So what's the story with Dekerf?
- Thread starter brocklanders023
- Start date
suburbanreuben
Old School Grand Master
So gimme some! :xmas-wink:kaiser":32n2q321 said:Yum yum
Dekerf
Good thread ,,,, nice pics of titanium DF ...
I have a Black 98 DeKerf Generation and was amazed to see another this morning with Amp Research forks ... also in Black
Best MTB I have owned .. a keeper...
Current
98 Dekerf Generation
96 Kona Exposif
04 Ellsworth Truth
and a few road bikes...
Previous
96 Rocky Mountain Equipe
98 Rocky Mountain Vertex TO
Kastle
Univega
Good thread ,,,, nice pics of titanium DF ...
I have a Black 98 DeKerf Generation and was amazed to see another this morning with Amp Research forks ... also in Black
Best MTB I have owned .. a keeper...
Current
98 Dekerf Generation
96 Kona Exposif
04 Ellsworth Truth
and a few road bikes...
Previous
96 Rocky Mountain Equipe
98 Rocky Mountain Vertex TO
Kastle
Univega
The shop I raced for in the 90's sold boutique brands (MC, Foes, Litespeed, Merlin, Yeti, DK) so I was familiar with them and the rest of the bikes like TOADS that the original RM welders were building. My buddy that worked in the back bought a candy copper 93 Mountain with matching RS Mag 21 SL. Sold it off, bought it back 10 years later, refinished the frame, then died before he could get to the build. I inherited it and built it up.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=91146&highlight=
I have the threadless version. Bought it from a guy in Alaska on my KTM forum. He has another one. Not sure if he'd part with it.
Owned this for a while. Uber rare. Didn't really fit me (belonged to a friend who moved to Florida and quit riding) so I sold it.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=91146&highlight=
saltyman":am4usq2b said:
I have the threadless version. Bought it from a guy in Alaska on my KTM forum. He has another one. Not sure if he'd part with it.
Owned this for a while. Uber rare. Didn't really fit me (belonged to a friend who moved to Florida and quit riding) so I sold it.
Just stumbled across this thread and thought I’d add my old Dekerf Team ST to the list. This example is the older model (full steel) before Dekerf made the move to the ti chainstays.
It’s a most impressive handling machine – no kidding. It’s a dream in everything from tight twisty stuff to technical descending.
I rode/raced this bike (switching parts as they wore out of course) for almost 10 full years before retiring it. It is, hands down, the absolute best bike I’ve ever owned in my entire life: hence the reason for riding it so long.
When I wore out the first rear shock and needed a replacement and some help with it, Chris Dekerf himself e-mailed back (within hours) giving me step by step instruction on how to swap it out and I had the replacement (FREE!!) at my door within a couple of days. You’d be hard pressed to get service like that from any of the big-boy manufacturers.
“Boutique bikes” may be pricey but the old adage “you get what you pay for” in this case, has never held so true.
You’re probably wondering why I stopped riding it, but, it was technology that forced my hand. After Chris told me that welding disc tabs on the ST was not a good idea due to the stresses involved under braking I knew I needed to move on. I waited for the Dekerf FS that was rumoured to be coming but it never did so I had to make the leap.
In the end, I’m now learning how much I don’t care for the whole FS thing and I’m contemplating going back to a steel rig. I may be contacting Chris again soon – you never know.
I still have the Dekerf (it’s the one bike in my quiver that I refuse to part with) and was thinking just the other day that I may take it out for old times sake. I know I would have fun with it.
Cheers,
In short; Dekerfs – great bikes.
It’s a most impressive handling machine – no kidding. It’s a dream in everything from tight twisty stuff to technical descending.
I rode/raced this bike (switching parts as they wore out of course) for almost 10 full years before retiring it. It is, hands down, the absolute best bike I’ve ever owned in my entire life: hence the reason for riding it so long.
When I wore out the first rear shock and needed a replacement and some help with it, Chris Dekerf himself e-mailed back (within hours) giving me step by step instruction on how to swap it out and I had the replacement (FREE!!) at my door within a couple of days. You’d be hard pressed to get service like that from any of the big-boy manufacturers.
“Boutique bikes” may be pricey but the old adage “you get what you pay for” in this case, has never held so true.
You’re probably wondering why I stopped riding it, but, it was technology that forced my hand. After Chris told me that welding disc tabs on the ST was not a good idea due to the stresses involved under braking I knew I needed to move on. I waited for the Dekerf FS that was rumoured to be coming but it never did so I had to make the leap.
In the end, I’m now learning how much I don’t care for the whole FS thing and I’m contemplating going back to a steel rig. I may be contacting Chris again soon – you never know.
I still have the Dekerf (it’s the one bike in my quiver that I refuse to part with) and was thinking just the other day that I may take it out for old times sake. I know I would have fun with it.
Cheers,
In short; Dekerfs – great bikes.
Attachments
..........the shop dayz.....
........bitd, i stocked them, sold them and loved them, had a real hardcore fan base for them too, steel, ti, and the softail was always beautiful.....for me, (and this, is just my opinion)....they did for me with steel and ti, what klein did for aluminium.......high quality fantastic finish, very boutique, just a real shame we could never get enough.......if you have one....i would call you a lucky lucky f****R.......... :shock:
........bitd, i stocked them, sold them and loved them, had a real hardcore fan base for them too, steel, ti, and the softail was always beautiful.....for me, (and this, is just my opinion)....they did for me with steel and ti, what klein did for aluminium.......high quality fantastic finish, very boutique, just a real shame we could never get enough.......if you have one....i would call you a lucky lucky f****R.......... :shock:
Pogo
Retrobike Rider
Hopefully not too off-topic. There seems to be a wealth of knowledge on Dekerfs on this thread so I thought I'd ask here...
What is the maximum length suspension fork that I can fit to my Dekerf Mountain without screwing up the geometry- and secondly what's the best retro fork out there that will fit the bill?
What is the maximum length suspension fork that I can fit to my Dekerf Mountain without screwing up the geometry- and secondly what's the best retro fork out there that will fit the bill?
suburbanreuben
Old School Grand Master
The old Ritchey tubed pre'97 Dekerfs were built for 63mm forks. I kept to that sort of length on my old '94. The best retro fork to consider is the Marzocchi Bomber Z2. Not quite period specific, but anything pre Bomber is an insult to the frame TBH, and it's best to stay rigid.Pogo":1vzbsfl5 said:
Magura Rond Quake Air are lovely light forks with 70mm of travel and a very low a-c distance. at 1450gm, and stiff as you like, they suit the Dekerf Mountain perfectly.
