1994 Specialized FSR

taffy

Old School Grand Master
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This started as a bare (litterally!) frame from Jimihendrix.

I procrastinated over it for a while- although sound and tidy it needed a shock and a paintjob. However BITD memories of wanting one and being skint teenager (didn't have two ano jockey wheels to rub together..) Misty eyed childhood dreams soon saw me parting with the fold!


It arrived and i toyed with the various options on paint and in the end decided on Windridge for a nice durable powdercoat as i wanted something nice but moreover tough and able to withstand the all too often mishaps (other halfs moving the bike carelessly or the gremlin that makes a carfully parked bike slowly fall over and scrape along a very visible portion of the frame)

Anyway the frame before sending off.

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Windridge quoted 3 - 4 weeks to strip the old paint clean and prep, powder coat and return the frame. As i wanted the rear triangle a different colour it was an extra 30 odd ontop of their normal £89.

I did consider getting the rear triangle colour matched to the upper linkages but a custom colour match was £300 alone (this is where a normal sprayer has a decided advantage) and in the end went for a "close ish" match.

originally it was a green plain FSR but vanity got the btter of me and i decided on red.

Frame duly packed and sent off leaving me with the simple job of sorting through my spares and speccing it. Oh and finding a shock too!
Shockwise it was Risse in the US or Cane creek - no one else makes such short length rear shocks these days. in the end i plumped for the Cane creek mainly as there are a few shops in the uk selling them and it would be easier to get.. probably.

In the meantime I pestered Gil m for the appropriate decals which duly arrived very quickly.


3 - 4 weeks later a smallish box arrives!

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Finish and quality of work are excellent.
Smooth shiny and durable coat all over.
All i had to do was clean off the suspension bushes/holes and scource a set of main pivot bushings (i hadn't been able to remove them - kudos goes to Lysander who pointed me to Igus for some replacements) Colour match of the rear end and upper linkage is close and to be fair not that noticeable unless you are up close and looking for it.

A trip home and a rummage turfed up some Judy forks i had bought for my Zaskar donkeys years ago but had been sidelined for some Rond WP's. So that averted a not to small "where the hell am i going to get some carbon Judy's from" dillema.


Spec as is so far:


Frame: Specialized 1994 FSR

Fork: Rockshox Judy SL

Headset: Cane creek S6
Stem: Ibis titanium
Handlebar: Ibis titanium
Grips: club roost
Barends: N/A

Brakes: M900 XTR
Brake Pads: Fibrax - soon to be changed
Brake Cables: Shimano
Cantilever cable hangers: Stock XTR
Brake Levers: M900 XTR

Shifters: M900 RF+
Front Derailleur: Deore XT M738
Rear Derailleur: XTR m900
Derailleur Cables: Shimano
Cassette: XT custom 12- 30 (was an M737 11-30)
Chain: SRAM PG 850
Cranks: Deore XT M750
Crank Bolts: Stock shimano
Chainrings: 26,30,46 XT SG-X
Chainring bolts: Stock Shimano XT
Bottom Bracket: Hope titanium
Pedals: Shimano PD M747

Hub Skewers: Shimano M900 XTR
Rims: MAvic M222
Hubs: XTR M900
Nipples: Alloy
Spokes: DT
Tyres: Bontrager Jones
Tubes:?

Saddle: Flite titanium
Seatpost: Kalloy
Seatpost Binder: ?

Weight: 25.8 lb / 12kg


However there are still things to do.
Still waiting on the cane creek shock.
Brake pads are not great given the cantis and brake boss placement
(thin fibrax pads and far out bosses)
I need a longer seat post - mainly for the peace of mind of having a lot more in the frame so a suitable 29.4 must be found.
In the middle chainring and smallest cog at the back the chain clips some of the large chainring shifting pins so that will have to be sorted.
A more suitable seatpost binder bolt or QR is needed.
The 11 - 30 XT cassette would not fit corectly on the XTR freehub so the 11 t got swapped for a 12 t. though i am looking for an XTR 12 -32 9 speed cassette.
And I'm debating scouring an XTR front mech and chainset too.

There are a few niggly adjustments to be made but i really do need the rear shock to arrive to sort it all out properly.

A pic of it in it's oh nearly finished glory..


BuiltFSR1.jpg
 
Ta ;) i've tried to be as period with the spec as possible.

A few more pic's

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Really I'm only waiting on the shock but i do want to get a decent seat post sorted and fine tune the spec a little (tyres, QR's and other minor finishing details)
 
An in-line post would look better, but it all depends on how that sits with your riding position.

M900 chainset and front mech would look awesome and match the rest of your gear, but of course only if budget can stretch to it.
 
As best i can tell an inline would push me forward too much and make it cramped (i wont be able to tell properly till the shock arrives).

ideally M900 XTR chainset and mech would be nice and are long term goals but i figured a shock was for now a better use of the money.
 
Very nice!
This is the exact bike I want to get to go with my rigid when I can't be bothered with all the bumps!
If you get sick of it your most welcome to send it my way :LOL:
 
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