Marin Rocky Ridge 1994 - Finished!
- Thread starter gmtfd
- Start date
Well, it took six months and more work than I ever anticipated. but the Rocky Ridge is finally finished!
I took it for a 70k shakedown ride today, and I have to say my expectations were demolished. Not having much prior experience with retro MTBs, I was anticipating a back-breaking riding position, a bone-shaking ride, hopeless brakes, scary handling ... you know, all the clichés. In fact it was none of those things.
I would describe this bike as agile rather than nervous. It rides like any other aluminium bike, and I found it surprisingly easy to adjust to the more stretched-out riding position. It accelerates and climbs like a beast, and descends well enough for a middle-aged bloke with an aversion to broken bones. I hardly noticed the lack of suspension. The brakes were the biggest surprise - I didn't ever feel I was lacking power, and the added mud clearance over v-brakes was most welcome.
I guess it just goes to show that, like in many other areas of life, it's best not to believe the hype. These old bikes clearly aren't worse than modern ones, just different, and perhaps better suited to the sort of XC riding I like to do.
Current spec:
Frame: Marin Rocky Ridge 1994
Fork: Marin Rocky Ridge 1996
Headset: Ritchey Classic Logic
Stem: Ritchey Comp Lite 135mm
Handlebar: Ritchey Force FD 560mm
Grips: ESI Chunky
Bar ends: unbranded
Brakes: Shimano BR-M737
Brake pads: Kool Stop MTB salmon
Brake cable housing: TRP Disc-Connect compressionless
Brake cable hangers: Tektro
Brake levers: Shimano BL-M733
Shifter: Shimano SL-M6000
Derailleur: Shimano RD-M786 SGS with Wolf Tooth GoatLink
Derailleur cable housing: Shimano OT-SP41
Cassette: Shimano CS-M4100 11-42T
Chain: KMC X10
Cranks: Shimano FC-M785
Chainring: Works Components 36T
Chainring bolts: SRAM
Bottom bracket: Shimano SM-BB52
Pedals: DMR V12 magnesium
Hubs / skewers: Shimano HB / FH-M737-A
Rims: Mavic 217 SUP UB Control
Nipples: unbranded
Spokes: DT Swiss
Tyres: Continental Rubber Queen / Mountain King 2.2"
Tubes: Schwalbe SV / AV14 Extralight
Saddle: Specialized Phenom
Seatpost: Syncros
Seat clamp: Uno
Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race
Bell: Crane E-Ne
Weight: 11.3kg
Planned upgrades:
SL-M980 shifter
Faster rolling tubeless tyres
New seat clamp (which doesn't require me to carry a 13mm spanner!)
New pedals
I took it for a 70k shakedown ride today, and I have to say my expectations were demolished. Not having much prior experience with retro MTBs, I was anticipating a back-breaking riding position, a bone-shaking ride, hopeless brakes, scary handling ... you know, all the clichés. In fact it was none of those things.
I would describe this bike as agile rather than nervous. It rides like any other aluminium bike, and I found it surprisingly easy to adjust to the more stretched-out riding position. It accelerates and climbs like a beast, and descends well enough for a middle-aged bloke with an aversion to broken bones. I hardly noticed the lack of suspension. The brakes were the biggest surprise - I didn't ever feel I was lacking power, and the added mud clearance over v-brakes was most welcome.
I guess it just goes to show that, like in many other areas of life, it's best not to believe the hype. These old bikes clearly aren't worse than modern ones, just different, and perhaps better suited to the sort of XC riding I like to do.
Current spec:
Frame: Marin Rocky Ridge 1994
Fork: Marin Rocky Ridge 1996
Headset: Ritchey Classic Logic
Stem: Ritchey Comp Lite 135mm
Handlebar: Ritchey Force FD 560mm
Grips: ESI Chunky
Bar ends: unbranded
Brakes: Shimano BR-M737
Brake pads: Kool Stop MTB salmon
Brake cable housing: TRP Disc-Connect compressionless
Brake cable hangers: Tektro
Brake levers: Shimano BL-M733
Shifter: Shimano SL-M6000
Derailleur: Shimano RD-M786 SGS with Wolf Tooth GoatLink
Derailleur cable housing: Shimano OT-SP41
Cassette: Shimano CS-M4100 11-42T
Chain: KMC X10
Cranks: Shimano FC-M785
Chainring: Works Components 36T
Chainring bolts: SRAM
Bottom bracket: Shimano SM-BB52
Pedals: DMR V12 magnesium
Hubs / skewers: Shimano HB / FH-M737-A
Rims: Mavic 217 SUP UB Control
Nipples: unbranded
Spokes: DT Swiss
Tyres: Continental Rubber Queen / Mountain King 2.2"
Tubes: Schwalbe SV / AV14 Extralight
Saddle: Specialized Phenom
Seatpost: Syncros
Seat clamp: Uno
Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race
Bell: Crane E-Ne
Weight: 11.3kg
Planned upgrades:
SL-M980 shifter
Faster rolling tubeless tyres
New seat clamp (which doesn't require me to carry a 13mm spanner!)
New pedals
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