the sticky sugar out. You can also use Ammonia, but be in a well ventilated area and wear eye protection and avoid skin contact. And let it soak over night. The best way to this is to remove the bottom bracket, cover the end of the seat post so fluid won't come out, pour either coke or Ammonia into the bottom bracket so it pours down into the seat tube, meaning the frame will have to upside down and remain upside down over night.

If it's a steel post stuck in a steel frame then use PB Blaster the same way as above.

In the future use a small amount of grease on your fingertips and spread a very thin layer on BOTH the seat post and the inside of the seat tube down as far as the post would extend, then slide the post in and wipe off the excess grease. Any grease will work, I use black automotive bearing grease and never have an issue. Some people regrease once a year, I don't, grease lasts a long time, I may do it once every 5 years and still the grease is lubricating the seat post just fine, but to be safe I redo it. I had no problem pulling a AL seat post out of a steel bike that had been stored for 30 years and the grease was the original grease from the factory and it still allowed the seat post to come out easily.

[ftimw]

I'm sorry I can't find your post on this, but is the seat post aluminum stuck inside a steel frame? If so soda will work but then you have to rinse it out with clear water afterwards to get the sticky sugar out. You can also use Ammonia, but be in a well ventilated area and wear eye protection and avoid skin contact. And let it soak over night. The best way to this is to remove the bottom bracket, cover the end of the seat post so fluid won't come out, pour either coke or Ammonia into the bottom bracket so it pours down into the seat tube, meaning the frame will have to upside down and remain upside down over night.

If it's a steel post stuck in a steel frame then use PB Blaster the same way as above.

In the future use a small amount of grease on your fingertips and spread a very thin layer on BOTH the seat post and the inside of the seat tube down as far as the post would extend, then slide the post in and wipe off the excess grease. Any grease will work, I use black automotive bearing grease and never have an issue. Some people regrease once a year, I don't, grease lasts a long time, I may do it once every 5 years and still the grease is lubricating the seat post just fine, but to be safe I redo it. I had no problem pulling a AL seat post out of a steel bike that had been stored for 30 years and the grease was the original grease from the factory and it still allowed the seat post to come out easily.

Since you didn't see the post: soda and ammonia were mentioned and I will try both when my crank puller arrives in the mail. The sooner the better as I really want to get this old thing back on the road. Since seeing those other Diamondbacks, and I know it's not original, but I'm thinking about trying a "splatter" paint job.

[fusilierdan]

DSC_0194.jpg
I'm a little late to the party but here's my recently painted 1987 Giant Sedona It was in an accident so neds the front wheel trued and some brake repair. I like the fit and ride of this bike the best.

[ThermionicScott]

I don't have a '90's mountain bike, but I do have an '88.

[megalowmatt]

I have to say it's pretty amazing how good all of these steel framed bikes look 20+ years later.

[bud16415]

I don't have a '90's mountain bike, but I do have an '87.

Then


Now



$10 garage sale find.
.

[graytotoro]

Somebody abandoned a Peugeot in exactly my size outside my house. Working everything except for a stuck seat post. Oh, and I may have dropped part of the QR off the balcony into the apartment below. :embarassed:

Will keep it if nobody claims it by the end of the year.

[Sixty Fiver]

i dearly WISH i still had my '90s steel moutnian bike, but it was killed by a bus last spring. i had a '96 Raleigh USA M-80 Cro-mo mountian bike. after my teeneaged interest in mountain biking had waned (i live in chicago ), it sat collecting dust in a garage for years until i turned it into one hell of an excellent, rock solid, commuter (upsized crank, rigid fork, bullhorns with reverse pulls). i technically still have it, but she sits wasting away out on my balcony. the frame is wrecked, but i can't let her go.

What size frame was your M80 ?

I am sure that the combined mojo of all the folks here could find you a replacement frame and have had a few pass by me over the years at the shop.

If we are going to crank the clock back... my 1987 Kuwahara Shasta has carried me close to 40,000 km since I bought it 5 years ago. It got drop bars after it's first winter and this has never changed although it has gone from ss to fixed to being my geared expedition bike. This is my favourite era as so many nicely made steel mtb's were made and so many have found new life as commuters and touring bikes. They were closely modelled after the touring bikes of the day and often similarly or even identically equipped with the only difference being their 26 inch wheels and tyres which have now become a popular choice for tourists and many commuters.

[kjmillig]

I've never bought a MTB new, but I still have my 1985 Raleigh Wyoming touring bike that I bought new in Feb 1986. Still in great shape since It's never been left outside, although it does have some newer components on it of course.

[monsterpile]

i dearly WISH i still had my '90s steel moutnian bike, but it was killed by a bus last spring. i had a '96 Raleigh USA M-80 Cro-mo mountian bike. after my teeneaged interest in mountain biking had waned (i live in chicago ), it sat collecting dust in a garage for years until i turned it into one hell of an excellent, rock solid, commuter (upsized crank, rigid fork, bullhorns with reverse pulls). i technically still have it, but she sits wasting away out on my balcony. the frame is wrecked, but i can't let her go.

I was thinking about you the last couple weeks becasue I was working on a friends M50 to get it ready to ride with his wife and son. It hadn't been ridden much so it shined up really nice. I added some smoother tired from the local bike charity which worked out good. His wife had me fix up her mid-2000's Trek 820 and now she is even running errands with her son in the trailer really enjoying her bike so she convinced her husband to get his back on the road. Here is the M50 it worth posting even though its aluminum and probably from more around 2000.

[Omiak]

I've a 90's Shogun MTB that I retrofitted with an SRAM dualdrive, but sadly it's in storage on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.