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Posted: 1/18/2021 10:16:15 AM EDT
[#1]
I have a Gary Fisher ProCaliber hanging in my garage that is lighter than most bikes made today, and it was made in 1994. I used to have a GT Zaskar, that was light as hell...The components were the key. I don't know anything about new bikes, but I imagine lighter components are cheaper to come by today than 20 years ago.
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Posted: 1/18/2021 10:43:47 AM EDT
[#2]
Axles are a lot better on newer bikes, at least some of them. I have a 90's bike, a Super V 3000 Cannondale, and it is prone to axle breakage. I replaced the front which was an easier deal than retrofitting the rear to a bomb proof axle set up for a disc. Then I would need some type of caliper stop because of no lugs to mount it. The 'head shock' on the Cannondale is a piece of shit, so if you go there, adapters are available for a modern set of suspension forks and head set.
I may get there some day, but will probably buy a used bike that is better equipped. Bike market is crazy now, but I bet a shit ton of used bikes will hit the market in 6 months or so. Cannondale had a lifetime frame warranty, but only to the original purchaser. |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 11:51:05 AM EDT
[#3]
Sspecialized StumpJumpers are pretty decent for their time. 90s GTs were GTG, Schwinn Seirra/High Seirra, Bianchi, Panasonic, ect
There is a thread on the bike forums here. If you really want to learn you need to head over to bikeforums.net and look in the classic bike section. There are inherent problems with most mountain bikes of that era. The shocks are usually hard to find replacements because they stopped making them. Some Rockshoks can be rebuilt, some can't. When you go to replace you usually will need to replace more than just the shock. Take my 1995 GT Aggressor. Shocks disentigrated due to design flaw, they had a .gif recall. Mine snapped while going down into a ditch  After much ado between the company who bought GT and the prodding of the .gov who got involved I was given a new shock set.However the steerer tube was larger due to the new design. Which meant new headset. Oh, the old brakes wouldnt mount either and the new designs were for the newer brake technology so new brakes were required. New brakes meant new brake handles. My brake handles were integrated into the shifters. However, the new shifter designs were updated and my old rear derailleur wouldn't work with new design. Which meant, new rear derailleur, rear sprocket, and chain. So in order for me to replace my busted RockShock I had to replace: 1)shock 2)headset 3)brakes 4)brake handles 5)shifters 6)Rear Derailleur 7)Rear cassette 8)Rear Rim 9)Chain And since I was doing that I replaced all of my cables and Cable housing while I was at it. I mean why not? What I did was find a beat up Trek which I bought for 30.00 at a thrift store and took what I needed and shit canned the frame. So basically I rebuilt my bike. |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:43:14 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Sspecialized StumpJumpers are pretty decent for their time. 90s GTs were GTG, Schwinn Seirra/High Seirra, Bianchi, Panasonic, ect There is a thread on the bike forums here. If you really want to learn you need to head over to bikeforums.net and look in the classic bike section. There are inherent problems with most mountain bikes of that era. The shocks are usually hard to find replacements because they stopped making them. Some Rockshoks can be rebuilt, some can't. When you go to replace you usually will need to replace more than just the shock. Take my 1995 GT Aggressor. Shocks disentigrated due to design flaw, they had a .gif recall. Mine snapped while going down into a ditch After much ado between the company who bought GT and the prodding of the .gov who got involved I was given a new shock set.However the steerer tube was larger due to the new design. Which meant new headset. Oh, the old brakes wouldnt mount either and the new designs were for the newer brake technology so new brakes were required. New brakes meant new brake handles. My brake handles were integrated into the shifters. However, the new shifter designs were updated and my old rear derailleur wouldn't work with new design. Which meant, new rear derailleur, rear sprocket, and chain. So in order for me to replace my busted RockShock I had to replace: 1)shock 2)headset 3)brakes 4)brake handles 5)shifters 6)Rear Derailleur 7)Rear cassette 8)Rear Rim 9)Chain And since I was doing that I replaced all of my cables and Cable housing while I was at it. I mean why not? What I did was find a beat up Trek which I bought for 30.00 at a thrift store and took what I needed and shit canned the frame. So basically I rebuilt my bike. I kind of figured that is what is going to happen. What I'm worried about is ending up with something completely proprietary (like a swing arm pivot or something) that can't be replaced with modern components. |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:49:12 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Axles are a lot better on newer bikes, at least some of them. I have a 90's bike, a Super V 3000 Cannondale, and it is prone to axle breakage. I replaced the front which was an easier deal than retrofitting the rear to a bomb proof axle set up for a disc. Then I would need some type of caliper stop because of no lugs to mount it. The 'head shock' on the Cannondale is a piece of shit, so if you go there, adapters are available for a modern set of suspension forks and head set. I may get there some day, but will probably buy a used bike that is better equipped. Bike market is crazy now, but I bet a shit ton of used bikes will hit the market in 6 months or so. Cannondale had a lifetime frame warranty, but only to the original purchaser. I converted my Headshock to a standard shock on my F2000 in 2012. It was easy, just needed the right parts. IM me if anyone wants pics |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:50:49 PM EDT
[#6]
I've got a yeti made Schwinn homegrown in green.
Huge demand for these in the retro bike groups. Look for them they are around but will be expensive. However, if you will get your $$ back out of them if you find one. I may be persuaded to part with mine It has king header, xt xtr all the way around, Mavic lights etc |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:55:29 PM EDT
[#7]
The good thing is these bikes are great bikes and cheap as chips. The bad part is they are worn out and abused. Plus, they are addicting. Many parts will interchange, it depends on what you want. I could have gone with a rigid fork and been riding for 20.00. Simple swap.
At the very least you will want to replace the chain, cables, brake pads, take everything off and give it a good clean and lube. I say chain because they are cheap 15-20.00 and 99% of the time they are rusted, stretched, and worn. It is just better to replace it. It is easy to do too. You can address the minute details like worn sprockets, bottom bracket, ect as you need and get skills and tools. Read up, bike forums has a VERY active classic section and repair section. Lots of YouTube videos as well. Check your area for community bike co-ops where you can borrow tools, buy used parts, buy bikes, swap parts, donate, get assistance, ect |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:55:31 PM EDT
[#8]
I've got a yeti made Schwinn homegrown in green. Huge demand for these in the retro bike groups. Look for them they are around but will be expensive. However, if you will get your $$ back out of them if you find one. I may be persuaded to part with mine It has king header, xt xtr all the way around, Mavic lights etc What's the going rate for these? |
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Posted: 1/18/2021 12:59:55 PM EDT
[#9]
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/
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Posted: 1/18/2021 1:15:19 PM EDT
[#10]
GT Avalanche was also pretty good
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Posted: 1/18/2021 2:52:50 PM EDT
[#11]
This GT looks kick ass
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/bik/d/phoenix-gt-lts-full-suspension-mountain/7246074160.html |
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Posted: 1/20/2021 7:19:45 AM EDT
[#12]
I would stay far away from. 90s full suspension bikes. The suspension of the old days is nowhere near where we are today. You will be hard pressed to find parts for the suspension. Unless you are lucky and find a hardly ridden bike, the shocks are going to need maintenance. Dont think about buying a modern shock and putting it on. The new stuff has totally different standards and won't fit.
A hard tail is definitely the way to go from that era. I picked up a cannondale F3000 not long ago for $100 and turned it into a single speed. Its a ton of fun! |
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Posted: 1/20/2021 7:27:27 AM EDT
[#13]
I still have my 1988 Specialized Stumpjumper. Heavy as lead.
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Posted: 1/20/2021 7:39:34 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've got a yeti made Schwinn homegrown in green. Huge demand for these in the retro bike groups. Look for them they are around but will be expensive. However, if you will get your $$ back out of them if you find one. I may be persuaded to part with mine It has king header, xt xtr all the way around, Mavic lights etc I have a blue homegrown that sits in my office. I ride during lunch when the weather is nice. Still a great frame! My trail bike is a Santa Cruz 5010 but I still grin like an idiot when I ride the homegrown. |
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Posted: 1/27/2021 1:40:15 AM EDT
[#15]
Doubt this is still made. Sure looks cool:
 EDIT: it’s still made!  Guess it’s not retro then. |
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Posted: 1/27/2021 8:09:21 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted: One of my childhood friends moved to my town recently. We use to ride mountain bikes in the 90s together and were talking about maybe trying to get back on the trails. Unfortunately neither of us can afford to drop $1000 to $2000+ on a bike right now. Neither of us are in shape to utilize something like that anyway. We got to talking about used bikes, and we say some bikes for sale used that would have made our pee pees hard in the 90s. We came up with the idea of buying some of these bikes and tuning them up/building them up and just enjoying them for what they are. Can you guys give any advice for what we should stay away from? Are Al frames from that era still good? Are parts still some what available? What about replacing forks? What full suspension geometries turned out to be awful? We're looking at what would have been higher end brands at the time: Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Trek, Klein, Specialized, (if I could find a decently priced blue and yellow Yeti I'd die) etc. And ultimately what we can find locally and for a good price. What would you all recommend? Klein - that’s a name I have not heard in a looooong time! Yep - out of business. But still a great bike One idea: - spend $350 for an SRAM 1x12 speed gear set conversion, and - see if you can find an older frame it will fit. |
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Posted: 1/27/2021 8:46:05 PM EDT
[#17]
‘94 Cannondale M400. Had since new. Nothing fancy and keeps on going. The wife has an early 2000’s Gary Fischer that’s been good.
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Posted: 1/29/2021 1:57:41 PM EDT
[#18]
Check out oldshovel on YouTube for some motivation and ideas on updating the 90’s & 00’s rides. I’m hooked and am currently reworking a ‘94 Cannondale DeltaV600.
Converting to 1x10 New V-brakes New crankset New seat/seat post New, wider bars New, shorter stem (hard to find, coming from Germany. 1.56” steerer tube, 31.8mm clamp, 60mm extension, 8-degree rise) to replace 120mm one. Tires and grips Keeping frame, fork, wheel set and some small parts. This bike is a sentimental item as it was my first mountain bike. Also a pretty high end one for the era. I want to make it useful again, as it’s been Arnie Hammer’d for parts and in storage for 20 years. |
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Posted: 1/30/2021 6:20:09 PM EDT
[#19]
Progress...
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Posted: 1/30/2021 6:39:10 PM EDT
[#20]
Got a Gary Fisher Marlin. Middle of the road hard tail. Great condition.
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Posted: 1/31/2021 10:03:15 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Progress...https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/169657/IMG_8352_JPG-1803784.jpg Put drop bars on it and call it a monster cross bike! |
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Posted: 2/2/2021 5:48:59 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Klein - that’s a name I have not heard in a looooong time! Yep - out of business. But still a great bike One idea: - spend $350 for an SRAM 1x12 speed gear set conversion, and - see if you can find an older frame it will fit. What you will have to do is measure the bottom bracket to see what size it is before dropping any amount of money on cranksets. Find out what fits, buy a new BB and cranks that will fit. There are different variables that may give you some cause for concern. This page may help Sheldon Brown's Bottom Bracket Size Data Base |
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Posted: 2/2/2021 6:27:09 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Check out oldshovel on YouTube for some motivation and ideas on updating the 90’s & 00’s rides. I’m hooked and am currently reworking a ‘94 Cannondale DeltaV600. I came in to recommend oldshovel's YouTube channel! I'm not into restoring bikes but he's such a craftsman, and very lowkeyed, that it's a joy to watch his videos! |
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Posted: 2/5/2021 7:49:16 PM EDT
[#24]
 Getting closer. I've become attached to this. I'm well over my budget now, but I wanted it to be right. Almost all Deore components, including hubs on new wheels that I decided to pony up for. Overall it is really turning out. Grips will be changed to ODIs when I find a good set of brown. Waiting on Deore brake levers (coming from England) to match the V-brakes that are not yet installed. I also have a 60mm stem coming from Germany to try. It's sporting a 90mm now and I do like it. I guess Headshok was big in Germanland, because most hard to find stuff can be located there. Man is it sweet, though and pretty light. The old geometry works well with the new bars and stem. The 10sp drivetrain is nice and simple, too. Those cheapo cranks are stout and I'm impressed. If you're thinking about a similar update to an older, loved but ignored ride, I say do it. DO IT. |
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Posted: 3/9/2021 7:33:48 PM EDT
[#25]
I still ride this:
 Attached File1996 GT ZASKAR Rockshox Mag21 XTR shifters/brakeset XTR front derailleur XT rear derailleur XT crank XT 36H hubs XT cassette XT BB DX pedals Mavic SUP rims Salsa flip-offs Etc. |
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Posted: 3/9/2021 7:48:59 PM EDT
[#26]
Still have my ‘98 Giant ATX 890 John Tomac frame. I updated it quite a bit. Post updates, it’s almost as light as my ‘17 Giant XTC1 Carbon. I love this bike.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 3/16/2021 4:03:42 PM EDT
[#27]
Still rocking my old M4 Stumpjumper; well I was until I blew a fork seal and nobody around here rebuilds them even though I have a full seal kit for it.
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Posted: 3/16/2021 4:09:36 PM EDT
[#28]
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-VINTAGE-SCHWINN-HOMEGROWN-BASS-BOAT-GREEN-26-CANTILEVER-MTB-FRAME-17-5-/283683770005
Looks like a good price on this one. Lets you know what you are in for. This looks Just like mine. |
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Posted: 3/17/2021 6:21:08 AM EDT
[#29]
This is a better frame and 300.00 dollars less with forks
 The one you listed is an import, with no braze-ons for racks or bottle holders or a front fork for that matter . It is a lugged lightweight steel frame. Don't like the color? have it powder coated for cheap in whatever color you can think of. Use the money you save to buy components.
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Posted: 3/17/2021 6:31:50 AM EDT
[#30]
I still have my old Cadex CFM 2 from back when they were the high end Giant brand.. Super light bike carbon tubes aluminum lugs and caron kevlar chainstays. It has rock shox mag 21 on it but i also have the hardtail fork. Drivetrain has been replaced with shimano dx.
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Posted: 3/17/2021 6:46:23 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have a Gary Fisher ProCaliber hanging in my garage that is lighter than most bikes made today, and it was made in 1994. I used to have a GT Zaskar, that was light as hell...The components were the key. I don't know anything about new bikes, but I imagine lighter components are cheaper to come by today than 20 years ago. I had that same GT and loved it. Also a Klein that was incredibly light and fun to ride.  GT Zaskar - Evolution of a Classic |
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Posted: 3/24/2021 8:04:58 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This is a better frame and 300.00 dollars less with forks https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iB0AAOSwLVZVrjqz/s-l1600.jpg The one you listed is an import, with no braze-ons for racks or bottle holders or a front fork for that matter . It is a lugged lightweight steel frame. Don't like the color? have it powder coated for cheap in whatever color you can think of. Use the money you save to buy components.Anyone who buys that frameset needs to very carefully measure the rear dropout width. He's listed it as 130 mm and that may be correct, but most MTB's of this style had 126 mm rear dropouts, a much more difficult to find wheel or build, than 130 mm.  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 3/30/2021 10:20:49 AM EDT
[#33]
You can cold set rear stays. 4cm wouldnt be terrible to do either.
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Posted: 4/2/2021 9:19:24 AM EDT
[#34]
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Posted: 4/9/2021 11:38:24 AM EDT
[#35]
Old school 1993. Medium sized carbon frame, Weinmann hoops with Nukeproof hubs, 727 pedals, OG Disco Gold Rockshox (and I have an nos rebuild kit!). All period correct except the Panaracer Dart and Smoke tires have long since dry rotted, so new tires.
I'd trade it for ammo.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/20/2021 6:29:08 PM EDT
[#36]
I'm about to start a rebuild of my 1992 Trek 930 Singletrack. Splitting the labor with the local shop.
It needs a new rear gearset. I wanted to swap to a 1x10 but both wheels are ok and I don't want to spend the money to swap out good parts up front. The crankset and front bearings seem ok still. Headset is good. Needs new brakes, shifters, derailers, tires and tube, seat and post, grips, chain and other small details. So far I bought Conti Track King 26x2.4 tires and tubes, Shimano V brakes, Spartan saddle, Shimano combo brake levers and shifters. Im going to have the shop do the cables, rear hub and gear swap, brake setup, derailers and chain. Then comes the labor of scrubbing the rust on some hardware, brusing some rust where the axles meet the frame and forks, and paint them. I'm tempted to paint over the red frame paint, but it still looks good. I do have to paint the handlebars and bar ends and put on the thick silicone grips. After that, the plan is to get a handlebar bag and bottle pouches for gear, maybe a medium size seat pack, and maybe a frame bag too. Part of me wants to mount a shotgun scabbard to the forks for my Tac-14, but that will certainly raise glances around here... |
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Posted: 5/26/2021 7:53:44 AM EDT
[#37]
Oxalic acid aka wood bleach for the rusty bits, won't harm the paint.
Consider a randonneuring bag Acorn bags are pretty popular as well. and a porteur rack The rack provides a rigid mount for the pack and allows one to secure it far better than loops over the handle bars. |
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Posted: 5/26/2021 7:25:28 PM EDT
[#38]
I know it's been a while since OP's first post but...
Not often, but sometimes these pop up. I have had mine a while, I think since like 08-10. It is a 2006 Fetish Seduction sub-27# bike. In fact, I see you are in AZ, OP and there was one Seduction on Phx CL this week.... Seduction, Pure Sexy...  Attached File Attached FileAnd I just found this roller Fetish Discipline for $300 after tax on ebay that just needs a wheel set! I pick it up by Sky Harbor this Friday after work and will start on the build finish next week. Nice hardtails and super light.  Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/19/2021 9:32:44 PM EDT
[#39]
 Attached FileI’m in a single speed cruzer club so I built this rig out of a titanium Nukeproof I got in a trade. Comes in at about 23 pounds. |
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