97 (ish) Rocky Mountain Element build thread

It begins...

Posting this with trepidation in the --> 97 section, as the rear triangle's been replaced with a later disk mount one. The frame came from Troje on this forum and was posted from the Netherlands, and I'm hoping that I can put it together with a 99 Bomber Z2 Fly lite fork that was given to me as a freebee from a work coleague in a sorry state. One service, new o-rings and a replacement crown later (thanks Drystonepaul!) these Z2s are looking, well.. um, pretty fly.



The wheels I've picked up cheaply secondhand - 32H ritchey rock rims on paralax hubs. currently rear one sports some snapped spokes and warpyness which I'll have to sort out.

Per photo, I've got forks and wheels, plus some old avid V-brakes lying around to clean up, Race frace LP's are coming from passiflora on here, a nice old Phil wood BB is on route from America. Still need to get most of the "top bits" i.e. bar, stem, saddle, post etc so shopping for synrcos and easton begins after payday...

I already have a black P7 and Marin...So I'm wondering about stripping the paint, polishing and going raw alu finish with new decals, maybe even ano the suspension link gold to tie it in to the bomber forks, kinda raw alu gold and black theme. Any advice?

Great to see, must be a good base for a nice build!

Good start, keep us posted

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Slow, Slow progress... Mostly planning and buying bits.

Wasn't happy to trust my bulk on the Richey rock rims, having read some extremely negative reviews. As a bigger chap I can't trust feeble lightweight rims... So changed them over for a pair of Ritchey Girders with double wall and eyelets.

Truing up on the pikeytech 3000 (c) wheel truing stand.


Resulting wheels with the IRC Mythos tyres back on. Shame they've gone grey through old age.

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Can't build up ANOTHER black bike so...

Is that the same frame you took from me? Wow! That looks like a fantastic paintjob! Do you have any more details on that? Any close up pics?

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I'ts kind of very dubious copy of a late '90s RM paint job, with copius licences taken! It is DIY, not professional but it looks passible in my eyes.

Both paint colours are metalic, from rattle cans. bad photos and bad light makes it looks like dust. I'm not quite there yet, as the clear coats are needed and there are a couple of areas that I will probably touch up and polish first.


Another photo, a couple of imperfections here too.. it's still a work in progress.

Well, another week has gone - along with lots of T-cut, and two big cans of clear coat. There's some very tasty RM's being posted on here by other retrobikers this week, have enjoyed reading those threads....




All new stainless bolts fitted to the bushes...



Horrible saddle and the wrong bars and stem - have a proper syncos 2.54 stem coming and will fit either a flat bar or a subtle riser. Just fitted these as they were lying around, and I had an urge to bounce the frame up the path after spending so long fettling with paintwork.


Apart from that the plan is to have 9 speed with SRAM grip shift and avid V-Brakes, so it will have some more modern parts (sorry purists!) but hopefully retain the spirit of the original..

STILL Not quite finished! but I had to get out to experience this sproingy suspension stuff that I've heard so much about

I'm missing a few gears due to foolishly buying a secondhand rear deraliur with knackered jockey wheels, and possibly also there is some bad setup on my part. I'm still awaiting arrival of some RF cranks, so bolted on some old shimano 440s, vowing to not use the really knackered and rusty granny ring, and set off on a test run down to the transpenine trail.

I need a lot of seatpost, on this 18" frame... The bobbing takes some getting used too, in two minds about that - kept checking that I wasn't getting a flat tyre for the first few miles. Handles good over rough tracks and seems pretty light and quick.






Well, got it muddy at least

nice restoration… good job with that DIY rattlecan spray on that!