Rocky Mountain Vertex Information?

I've obtained an old Prestige Vertex frame, but despite where I'm living, I can't say I know too much about the frame. The serial number is V1113. I have found the 1992 brochure on here which shows a blue frame but this black so I don't know if it's been re-painted. The welds are pretty amazing, all smoothed off so I assume it was made locally? An Equipe and Fusion of similar eras I've had both have normal rippled welds.

If anyone has any info on these frames, that would be rad. It's a keeper but but haven't got a clue what to do with it yet! I'm useless at figuring out posting pics, but here's a couple in a gallery I created:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/u ... er/vertex/

Thanks!

Yours is the first one I've seen, and I don't know any more about them than what is in the catalogue. I can't quite tell from your photos, but does it have ovalised and tapered top and down tubes as stated in the catalogue?

The serial number does indicate that it was built in Delta. What are the serials of the Equipe and Fusion? Different format I expect.

Thanks. I don't have the the other bikes any more. The Equipe funded a prototype Skullskates cruiser, and the Fusion funded life

The tubes look like they are slightly tapered. I'd not noticed before. Typically I've just put my vernier gauge in my workshop so I won't be able to measure for a few days. The frame sticker does say Tange Prestige Concept so I guess that was Tange's version of Columbus' Max OR? My Team Marin from back in the day was just normal round Prestige, or it was until I crumpled it riding into a rock

Made in Richmond, not Delta.
If I remember correctly, the Vertex was made of steel for the first year.

walleater":22azllj8 said:

The tubes look like they are slightly tapered. I'd not noticed before. Typically I've just put my vernier gauge in my workshop so I won't be able to measure for a few days. The frame sticker does say Tange Prestige Concept so I guess that was Tange's version of Columbus' Max OR?

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Not quite like Columbus Max. Concept is still a 9-6-9 tube like round Prestige, but is ovalised and tapered from 27x30 to 30x34, both top and down. Max is a fatter tube with a thinner gauge and bi-ovalised from horizontal at the back to vertical at the front. Same principle though of gaining strength from ovalising.

roc6839":22azllj8 said:

Made in Richmond, not Delta.
If I remember correctly, the Vertex was made of steel for the first year.

Click to expand...

Noted with thanks. Any more little nuggets of RM history would be gratefully received.

Yes, by 1993 the Vertex was made of Easton ProGram and priced the same as the Altitude. This 1992 Vertex is like the Tantalus and Thunderbird in having standard seatstays, unlike the regular production bikes that had wishbone seatstays that year.

there's one i'm aware of posted in the readers section i believe. first year RM introduced the Vertex line, it was introduced as steel frame. Ah found the thread…

http://retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14989

Thanks guys. Looking closely at the frame, I can see hints of blue in various places so I am guessing that the frame was resprayed without without being stripped at one point. I may never know though. I'll clean it all up and then decide whether to get it stripped / painted (and lose the original albeit tatty decals), or leave it as it is.

While I know it won't be to original spec, I do have various Suntour XC Pro / Comp bits, and Scott Pedersen SE brakes in almost mint condition on my (too big) Proflex 750 that I might put on it. I'd love to ride it but don't have the time / patience / money to build a bare frame into an original bike. I do have a Shark Fin though!

Anthony":29vg6rk7 said:

...
Yes, by 1993 the Vertex was made of Easton ProGram and priced the same as the Altitude. This 1992 Vertex is like the Tantalus and Thunderbird [*] in having standard seatstays, unlike the regular production bikes that had wishbone seatstays that year.

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[*] and Fusion

Yep, my Fusion had regular seatstays too, but again not as well finished. I've been told by an ex Rocky employee that the Fusion was in fact made overseas but 'finished' in BC so it could have it's made in Canada tag, but I don't know if there's any truth in that.

walleater":3rzb2bfw said:

Yep, my Fusion had regular seatstays too, but again not as well finished. I've been told by
an ex Rocky employee that the Fusion was in fact made overseas but 'finished' in BC so it could have it's made in Canada tag, but I don't know if there's any truth in that.

Click to expand...

I heard the same. A lot ex RM employees.