TenGrainBread 

I have a friend who has been riding around a somewhat heavy vintage mountain bike and has been looking for something lighter and zippier to ride. So I traded her my '95 Cannondale 700c hybrid for her old clunker.

It's a step-through mtb, looks like a made-in-Taiwan importer bike shop bike. Although it is clearly entry level, being mostly TIG welded with some poorly-done brazing at the rear dropouts, it does have some decent features. Tange MTB tubeset, forged dropouts, Suntour Power Ratchet thumb shifters, Dia Compe 980 brakes and moto levers, removable faceplate stem with paint matched handlebar. The stem in particular is cool because the OD of the stem above the insertion point is widened out to sit above the headset.

I would like help dating it and any information on the brand and manufacturer. The serial number on the bottom bracket shell reads: 4870495488. That doesn't seem to match any format from @T-Mar 's serial number database. Any help @T-Mar ?

Here are some pics and the parts on it. It's lived a bit of a hard life but only has a few minor rusty scratches here and there. I'm going to make a cruiser out of it and give it a few nice period-correct-ish upgrades. I've already removed the seatpost to measure and replace.













Brand/model: Genesis Vortex
Tubes: Tange MTB tubeset, TIG welded
Wheels: Front - unmarked steel hub with Araya 1.5" rims. Rear - SR marked alloy hub with unmarked alloy rims. 6 speed freewheel
Brakes: Dia Compe 980 cantilevers with Dia Compe levers
Shifting: Shimano Light Action front and rear derailleurs with Suntour Power Ratchet thumbies
Crankset: Sakae SA triple
Stem/bar: Kalloy alloy riser stem with unmarked steel riser bar
Seatpost / binder: Unmarked alloy straight style with (old) Kalloy binder QR
Headset: Tange steel

T-Mar

That rear derailleur is a Shimano RD-L532-SGS,which was relatively short lived,circa 1987-1988. Given the SunTour thumb shifters, it's tempting to say that the rear derailleur is a replacement, except that the front appearss to be a Shimano FD-Z204, which is the same era and level appropriate for the rear derailleur. I don't know the manufacturer but the S/N could be reverse engineered to April 1987. Any chance that the lead '4" is something like a slightly crooked and partial 'A'? It would be interesting to remove the fork and see if there is a date code on the steerer tube, as it is likely an off-the-shelf Tange fork.

There was a Canadian Genesis brand around this time period but I' m thinking that Vortex is the brand and Genesis is the model name, based on their relative size. A quick search indicates it may be a Huffy brand.

Velo Mule

It looks like a nice bike. Chrome Moly tubing. Seems equivalent to my old Trek 800.

Velo Mule

The stem looks like it was replaced. Perhaps this is where the Sun Tour shifters came from. Notice that the stem has a hole for the Canti brakes, and there is brake cable hanger on the top of the steerer tube as well.

TenGrainBread 

The bottom half of the first character of the serial number is obscured by the paint. I assumed it was a four but it could easily be an A. I just removed the fork and there is no date code on the steerer tube, unfortunately. There is a lot of paint on the steerer so perhaps underneath.

TenGrainBread 

There were quite a few bikes from the time period that came OEM with stems with canti hanger holes but the manufacturer decided to use a headset-mounted hanger instead. I know a few Treks came like that and some other brands. The cable routing is less goofy with a headset hanger and makes the braking performance better. I would also assume that the paint matching on the stem and bars would mean they were OEM. The color perfectly matches the frame.

TenGrainBread 

OK the plan is to go over the top with this one. Give it some BMX flair.

NOS ~1990 Ukai blue anodized EX-20P rimmed wheels, with Deore LX hubs. Shod with Swift (Panaracer) Ripp Johnsons.

Hummer

Here is a Genesis brand name bicycle. It looks like a rebranded Canadian market Nishiki from 1989 - 90.

https://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...RtSideFull.jpg



from member @randyjawa.