1987 Wicked Fat Chance- PRICE DROPPED

[Dr S]

FOR SALE

1987 WICKED FAT CHANCE 'AULD FAITHFUL'

With a very heavy heart I have finally decided to part with my lovely old Fat Chance. Following a wrist injury last year, and having riden a rigid bike this weekend for the first time in over a year I have to face the fact that I won't be riding this bike anymore. It has been hanging from the wall since Three Tribes back in late april 2010 and needs to be used. Although I once offered this bike for sale I got cold feet and withdrew at the last moment. This time it has to go to someone who will care for it and most importantly use it.

So then, the bike. 1987 Wicked Fat Chance. Top of the range back then, ordered in all black instead of the usual black/ yellow and ordered without decals for a stealth look. It was owned by a Californian until 2008 when I bought it. He had used it for just one week a year, the rest of the time it was stored in his loft. Therefore this bike has remained in perfect original condition.
When it landed here in the UK I replaced the tyres which were shot and the saddle (an ugly ladies type thing) with a NOS selle Italia. Everything else is as it left the factory even down to the cables. Paint was looking scruffy and this was sorted with fresh powder and it was rustproofed before reassembly. As a final touch I had Gil run up some Fat Chance decals in satin black which can only be seen close up- thus keeping the stealth looks.

Quick spec... Full Deore M730 XT groupset. It has a later 7 speed rear hub and I changed the spacers between the sprockets on a 735 cassette so i could use the original 6 speed (with extra click) shifters without upsetting the indexing. It has original FAT City bars, salsa roller stem, strong seatpost with hite-rite, araya rims, 730 biopace rings, 730 pedals, ritchey tyres and a brand new NOS Shimano 600 headset.
Paint is still perfect and unmarked with no chain slap, chain suck, chips, scratches or cable rub. All parts are perfect cosmetically and mechanically- only the pedal cages are marked- these are easy to refurbish.

Sizings. Its a medium so 22CTC top tube with a 17.5 CTC / 19" CTT seattube.

One, if not the most original Fats ever seen on Retrobike. It rides brilliantly as you would expect and those in the know will tell you that these early Fats were the best handling bikes they ever made. Ride is compliant and much easier to live with than the later Yo Eddy's which tend to be more race like.

A few pics...

More available on request.

Price. £1200 firm. Shipping at cost. It will be very carefully packaged or I can deliver to the peaks meet. Price includes a spare set of NOS cables and a 1987 Fat Chance catalogue.

Thanks for looking, and remember, this will be going to a good home only, so if you are just a guy who likes to sell on within weeks please don't ask because the answer will not be nice.

Cheers
Si

 

[yo-Nate-y]

Superb bike and one of the best looking Wickeds around!

I'm sorry that one won't be a keeper for you but I hope you find someone who will make it a keeper for themselves.

Good luck with the sale.

 

[Dr S]

Thanks Nate. So sad that it has to go. I have tried the 'hang it from the wall thing' but it's no life for a Fat. She needs to spread her wings once again and fly.

 

[Nader]

wow! absolutely nice Wicked and very fair price :shock:

Good luck

 

[Dr S]

wow! absolutely nice Wicked and very fair price :shock:

Good luck

Cheers

 

[theredchili]

Great looking bike and a good source for seeing an original wicked , funny as I was going to respray mine the same but decided to keep the original paint colour , I do like the stealth decals.
shame your selling it and even more a shame I can't afford it right now



Best of luck with the sale and I hope it remains within Retrobikes so we all can enjoy it furthermore

 

[Elev12k]

Nice bike

"One, if not the most original Fats ever seen on Retrobike. "

What makes your bike more original than the other less original FATs? How do you measure it?

 

[BoyBurning]

Nice bike

"One, if not the most original Fats ever seen on Retrobike. "

What makes your bike more original than the other less original FATs? How do you measure it?

Quite. I was wondering this also. Does the fact that it's been resprayed not reduce it's originality somewhat?

BB

 

[Dr S]

Well as you know, most Fats over this side of the pond were/ are built up from frames. This bike was built up at Fat City and collected in person as a complete bike. It still wears all those original parts- parts that have never been on another bike. The hub I changed to a more practical 7 speed, the rubbish saddle was changed and the paint had some issues sorted, but apart from that it is how it left Sommerville 24 years ago. The press in bearings and collars in the BB are original, even the original Grab On grips and heavy duty shimano cabling was retained when I cleaned it up. Everything is still in perfect condition so in my opinion shes as close as you can get to an original factory Fat Chance.

 

[Dr S]

Quite. I was wondering this also. Does the fact that it's been resprayed not reduce it's originality somewhat?

BB

I did think hard a out the ethics of repainting such an original bike. The frame wasn't two bad. Usual scratches along the top tube where it had been leant against things, a little heal rub and cable rub etc. The fork was shocking though- lots of chips and scratches. At first I painted the fork and touched up the frame scratches. It looked quite good.
Then I thought about what happens to Fats in the UK- they rust at an alarming rate. Now I like to ride my bikes in all weathers and it wouldn't last long without proper protection. If this was a fancy Fat paint job I would maybe think differently, but this was just black powder. Nothing special or difficult to replicate. Refinishing the paint was the best thing for the preservation of this bike, so it got fresh powder.

Si