DeKerf Team ST 853

Just picked this up today. Believe it's a 1997 model(?), as it's an early version with steel chainstays before DeKerf went to ti stays. Poor pic is from the seller. Will start "addressing" issues with "nasty" components tomorrow and provide better pics.

The good: DeKerf 853 Team ST frame with working soft tail suspension, Marzocchi Z2 atom bomb, Avid Ultimate brake levers, Spinergy SPOX wheelset, matching grey RF headset and cranks w/DeKerf chainrings, XTR m950 v-brakes and shifters (but missing indicators), Thomson Elite seatpost.

The (obvious) bad: cheap BMX style bars, silly axiom stem, crappy "comfort" saddle, garbage pedals, meh tyres.

So far what I've got planned are stealing the Avid Arch Supreme brakes off my Generation and sub in some canti on that. Also changing the silver w/blue decal 97 atom bombs to a set of 98 black w/blue decal atom bombs that use to be on the 96 Blizzard build I once had.

My apologies for bringing this to your attention.

But, now we're TeamST brothers!

I thought that the '98s were all steel, then he went to Ti stays in '99, but I'm basing that strictly on my memory which is exceedingly unreliable.

you could well be right. i did some searching and turned up one reference of a 97 model with steel stays, as well as the marz atom bomb fork marked as 97 model. hence why i'm guessing it's a 97.

Re:

aguycalled80":2lf7xzrb said:

I thought that the '98s were all steel, then he went to Ti stays in '99, but I'm basing that strictly on my memory which is exceedingly unreliable.

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think you're right that this is 98, the first year of the Team ST. from DeKerf website:

1998: The Team SL got a further refinement with the addition of Reynolds 853 chainstays. The Generation also joined the Reynolds family by being constructed of Reynolds 725. The road frame ('Prodigy') was back, also sporting a Reynolds 853 main triangle and chainstays. The most talked about frame for 1998 was the Team ST - the softtail. This frame used a steel spring in the monostay and special chainstays from Ritchey to provide almost an inch of travel on an otherwise hardtail frame.

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quick make-over and this is where i'm at. recabled everything and replaced all and outers to blue. changed over to 98 atom bomb in black w/blue decals, syncros hindged stem, RF blue air alloy. XT m739 shifters and rear mech to match the front mec. avid arch supreme to go with the avid ultimate levers. turned the seatpost around the right way :facepalm: and mounted a WTB speed saddle.

more…

about time someone bought that and removed those stupid raiser bars... got tired of it clogging up my ebay search

Fantastic.

Looks like you're getting a lot more travel out of that softtail than mine.

And by "a lot" I mean another 1/4"

Re:

happy with the ride, fits well and handles nice. but not quite satisfied with the overall look. i'll be throwing on some other components that i have stashed away from my prev 96 blizzard build. will replace the matching gunmetal RF cranks and headset. don't quite work in my opinion. also the Syncros hinged stem is a tad too chunky. :?

so i'll be putting on a set of white RF Next LPs, and a black RF Real Seal, black RF Deus XC stem and perhaps either a White Bros ti riser, or Bontrager Crow Bar Race Lite ti riser.

shutter":2pnuibs5 said:

about time someone bought that and removed those stupid raiser bars... got tired of it clogging up my ebay search

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btw… it's "riser" bar and stem "rise", and not "raiser" bar and stem "raise". :roll:

RockiMtn":26pbnw7k said:

shutter":26pbnw7k said:

about time someone bought that and removed those stupid raiser bars... got tired of it clogging up my ebay search

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btw… it's "riser" bar and stem "rise", and not "raiser" bar and stem "raise". :roll:

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Well... I never really did go to English class... Too busy in the auto shop