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The unusual LeeWorld Mountain Sport 1

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The unusual LeeWorld Mountain Sport 1

Old 10-09-16, 02:03 PM
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The unusual LeeWorld Mountain Sport 1

There isn't heck of a much info on the internet about this company or the bike itself. There's some, but nothing exhaustive.

Perhaps this thread could become the internets' extensive look at this particular model for all who encounter it in the future.

Picked it up because it was a lugged 24" cro-mo frame (good!). Price was suitable and came with some nice components. The paint job quality on the frame is lacklustre. Has bottle mounts on down / seat tubes. Eyelet compliment is one pair fore and aft. On the frame, there are welded on tabs for the rear rack. i haven't seen this type before, but probably not all that uncommon. The fork crown is not milled all the way through for a fender fastener, instead it is on one side only and the hole is threaded (also, something I'd not seen before). Lonnng wheelbase.

The frame has a Specialized headset.

Brakes / Levers are Dia-Compe canti-levers.

The shifters are thumb type, Suntour Powershift.

The stem is an alloy (can't see a name on it) and a double clamp type.

Rims are 36h Araya 7x and hubs Suzue sealed low flange.

Seat was an Avocet touring II (donated to the Co-op).

Rear rack a standard Blackburn.

Front derailleur is a Suntour Mountech (itis trashed, with a snapped cage). Rear, a Shimano deerhead XT with alloy jockey wheels. I think the front derailleur is original, while the rear isn't.

The bottom bracket is a Suntour VX or Superbe (requiring the funky removal tool which I don't have).

The crank is a 170mm Sugino AT with biopace rings.

Pedals are KKT SMX.

The now crusty sidewalled tires were Bontrager Jones. I think I might take a section of tire and fabricate a mudflap for a front fender.

I think these are some halfway decent parts which makes this bike not entirely mill-run dept store variety.

Although the stem is free, the seatpost is not. I tried to move the seat at purchase time and it did but it was dark out at the guys farm and what I didn't notice was that it was the top part of the post that was moving, not the whole post. The post is an SR. So - this means a stuck seatpost issue and it is a long one. I'll try and salvage it but I may just glean the parts for the Kuwahara frame I recently acquired and put the LW out to pasture. Although I do think this LW frame may be lighter than the Kuwahara.

Anyone else have one of these Mountain Sport bikes? Pictures to come shortly.

Last edited by prairiepedaler; 10-09-16 at 04:23 PM.
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Old 10-09-16, 06:18 PM
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Photos. Filenames indicate photo
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
Side.jpg (99.2 KB, 426 views)
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Seatpost.jpg (39.2 KB, 412 views)
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Rear Dropout.jpg (61.3 KB, 415 views)
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Rack Mounts.jpg (45.7 KB, 410 views)
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Straddle Roller.jpg (51.5 KB, 421 views)
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Thumb Shifter.jpg (45.2 KB, 421 views)
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Fork Crown.jpg (39.0 KB, 415 views)
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Head Tube.jpg (40.8 KB, 417 views)
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Headset Stem.jpg (89.2 KB, 422 views)
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Cranks.jpg (91.5 KB, 418 views)
File Type: jpg
Bottom Bracket.jpg (54.9 KB, 417 views)
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Old 10-09-16, 08:35 PM
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No idea, but that stem is glorious.
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Old 10-10-16, 10:25 AM
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It does seem to be an iconoclastic compared to todays stems, belief in them maintained by BMX'ers who clamour for stems such as these. Why I don't know. Strength maybe?
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Old 10-10-16, 11:35 AM
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I think a chemical solution to the stuck seat post is in order. In the classic and vintage forum there are suggestions ranging from penetrating oils to ammonia, and heat.
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Old 10-10-16, 01:06 PM
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Looks like a mid-1980s model. Serial number?
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Old 10-10-16, 01:35 PM
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Looks like a clone of an early Specialized Stumpjumper.
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Old 10-10-16, 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by dweenk
I think a chemical solution to the stuck seat post is in order. In the classic and vintage forum there are suggestions ranging from penetrating oils to ammonia, and heat.
Hi, I have tried that on another bike recently and may go the chemical route again for starters before strictly a mechanical method. It's a long seatpost unfortunately and the end of it extends all the way down to the topmost water bottle braze-on = lots of contact area to make a bond. We'll see!
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Old 10-10-16, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by lasauge
Looks like a clone of an early Specialized Stumpjumper.
Well, that's good. I think those were dersirable bikes, right?

The welds on this frame don't appear to be too shabby.

Last edited by prairiepedaler; 10-19-16 at 05:00 PM.
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Old 10-10-16, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
Looks like a mid-1980s model. Serial number?
Ok, underneath we read: MCA 8309. The head tube has some numbers stamped too: 7962.

I suppose it's safe to assume this frame was built in Sept 83?

Last edited by prairiepedaler; 10-10-16 at 10:23 PM.
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Old 10-11-16, 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
On the frame, there are welded on tabs for the rear rack. i haven't seen this type before, but probably not all that uncommon.
I have an '84 Giant built Schwinn High Sierra with a similar rack mount arrangement. My rack mounts are incorporated into the the brake cable hanger though.
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Old 10-11-16, 08:50 AM
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
Ok, underneath we read: MCA 8309. The head tube has some numbers stamped too: 7962.

I suppose it's safe to assume this frame was built in Sept 83?
That would be my assumption, as it fits the components' and frame geometry's time frame. It's also late enough in the year that it's almost certainly a 1984 model. However, I don't recall seeing the MCA prefix, so I can't identify the manufacturer. Regardless, I'll add it to the database. Thxs.
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Old 10-12-16, 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
That would be my assumption, as it fits the components' and frame geometry's time frame. It's also late enough in the year that it's almost certainly a 1984 model. However, I don't recall seeing the MCA prefix, so I can't identify the manufacturer. Regardless, I'll add it to the database. Thxs.
Sure thing T-Mar. I'd like to save the frame will make some attempts at it. If it survives I'll outfit it as a bike to run around with and lock up without much worry if something happens to it.
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Old 10-12-16, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by dweenk
I have an '84 Giant built Schwinn High Sierra with a similar rack mount arrangement. My rack mounts are incorporated into the the brake cable hanger though.
Hmmm, that's interesting
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Old 10-13-16, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler
Hi, I have tried that on another bike recently and may go the chemical route again for starters before strictly a mechanical method. It's a long seatpost unfortunately and the end of it extends all the way down to the topmost water bottle braze-on = lots of contact area to make a bond. We'll see!
Not to turn this into a stuck seatpost thread, but I had no luck with the chemical approach on a stuck post on a '88 Panansonic MC6500. It was a long post too, with a lot of it in the frame. Soaked for days with ammonia to no avail, and just wasn't up for the lye thing. Finally just used a hacksaw blade in a handle, cut the whole thing lengthwise, drilled a hole through the top, and used a 5 lb slide hammer to pop it loose. Good luck with yours! That's a nice bike with nice components, and very much worth the grief. The cut took awhile, but I didn't damage the frame.



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Old 10-13-16, 02:13 PM
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I had a customer bring me a Peugeot where even the lengthwise cuts did not do the trick. I eventually ended up reaming it out.
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Old 10-13-16, 03:20 PM
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Hi, I'll give it the college try on this seatpost. I may just go the lye route (inexpensive). I don't have a slide hammer and reaming is machine shop time. There is a local soapmaker with lye pellets for small change. It would be prudent to attach some form of heatsinking to the outside of the seat tube to aid in wicking away some of the heat generated by the reaction. The temperature plummets in winter here so I could wait a while and perform the pour then.

The quality of paint job on this frame isn't all that great and overall it exudes a Dept store bike appearance (which is perfect for an incognito bike that a thief would pass over for that tasty looking nearby TREK, say).

I'd like to remove the BB... BUTTT, it uses the specially keyed Suntour cups. Before putting a bunch of work into the seatpost removal, knowing that the BB isn't frozen up too would be nice. As usual, we'll see how it goes.

Last edited by prairiepedaler; 10-15-16 at 07:30 AM.
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Old 10-17-16, 06:19 PM
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The post is in there tight. To the Lyemobile, Robin!
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Old 10-17-16, 07:34 PM
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I use an old set of forks with a 1 inch stem. Clamp the stem to the seat post with the 4 Allen bolts. Lots of leverage while holding onto forks to wiggle seat post lose. Btw looks like a cool frame.
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Old 10-19-16, 05:09 PM
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Thanks K-Dog...

I had the frame inverted and the post clamped in a large vise. I exerted some twisting force using the frame's own top and down tubes as a lever without any movement on the post after several attempts. I'm leery of exerting too much force in this manner because the frame isn't meant to take a load at that point in that manner. I'd be more liberal with the upward force of a slidehammer (using your idea of clamping on an old stem as an anchor) because it's basically applying the direction of force the frame is designed to bear. The Lye is a sure fire method though, albeit heat generating and messy.
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Old 10-19-16, 05:22 PM
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I have no idea what the story is on Lee World, but that is a very nice early mountain bike. Large frame too! They are sort of hard to come by, which I have realized since looking for one locally. I agree with the assessment that it looks like a Stumpjumper competitor. Forged dropouts and quality components tend to indicate it was a high quality machine.

AFA the stuck post, yeah, use your intuition. Forcing things excessively is usually bad.

I can't quite see it from the photo, but the BB could be an early sealed type. IF those are holes, pull the ring with a ring tool, and back out the cup with a pin tool. Or just leave it alone.

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Old 10-20-16, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Salamandrine
I have no idea what the story is on Lee World, but that is a very nice early mountain bike. Large frame too! They are sort of hard to come by, which I have realized since looking for one locally. I agree with the assessment that it looks like a Stumpjumper competitor. Forged dropouts and quality components tend to indicate it was a high quality machine.

AFA the stuck post, yeah, use your intuition. Forcing things excessively is usually bad.

I can't quite see it from the photo, but the BB could be an early sealed type. IF those are holes, pull the ring with a ring tool, and back out the cup with a pin tool. Or just leave it alone.
This thing may be some sort of bastardized "Specialized Sport" model however the rear dropouts do not correspond nor does the seat stay / seatpost collar weld. Of that joint, I think I like the strength of the LW version over the Specialized. The fork crowns look slightly different too. Who knows though about the LW's origins really.

The BB uses that funky Suntour removal tool which is NLA. I do need to remove it one way or the other if I'm going to be working on that seatpost chemically. If the condition of the BB proves salvageable, it will be repacked then returned to service.

I need a large bike too - be patient as they do come up. They may not necessarily be superstars, but decent ones (like this LW) all the same. You're in the USA and that is probably the best place in the world to be for so many things on the used market like high quality bikes, especially given the economy.

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Old 03-26-17, 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted by prairiepedaler

The BB uses that funky Suntour removal tool which is NLA. I do need to remove it one way or the other if I'm going to be working on that seatpost chemically. If the condition of the BB proves salvageable, it will be repacked then returned to service.
Yes, I realize this is an old thread- but I got here through the link from your Thumbshifter thread.

That Suntour sealed BB is badass. I have 2 of them- one is on my Trek 720 the other is waiting for my rebuild of the Trek 620, or possibly back on to the Voyageur SP.
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Old 03-27-17, 12:54 PM
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Thxs for bumping this thread GB. Since my earlier post I've discovered that Leeworld was a Gardena, CA based bicycle importer/distributor. The entry level ATB models were marketed under the Mountain Sport brand, while the more upscale ATB models were marketed under the Montagna brand. They date back to the mid-1980s and survived into at least the early 1990s.
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Old 03-27-17, 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by The Golden Boy
Yes, I realize this is an old thread- but I got here through the link from your Thumbshifter thread.

That Suntour sealed BB is badass. I have 2 of them- one is on my Trek 720 the other is waiting for my rebuild of the Trek 620, or possibly back on to the Voyageur SP.
Hi, glad you like the BB. I haven't taken mine out yet - don't have tool. What do you consider badassic about it?
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