Steel advice

After some advice on what to do with the following which won't be "get a Enduro FSR!"

I have a 96 RM Blizzard which needs new paint and new drivetrain. I'd like to disc it up as Peak grit mud costs too much in pads & rims - LX discs look like the ticket, but this means getting a disc mount brazed on: going on prices from Mercian (most convienient location unless any round Manchester/Sheffield?) is £70 respray, £40 for disc mount + £7 for each hose guide (plus BB facing if I go for HTII type bb & may need attention to the threads anyway on a 11 year old steel frame) which is getting close to a new £125 for a "not sliding drop-out" Inbred a bit less than £225 for a Sanderson Breathe (seems a good design) and less than £420 for a Cotic Soul but which does look a very well thought out design. The latter 3 will all have 4"+ fork corrected geometry and disc mounts and still be steel with a degree of character.

Thing is, I love the ride of the RM and am not a fan of the disposable bike mentality. I like the idea of restoring it but in practical (& financial) terms is it going to be worth it? Will these UK designed/Taiwanese built hardtails be as good (better?) than the Blizzard in ride? The Blizzard oozes singletrack quality being stiff and agile - do these young'uns cut it? :?

Thanks for any advice.

Have you looked at a Pipedream Sirus? They are £225 and I think come with different drop out choices. They are still steel and have disc mounts. Pipedream reccommend a Fox Talas 100-130 mm travel so 4".

http://pipedreamcycles.com/sirius_page_menu.html

They were reviewed on BM a while back.

Highly recommend the Genesis altitude 2.0, 853 tubing, £350, same as a Sanderson Life which are also supposed to be good.




http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/

It sounds like you already have the answer in your post - you love the Blizzard, it appears that finances are finite and you can't have the Blizzard plus Inbred option so I'd say just go for it (the respray and disk mount brazing that is). Would be interested to see the final result.

By the way, never ridden any of the young uns, so no comparison from me I'm afraid.

Hi Sam, I think if its a financial issue you have come to the wrong place. This must be a heart over wallet issue. I rode a r m altitude 96 for many years and beleive me you will not get the ride out of most low end steel frames as you have had with the rocky. IMHO you should talk to a local steel artist, tellhim what you need. GO ON! you know it makes sense! all the best, Al.

Sorry! think i have the wrong forum. thought this was retrobike, a site for quilety rigs from yesteryear. Not cheep tat . com. We should be promoting good stuff. Or am i missing something. ps. Im new here so dont shout at me.Al.

As Ed said - you answered yourself. Modernise your current frame - if you don't you may always wonder what if......

Good luck.

Why bother with a respray?

I had to replace the dropouts on my 95 Explosif after the driveside dropout snapped. I thought about a respray but decided that Hammerite was good enough...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6365&highlight=

I did consider a disk mount but I wanted to do this as cheap as possible and didn't want to buy anything I didn't have to.

If you love the ride why change? How the bike rides is really all that is important.

I have a 96 Altitude and had a 96 Hammer, and they both ride beautifully. The Altitude rates as one of my best rides ever (bike obviously!!)

I had 100mm forks on the Hammer for a bit, and it was still OK handling, which surprised me. Not as quick, but fine.

Really, this is a much nicer frame than some modern budget gas pipe model. But honestly though, I can help you out by giving you some cash for your old Rocky, and you can then put this towards a new bike with discs and long forks. Job done!!