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Show us your vintage mountain bikes!

Old 01-29-13, 10:12 PM
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I have one of these cranksets. Nice stuff!,,,,BD

https://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...r_Cranks_1.jpg
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Old 01-29-13, 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by blilrat
Try the short cage RD and remove a couple of links to increase the chain tension. I ran a 1x9 drivetrain off road and rarely had any chain drops with that combination.
the chain is as short as it can be to run the largest cog. honestly the chain drops so rarely that i don't worry about it much any more. On the rare occasion it does drop, I just pull over, find a few leaves to keep my hands clean, slap it back on and go.

I do have a spare short cage RD, but it's probably going to on on my Univega, which I just ordered a corncob 13-21 cassette for. With 52/39 chainrings, 13-21t cassette and a short cage RD, it will be pretty much a road drive train i may end up dropping the 52t ring though I'm not sure
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Old 01-29-13, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by realestvin7
What's hard to find?
Vetta saddles like the one i have on my 86 Apex.. not sure the model name
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Old 01-30-13, 03:57 PM
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My 91 Koga Miyate Terrarunner with spiderweb splashpaintscheme. I had a roadbike from the same year with this tubing and paintscheme.
The tubing is their own great oversized Hardlite FM1 Chrome Molybdene Spiral triple butted tubing.



This was ridden hard and a lot of parts are changed over the years
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Old 02-01-13, 01:49 PM
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85 High Sierra Winter ride





Use this as my Winter ride.
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Old 02-01-13, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by frantik
Vetta saddles like the one i have on my 86 Apex.. not sure the model name
I have a brown suede Vetta for sale in the for sale forum.
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Old 02-01-13, 03:14 PM
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I didn't have time to wander through all 121 pages of these old mountain bikes, but in the few pages I did look at, I didn't see any mtb that were so old they had downtube shifters. I just moved house, and one of my new neighbors (haven't met him yet) has a Trek 700-something locked up on his porch with DT shifters. I'll probably never get around to taking a picture, but here's a picture I have on hand of a mid-90's Gary Fisher Advance I picked up from CL for $5!



5 cents of lube and 0 cents of air later, it was riding fine! The shifters are that earliest generation of Shimanos that were both thumb-levers, no index-finger trigger behind the bar. Also, it has an oversized 1 1/4" headset called "Fisher Evolution", here's a thread where BF helped me figger out about that...
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Old 02-01-13, 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted by OTS




Use this as my Winter ride.
I absolutely love this bike!!! Ok I'm done...

Cheers,
Chris
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Old 02-01-13, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
I didn't have time to wander through all 121 pages of these old mountain bikes, but in the few pages I did look at, I didn't see any mtb that were so old they had downtube shifters.
Mountain bikes were never equipped with down tube shifters.
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Old 02-01-13, 05:44 PM
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Originally Posted by cyclodan
Mountain bikes were never equipped with down tube shifters.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! Now I have to get a picture!

Although I guess it will likely turn out to be a commuter conversion or something.
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Old 02-01-13, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
I didn't have time to wander through all 121 pages of these old mountain bikes, but in the few pages I did look at, I didn't see any mtb that were so old they had downtube shifters. I just moved house, and one of my new neighbors (haven't met him yet) has a Trek 700-something locked up on his porch with DT shifters. I'll probably never get around to taking a picture, but here's a picture I have on hand of a mid-90's Gary Fisher Advance I picked up from CL for $5!



5 cents of lube and 0 cents of air later, it was riding fine! The shifters are that earliest generation of Shimanos that were both thumb-levers, no index-finger trigger behind the bar. Also, it has an oversized 1 1/4" headset called "Fisher Evolution", here's a thread where BF helped me figger out about that...
I think that bike's from an era more like 1990 than the mid-90s. I think that was the last gasp of Fisher himself owning Fisher before trek took over. Somewhere in the middle, as best as I've been able to research, Cinelli came in and rebranded his backstock. I have a 1991 "cinelli" ottomila that not only has the 1.25" headtube and a fisher branded stem, but a fisher logo on the top of the seat tube facing the head tube.

I'm short on pictures right now, but the frames look VERY similar (the drivetrain has been swapped from suntour to shimano XT:



I'd love to volley pictures around, it'd be cool to compare these two.

E: found another pic:



Other than the rack bosses, looks like we have nearly the same frame here.
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Last edited by IthaDan; 02-01-13 at 06:35 PM.
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Old 02-01-13, 06:45 PM
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Thanks to 3speedslow I now have this ride:

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Old 02-01-13, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by echo
I have a brown suede Vetta for sale in the for sale forum.
thanks, i prefer black vinyl though


took a pic of my 86 Apex in the fountain at san jose city hall today


Last edited by frantik; 02-01-13 at 07:28 PM.
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Old 02-03-13, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! Now I have to get a picture!

Although I guess it will likely turn out to be a commuter conversion or something.
Early Mt bikes were typically thumb shift. Taking hands off bars offroad to shift is just a bad idea.
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Old 02-03-13, 10:31 AM
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Yeah, I've never taken a truly vintage mtb with thumbies, offroad. I imagine not having your thumb around the grip where it belongs, was probably kinda spooky in certain situations. Never ridden one on anything worse than a dirt road. I actually like long rides on a dirt road, more than actual "mountain" biking anyway. Something about being alone "out in the middle of nowhere" works for me. I will definitely miss that when I am back in Houston.,,,,BD
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Old 02-03-13, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
I didn't have time to wander through all 121 pages of these old mountain bikes, but in the few pages I did look at, I didn't see any mtb that were so old they had downtube shifters. I just moved house, and one of my new neighbors (haven't met him yet) has a Trek 700-something locked up on his porch with DT shifters. .
$5 for a Gary Fisher, there's a nice score!

Early Trek 700 series = ATB/hybrid, not MTB, and they all came with grip shifters.

Excellent link to 1992 catalog, 700 came out one year earlier. Notice the 700c wheel size as well.

Earlier 700 series Treks (late 70s to mid 1980s) were fantastic touring bikes.

https://www.bikeman.com/attic/catalog...992catalog.pdf

Last edited by wrk101; 02-03-13 at 10:44 AM.
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Old 02-03-13, 10:56 AM
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Agreed, No down tube shifters on Mtb's, although there probably is some exception out there somewhere. I wouldn't really consider a 90's vintage bike old. By then we were over a decade into it. Here is an old one. My current project 1981:



Now if anyone can help me find a couple of step down ferrules for the brake cables guides on on the top tube for this I would be much abliged. 6mm inside diameter stepping down to a 5.9 mm outside diameter.
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Old 02-03-13, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Bikedued
Yeah, I've never taken a truly vintage mtb with thumbies, offroad. I imagine not having your thumb around the grip where it belongs, was probably kinda spooky in certain situations. Never ridden one on anything worse than a dirt road. I actually like long rides on a dirt road, more than actual "mountain" biking anyway. Something about being alone "out in the middle of nowhere" works for me. I will definitely miss that when I am back in Houston.,,,,BD
Shifting with thumbies isn't bad at all, in the early 90's when Rapidfire etc. showed up, there was actually a bit of resistance for many people to make the switch. As far as riding dirt roads, I agree. Certainly enjoy riding challenging terrain that really tasks you mentally and physically, but there is something to be said for getting on a nice logging road and going for hours. On those days I tend to grab this:

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Old 02-03-13, 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by IthaDan
I think that bike's from an era more like 1990 than the mid-90s. I think that was the last gasp of Fisher himself owning Fisher before trek took over. Somewhere in the middle, as best as I've been able to research, Cinelli came in and rebranded his backstock. I have a 1991 "cinelli" ottomila that not only has the 1.25" headtube and a fisher branded stem, but a fisher logo on the top of the seat tube facing the head tube.

I'm short on pictures right now, but the frames look VERY similar (the drivetrain has been swapped from suntour to shimano XT:



I'd love to volley pictures around, it'd be cool to compare these two.

E: found another pic:



Other than the rack bosses, looks like we have nearly the same frame here.

IthaDan's correct. Your $5 GF (great score!) is a '91 Advance. With the 1 1/4" Evolution front end set up. I believe this was during the period before Trek acquired them. An entry model made with their then Taiwanese partner. I picked up one for $20 and it was not it the shape yours is. Tange tubing, and Shimano Exage 400 group mostly.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wng555/...7632154523252/
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Old 02-03-13, 01:11 PM
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Here is the family's herd:

1985 Bridgestone MB-3 (mine)



Trek 820 (wifes)



GT Talera (son 1) He likes the seat low. Must be a carry over fro his BMX days.



GT Outpost (son 2) A little large for him, but he likes it. He likes the seat low as well.

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Old 02-03-13, 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Aemmer

What you got there?
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Old 02-03-13, 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by whatwolf
Thanks to 3speedslow I now have this ride:

This makes me smile ! I really picked the right person to pass this one on to. I love your taste .

Question, the chain tensioner you had on it, did it work for you ? I just got the same and am thinking on building a SS back wheel for one of my MTBs if I want to try it.

Have fun ! 3SS
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Old 02-03-13, 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
What you got there?
Pretty sure it's a Douglas Fir.


Mid 80's Ritchey TimberComp. Roller Cams front and rear, M730 drivetrain with a WTB/Campy cockpit, Regal saddle, RM20's laced to M730's. Picked the frame up from Neopop71 when I saw it here Several years ago. Cheated on the pedals But have a hard time using toe clips for much more than pictures.
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Old 02-03-13, 09:41 PM
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The geometry and color of that Timbercomp, reminds me of why I am lusting after an early Stumpjumper. It has the same slack/color vibe. I want to build frames, and I think that is going to be my next calling. I am wanting to build some gorgeous lugged steel dirt road cruisers. Mountain bikes have gone off the deep end now(pun intended), and are mostly about going as fast as humanly possibly, and winning races. The enjoyment of being where you are is what it was always about for me. Mountain bike racing might as well be on a man made course now, IMHO. It's time to step back in time, and I think a lot of you here would agree?,,,,BD
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Old 02-03-13, 09:47 PM
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Originally Posted by 3speedslow
This makes me smile ! I really picked the right person to pass this one on to. I love your taste .

Question, the chain tensioner you had on it, did it work for you ? I just got the same and am thinking on building a SS back wheel for one of my MTBs if I want to try it.

Have fun ! 3SS


Well the chainring -- and thus rear sprocket and chain -- are 1/8. The tensioner did not work well with 1/8 which is why I took it off. Also had it geared too low initially, so moving down to a 12T in back helped there.
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