So I just picked this up. Can anyone tell me what I got? Any articles or manuals? It's in great shape but a bit on the small side for me. Thanks in advance for any additional information!
19?? Bontrager OR
- Thread starter Cactus459
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That's a very early race lite. Around 1990. One of the most desirable models, so a good find.
You can tell because of the horizontal rear drop out, rivetted cable guides and the miles head tube
Forks look like original bontrager crowned ones. Groupset is not original, would look good with m735 era xt.
You can tell because of the horizontal rear drop out, rivetted cable guides and the miles head tube
Forks look like original bontrager crowned ones. Groupset is not original, would look good with m735 era xt.
2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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Ah … special.
Straight edge decals.
If milled head tube. Then Racelite.
Prob 90 91 ish.
Possibly pre-Cannery bike.
Serial number should be on the rear dropout.
Wonderful colour and great condition by the look of it.
Great find
Straight edge decals.
If milled head tube. Then Racelite.
Prob 90 91 ish.
Possibly pre-Cannery bike.
Serial number should be on the rear dropout.
Wonderful colour and great condition by the look of it.
Great find
benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
Nice find, I'll echo what's said above about the frame. Early Race Lite and a lovely one too. 
First year Rockshox Quadras, just Quadra, which those appear to be, pre 5, 10, 21r etc had a black crown so that fork may not be a Bontrager specific version, but then again it could be, it's hard to tell without the two different offsets side by side.
The serial number on the dropout is pretty meaningless, it's been confirmed by several ex employees that there was just a pile of them in a box that they pulled from for production, they are not sequential or in anyway related to year or month of production. Dating them is a case of looking at specific features to get a rough date.
First year Rockshox Quadras, just Quadra, which those appear to be, pre 5, 10, 21r etc had a black crown so that fork may not be a Bontrager specific version, but then again it could be, it's hard to tell without the two different offsets side by side.
The serial number on the dropout is pretty meaningless, it's been confirmed by several ex employees that there was just a pile of them in a box that they pulled from for production, they are not sequential or in anyway related to year or month of production. Dating them is a case of looking at specific features to get a rough date.
2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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Absolutely right regarding serial numbers, but I did a big search of people and bikes on line when I had my Race OR and they do make some kind of chronological sense even though the digits do not contain specific logistic information. Bunch of frames made in sequence, chucked in boxes pretty sequentially, pull out the nearest one to make up = some vague semblance of order…
benjabbi
Bontrager Fan
I wouldn't be surprised if the original idea behind having the dropouts numbered was to have them run sequentially, but once they were mixed up in a box it became too time consuming to hunt for the next one in the sequence so just grab the top one and go. Assuming they were numbered in sequence it does make sense that older frames would have lower numbers. If the box lasted 6 months and had 0000-0500 in it then 0500 could be on the first bike from that 6 month period and 0000 the last so a rough date could be found, if they were recorded, which it appears they were not!
@slackboy it looks like a small, which I could get away with, although mine are all medium and it's certainly a frame I'd love to own.
@slackboy it looks like a small, which I could get away with, although mine are all medium and it's certainly a frame I'd love to own.
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2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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Gosh yes a small.
That’s really weeny.
I had a lovely medium which was pretty tight for me at 5-7. (Now owned by Carg).
My new geometry bikes are 450 reach. Which are HEUGE compared to the Bonty’s.
That’s really weeny.
I had a lovely medium which was pretty tight for me at 5-7. (Now owned by Carg).
My new geometry bikes are 450 reach. Which are HEUGE compared to the Bonty’s.
Prodigal Son
Senior Retro Guru
Cable stops are riveted instead of brazed. Early Bontrager. Lots of cache on this one.
