Name that RM bike!

[Anthony]

Tange Ultimate Ultralight only came out in 92, and was only on the scene for a couple years - I'd guess 92-93.
rb

A bit too light?

Nah - just that steel started it's decline in popularity for high end bikes in about 92. Just bad timing.

Tange Ultimate may have come out in 1992, but few 92 bikes were made of it. The decline of Tange did pre-date the decline of steel generally, but you'd have difficulty detecting either in 1992. Ultimate Superlight was still being used for top-class bikes such as the Voodoo Bizango as late as 1997, and the various levels of Ultimate dominated top-end steel bikes between 1993 and 1995.

Ultralight was a bit of a misnomer. Even Superlight was not a particularly light tubeset, and so-called Ultralight was heavier than Superlight. Although RM used Superlight for the Altitude and Ultralight for the Blizzard and Equipe, the cost to the manufacturer was the same. The premium price for the Altitude just reflected the fact that it was built by senior craftsmen, and of course the 'lighter is better' myth.

 

[FirstFlight]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but we recently acquired this bike and found out a little more info. We talked to an old-timer at Rocky and he was really excited to see the bike again. The trials bike guess is incorrect. Apparently, it was a prototype courier bike which used some type of crank extensions. It is hard to picture but it was apparently a 2"-2 1/2" extension that attached to the pedal hole and was free to swing (must have been mounted on bearings). the pedal was attached to the end of the extension which would explain the extra tall bottom bracket. The crank extensions have been separated from the bike somewhere along the line. If anyone out there has any info on previous owners, let us know. Rocky Mountain has offered to remake the extensions but it would be cool to find the originals.

Just an update on a zombie thread.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Excellent update though

But that pedal setup doesn't sound like it would work. Unless you mean something like this ?
http://www.highpath.net/highpath/cycles/swingcrank.html
from
http://www.highpath.net/

 

[FirstFlight]

Excellent update though

But that pedal setup doesn't sound like it would work. Unless you mean something like this ?
http://www.highpath.net/highpath/cycles/swingcrank.html
from
http://www.highpath.net/

That is what he described.

 

[FirstFlight]

Actually, looking at it again what he described was a little bit different. I think the extension swung on both ends which would actually lengthen the crank not shorten it. Similar looking mechanism though.

 

[FirstFlight]

Pictures are now up @ http://mombat.org/MOMBAT/Bikes/1991_Roc ... easel.html

 

[classen]

I don't get it. Why would this design offer benefits to a courier?

 

[FirstFlight]

I don't get it. Why would this design offer benefits to a courier?

Supposedly, it had to do with the swinging crank extensions which would explain the high bottom bracket. Without seeing/riding the bike with the extensions, I am not sure what the advantages were supposed to be?

 

[FirstFlight]

Doing a little more research and these are the type of extension that would have been used on the bike.

 

[Anonymous]

Re:

I don't get it. Why would this design offer benefits to a courier?

The person at RM likely has no idea what he is talking about. He likely was not even at RM when this bike was built!
I was the one whom purchased it from a ex-employee. I was told whom this frame was designed for and what it was designed for. I even know which store sold the other Weasel.
The frame comes with the original off road 24 inch tires. Not road tires. I suggested a ride would tell you more.