Getting back in the saddle of my B17 - New photos

I started mountain biking when I was about 12... scarily that's 18 years ago.

I did it for a good while, riding a God awful fully rigid Claude Butler Xantos to destruction. All the while lusting after most of the bikes I've seen while quickly looking through this site.

This site is awesome by the way! It all comes gloriously flooding back!

Anyway I did eventually buy a half decent bike. A 1999 Marin B17 with upgraded brakes to Hope C2s. I loved it, but after a few years I got the girfriend/job/wife/mortgage/baby. I also lost a bit of passion after a couple of nasty spills and trips to A and E.

Anyway for nearly 5 years my B17 languished in my Mums shed back at home. My brother-in-law has just got into riding in a huge way... and I am *madly* jealous... so I finally plucked up the courage to see what state it was in.

(I was trying to post a pic, but it won't let me yet!)

It turns out it's not too bad. The frame is fine, cobwebby, but fine. The X-vert T's seem fine.

The Hopes have seized, but I think they're recoverable - there's some rusting on the caliper bolts though.

The wheels seem OK too. Still a weird mix of rims, with a Mavic and a Sunn Mammouth.

The 24-Seven bars have surface rust on them, the stems fine. The gripshift shifters are shot (I never took to rapidfires)... well I snapped the big ring one years ago while riding down a kerb...

My main worry is the crappy Shockworks rear shock, I'm not sure how much I can trust that. I barely trusted it new.

I was researching fixing it up, and found here. I'm hoping I'll be around to get the B17 back in rideable shape. I've certainly got my eye on a few bits. (I could drop some serious cash on the stuff I've seen for sale!)

Anyway there's a long introductory post for you!

look forward to seeing a picture, the blue and white of the 1999 was a good look for the model.

welcome to the site another b17 i have a 1998 in red/white that i've just built

looking forward to some pic's...................

Thanks guys, I'll try and get over 5 posts then put some pics up!

a girlfriend and a wife


yep youve got the bug back! rusty bolts can be changed, new parts can be bought! hope to see it soon i saw a red one this morning with silver rear end *jealous!* before i got another i drive frame i was looking into getting a blue and white one beause they are lovely! i got outbid though. it was the whole thing, blue this white that, very well done and a classy frame to start with
welcome buddy!

i was kind of going for a chronological oreder thing... having a wife is more than enough work for me

Nearly there for the posting of a pic now.

oh sod it... next one will have a pic

This was a couple of minutes after wiping off the cobwebs. I excuse the rubbish iPhone pic, it's the best I had with me.

I carried on the blue theme with a nice blue Crud Catcher and blue DMR V8s.

That looks good to me, get out and give it a good thrashing

whoa yes! thats great that is! now get some white rims