royphotog

I have just one bike, a late 70s Centurian road bike (10 speed) that I bought new and has served me well, I enjoy riding it and do a little riding most every day. Other then the paint it's in good shape, but I have been thinking of getting something more in the mountain bike/hybrid line. I would like to ride some fire roads. I found this old rocky Mountain Sherpa on Craigs List, from what I can find it's early to mid 80s vintage. The earliest catalog on their site shows the Sherpa as one they designed and had made in Japan. The person is asking $200. Does anyone have thoughts on it? Appears like it's in good shape, the seller says some scratches, no dents, or rust.

T-Mar

The Sherpa has been in and out of the Rocky Mountain lineup several times. This isn't the 1980s version, as it has the derailleur cables running along the top top tube. While it isn't a perfect match, it looks close to the 1995, which was the only version catalogued in the 1990s. That year it was the bottom of the line model with an Alvio/Acera/STX mix and an MSRP of $515 US. The picture isn't good enough to ascertain the condition but this would have to be in excellent, ready to ride condition for me to consider handing over $200.

royphotog

thanks for the reply T-Mar, and I see it now, I must have missed the 95 catalog on their site. I did notice that the Serpa went from a flat bar to a drop bar and then back to a drop bar and was in and out of their line up. I have not seen the bike in person, just from photos on craigs list. Here are a few more.

zukahn1 

I would s agree with T=Mar this is a mid 90's bike Canadian made. As for value if everything works good the tires are good and it is ready to ride $200 is about the current value in CA . Should make a nice riding bike while not high end all the components are good stuff and the frame set is fairly nicely done chro-mo.

royphotog

Zukahn1, thanks for the input, that is what I am looking for. A good bike, not high end, but good quality. A lot of stuff on Craigslist but not much good. The seller was out of town today, may take a look at it tomorrow if they are back in town.

katsup

I'd say around $100 pre pandemic. Between $150-$200 now, if it is in rideable shape. More if it was just serviced (bearings, cables, etc...).

royphotog

thanks katsup, interesting how the Pandemic has brought prices up. I had heard that somewhere else on the forum. They are asking $200 OBO, here is what the listing says.
Rocky Mountain Sherpa
Gravel grinder/ mountain hybrid touring...
Pristine condition
Hand Made in Canada.
Tange prestige double butted tubing
Light and strong
Garage kept
Size 17.5
Medium
Light scrathes NO: dents, dings or rust
Tuned. Fun ride
$200
Obo

I have not bought a bike sence I bout the Centurian back in 78-79 but I did just watch a video about what to look for.

randyjawa 

Rocky Mountain - I really liked my Cardiac. As a mountain bike, not so much...


but as a gravel bike, perfect for my cottage road (still adjusting fit)...


Sadly, or not, depending on your point of view, the bike was snapped up by a local fellow. He paid me $350.00 CND for the bike and I felt that to be a fair price, for both of us. $200 for the OP's bike seems more than fair to me.

T-Mar

Hmm, the current owner could give a lecture in how to take pictures without showing anything important! It's definitely 1992+ based on the top pull front derailleur. The crankarm looks like 1993 Exage ES or LT but the Parallax style hubs are even newer. Very strange to have a bicycle with what appears to be Exage crankarms and a Tange Prestige frame. However, it does look very clean. This one is really hard to peg down. I wouldn't commit without identification of all the major components.

zahidkishor

$200 looks good to me

royphotog

thank all, I am going to check it out at noon today. All your replies are really helpful. I'll post the outcome.

royphotog

Interesting name for a bike, Cardiac.

SoccerBallXan

What the heck is the tread on that rear tyre? I would definitely make an in person cash offer of less.

zukahn1 

The tire is a Kenda City Komfort actually pretty nice 60 TPI good all around semi slick MTB tire looks close to new.

randyjawa 

More-so when you have actually experienced three cardiac arrests (heart attacks) All in a row, ho ho ho. I DO NOT recommended it!

bertinjim 

royphotog-

I owned one of those from new and it was an outstanding bike. Decently light, agile, smooth, good functional equipment lovely on dry single track and gravel. The tig welds on mine were beautiful and it was functionally as good as my brother's Rocky with full XT and Tange Prestige. For $200 in Ontario these days, a bargain.

royphotog

randyjawa, no heart attack but did have a double bypass three years ago, Got the bike for $175, think I should have paid $150, does need some tweaking. But all in all not bad. The tires are old but they hold air.

T-Mar

Maybe now, we'll get some decent pictures.

royphotog

I will get that done this weekend T-Mar. I am going to my local bike shop for middle and large chainrings today. Two of the three are bad. I did have to sort out the shifting last night, and then I need to get a couple of tires. The tires that are on there have tread but they are very old, sidewalls are so bad I can't read the numbers on them. This will be a bit of a learning project for me. I have only had the Centurian for the last 41 years. That bike does not have index shifting. It has what I think is called a friction shifter that is located where the head tube and the stem join. That's all I have know for all these years. I had a Schwinn Varsity before the Centurian and as I remember the shifter was in the same place. So working on this index shifter was a new experience. I do enjoy working on and learn new stuff so this if fun.

zukahn1 

If your used to friction 7/8speed triggers should be no problem, just be sure to spray lube them real good with WD-40 or similar since these tend to get sticky if not lubed used for a while.

royphotog

Thanks again to all of you who posted when I purchased the Rocky Mountain Sherpa back in the first part of August. T-mars post that the seller could use a lesson in photography. I think he actually had a course because he knew what not to photograph. He definitely knew what he was talking about and knew bikes. I believe he got this from someone in the Bay Area (
San Francisco) and turned it for a profit. Nothing wrong with that.

It did have a few things that needed fixing, two broken spokes, a couple worn out chainrings, and that rear tire, while having plenty of tread, was years old. So cracked on the sidewalls that I could not even read the tire size. The front tire is old also: If I read the date code right, it was made in the middle of 2005 but seams in good shape, so I keep it. I did replace the rear tire, added a rear rack, changed out the old quill stem, and put on new handlebars, which gave me a little rise to the bars and made it fit better for me. I also added a bottle cage and speedometer and fit a new set of grips. The only other thing is maybe a new set of peddles.

All in all, I learned a lot from this bike. I may have paid too much for it at $175 plus the parts I had to add, but I am having fun wrenching on it, and now, with the new raised bar, it’s a blast to ride. I have no regrets.

Mr. 66

That's a lot different then mine, I have the Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30, Reynolds 853 tubing. Its 700 wheels and was/is a drop bar bike.

I was hoping yours was the same.

royphotog

when I was researching the bike before I bought it I found that the Sherpa changed over the years, I had to go way back in their catalogs online to find the bike that looked like mine. Mine is 1995 or so, soon after that, it came with drop bars and now is a complete mountain bike. I guess it's like cars.