jmlandry77

Looks like Elm Creek park reserve, here in MN!

dddd

Tange Prestige lightweight road bike tubing was great material, but I've seen examples of the Prestige sticker on a heavy, brand-new Surly off-roadish frame that I examined bare.

Did Prestige change dramatically at some point, or was it just the difference between Prestige road and Prestige off-road?

My guess is that at some point, the Prestige name was officially used to label a more-or-less ordinary chrome-moly tubing with a more economical "heat-treatment".

bikemig 

That's the bike path just north of Des Moines. It's a fine bike path and that spot is only 10 miles from my front door.

That's my understanding. The stuff called Prestige now is heavier than what it was back in the day. That MB 1 is prestige tubing and it's righteously light for a vintage MTB with lugs and running fat tires (26 x 2.0); it weighs in at right around the catalog weight of 24.7 lbs.

sheddle

Isn't the "original" Prestige now Prestige Japan or something?

clubman 

The fork crown is catnip to me, I buy that in a flash.

jmlandry77

I have not been able to look at one of these steel Stumpys up close. I had a Rockhopper sport of about the same year, just like this one- (this is the comp, one step better components) : https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/d...088190054.html

From the pictures I have seen the only diff between the ebay stumpy and this rockhopper are the labels. The Stumpy: Tange prestiege made in JP, The Rockhopper: Specialized direct drive Tange cromo henco Taiwan. My old rockhopper seemed pretty light, very agile! I don't see the Direct drive tubing a dbl butted- i always thought it was.

Maybe Japan moved to aluminum production and the steel frame equipment was unbolted and sent to Taiwan. Much like the Allies did to Germany after WWII. Maybe they were never made in JP?

and the Specialized DD is probably about the same quality/ weight as the Prestige- in fact it may be private re-label Prestige?

Korina

Sweet looking bike! Have you bought it yet?

jmlandry77

I think my rockhopper sport was the same years as this. It was green w/ purple lettering.

Korina

And...?

DorkDisk

Old Prestige was top of the line, modern Prestige is middling tier. These Stumpies ride very very sweet.

Here is my 92, which I bought stock locally for 100 bucks

jmlandry77

Waiting until we hit the bottom.

TiHabanero

Having been the owner of several Stumpys in cromo and aluminum, I can say without question, that they really were not anything special, and there were a number of bikes with the same frame design and tubing spec. I owned both an original model Stumpy and Miyata Ridge Runner. Those bikes are wonderful to ride and are vastly different from what came through after around 1985. I feel they are a better value because they are so different and are original designs.

To each his own, that is for sure. I saw Wayne Carini on TV talking about collector cars and he commented that if you like the car, then buy it. Of course he was referencing buying and using the machine, not as an investment. His opinion on an investment vehicle is much different.

sheddle

Yeah, absolutely nothing wrong with Stumpies, I think they're just a model that's become a bit "in", and vintage prices have gone up a bit too much as a result. Think the same thing happened once with Centurion Ironmans... (Ironmen?)

Just to provide an example, this wonderful looking IBOC Team was posted in Portland CL for $260 and I'd say is every bit the match for a high end Stumpy from the early 90s... (except maybe the carbon/AL-lugged S-Works Epic, which is a legitimate grail)



https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/...096385539.html

2old

I would have grabbed that Mongoose in a second. My son had one that was ridden unmercifully (but well maintained) that was stolen from his garage even though there was a locked gate to the garage and the bike was u-bolted to a steel plate in the wall.

sheddle

I'm STILL thinking of grabbing it! but traveling seems like a bad idea at the moment...

VtwinVince

That's crazy money. I just picked up an '88 Ritchey Ascent in completely original, excellent condition for 300.00 and thought I was overpaying.

TiHabanero

I also had an Sworks Epic in the carbon alum lug configuration. It handled just like a Stumpy, but the ride was more jarring. The FX carbon sus fork on it was more or less worthless, but very cool. I was able to access all these Specialized bikes because I worked in a Specialized store, so every year I got a new one! A friend of mine who was a Spec. rep still has his Sworks Epic Ultimate with the titanium lugs. That is a bling bike for sure. Rides exactly like the standard Epic model, go figure. lol

Always liked that Iboc from Mongoose. It was modeled on the Stumpy as most bikes of that era were. The product differentiation was neat. Banjo string routing of the cables along side top tube, wishbone rear stays, and color. Lots of color.

sheddle

also Panasonic probably made half of them anyway, hah

I actually do want to get one of the high end Panasonic MTBs, the MC7500. One of em has this rasta color paint job that looks amazing.

PJ943 

Hope it went to a good home! Tangentially, I saw one of those in Seattle with drop bars and some 2.3" road tires....it looked fantastic and seemed like the perfect urban bike...

ZudeJammer

reserve not met!

currently I see on craigslist, of stumps that dont have shocks:

an 83 stump for $300 in flagstaff
a late 90s stump for $275 in chico
a tiny 95 stump for $200 in la
late 80s stump for $150 in oc
a beatup 90s stump for $50 in oc
85 stump for $350 in oc
84 stump for $499 in san diego
88 stump for $200 in san diego
83 stump for $425 in san fran
tall 85 stump for $600 in san fran
rusty 83 stump for $100 in boulder
small 92 stump for $180 in bolder
early 90s stump for $100 in colorado springs
restored 85 stump for $460 in denver
tall 87 stump for $375 in atlanta
90s stump for $500 in chicago
90s stump for $350 in anapolis
90s stump for $299 in reno
95 stump for $350 in charlotte
92 stump for $500 in bend (same one as on ebay, so his reserve is 500...)
tiny stump for $175 in bend
mint 87 stump for $600 in eugene
dropbar 90s stump for $400 in eugene
92 stump for $600 in portland
92 stump for $200 in portland
tall 84 stump for $360 in austin
90s stump for $125 in spokane
90s stump for $800 in seattle
tall 90s stump for $125 in seattle

madpogue 

^^^^^ Notice how many in the southwest, PNW and Colorado. Then a whoppng TWO in the southeast, and ONE each in TX, east coast, and the midwest.

due ruote 

Re: the 92, the EBay reserve might actually be higher to adjust for fees. Who knows?
There was a very nice clean early 90’s rigid Stumpy on Beaverton CL last month for $150. It lasted several days, which surprised me.

jmlandry77

Wow! Specialized is a CA company. MN craigslist has maybe 4 or 5 Stumpjumpers. That is quite a variety, like a mini ebay. Thanks for posting that!

I have noted as of late that as my stock portfolio has taken a hit, so has the price of vintage bikes. I'm watching classic specialized mountain road bikes and Italian road bikes from the last 30 years mostly on ebay.

Also it would be cool to find a rare mountain bike outfitted with the short lived Campy grouppo.