Bontrager yr/model help

[Tedgey]

So I was in my local charity bike shop (gold mine for retro bikes/parts)a week or so ago and I spotted a Bontrager bike hidden in the rafters after leaving it a few days I ended up going down and putting a deposit down for it and picked it up yesterday.
Im 85% sure that I've narrowed it down to being a Race that's a 97/98 model but would be great if some bonti fans 100% could confirm this for me
Spec is as follows:
Xt brakes
Xt levers/shifters
Xt f&r derailleurs
Xt hubs
Xt cassette
Xt headset
Bontrager race lite bars
Bontrager race stem
Bontrager race lite bar ends
Bontrager Jones tyres
Bontrager saddle
bontrager race light crank
bontrager Mustang rims
seat post measures 26.8mm
rockshox Judy xc (knackered unfortunately)

many thanks in advance guys

 

[slackboy]

I think you are probably right with the age and model, it's definitely not a race lite, as that has a milled headtube.

The rear drop outs don't look like a privateer, but to be sure take off one of the rear brakes.

The brake mount should be removable on a race/racelite, on a privateer its a standard braze on.

Regardless, youve got one of the classic bikes of the 90s and one of the best riding ( imho).

Srp specialty retro products sell spring replacements for judy forks if you want to get them working again.

 

[slackboy]

If it were mine I'd replace the chainset with an m739 5 arm version, and just clean the rest up. it looks pretty damn original.

 

[Tedgey]

I think you are probably right with the age and model, it's definitely not a race lite, as that has a milled headtube.

The rear drop outs don't look like a privateer, but to be sure take off one of the rear brakes.

The brake mount should be removable on a race/racelite, on a privateer its a standard braze on.

Regardless, youve got one of the classic bikes of the 90s and one of the best riding ( imho).

Srp specialty retro products sell spring replacements for judy forks if you want to get them working again.

That's great thanks .....I haven't started any work on it yet it's sat in a que in my workshop really handy to hear about SRP I'll look them up and see about getting some springs ordered when I start on the bike

 

[slackboy]

they've got an ebay shop here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/specialtyretroproducts and @kokies is the chap who runs it so could answer any questions you may have.

 

[Tedgey]

they've got an ebay shop here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/specialtyretroproducts and @kokies is the chap who runs it so could answer any questions you may have.

AHH ok great I'll have a look this evening ,thanks man

 

[Tedgey]

I think you are probably right with the age and model, it's definitely not a race lite, as that has a milled headtube.

The rear drop outs don't look like a privateer, but to be sure take off one of the rear brakes.

The brake mount should be removable on a race/racelite, on a privateer its a standard braze on.

Regardless, youve got one of the classic bikes of the 90s and one of the best riding ( imho).

Srp specialty retro products sell spring replacements for judy forks if you want to get them working again.

So I've just checked and yes the brake mounts are removable

 

[slackboy]

and its purple too isn't it and probably a stupidly low bargain price. Good score!

 

[Tedgey]

and its purple too isn't it and probably a stupidly low bargain price. Good score!

View attachment 639263

No it's black.....thinking I'll respray it as paints a bit rough in places not sure whether I'll stick with black or maybe go a different colour.
I paid £75 for it but figured that all the xt components are worth more than that

 

[slackboy]

I paid £75 for it but figured that all the xt components are worth more than that

frame is worth about £300, so definitely a good deal.

Get yourself a build thread going here, there's a cabal of of bontrager fans on the site with active builds going at that moment @pw_pw_la @benjabbi @Carge @Elfman to name a few, so you should join the club.

other things to bear in mind

1) fork is a 1" steerer so will be difficult to replace
2) the top decal panel is on back to front; the OR logo should be at the front of the frame - but its probably been like that from new.
3) "proper" cable routing for the rear mech is crossing on to the non-drive side and then under the wishbone stay rather than straight down like yours is set up.