Santuri32

Wikipedia information has some errors, perhaps mine as well.

retrobikeguy

Hi, Did the TeT Mt Tam ever come with Cantilever Braze ons for the rear or were they all rollercam/u-brake rear?

I'm thinking maybe an 88 or 89

Santuri32

Yes, before '85 and after '88 MT Tams were made with cantilevers...perhaps special orders in between. If you mean exclusively TET stamped MT Tams then only '89, although most '84s were also made by TET.

retrobikeguy

Thanks for the answer 👍🏻 pretty sure this is one.

I'll let you all know if I can persuade this my way 🤞

Santuri32

It sure does, 19T432 TET, good luck

retrobikeguy

Good news, this arrived in the post today



And ..... It has never been built up, the frame is a really deep metallic liquorice colour and the dropouts have never had a wheel in them, the bottom bracket shell is clean as new



The forks are still in primer



It's just covered in dust and scratches like it's been sat in a stockroom since the late 80s



So there you go, 19T452

Any ideas on what the proper colour should be for this year?

Santuri32

Nice!, many of those scratches will buff out. I have three scans of the 1989 catalog, one is available from the Trek old bikes site, one from Mombat, one is a partial I got from the web, none have the specs page for the Tam stating the color. I believe since Tam and Competition were hand built in the USA you could opt any color, it does say so in a 10/88 model lineup (Mombat) for the Competition and there was a bike model offered with a white fork in 1989. I would say stick to that if you like it. The only color I've seen for an '89 is a fade from a lighter blue in the rear to a darker blue in the front with yellow decals. A person is selling one on 1989 catalog on ebay, you could ask him if he is willing to share the info or sell you the missing page pics, if he does please share them here and you can see the regular color of the 1989 Tam there.
Now two Tams were offered in 1989 is your the Classic or the new with the Evolution tubing and geometry?

Santuri32

In case you have trouble finding that catalog...the last TET-made MT TAM, well done

retrobikeguy

I assume the evolution was a larger headtube?, This has an inch steerer (I don't do 1-1/8") and takes a 28.6mm front derailleur, luckily so many parts are available in the shed for that period 👍

Colour wise I like the colour but it is quite badly scratched/marked in areas, and the fork needs colour, I'm open to patina/originality but this peeor thing hasn't even begun life as a bike yet...... Plus I have two blue bikes already 😬

Santuri32

So you may be lucky, I suspect that TET only made the Classic in 1989 which has the 1" steerer and the one you have, plus finding parts will be easier. Frank may know.

It seems you like blue... The only issue maybe removing the IMRON paint that may be on that bike and the reason why there are no markings on the dropouts from the wheels, IMROM is very expensive to re-apply (maybe over $300, I'm not sure). I've hear it can be more difficult to remove than other paints. It may even not be IMRON.

merziac

The proper color would be the one that is on there, original, possible Imron, not too bad of shape all things considered, its only original once.

Carefully scrub, rub out bad spots, polish and touchup as needed.

Paint the fork white, black, silver or have it matched and carry on.

No way in heck I would paint it.

brandenjs

Grabbed a 1986 Montare today. Pretty cool mix of parts, but wish these came with the Deerhead RD instead of the Light Action. Everything looks original except tires. Should be a fun build.

flacochico

I have a Black 18" Tam with rear canti treatment -- and have always been mystified by the non-standard TY in the serial number. It has the standard 1" headtube and non OS tubing (but no Prestige decal), so it wouldn't be the Mt. Tam OS as advertised in the 1989 catalog. It came to me with an unworthy Manitou shock absorber and a-headset/stem. The parts kit is not a total XT package. It wears a forged Sugino XP Superlight crank and DX brake levers with silver Araya RM-395 Team/400 Pro hoops on XT-7 hubs. My 1989 Catalog is a pre-season version and may not be updated for actual production specs. There were no Fishers in that catalog with those wheels and I remember those hoops being more of a 1990 thing anyway. It is beautifully brazed and finished as all of the fillet Fishers were by 1989. (I have a 1984 Tam with the same size and font stampers as 18TY14 that is frankly pretty sloppily brazed). Those keeping track will be glad to know that it has the standard late model seat-stay treatment and a beveled/scalloped seat collar and stars reinforcing the bottle cage mounts. Most notably for this conversation, it's serial number stamper font and size appears to be identical to FHAAS's 19TY11 example. Small serif on the 1, but no serifs on the T as found on Mr. Teesdale's larger stampers. I have tried the usual channels through my TREK connections to decode the TY, but that once reliable connection between the sales reps and Mr. Fisher has evidently dried up. So, using my own rapidly shrinking brain, I must guess. Could it be a Youth geometry? It doesn't look short or have any other small frame geometry characteristics. It has 26" wheels. Was there a Tam frame builder in 89 whose name began with Y (Jeff LYon?)? I have a late '80s red fillet brazed fork of unknown origin that I will install when/if this project (18TY14) comes up in que this winter. I will report back on how long it takes the Red WCS Z-Max rear tire to disintegrate.

Santuri32

Thanks for the data on your mystery TY which still remains a mystery...look forward to see your build. One note is that I believe they would have tried to market a youth or young geometry, my two cents...

Best

ElGenerale

After pouring through this thread once a week for the past month, I thought perhaps now is a good time to bump this thread. I have 20T99 in my garage now, and just noticed the nice detail mentioned above.

Desert Ryder

I'm pretty sure this is an 86 Fisher Montare XT equipped.
Need to replace a spoke and true the rear wheel. Waiting on tires. Hoping to possibly find a set of Bullmoose handlebars. Removed the rear rack.

hosssbosss

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to make this thread so great.

I'm trying to identify the builder of a particular bike. The serial is 20T21, so this would make it a 20", Mt Tam, #21. I'm guessing it's an '85, and it has the star water bottle bosses, both on the down tube, with roller cam, and fastback seat clamp. Must be a Teesdale I think?

Can anyone confirm my deductions? Cheers, Quentin

ElGenerale

fhaas can confirm that yours is a Teesdale made, based on the star bosses. Nice find.

BFT

Markeologist, I too would like to take you up on your offer to check Fisher MountainBikes serial numbers. I just signed up on this forum after 36 years owning an early Mt Tam. No photos right now, sorry. It's numbered 18T4 with no evidence of a TT or TET stamp. Could you tell me if it was on the sale list for the Indian Summer Sale? Thanks!

Markeologist

Photos please.

20T21 was for sale as a complete bike at Fisher’s Indian Summer Sale that was held in fall of 1985. Listed as a 1985 model, with size identified as 20.5. Original color was “Pewter” and was equipped with the “250” bars (steel, 253s were aluminum) and silver RM-25 rims. List price of $1205 with sale pice of $919. Complete bikes were built up with “Standard Parts.”

Markeologist

Photos please.

sorry, I don’t see 18T4 listed…there are several 18 inch Tams for sale including 18T: -24 (a complete bike); -5, -7, -12, -14, -15, -16, -17, -21, -22, and -29 (all as frame sets). I also see 16T4 and 19T4 (what color do you have in case these are typos?).

BFT

Black. Previous owner said he'd bought it new. He was a bike shop owner in Northern California in the mid-1980s. What year might this bike be?

Markeologist

Nope…so yours may have sold before the clearance sale…or was sitting in some shop elsewhere. Would think a 1985 bike given low number…head tube angle is easiest way to confirm…68 in 1985, 69.5 in 1986. Does your Tam have fastback seat stays?

For the record, new Tam frames were $609, and were marked down to between $397 and $489 (low and high with many other prices in between). For comparison the two Comps went from $869 down to $695 and the Everests with standard paint went from $1010 down to $609-$639.

Markeologist

There is another thread on BF concerning CyclArt paint jobs. My 1985 Comp came from Fisher with CyclArt paint and I’ve seen both a Zebra- and a Tiger-striped Everests also with paint by CyclArt. Anybody else with an early US-built Fisher with CyclArt paint? Logo is on non-drive side chain stay. Also, my bike came with “NORBA” champion stripes on seat tube…anybody else have those?

BFT

Don't have access to the bike right now; pretty sure does not have the fastback seat stays. I thought I was well familiar with the bike, but surprised how little of the detail sticks with me when it's not right in front of me!
Happy to know that it's most likely an early 1985 Mt Tam. Will check head tube angle and seat stays when next I see it.