reconnaissance

I just finished a re-build of an 1997 Specialized Stumpjumper 1997. Some parts came from Australia, some from local private sellers and since the local the local Specialized dealer was out of all 26” tires I couldn’t test fit the width I wanted. I already have a hardtail Trek 850 but it is more a utility build with front and rear racks, and ended up pretty heavy. I decided I needed a light, nimble bike, to keep up with the younger boys, including my son, who hates it when I show up for a ride on my fixed gear bike, because he’s got a full suspension, 3.5” tires on a tricked out aluminum bike. He hates to ride the paved trails because, you know, you’ve got to flex the muscles, although he is very polite and has never complained to me about it. In fact I’ve ridden it and find it very nice going, but I don’t have the free cash to get one that nice, so I build the next best thing with high-end old tech from the previous century. One thing that bike demonstrated to me is that fat tires are an advantage on this terrain.

I was looking for Ground Control folding tires which I had seen in there before but now they’re on backorder and no other stock. The shop guy said the size I was looking for wouldn’t work on my bike but I believed he was misinformed since the bike came stock with 2.0 on the front and 1.9 on the back and there was at least a half inch of clearance on the chain stays and more than that on the front. So I ordered blind from the specialized website. A few days later the bundle of tires arrived via FEDEX to my house from their Salt Lake City distribution center. I need knobby open tread to deal with the mud rocks and roots in my area of operation.

26 x 2.5 for the front
26 x 2.3 for the rear

Both inflated tires have enough clearance! As I estimated the front tire has no clearance issue at all and the rear tire has about 5mm clearance on either side of the chain stays, so I’m very happy with my results.

Tomorrow morning I’ll give it a shakedown ride.

Here’s what it looks like in general:

freeranger

I like it! Looks like that front brake cable could stand to be a bit longer tho.

reconnaissance

Ha! It does look that way. It’s an optical illusion because you’re seeing it directly inline. From the front you would see the curve of the cable.

bikemig 

I like old mountain bikes as well. I'm rehabbing a 1992 Stumpjumper that hopefully I'll finish up later today. I'm impressed that you got a 2.5 to work up front and a 2.3 in the rear. I always figured that old MTBs tended to top out at around 2.1 or so.

reconnaissance

I’ll grab some in line photos later today.

reconnaissance

80mm between tubes, 60mm tire width, so a generous 10mm gap on each side. This is a Specialized Hillbilly DH, 26 x 2.5. Wheel outside width is 22mm.

55mm tire width, 65mm between chainstay tubes, 5mm gap on each side, this is a Specialized Storm DH, 26 x 2.3

Right side gap is 5mm and plenty of clearance from the chain, so no knobby grabbing. Wheel outside width is 22mm.

thehammerdog

my old beast could do 2.5 front but back not so much. i ordered 2.1 just to be safe 1996 gary fisher wahoo..

bikemig 

I more or less wrapped up my 1992 Stumpjumper drop bar conversion just before Christmas. I plan on using this as a winter bike so I still need to install fenders. I am running 26 x 1.9 Continental top contact winter tires. They're pretty good for mixed pavement/snow, less good than studded tires when there is sufficient snow. But with tires, you have to pick your poison as there are always trade offs. The bike had some paint issues I had to deal with but was otherwise sound. I replaced the consumables, headset, rear cassette, cantilevers, seatpost and saddle, stem, bars, and shifters but the bike is otherwise original.