Why so little interest in old steel MTB/frames?s
02-22-07, 08:28 AM
#51
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....and then there are those of us who still have our old steel mountain bikes because they aren't worth selling. Case in point is my Bridgestone MB-5. I've had it since new, ridden it hard as a mountain bike (when it was closer to state-of-the-art....), used it as a commuter for several years and then tried (not very hard) to sell it at a couple of yard sales. I'm - oddly and probably irrationally - attached to it, so after having it sit in the basement and then my work shed for years, I recently put some fat road tires on it, swapped out the spd pedals for some flats, reinstalled the rear rack and ordered a replacement front fork so I could get the handlebar height up more (the current front fork is not original and is dangerously short in the stem...). It's beat up, has a little surface rust here and there, but it's a comfortable ride and I have a history with it.
js
js
02-22-07, 10:27 AM
#52
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A Giant Yukon I snagged from CL for $50 last fall has become my daily rider. It has a 4130 frame, fits well and rides smoothly. I'm slowly adding new parts: slated for installation are a used XT front d, nos Deore LX headset and Sakae crank.
02-22-07, 11:28 AM
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I'm partial to the old lugged steel rigid MTBs-I have an '83 Trek 850, an '84 Stumpjumper Sport w/ 24" wheels (for my wife, but I enjoy it as well) and an '89 Bridgestone MB-1. Yes, they are relics, but they have never given me any trouble, and are dependable, comfortable bikes. They aren't 'techno' like today's mountain bikes, but 'retro' does have its advantages in simplicity and in practicality. Love those LONG wheelbases! 
02-22-07, 11:29 AM
#54
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I have a '93 Mongoose Rockadile that I use for commuting when it's nasty out, and a '95 KHS Pro that I'm in the process of rebuilding into a light trail type bike. Plus there's the early Stumpjumper I traded for some Campy Centaur parts, and now I miss it. 
I love older mountain bikes, but it's rare around here to find decent ones. You see a lot of reasonable entry level chromoly mtbs, but I don't have any use for another one of those.
I love older mountain bikes, but it's rare around here to find decent ones. You see a lot of reasonable entry level chromoly mtbs, but I don't have any use for another one of those.
02-22-07, 04:04 PM
#55
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interesting this thread is here... i've recently found a late 80's haro mtb frameset. much too large for me. i was considering selling it... but I don't know how much I could get for it. any takers/opinions?? 
02-23-07, 08:54 AM
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I don't know. I have a Schwinn Impact that I bought new in junior high (88ish) that I still ride; FAAAT tires, really comfortable. I'd ride it more, but unlike my World tourist, id doesn't have lights, and my wife yells at me if i go out without lights. I'm looking at turning it into a porteur-esque bike (new handlebars and a front rack). It has fender and rack eyelets, and decent components. I recently saw one for sale for 40 bucks.
02-23-07, 09:03 AM
#57
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Not sure how anyone can live without at least one old MTB beater out back.
02-23-07, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by dijos
I'm looking at turning it into a porteur-esque bike (new handlebars and a front rack).
Well, I'm keeping the bullmoose bars, but definitely going for an interpretation of the porteur.
02-23-07, 12:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Blue Order
That's exactly what I'm doing with my Raleigh Portage!
Well, I'm keeping the bullmoose bars, but definitely going for an interpretation of the porteur.
Well, I'm keeping the bullmoose bars, but definitely going for an interpretation of the porteur.
Not to derail this thread, but since I am really intrigued by the practicality of porteurs, and can't afford a Kogswell, and looking at the Schwinn in the garage, I had a "eureka" moment I.ve been looking for some ideas on what exactly I'm going to do. I want to build a rack, but I have a basket laying around, which may be the quicker way to go (either rigging something together with the basket parts, or learning to weld
) the only problem is that I have QR skewers on the front, and I'd kind of rather have a nutted axle if I'm going to attach a Wald basket to the wheel. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
02-23-07, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by dijos
Not to derail this thread, but since I am really intrigued by the practicality of porteurs, and can't afford a Kogswell, and looking at the Schwinn in the garage, I had a "eureka" moment I.ve been looking for some ideas on what exactly I'm going to do. I want to build a rack, but I have a basket laying around, which may be the quicker way to go (either rigging something together with the basket parts, or learning to weld ) the only problem is that I have QR skewers on the front, and I'd kind of rather have a nutted axle if I'm going to attach a Wald basket to the wheel. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
) the only problem is that I have QR skewers on the front, and I'd kind of rather have a nutted axle if I'm going to attach a Wald basket to the wheel. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
I'm going to strip the cheap components off, and replace them with decent vintage components. Nothing TOO valuable, because this is supposed to be my beater, but decent, high quality components nonetheless. Despite that beater status, it will get a fresh coat of paint, and I may or may not replace the Raleigh decals-- depending on how low a profile I want my beater to have. Fugly will NOT be a part of my beater strategy. Once that's done, I'll be adding fenders and racks, front and rear. The front rack will match the rear rack, so it will be a departure from traditional porteurs in that regard. The end result will be a long wheelbase, lugged steel, bullmoose handlebar, vintage mountain bike-based porteur.
When I'm done, I'll be able to attach grocery panniers to my racks, and use my porteur for trips to the farmer's market, and grocery runs. And if I have to leave my bike locked up somewhere for a few hours, where theft might be a problem, I'll take my beater.
02-25-07, 12:04 AM
#61
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I have a 1980 Specialized Stumpjumper, one of the first MTB commercially made. It is a 50 lb hard tail that I rode in the early days in California, Oregon, and Washington on all the dirt roads, trails, and logging country that I would gaze at from my road bike and wonder what it would be like.
Three Reasons they aren't highly prized: 1) Weight - early steel MTBs were HEAVY. 2) Fork Rake and head tube angle - The head tube angle made riding off road difficult trying to steer up hill. Most of my friends in the 90's who had the latest whizbang gear couldn't begin to ride my oldie on technical rides with out crashing. 3) Distance riding on the MTB wheels was a chore even with baldy tires.
After I purchased my modern steel HT frame (Scapin Columbus tubing 3.1LB) with the latest geometry I have been asking why didn't I do this sooner.
Old MTBs are great beater bikes for townie riding and as such won't garner high prices. None of the MTBs are what I would call elegant, whereas vintage road bikes usually are lugged and quite a nice ride.
Three Reasons they aren't highly prized: 1) Weight - early steel MTBs were HEAVY. 2) Fork Rake and head tube angle - The head tube angle made riding off road difficult trying to steer up hill. Most of my friends in the 90's who had the latest whizbang gear couldn't begin to ride my oldie on technical rides with out crashing. 3) Distance riding on the MTB wheels was a chore even with baldy tires.
After I purchased my modern steel HT frame (Scapin Columbus tubing 3.1LB) with the latest geometry I have been asking why didn't I do this sooner.
Old MTBs are great beater bikes for townie riding and as such won't garner high prices. None of the MTBs are what I would call elegant, whereas vintage road bikes usually are lugged and quite a nice ride.
02-25-07, 09:23 AM
#62
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Originally Posted by Deanster04
I have a 1980 Specialized Stumpjumper, one of the first MTB commercially made. It is a 50 lb hard tail that I rode in the early days in California, Oregon, and Washington on all the dirt roads, trails, and logging country that I would gaze at from my road bike and wonder what it would be like.
Three Reasons they aren't highly prized: 1) Weight - early steel MTBs were HEAVY. 2) Fork Rake and head tube angle - The head tube angle made riding off road difficult trying to steer up hill. Most of my friends in the 90's who had the latest whizbang gear couldn't begin to ride my oldie on technical rides with out crashing. 3) Distance riding on the MTB wheels was a chore even with baldy tires.
After I purchased my modern steel HT frame (Scapin Columbus tubing 3.1LB) with the latest geometry I have been asking why didn't I do this sooner.
Old MTBs are great beater bikes for townie riding and as such won't garner high prices. None of the MTBs are what I would call elegant, whereas vintage road bikes usually are lugged and quite a nice ride.
Three Reasons they aren't highly prized: 1) Weight - early steel MTBs were HEAVY. 2) Fork Rake and head tube angle - The head tube angle made riding off road difficult trying to steer up hill. Most of my friends in the 90's who had the latest whizbang gear couldn't begin to ride my oldie on technical rides with out crashing. 3) Distance riding on the MTB wheels was a chore even with baldy tires.
After I purchased my modern steel HT frame (Scapin Columbus tubing 3.1LB) with the latest geometry I have been asking why didn't I do this sooner.
Old MTBs are great beater bikes for townie riding and as such won't garner high prices. None of the MTBs are what I would call elegant, whereas vintage road bikes usually are lugged and quite a nice ride.
Number 2: They weighed closer to 30 lb. not 50.
Number 3: Early MTBs not elegant?
03-24-07, 10:14 PM
#64
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Originally Posted by phoebeisis
This isn't exactly vintage, but since there are lots of folks on this forum that buy oldish bikes, this is a good place to start.
Why do you think there is so little interest in older,steel(DB Chrome moly-probably japanese tange etc) late 80's mid 90's MTB frames,and bikes?
I just "won" a couple of early mid 90's Gary Fisher steel MTB frames.They are "pre trek" vintage(nothing wrong with Trek that I can see). I'm pretty sure they are typical Chrome Moly DB frames-maybe Tange, but probably Japanese tubing. No one else bid on the Wahoo and a Koo Koo Hoo something or other frames.They went for $35 and $20 with $30(total) shipping. Granted, this is $42 each, but that seems cheap for a decent frame (paint not so good but not dented).
Why no interest? I doubt that the rear dropouts are horizontal,so you couldn't do an easy SS adaptation. They do make very good all around street, trail,grass, median, bikes.You get a decent ride, not too heavy(about 8lbs for a frame fork )durable, they can take large tires,so you get a soft ride, if you want, they take cantilever or V-brakes so you can actually stop-not like older street bikes with the old caliper brakes.In general they are more versatile than the older road bike frames.They usually have bigger diameter tubes, so they aren't as elegant looking as older road bikes.They do have a slightly "chunky" look to them.
It looks like older MTBs are being ignored in the "steel is real" movement.Maybe it is the vertical dropouts.Older road bikes usually had hori. dropouts,so they make good SS starting points.
Thanks,
Charlie
Why do you think there is so little interest in older,steel(DB Chrome moly-probably japanese tange etc) late 80's mid 90's MTB frames,and bikes?
I just "won" a couple of early mid 90's Gary Fisher steel MTB frames.They are "pre trek" vintage(nothing wrong with Trek that I can see). I'm pretty sure they are typical Chrome Moly DB frames-maybe Tange, but probably Japanese tubing. No one else bid on the Wahoo and a Koo Koo Hoo something or other frames.They went for $35 and $20 with $30(total) shipping. Granted, this is $42 each, but that seems cheap for a decent frame (paint not so good but not dented).
Why no interest? I doubt that the rear dropouts are horizontal,so you couldn't do an easy SS adaptation. They do make very good all around street, trail,grass, median, bikes.You get a decent ride, not too heavy(about 8lbs for a frame fork )durable, they can take large tires,so you get a soft ride, if you want, they take cantilever or V-brakes so you can actually stop-not like older street bikes with the old caliper brakes.In general they are more versatile than the older road bike frames.They usually have bigger diameter tubes, so they aren't as elegant looking as older road bikes.They do have a slightly "chunky" look to them.
It looks like older MTBs are being ignored in the "steel is real" movement.Maybe it is the vertical dropouts.Older road bikes usually had hori. dropouts,so they make good SS starting points.
Thanks,
Charlie
03-25-07, 07:58 AM
#65
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Not popular?, in my house they are, Bridgestone MB-2, two MB-3's, a shogun, trek, Ross, Redline elevated stay bike and two Bianchi Grizzly's. Contrary to some comments many old steel MTB's are demanding top dollar on ebay.
03-26-07, 01:14 AM
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I saw a gorgeous Miyata MTB with rear brake mounted under the chainstays on Velospace. I agree, steel MTBS are an untapped source of beauty. Maybe not so practical for their intended purpose but could make a hot commuter, SS or fix or otherwise.
03-26-07, 07:37 AM
#67
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Sheesh, people must have gotten really wimpy in the last ten years, lol. You can't find a bike with tires bigger than 2 inch without full suspension, disc brakes, and a severely slanted top tube. I love my old MTB's, straight top tubes on all of them. The most expensive is my MB-5, cost me $45. I've found several in the last few weeks, I didn't even have time to do a parts search before the next one came along. I don't do a long commute, in fact I haven't ridden my bike to work since I got my old RX-7 running. BUT, I love rigid MTB's! I guess I was too old to get hooked on suspension. The few bikes I've rode that have it, left me uneasy. Like it's doing the riding for you, if you can understand that?
I've found you have to be extremely careful when buying an old MTB, and I wouldn't recommend buying
one you can't see in person. Crank bearings can be shot, chainring teeth worn or broken off, bent brakes, internally rusted frame, and so on.....Worn rings alone on a 5 hole crank costs you more than a new set of cranks on sale at Nashbar. It's crazy! I make do with the parts I have, and check them over carefully before laying down the $25-$50. All of these bikes except the MB-5 were less than $40. Most were less than $30...... Cheap fun..
I love my rigid bikes!!,,,BD
These two have since been traded or sold.
I've found you have to be extremely careful when buying an old MTB, and I wouldn't recommend buying
one you can't see in person. Crank bearings can be shot, chainring teeth worn or broken off, bent brakes, internally rusted frame, and so on.....Worn rings alone on a 5 hole crank costs you more than a new set of cranks on sale at Nashbar. It's crazy! I make do with the parts I have, and check them over carefully before laying down the $25-$50. All of these bikes except the MB-5 were less than $40. Most were less than $30
...... Cheap fun..I love my rigid bikes!!,,,BD
These two have since been traded or sold.
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