Rocky Mountain Vertex steel 1992

d_douglas

Retro Guru
This is my first post of a bike, so bear with me.

Rocky Mountain steel frames have a stellar reputation and it is well deserved. I have owned this bike since new and have bought and sold about five other MTBs, each time tossing this frame in a box thinking that I might sell it, but never having the heart to do so.

After spending a few years learning to ride offroad in Vancouver's North Shore using Bridgestones, I wised up and bought an MTB that was DESIGNED for that kind of riding. It was an instant revelation - the control and stability, the handling was slower, thus allowing for mistakes to be corrected without flying over my handlebars, the sloped top tube.

Having gotten fully addicted to bikes, I now pine for a Sycip or a Dekerf or an Indy Fab or a Moots, but the truth is that I would ask them to replicate the geometry of this bike, so i figured I might as well save the dough and be nostalgic, something that i am generally not. I mostly ride road bikes now, so the cost really wasn't justified anyways, since I would rather spend thousands on a new road frame (call me crazy).

While ogling a used Dekerf, I called Chris D to ask about some details of the frame. I told him that I had this old Rocky Vertex that he possibly built when he worked at Rocky Mountain and he said that if I love the ride of my frame but really just want ot use disc brakes, then he could weld a disc mount onto it. I agreed and he laid down the most perfect disc mount that I have ever seen, complete with a handmade gusset integrated into the seat stay.

Here is the result - timeless, yet dated perfection. Oh, and since I was't going ot buy that Sycip after all, I found a great deal on Phil Wood disc hubs and built them up with Velocity FR rims. They are heavy, but spinning things of beauty.

Parts have obviously been updated. My search for XTR m-900 has resulted in the derailleurs, BB, and cranks, Avid BB7s, Salsa Stem, Bonty Flattracker bar, TIME pedals (I prefer TIME DH pedals - if you wanna trade, let me know as these are practically new!), Thomson post and my trusty old Avocet ti saddle. Yum. The frame needs repainting as it is quite scratched up, has some chainsuck and many many spraycan retouches, including the disc mount.
 

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Real Steel

Hi there, nice Steed, just proves old does'nt mean out dated, if it ain't bust don't fix it!
Any chance of a close up of the rear disc mount addition please? thanks
 
disc mount

The photo isnt very good, but this is his standard issue disc mount. I asked about a strut that runs between the seat and chainstay and he said could do it, but there was no need. He suggested this and said it would do all that was needed.

Am somewhat retro (I use XY thumbies!) but damn, disc brakes are a great ride, I must say!
 

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hey, hes done a great job on that disc tab!
Thats a lovely bike you have, and pretty rare too. Nice that it gets ridden. Guessing the forks slacken it off a touch though?
 
forks

yes - the forks have a bit too much travel. I used to have a Judy XC 63mm and they were perfect, but can't find em anymore. These forks are beautifully built, so I just keep em. Dekerf said they would would with this geometry, so I trust him...

I will likely repaint it in the next year or so, as the BB shell, dropouts and top tube are showing a bit of rust, and many scratches. it would be a shame to let it die!
 
I have two of those, and am considering building one up complete w/discs.
What's the travel of that fork? Have you ever used an inclinometer to figure out the actual h/t angle?
If memory serves the build spec was 69deg head w/rigid fork, but it handeled pretty good w/a Mag 21 on it which was what, 80mm travel?
I wouldn't want to go much more than 100mm.
 
tungsten":bidu112t said:
I have two of those, and am considering building one up complete w/discs.
What's the travel of that fork? Have you ever used an inclinometer to figure out the actual h/t angle?
If memory serves the build spec was 69deg head w/rigid fork, but it handeled pretty good w/a Mag 21 on it which was what, 80mm travel?
I wouldn't want to go much more than 100mm.

It is a 5 year old thread, but you can be let of as it's a nice bike :D

But to answer your question it'll be a 71 head and 73 seat angle

IT was designed for Rigid forks or ~390mm A2C
MAG forks are ~43mm travel as standard and so 405mm A2C
Long Travel MAG's are ~60mm and so ~420mm A2C (same as 60mm JUDY)
 
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